Photo: Steve Starek/Melbourne Knights
The Melborne Knights have progressed to the FFA Cup Round of 32 after a 2-0 victory over Port Melbourne Sharks at Knights Stadium.
Former FFV Gold Medalist Marijan Cvitkovic played the role of match winner, netting a brace either side of the half to send his side into the national stage.
It could’ve been so different for Port, as Jamie de Abreu enjoyed an early sight on goal, but slid his shot well wide of goal after cutting onto his right boot.
Port had Michael Stark at the other end to thank for not going behind early, as the custodian did well to palm away a stinging effort from the in-form Jason Hicks, who was squared up with a five-yard lay-off from Robbie Zadworny.
Sharks captain Shaun Kelly was then allowed to attack a dangerous de Abreu corner, but Chalmers was perfectly placed to hold onto his bullet header.
The Knights were error-prone as they struggled to transition the ball from defence to attack, which allowed Port into good areas, however their finishing let them down on multiple occasions.
David Stirton looked to capitalise on a poor pass from the back and while his bursting run saw him break free of his defensive marker, he was indecisive with his final ball, as a half shot, half cross sailed across the face of the Knights’ goal.
Erhan Yalaz continued the mini-siege for Port Melbourne, but again, like his teammates before him, was unable to hit the target from a good position, volleying narrowly wide at the left post.
The game deteriorated into a foul-ridden contest, which made for poor viewing and mostly half-chances presented to the sides in the half’s latter end.
James Riccobene sent a free-kick over the bar from 20-yards while for the Knights, Cvitkovic had a shot blocked and Stipo Andrijacevic was denied by Stark at his near post.
However for the hosts, they proved clinical with a rare opening inside the Port Melbourne box, striking with the last real action of the half, as Cvitkovic hammered home a powerful, low strike past Stark from an Andrijacevic cross.
The game picked up some rhythm early in the second half; the Knights looked an improved unit and Port Melbourne attacked with plenty of intent.
Yalaz earned a corner after shot from the angle was turned behind, with Bonel Obradovic driving an effort narrowly wide from range from the resulting set-piece.
The Knights’ best passage of play to that point came on the hour mark as Cvitkovic and Hicks combined to free the former up on the left wing.
His ball across the face found Zadworny who slipped at the first time of asking, but recovered only to strike wide of the left post.
The sealer came in the 82nd minute, with Cvitkovic marauding into the box with relative ease before sliding a low shot past Stark to the rapturous applause of the home crowd.
The Knights join Bentleigh Greens, Green Gully and finally Hume City in the National Stage of the FFA Cup after they claimed a 4-0 win over Richmond SC in the other fixture tonight at ABD Stadium
A first-half brace to Kym Harris was followed up by second-half strikes from former Richmond marksman Tom Cahill and Theo Markelis on a night where the visitors failed to mount any serious resistance against their more illustrious opponents.
The hosts started the contest on the front foot with defender Ramazan Tavsancioglu having two glances at goal to no avail in the opening few minutes of the match.
A Shane Rexhepi ball into the box was met by the head of Harris whose glancing effort went wide of Gian Tapia’s goal as Lou Acevski’s men poured plenty of pressure on the visitors.
Hume shot-stopper was then called into action for the first time on the evening when he was forced to parry away a Jake Barker-Daish free-kick away from goal.
The deadlock was then broken in the 16th minute when a defensive mistake was pounced upon by Harris who converted past Tapia to slot home his sixth goal of the season in all competitions.
One soon became two as a marauding Jeremy Walker run from left-back saw him square the ball across the box to Harris who slotted in his second in the 22nd minute.
Richmond grew in confidence in the second part of the first half without ever really threatening Oldfield’s goal as the two sides headed into the half-time break.
Hume skipper Nick Hegarty had a good opportunity to extend the lead minutes after the restart but shot wide in what was to be the calm before the storm for Rick Mensink’s side.
The Englishman then provided the game with a moment of individual brilliance as he turned his defender before whipping in a ball to the back post that was met by the head of compatriot Tom Cahill who once more scored against the club he captained to NPL promotion last season.
Any chance of a miraculous Richmond comeback was extinguished in the 65th minute when Trajceski chested the ball down towards FFA Cup specialist Markelis who got in on the act with his sides’ fourth.
City then brought on Sam Beninato for Petar Franjic – the latter making his first appearance after spending the better part of the last year on the sidelines with a knee injury.
The substitute created two good chances for Markelis and Cahill who failed to extend the lead and add to their tally for the evening in what was a rather disappointing one-sided encounter.
Nevertheless, Hume will be delighted to have made the FFA Cup tournament proper for the second season running and will be hoping to go one better on their run to the semi-finals last season.
For Richmond, attention will quickly turn to the relegation battle the 2015 NPL1 Champions are involved in with a crucial away trip to fellow struggles Melbourne Victory to come this weekend.