By Rusty Wooder (@rustywoodger)

A red card and a flurry of late goals have helped Port Melbourne Sharks to an important 4-0 victory over Ballarat Red Devils at Morshead Park on Saturday night.

The Sharks led most of the game by a solitary goal before defensive errors and the sending off of Red Devils’ playmaker Shaun Romein allowed the visitors to force a blowout.

The opening stanza of the match begun evenly with end-to-end football.

Port Melbourne nearly went ahead on 11 minutes when a James Riccobene cross found Lambros Honos with space in the box, but the attacking midfielder was unable to control his volley.

As the half progressed, the Sharks fashioned the better of the chances.

In the 27th minute, Kevin Braniff’s strike from outside the box look destined for the top corner, but Ballarat shot-stopper Aaron Romein did superbly to get his fingertips to the ball and deflect it over the crossbar.

Honos was having a major influence on the game in his side’s attacking third, with some brilliant work in the box culminating in a shot that beat Aaron Romein but not the post.

At the other end of the pitch, Simon Murphy had a chance to put the home side ahead when he was played in on goal by Dane Milovanovic, but the striker’s shot was aimed straight at Port Melbourne ‘keeper Adam Hrehoresin.

Moments later, Braniff stunned the Ballarat fans when he finished off a well-worked counter attack to put Eric Vassiliadis’ side one goal to the good going into the break.

When the match resumed in the second half, it was the Red Devils who took the ascendency.

Ballarat controlled the ball in midfield, while the likes of Milovanovic and Shaun Romein were doing their best to cause problems for Port Melbourne’s defence.

The home crowd were nearly out of their seats when Shaun Romein tried his luck from long-range, but the shot glided just over the crossbar.

Ballarat’s dominance was to be short-lived, however, with Aaron Romein’s howler goal-kick falling straight to the feet of Sharks substitute Luka Prelevic on the edge of the area. The striker could not believe his luck, smashing the ball back past Romein for the easiest of goals to double his side’s advantage.

Moments after the restart, the Red Devils were dealt another blow when Shaun Romein was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence.

Port Melbourne capped off its second win on the trot with two late goals to Nicholas Krousoratis – the first coming after a magnificent solo run from the young forward.

After the match, Ballarat coach James Robinson struggled to hide his disappointment.

“I’m lost for words at the minute, to be honest,” Robinson said.

“But I know we’ll take it on our chin, and we’ve got to if we’re going to move forward.”

Robinson was critical of the second yellow card dished out to Shaun Romein for tugging an opponent’s shirt, labelling it “soft”.

“It’s not the referee’s fault, he’s played the laws of the game,” he said.

“But it’s killed the game for us.”

Port Melbourne returns to JL Murphy Reserve on Friday night to take on Hume City, while Ballarat hosts Green Gully on Saturday afternoon.

MATCH DETAILS

BALLARAT RED DEVILS 0 defeated by PORT MELBOURNE SHARKS 4 (Braniff 40’, Prelevic 75’, Krousoratis 89’, 90’) at Morshead Park [HT: 0-1]

BALLARAT RED DEVILS: 1. Aaron ROMEIN (GK), 5. Adrian CURTAIN, 25. Steven THOMSON, 18. Daniel O’DONNELL, 3. Daniel TINKER, 12. Miles BAKER (6. Liam HARDING 71’), 17. Shaun ROMEIN, 16. Charles KING, 22. Patrick KARRAS (15. Dominic SWINTON 61’), 4. Dane MILOVANOVIC, 31. Simon MURPHY

UNUSED SUB(S): 37. Jordan FRANKEN, 2. Tristan ROMEIN, 30. Ibrahim GHULAMI

YELLOW CARD(S): Dane MILOVANOVIC (60’), Shaun ROMEIN (68’, 79’)

RED CARD(S): Shaun ROMEIN (79’)

PORT MELBOURNE SHARKS: 1. Adam HREHORESIN (GK), 6. Chris GROSSMAN, 7. Amadu KOROMA, 15. Stefan NIGRO (4. John LAZARIDIS 74’), 5. Nick TZOULIS (10. Luka PRELEVIC 66’), 27. Andrew MILICEVIC, 9. Kevin BRANIFF, 14. Kamal IBRAHIM, 26. Lambros HONOS, 3. James RICCOBENE (23. Connor REDDEN 87’), 11. Nicholas KROUSORATIS

UNUSED SUB(S): 19. Lisandro PAZ, 22. Alexander CONNELL

YELLOW CARD(S): Adam HREHORESIN (88’)

RED CARD(S): None