By Brad Hutchings (@BradHutchings_)

Werribee City has confined Port Melbourne to a fourth-straight loss with a 2-0 win at Galvin Park on Sunday afternoon.

Goals to Dom Marafioti and Matt Cundari ensured the Sharks would remain in the bottom three on the table, while giving Werribee its first win in its past four starts.

Despite the scoreline, Port Melbourne dominated large parts of the game and will no doubt be feeling aggrieved it couldn’t take away anything from the match.

Both sides were greeted to a very average looking Galvin Park pitch, with the ground baring the effects of recent heavy rain in the area.

Mud replaced grass for almost the entire part of the pitch Port Melbourne was running towards in the first half, but the Sharks still started the brighter of the two sides.

They handled the conditions well and looked destined to open the scoring on more than one occasion in the first half.

In what has been the story of their season however, a touch of class seemed to evade the Sharks when they needed it most.

Their best chance of the half fell in the 37th minute when Luka Prelevic only needed to get a touch on a Kamal Ibrahim cross to break the deadlock but couldn’t.

The visitors were made to rue letting their early chances slide as Werribee took the lead against the run of play just two minutes later.

A mistake in defence from Conor Redden gifted Marafioti possession in the box, who duly obliged to put the ball past Alex Connell in goals to bag his second goal in as many weeks.

That goal gave the home side a 1-0 halftime lead it hardly deserved.

The second half was a dour affair with both sides struggling to create meaningful chances.

The Sharks couldn’t replicate their first-half efforts as they were contained well by a much improved Werribee outfit.

Werribee ended the contest 15 minutes from full time when Cundari got on the end of a sharp counter-attack to ensure the home side would claim the three points.

The second goal appeared to deflate Port Melbourne, which offered next to nothing in the remaining minutes.

Werribee had chances to extend the winning margin towards the end of the match through Cundari and Simon Zappia, but were denied by Connell.

Despite the win, Werribee City manager Nino Ragusa was less than pleased with the performance his side displayed.

“That was so poor in so many areas. All we did in the second half was defend far better, we never actually controlled the game at all. All I concentrated on at halftime was basic defensive skills,” Ragusa said.

“Where we are at the moment in regards of points we are ecstatic, but we’ve still got to improve the performance, we just can’t play like that.

“Compliments to Port, they play a clean football. First half they didn’t take their chances, when they penetrated us they didn’t take their chances. Second half at least we defended better, all we had was a countering game. We are still not where we want to be.”

Port Melbourne manager Eric Vassiliadis saw positives in the performance even through the result didn’t go his way.

“Disappointing result. In the end I think we lacked that finishing touch. I think the match should have been dead and buried at halftime. Teams like this (Werribee), full credit to them, they strive in conditions like this,” Vassiliadis said.

“We want to make some progress in terms of performance but right now it’s all about results and scoring goals and that relieves the pressure on everyone. We just got to keep doing what we’re doing and try and turn it around.

“Our first half was outstanding. It’s unbelievable that we are third from bottom and teams are parking the bus against us.”

MATCH DETAILS

Werribee City 2 (Marafioti 39’, Cundari 75’) defeated Port Melbourne Sharks 0 at Galvin Park [HT:1-0]

Werribee City: Tommy Dunn (GK), Oliver Rowland, Damir Marusic (Daniel Petrov 82’), Steven Cudrig, Bobby Vidanoski, Nemanja Govedarica (Anthony Ragusa 45’), Rob Naumoski, Milan Savic (C), Matt Cundari, Dom Marafioti (Daniel Sweeney 71’), Simon Zappia

Unused Subs: Ryan Filipovic, Roderick Yousef (GK)

Yellow Cards: Cundari (49’)

Red Cards: None

Port Melbourne: Alex Connell (GK), Amadu Koroma, Chriss Grossman, Connor Redden, Alessandro Venezia (Josh Kweifio-Okai 61’), Phillip Riccobene, Luka Prelevic, Lambros Honos, Kamal Ibrahim (Anthony Ianchello 75’), James Riccobene, Nick Krousouratis (Senesios Frangos 84’)

Unused Subs: Stefan Nigro, Adam Hrehoresin (GK)

Yellow Cards: Ibrahim (35’)

Red Cards: None

Image credit: Charlie Lombardo