By Jordan Lim (@JordanLim24)

Avondale Heights extended its NPL 1 winning streak to five games after dispatching a frustrated Richmond 5-2 in a goal fest at Avondale Heights Reserve on Saturday afternoon.

Defender Zoran Pajic opened the scoring in quick time, before Bale Micovski and hat-trick hero Jason Principato pushed the result out to 5-0.

A mini revival saw Richmond slot two goals late, courtesy of a Hamlet Armenian header, and a Ryan Oppermann goal in injury time.

The heavy afternoon rain halted with expert timing as the game kicked off, with the crowd only having to wait seven minutes for an opener.

As the pressure built on the Richmond back four, it was an Andrew Le Page corner that unlocked its defence for Avondale’s first.

His delivery was met with a neat side-footed finish from Pajic, who pushed up the ground for the set piece.

Micovski’s wonder goal doubled the home side’s advantage in the 18th minute, as he waltzed forward unopposed before unleashing a curling shot into the corner of the net from 25 yards.

Goals three and four both came before halftime, with both bearing some incredible similarities.

NPL1 leading goalscorer Opeksiy Khrapko was on hand to supply Principato for both goals, with the first the result of some neat play on the left wing, beating Richmond goalkeeper Edward Chadwick who decided to charge down the unobtainable.

Khrapko’s squaring ball left Principato a simple finish, with Avondale repeating the dose in stoppage time.

Forward Khrapko held off the Richmond defence, taking a touch to clear his feet before firing in a pinpoint low cross to the feet of Principato who took his second in fine fashion.

He’d clearly saved his best for last however, as he completed his hat-trick three minutes after the restart with a fantastic swerving strike from outside the box leaving the crowd on their feet.

While Richmond had very little to celebrate up to that point, there was plenty to like about the way it finished the half, as it eventually worked its way into the contest, albeit an hour late.

Substitute Andrew Goff hit the crossbar with the goals at his mercy, after Avondale’s Anthony Saric parried the ball into his path.
Richmond did pull one back through Armenian, whose close range header got the score back to 5-1 in the 72nd minute.

The scoring concluded late as Oppermann finished from a Saric spill, but the damage was well and truly done.

Avondale Heights coach Anthony Barbieri was delighted with the way his side impacted the scoreboard early, praising the way it set his side up for the match.

“Of course it’s always nice to score early on in any game, it sort of opens up the game a little bit. It stops the cagey sort of game from evolving, but having said that, it’s always good to score an early goal,” Barbieri said.

“We played some good stuff early on, we converted our chances. We could have had a few more early on but we took our chances - we were very organised and the boys stuck to the plan and the instructions so yeah, pleased with the result.”

Man of the match Jason Principato also had his say on the side’s performance as well as how he’s gelling with his new teammates.

“We did the team thing and smashed them in the first half, laid off a bit in the second half but got the goals in and that’s the main thing,” Principato said.

“First year [at the club] this season so I just wanted to link in with the team to be honest and do my part and when a goal comes it comes.”

MATCH DETAILS

Avondale Heights 5 (Pajic 7’ Micovski 18’ Principato 25’, 45’, 48’) def. Richmond 2 (Armenian 72’ Oppermann 89’) at Avondale Heights Reserve [HT: 4-0]

Avondale Heights: 1. Anthony Saric (GK), 27. Julien Cannizzaro, 6. Anthony Strano, 24. Resit Culculoglu, 33. Dean Campelj, 15. Zoran Pajic, 10. Burakhan Koca, 11. Bale Micovski (4. Christopher Vartaci 70’), 7. Andrew Le Page (22. Leo Celentano), 19, Jason Principato, 34. Opeksiy Khrapko (5. Andrew Sachetta 77’)

Unused Sub(s): 20. John Scollo

Yellow Card(s): Nil

Red Card(s): Nil

Richmond SC: 1.Edward Chadwick (GK), 18. George Tsiakalakis (2. Andrew Goff 55’), 14. Sebastian Petrovic, 5. Rylan Sadler, 16. Mitchell Beamish(4. Ryan Supple 77’), 10. Tim Purcell (15. Brendon Richardson 61’), 7. Hamlet Armenian, 12. Ryan Oppermann, 17. Vincent Bontemps, 11. Liam Flynn, 9. Tom Cahill

Unused Sub(s): 20. Tom Banfield, 3. Daniel Milborrow

Yellow Card(s): Nil

Red Card(s): Nil