Image: Bergerbrigade
Heidelberg United reclaimed top spot on Sunday with a mostly one-sided encounter over bottom-placed St Albans, while Kingston City had an important win over North Geelong to gain some breathing space away from the relegation pack for now. There were also draws between Green Gully and Bulleen along with Hume City and Pascoe Vale on Saturday.
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Earlier in the season St Albans were able to hold off Heidelberg at Olympic Village but this round highlighted the direction both teams have gone in since then as the Bergers claimed a 4-1 win at Churchill Reserve.
The scoring commenced in the 14th minute as Paul O’Brien worked his way into the box and found Sean Ellis, whose effort curled in for the 1-0 lead.
After half an hour it was 2-0 when Michael Trigger continued his strong early impression for George Katsakis’ side by teeing up Adrian Zahra for his second goal in as many weeks.
The contest was all but killed off by the 56th minute as Kenny Athiu’s strike was deflected in off Ben Shaper.
Salt was rubbed into the found some 10 minutes later as Athiu got in on the action again, following in Alusine Fofanah’s shot to tap in the fourth.
Caleb Mikulic netted an 80th minute consolation to give the hosts something to take out of the game but the day well and truly belonged to the visitors, whose juggernaut rolls on as they – and Bentleigh – build a bigger gap on Avondale and South Melbourne, whose game this week was postponed.
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There were debuts galore in Green Gully’s clash against Bulleen as Gully’s Nathan Cook (Northcote) and Dylan Smith (Adelaide) along with Bulleen’s Pablo Caceres (Malvern City) made their introductions.
Bulleen were buoyed by a comeback win at home against Oakleigh but the hosts were looking to end a four-game winless run and make up ground on the top sides, and their early exchanges looked ominous, characterised by Nick Krousoratis hitting a shot against the crossbar in the 15th minute.
Bulleen sounded a warning shot in the 35th minute as Lewis Hawke had the ball in the back of the net but was flagged for offside.
A goal that stood came minutes later as Eli Luttmer swung in a cross which was headed in for a debut own-goal by Cook in an unlucky involvement for the defender, with Gully feeling aggrieved at not being able to make the most of their chances at the other end.
After the break they did have the chance to square the ledger as Luttmer was pulled up for a foul on Krousoratis in the box. However, Lewis Italiano showed his A-League pedigree with a diving save to deny Jay Davies from the penalty spot and then parry the follow-up.
He was again called into action to deny Krousoratis from close range as the hosts’ frustrations grew at not finding a way back in.
But eventually the equaliser did come in the 86th minute and it was Jonathan Bounas from a scramble that slammed a low shot in the back of the net to make it 1-1, and that was how the score remained, with the hosts relieved by a point at least but no doubt ruing the missed opportunity to have all three.
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The point away from home was a decent one for Bulleen, but as the battle in the mid to lower table shows, one win can pull a team above the pack in the space of a week and it was Kingston’s 2-0 win on the road to the North Geelong Warriors that propelled them up to ninth.
The visitors looked the most likely from the outset, creating numerous chances, with Chris Irwin and Damian Iaconis guilty early of fluffing opportunities to put their side ahead, while Marko Stevanja was also composed between the sticks for the Warriors.
Irwin took a chance before the break finally, knocking in an initial save to have the visitors up 1-0 at half time.
Iaconis also converted an opportunity presented to him in the second half to net his ninth of the campaign and all but put the contest out of North’s reach.
Velibor Mitrovic had the ball in the back of the net but was called offside later, and Kene Eze had a sight on goal after a set piece but Kile Kennedy was on hand to keep him at bay and preserve a clean sheet – just Kingston’s second of the campaign as the side ran out 2-0 winners.
The win ends a five-game winless run for Nick Tolios’ men and moves them above Bulleen, Port Melbourne and Melbourne Knights (who move back to 12th) for the week, with just two points separating all four, while it’s a big blow to North Geelong’s slim survival chances.
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It was a tight tussle in the final Saturday game but neither Hume City nor Pascoe Vale could break the deadlock in a scoreless draw.
Jayden Prasad had the ball in the back of the net early but the move was ruled offside.
Pascoe Vale’s best chance came before half time when a Blair Govan underhit pass was latched onto by Davey van ‘t Schip, but just missed wide in a one-on-one with Michael Weier.
Atilla Ofli and Theo Markelis had shots saved after the break as the hosts looked to take the upper hand in the second half.
But there was also a late flurry for the visitors. Bryan Bran slipped in defence which allowed Darcy Hall through, but his touch wasn’t the most advantageous and Weier was able to smother the shot.
The custodian had to be alert again when Joseph Youssef tried his hand from distance but was also denied.
One of the last good chances came late for Hume when James McGarry’s delivery found the head of Nick Pannetta flew over the bar.
Neither side could break away from the cluster of clubs fighting it out for a couple of the remaining finals spots, with fifth to eighth – Gully, Hume, Oakleigh and Paco – all drawing this weekend.