Image: Ashley Perez
Fifteen minutes into Melbourne Knights’ away trip to Bentleigh Greens, the situation was looking bleak. One point in two games compared to the hosts’ six, and down a goal through a passage of play that looked all too easy.
Pouncing in midfield, Ben Litfin played through Lambros Honos who, afforded too much space advancing in on goal, put away a low finish in just the 11th minute.
With injuries and unavailability – the likes of Jurkovic, Batur, Gerhardt, Chalmers – looking like taking their toll, the backline of Brekalo, Surey, Miskulin and Purcell had a big task ahead of it – and conceding early wasn’t ideal.
At the other end Bentleigh had omissions of their own – no Ross Archibald, with Marco Jankovic shifting from left to centre-back to accommodate Luke Pilkington’s inclusion, while up front the likes of Andy Brennan and Stipo Andrijasevic were still out. The latter avoided a date against his old club, unlike fellow former Knights man Nick Glavan, who in the first half had to contend with the Knights’ bench and supporters next to his flank.
After the slow start, something clicked for the Knights after 20 minutes or so. The travelling fans found their voices and there were signs of life via a few attacking forays.
Furthermore, Elvis Kamsoba, as competent as he is in the front third, was doing his duties at the back, as was former Greens man Danny Dixon on the other wing.
Jake Barker-Daish and Jason Hicks were combining well, as were the former Hume strike duo of Tom Cahill and Kym Harris.
And so it were that a Hicks set piece found its range and met Cahill, whose aerial ability was too much for hosts and scored a well-placed header in the 28th minute.
From then a pattern emerged where the Knights made advances, won set pieces, and were completely turning the tide of the match.
Bentleigh were still dangerous on the counter, but the Knights’ final piece of the puzzle on the night, the imposing figure of Harry Cakarun, was cleaning most of what was coming his way.
His opposite number was impressive too, Ryan Scott with a double save to deny Cahill and Harris just before the break, allowing his side to regroup at half.
Yet no words seemed to have their desired effect – noticeably the impact of Holmes, Ruthven and Litfin in the middle of the park was being subdued – and the visitors continued to knock on the door, with Scott denying Harris again and a deflected goalbound effort in the second half.
A big moment came when Cakurun saved a close-range Honos strike to keep Bentleigh from re-taking the lead and swinging the momentum back in their favour.
At the other end, the Knights’ efforts were rewarded when Purcell was brought down by Pilkington just inside the box, with Hicks keeping a cool head and slotting the penalty in the 78th minute.
Dixon had an opportunity to seal the result from point-blank range but his effort inexplicably missed.
His blushes were spared, and the travelling supporters’ night was made all the sweeter when youth product Caleb Mikulic came off the bench and scored the sealer – his first senior goal for the club – when Kamsoba chested down a cross from Barker-Daish into his path.
The result means Bentleigh don’t break away from the rest of the pack too early, and the Knights’ nerves are settled with a first win of the campaign – a massive one at that, which could kickstart their campaign. Now Avondale remain the one team with a perfect record, just two from two, signalling that this season could be one of the closest yet.
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At JL Murphy Reserve, Port Melbourne combined a few of their results from the first two games. Unable to find the back of the net like in round 1, but also not conceding like in round 2, they cancelled out the defeat and win of those matches with a draw in round 3.
There was also a bit of a pattern to Oakleigh’s game, notching up now a third consecutive draw. But this time there was no 2-0 lead blown. However the Cannons’ search for a first win continues.
The goalkeepers remained on top throughout the 90, with Honos denying the likes of Govas, Cristaldo, while Stella had a couple of missed opportunities.
Dean Piemonte, who had previously opened the scoring in two previous games, was also denied by custodian Brendan White, while efforts by the likes of Nate Foster and much of the Oakleigh forward line were also thwarted.