With the Easter Break giving teams in the WPL and NPL1 a weekend off, there is a bit less to bring to you this week, and we’ll start by wrapping up the midweek NPL action.
Port Melbourne Sharks 0-1 Northcote City at JL Murphy Reserve
Northcote City made it back to back 1-0 victories in a week, seeing off Port Melbourne on Wednesday night. Kristian Konstantinidis’s header just six minutes into the game proved to be the difference.
Despite a seemingly straightforward scoreline, the result did not reflect the action on the pitch, as both sides generated a number of chances throughout the game, including a Wooding free kick that cannoned off the crossbar.
Ultimately both keepers were on top, especially Chris Theodoridis, who denied the home side on multiple occasions as they pressed for the equaliser.
Bentleigh Greens 3-1 Green Gully at Kingston Heath
Despite an improvement from previous weeks performances, Green Gully slumped to its third successive defeat, shipping 14 goals in the process. They didn’t get off to a good start against Bentleigh either.
One time Soccerroo and former Brondby player Brent McGrath commenced proceedings with a brilliant individual goal, before Jamie De Abreu doubled the lead before half time, capping off a period of dominance for the home side.
Green Gully came out firing after the break, scoring on the hour mark after Andy Vargas pounced on a poor clearance, which sparked some life into Gully giving them the impetus to dominate proceedings for the remainder of the game. In their search for an elusive equaliser, Osagie Ederaro fluffed a golden chance after rounding the keeper.
As a result the big comeback never eventuated, and a David Stirton goal sunk the visitors in the 89th minute. The result meant Bentleigh continued their unbeaten start to the season, taking their record to three wins and a draw.
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Melbourne Knights 0-1 Hume City at Knights Stadium
Knights Stadium is quickly becoming a house of pain for the home side as opposed to their visitors, with a third straight defeat at the venue on Wednesday night, this time to Hume City. Having both suffered losses in the preceeding round, the first half was a dour encounter with both the Knights and Hume looking to shore up their defences.
The game opened up somewhat in the second half, though Richie Cardozo would have felt the planets were not aligned as the woodwork denied him twice. With the match heading for a 0-0 finish, Jose Guerrero latched onto a through ball and was felled in the box by Knights Keeper Chris May. Nick Hegarty stepped up to take the penalty and made no mistake, giving Hume a 1-0 lead which it held onto until the final whistle.
Dandenong Thunder 0-0 Oakleigh Cannons at George Andrews Reserve
After Melbourne Knights and Hume City threatened to play out a nil-all draw, Dandenong Thunder and Oakleigh went one step further, finishing their game without troubling the scorers.
Fresh from bagging six goals against Green Gully last week, Oakleigh were held scoreless by Dandenong, who would’ve felt aggrieved at not taking at least one of the chances presented to them. Despite the best efforts of Jake Nakic, Dusan Bosnjak, Matt Millar and Kieran Dover throughout the game, Oakleigh keeper John Honos denied them all, standing tall on a number of occasions. The draw ensures both sides enter round six still undefeated.
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South Melbourne 2-0 Ballarat Red Devils at Lakeside Stadium
It wasn’t a classic performance but South will take anything as long as the points keep coming. Ballarat certainly made things tough for the home side, with the two centre backs sweeping away most attacks on the night.
Lujic almost got the hosts in front early, but his shot rebounded off the bar and back into play. Chances were few and far between but Jamie Reed broke the deadlock just before the break, smashing in a finish from just outside the box for 1-0. Ballarat came out with more intent in the second half, but Reed sealed the result in the 77th minute, to make it five wins out of five to start the season.
Pascoe Vale 2-1 Heidelberg United at Hosken Reserve
Pascoe Vale finally recorded its first win for the season, overcoming an early deficit to claim all three points with a 2-1 victory over Heidelberg United at Hosken Reserve.
A controversial goal by Daniel Heffernan was cancelled out by Joseph Youssef’s header from a Michael Ferrante set piece, before Luca Santilli’s 72nd minute strike proved to be the winner for the home side. Despite Marco Santilli’s red card giving the away side a numerical advantage, they couldn’t capitalise on the extra man as Pascoe Vale held on for a hard earned victory.
Goulburn Valley Suns 3-4 Werribee City at McEwen Reserve
Four first half goals helped visitors Werribee City on their way to a 4-3 victory over Goulburn Valley Suns, condemning the cellar dwellers to their fifth straight loss for the season.
The whirlwind opening half would have had many struggling to keep up, and it was Werribee who took the lead through Anthony Ragusa. Goulburn Valley then equalised a few minutes later as Steven Cudrig scored an unfortunate own goal, but Werribee went on to blow the lead out to 4-1 before the break with further goals to Zois Galanopoulos, Ryan Filipovic and Oliver Rowland, and the fullback’s goal was a classic strike from 30 metres.
Determined not to be destroyed by Werribee in the same fashion as Heidelberg had done to them, the Suns came out stronger after half time and pulled it back to 4-3 thanks to top scorer Craig Carley and a Kristian Sarkies penalty. Ultimately it wasn’t enough and the Suns remain rooted to the foot of the table.
Heidelberg United 4-2 Ballarat Red Devils at Olympic Village
Heildelberg made amends for its loss to Pascoe Vale earlier in the week, overcoming the plucky Ballarat Red Devils 4-2 in the sides’ catch up fixture on Easter Monday.
Despite the short turnaround in games, Heildelberg came out of the blocks firing, with the 13th minute proving lucky for Les Doumbalis who opened the scoring. The Red Devils’s woes were compounded when Shaun Romein was sent off in the 22nd minute, before Jack Petrie and Daniel Heffernan added goals either side of half time. Daniel O’Donnell got Ballarat off the mark in the 65th minute, while Kaine Sheppard sealed the game in the 70th minute with Heidelberg’s fourth goal, before Simon Murphy added a late consolation for Ballarat.
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There were some WPL sides in action for the Women’s State Knockout Cup in midweek as well, and while we don’t have any reports to go on, here are the results.
Monbulk Rangers 5-1 Mill Park
Box Hill United 3-0 Ballarat Lady Devils
Surf Coast 0-1 Boroondara Eagles
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Melbourne Victory 2-1 Sydney FC at Etihad Stadium
Following on from their historic win against Guangzhou Evergrande in midweek, Melbourne Victory progressed to Week 2 of the Hyundai A-League Finals Series with a last gasp win over their traditional rivals Sydney FC.
Archie Thompson scored early, dedicating the goal to his late brother in law, while Ryall equalised on the half hour mark against the run of play. Del Piero then had the chance to put the visitors in front, but his close range lunge at a low cross cannonned into the woodwork.
Nathan Coe kept the visitors at bay with a number of important saves, and just as the match was looking likely to head into extra time, Finkler volleyed home a Traore chipped cross to send the home fans into raptures. Victory will now face Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday to book a place in the Grand Final.
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