By Steven Chang (@Gixibyte)

South Melbourne carried out a grinding 1-0 win over Green Gully at Lakeside Stadium on Sunday evening, notching up its 14th league victory and maintaining its lead at the summit of the NPL.

The home side clinched an early opening goal as the in-form Jamie Reed ghosted past his man and delivered a pinpoint cross for Mathew Theodore to nod home.

Green Gully replied immediately, with attackers Osagie Ederaro and Mathew Sanders combining down the left flank to craft a golden opportunity.

Ederaro’s resulting shot on goal was deflected away but fell to Sanders, whose follow-up attempt was cleared off the line by Tim Mala.

After a lull in proceedings, Sanders intervened again down the left wing, blasting a solid strike on target, but was repelled by South goalkeeper Jason Saldaris.

Gully returned from the halftime break determined to pull one back, but it was South which produced the first clear opportunity of the second stanza.

Milos Lujic released a precise delivery to Reed, but the Englishman could only fling a desperate boot out as the ball flashed past the goalmouth.

The visitors continued to create notable chances.

Mathew Reid jinked past his marker at the perimeter of the box and let fly with a sight on goal, but his blazing shot rifled over the bar.

Reed was presented with an aerial opportunity but seemingly misjudged its flight, allowing Gully custodian Kieran Gonzalez to safely claim the ball.

Green Gully was persistent in coveting the lion’s share of possession, but simply failed to pierce South’s resolute backline, which stood firm and limited the visitors to a small handful of chances.

The referee’s final whistle concluded a gritty contest, from which South was happy to take the three points and a precious clean sheet.

The victorious South Melbourne coach Chris Taylor was content in delivering a result despite the grinding nature of the match, but called on his players to be more clinical in front of goal.

“It wasn’t the prettiest game. It was pretty drab out there. Conditions weren’t brilliant,” Taylor said.

“But we made it hard for ourselves with the chances we missed. I thought the way Gully played made it difficult for us.

“There wasn’t a great deal of football played. We had chances to bury it. If we’d gone 2-0 up, it would have been a totally different game. But we defended well, so that’s a pleasing aspect.”

Green Gully coach Bob Stojcevski was adamant that his side had come to Lakeside for three points, but bemoaned his side’s failure to capitalise on critical opportunities.

“Interesting game. I felt like [South] were content with that 1-0 lead”, Stojcevski said.

“We came here to win. We tried to do that all game, right until the last minute. We didn’t come to settle for a good performance against a top side.

“The game really ebbed and flowed. They had patches where they dominated. We had a long patch in the first half where we dominated but couldn’t score a goal.

“If we had put away one of those chances it would have been a totally different game. Confidence would have been higher. But we just couldn’t get that breakthrough.”

MATCH DETAILS

South Melbourne 1 (Mathew Theodore 12’) defeated Green Gully 0 at Lakeside Stadium

SOUTH MELBOURNE: 1. Jason SALDARIS (GK), 2. Tim MALA, 4. Michael EAGAR, 7. Nick EPIFANO (10. Tyson HOLMES 26’), 8. Mathew THEODORE (11. Brad NORTON 64’), 9. Milos LUJIC, 12. Iqi JAWADI (15. Kobbie BOAHENE 93’), 14. James MUSA, 17. Jamie REED, 25. Shaun TIMMINS, 77. Stephen HATZIKOSTAS

UNUSED SUBSTITUTES: 18. Dion KIRK, 21. Chris MAYNARD

YELLOW CARDS: 11. Bradley Norton (80’)

RED CARDS: None.

GREEN GULLY: 1. Kieran GONZALEZ (GK), 2. Daniel JONES, 4. Mathew REID, 5. Rodrigo VARGAS, 7. Jeffrey FLEMING, 8. Jason HAYNE, 10. Ratip CILELI (11. Jem BERKANT), 12. Mathew SANDERS, 16. Thomas DENG (9. Brent FISHER 84’), 17. Andy VARGAS, 20. Osagie EDERARO

UNUSED SUBSTITUTES: 18. Cameron DAVIES, 21. Adam PETKO, 23. Christopher AILAKIS.

YELLOW CARDS: Ratip CILELI (30’), Jason HAYNE (90’)

RED CARDS: None

Image credit: Jason Heidrich Photography