Image: Northcote City
Northcote City’s Friday night win over East front-runners Dandenong City has given the 2013 VPL Champions an eight-point buffer at the top of the West standings as their nearest rivals Moreland City and Moreland Zebras slipped up. Hajduk’s defeat is good news for both Melbourne City Youth and Dandenong Thunder, who profited by claiming victories in their respective outings to ensure a three-way tie at the pivot of the Eastern conference. Down the other end of the table, the struggles of Bendigo City, Box Hill United and Werribee City continued, with the trio of teams collecting just one win between them in 33 league fixtures this term.
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Friday night’s blockbuster clash between Dandenong City and Northcote proved low-key in a timid first half where both sides were restricted to half chances on goal. Nick Kalmar’s long range free-kick forced Griffin McMaster down low into making a save while Alex Goodwin couldn’t get the right connection on his header to trouble City gloveman Damir Salcin.
The visitors found the back of the net through Tremayne Sadler only for the left-back to have his goal ruled out for offside. Hercules opened the scoring in the 58th minute in spectacular fashion as New Zealand international Moses Dyer unloaded from 20 metres, his low effort sailing into the bottom right-hand corner of the net in what was the youngster’s starting debut for the club since joining a fortnight ago.
One became two five minutes later when an Aaron Turner free-kick into the area was met by a looping header from right-back George Stavridis – the former Kingston defender netting his first goal since 2015. City failed to mount any serious attempts of their own, with substitute David Stirton and Kalmar failing to hit the target from set-piece opportunities. Stuart Munro’s men are now winless in their last three as they prepare to take on sister club Melbourne Knights in a mammoth Round 6 FFA Cup fixture on Wednesday night at Frank Holohan Soccer Complex.
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That result helped Melbourne City jump to the top of the standings on goal difference as strikes from Denis Genreau and Marko Delic saw the youngsters defeat Ballarat City 2-0 at LaTrobe University. Joe Palatsides’ men opened the scoring five minutes into the contest when 17-year-old Genreau latched onto a ball from Lucas Derrick to convert his second of the campaign. Further chances followed for the hosts with Derrick, Genreau, Josh Cavallo and birthday boy Stefan Colakovski trying their luck, though the score remained 1-0 heading into the half-time interval.
Danny Gnjidic’s side had their first major attempt on goal ten minutes after the restart when a Shaun Romein free-kick was well saved by James Delianov. That moment proved pivotal as a counter-attack move from the A-League Youth side doubled their advantage. Nathaniel Atkinson and Marko Delic combined, the latter tapping the ball home for his third senior goal in seven games. Ballarat’s misery was compounded four minutes from time when star man Michael Trigger was given his marching orders having received his second caution, as the highest scorers in NPL2 surged into first place.
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That position would have been occupied by the Dandenong Thunder had it not been for their two-point deduction, with Gianfranco Impellizzeri’s side joining the two City outfits on 20 points following a hard-fought 1-0 win over Brunswick City at CB Smith Reserve.
Spartans striker Adam Wright blazed an early opportunity on goal as did Thunder marksman Brandon Barnes, who was looking to continue on his lethal form in front of goal. Kristian Sarkies couldn’t convert two good opportunities either side of half time while Brunswick danger man Jose Portillo failed to trouble Fraser Maclaren following his fierce strike on goal.
The deadlock was broken in the 73rd minute when John Kuol dispossessed George McHeileh on the half-way line as a slick attacking team move saw the returning Veton Korcari tee up Barnes, who made no mistake to net his 14th strike in 11 matches. His league record now stands at 56 goals in 38 games since joining the club at the start of last year – his league figures are comparable to the likes of Messi and Ronaldo. Any chance of a Brunswick comeback was reduced when Portillo was sent off for lashing out at Aaron Cohen, as the Thunder established themselves as the form side of the competition and are now undefeated from their last nine.
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Northcote’s position at the top of the Western conference was strengthened following Moreland City’s 1-1 draw against the Springvale White Eagles at Campbell Reserve. The visitors took the lead four minutes before the interval when Milan Jovanovic latched onto a Damir Stoilovic low cross into the area to score his first of the campaign. The hosts levelled the scoring just after the hour mark through in-form forward Trent Rixon, whose header salvaged a point for Adrian Mathers’ men.
The 2010 VPL Golden Boot winner jumped to outright third in the goalscoring charts by netting his eighth goal this term from nine appearances.
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Over at Wembley Park, the Moreland Zebras failed to jump into second place following a goalless draw against the struggling Box Hill United. The home side remain rooted to the bottom of the East on six points with the Saturday afternoon stalemate their fifth goalless draw from 11 outings. A goal-shy Pythagoras have netted just three times in that period.
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Moving into fourth in the East are Murray United, who continued their impressive form of late following a second-half demolition job over their hapless hosts Bendigo City. The border side netted six goals in 28 second-half minutes to triumph 6-0. Former Adelaide United striker Chad Bugeja opened the scoring six minutes after the restart with his third of the year. Sean Pye’s penalty shortly afterwards was followed up by a quick-fire brace from Archie Thompson – including one from 30 yards – who now has four goals from seven games at Murray. Talismanic striker Zac Walker netted a further double to move up to six goals for the season.
James Coutts’ are enjoying their best run in the NPL since joining the competition in 2015 and are now unbeaten from their last six games as they prepare to host Northcote next week.
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United overtook Goulburn on the ladder as the Suns slipped to sixth following a 6-2 loss at home to the Whittlesea Ranges, who themselves moved into fourth in the West.
Welshman Ross Frame gave the visitors the lead in the 9th minute, while the hosts were reduced to ten men four minutes later following Scotsman Shaun Kane’s dismissal. Amazingly, the Shepparton-based outfit went into half-time in front thanks to goals from Kane’s compatriot Liam Baxter – his fifth in five games – and a penalty from Jamie England.
However, Vinko Buljubasic’s side sprang into life in the last half hour of the game after scoring five times to romp home to victory. Substitute Danny Charalambous marked his return from injury with his fourth of the campaign, before Tom Barforosh tapped the Ranges into the lead four minutes later. Mario Piraino then put in his goal of the year nomination with a stunning scissor kick from the edge of the goal area before Frame and Barforosh extended their margin as each clinched their braces – the latter is now on seven goals this term.
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The Epping-based outfit are ahead of Melbourne Victory Youth on goal difference as Gareth Naven’s enforcers defeated Nunawading City 4-2 at Epping Stadium. Senior-team scholarship holder Christian Theoharous doubled his account for the term with a well-taken brace. Pierce Waring and Cameron McGilp netted further goals to continue Victory’s good form of late.
Mitch Cooper was once more on target for City with a well taken finish from outside the area to move into joint-fourth on the goalscoring charts on seven goals, while Ivan Skorich netted a further consolation ten minutes from time. Despite an encouraging start to the season, Nunawading are now ninth in the East, three points ahead of Box Hill with their woes at the back continuing having now conceded 24 times in 10 matches.
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One of the competition’s best defensive sides also joined in the promotion hunt in the West as Sunshine George Cross defeated Eastern Lions 2-1 at Gardiners Creek Reserve.
Summer signing Tedros Yabio gave Tony Ciantar’s die the lead just before the half hour mark with his fourth in 11 this term, only for former Kingston midfielder Kostas Droutsas to restore parity just before the break with his maiden strike for the Lions. A horrendous error at the back proved costly for the hosts as Tunisian forward Souheil Azagane pounced 16 minutes from time to give the Georgies all three points.
Eastern Lions v Sunshine Georgies the goals from Eastern Lions Soccer Club on Vimeo.
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Eastern slipped into eighth following Richmond’s 3-0 win over a struggling Werribee City at Kevin Bartlett Reserve on Friday night. A superb counter-attack in the 8th minute had the hosts in front as the three goalscorers on the night combined, with Rudi Saglam scoring his second of the campaign. He was joined on that amount by Valli Cesnik, who followed up last week’s debut strike with his teams’ second on the half hour mark. Former Dandenong City forward Gonzalo Freddi sealed the win in second half stoppage with the Argentine’s fifth of the campaign as Richmond’s recent resurgence continued.
