NPL ROUND 18 PREVIEW

Oakleigh Cannons v Hume City
2nd v 5th
8:30pm, Friday July 18, 2014
Jack Edwards Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #OCvHC #NPLVIC

Last round:
Green Gully 1-5 Oakleigh Cannons
South Melbourne 2-0 Hume City

Form:
Oakleigh Cannons: WWDWW
Hume City: WLWWL

Last time they met:
Hume City 0-2 Oakleigh Cannons, Round 6 2014

Oakleigh comes into the game in top form, having thrashed Green Gully last week in convincing fashion, and are still unbeaten since losing to Pascoe Vale back in Round 10.

Hume City lost to South Melbourne last week, but has otherwise been showing some promising signs to climb up the table to fifth spot.

It will be tough for Hume to bounce back from that defeat this time around, with Jeremy Walker off trialling overseas and a forward line packed full of attacking might to contend with from Oakleigh.

Jack Edwards Reserve has been a fortress for Oakleigh this season, with a draw against Northcote its only blemish all season long.

Ballarat Red Devils v Pascoe Vale
13th v 6th
3:00pm, Saturday July 19, 2014
Morshead Park
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #BRDvPV #NPLVIC

Last round:
Ballarat Red Devils 5-5 Heidelberg United
Northcote City 1-1 Pascoe Vale

Form:
Ballarat Red Devils: LLWLD
Pascoe Vale: WWLDD

Last time they met:
Pascoe Vale 2-2 Ballarat Red Devils, Round 6 2014

It would be crazy for fans to desert Morshead Park after last weekend’s 5-5 thriller.

James Robinson’s mid-season signings have already made goalscoring impacts and they will need to be on song in attack again if they are to trouble a stubborn Pascoe Vale defensive unit.

Pascoe has the equal-third best defensive record in the league, a catalyst in their good form this season.

But it has been on the slide in recent weeks, losing to the Knights, while only earning a solitary point against Bentleigh Greens and Northcote City.

Games involving Ballarat have generally involved plenty of goals and the hosts should push Pascoe Vale all the way.

After all, Pascoe was made to come back from two goals down to snatch a point late on the last time both sides met.

Goulburn Valley Suns v Green Gully SC
14th v 9th
6:30pm, Saturday July 19, 2014
McEwan Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #GVSvGG #NPLVIC

Last round:
Port Melbourne Sharks 1-0 Goulburn Valley Suns
Green Gully 1-5 Oakleigh Cannons

Form:
Goulburn Valley Suns: DLLLL
Green Gully SC: LWDLL

Last time they met:
Green Gully SC 2-1 Goulburn Valley Suns, Round 6 2014

The season is quickly slipping away from Goulburn Valley Suns, with last week’s 1-0 to Port Melbourne leaving the side with a mountain to climb if it wants to avoid the drop.

It’s been difficult to predict Green Gully’s form this season, and it really depends which unit shows up against GVS on Saturday.

Both sides could really use the confidence boost, and a win for either side will certainly boost spirits.

Gully broke its early season losing streak against GVS in Round 6, and would love to repeat the dose this time around.

Dandenong Thunder v Bentleigh Greens
10th v 4th
7:00pm, Saturday July 19, 2014
George Andrews Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #DTvBG #NPLVIC

Last round:
Dandenong Thunder 1-4 Melbourne Knights
Bentleigh Greens 4-0 Werribee City

Form:
Dandenong Thunder: LLDLL
Bentleigh Greens: WWLDW

Last time they met:
Bentleigh Greens 3-1 Dandenong Thunder, Round 6 2014

Dandenong Thunder has a few worries going into this weekend.

The side has failed to win in its last five games, and really haven’t troubled the teams at the higher end of the league.

Bentleigh Greens meanwhile come into the game on the back of a Dockerty Cup extra-time 3-2 loss to Melbourne Knights, and will be looking to get back to winning ways on Saturday night.

The Greens looked dangerous with Ryan De Vries looking settled in his return to the club, but fatigue could be a factor for them against the Thunder.

Werribee City v Northcote City
12th v 8th
3:00pm, Sunday July 20, 2014
Galvin Park
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #WCvNC #NPLVIC

Last round:
Bentleigh Greens 4-0 Werribee City
Northcote City 1-1 Pascoe Vale

Form:
Werribee City: WLLLL
Northcote City: LDWWD

Last time they met:
Northcote 4-1 Werribee City, Round 6 2014

Despite making a raft of mid-season signings, Werribee has continued to struggle, and the only have a win against Port Melbourne, as well as a point away to Heidelberg to show for in their last eight games.

In contrast, Northcote is unbeaten in four games, with a point against the resurgent Knights and a win against Bentleigh Greens really headlining its return to form.

Northcote coach Goran Lozanovski believes the next month is crucial to what his side will be playing for come the end of the season, and a win against Werribee would be a perfect tonic to tackle the likes of South Melbourne and Oakleigh in the coming weeks.  

South Melbourne v Melbourne Knights
1st v 7th
5:00pm, Sunday July 20, 2014
Lakeside Stadium
Radio: Listen LIVE on NPL VIC Live (also streamed via TuneIn app – search ‘LiveCast’)
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #SMvMK #NPLVIC

Last round:
South Melbourne 2-0 Hume City
Dandenong Thunder 1-4 Melbourne Knights

Form:
South Melbourne: DWWWW
Melbourne Knights: LDWWW

Last time they met:
Melbourne Knights 0-1 South Melbourne

This is undoubtedly the clash of the round, and it is tough to pick a winner.

South Melbourne has recovered from its blip against GVS and has since recorded four straight wins, while the Knights are on a winning run of their own.

The mid-week cup win over Bentleigh may have taken a bit out of the Knights’ legs but they will be buoyed by the fact they have never lost at Lakeside Stadium since its redevelopment, as well as the fact they have already won there this season.

It promises to be a true battle in the traditional derby.

Heidelberg United v Port Melbourne Sharks
3rd v 11th
5:00pm, Sunday July 20, 2014
Olympic Village
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #HUvPM #NPLVIC

Last round:
Ballarat Red Devils 5-5 Heidelberg United
Port Melbourne Shark 1-0 Goulburn Valley Suns

Form:
Heidelberg United: WLDWD
Port Melbourne Sharks: LWLLW

Last time they met:
Port Melbourne 0-4 Heidelberg United, Round 6 2014

Heidelberg will be disappointed coming off the epic 5-5 draw away in Ballarat, a result which has left the side with plenty of catching up to do.

Still, with the league’s best attacking duo in Daniel Heffernan and Kaine Sheppard, goals are essentially guaranteed for Heidelberg, who has scored against every opposition but South Melbourne.

Port Melbourne will have to be on guard to avoid a pasting as they received back in Round 4, but will face the league’s highest scorers with some confidence after recording a vital 1-0 win over GVS last weekend.

NPL leading goalscorers:

14 – Daniel Heffernan (Heidelberg United),
12 – Milos Lujic (South Melbourne)
11 – Dean Piemonte (Oakleigh Cannons)
10 – Brent McGrath (Bentleigh Greens)
9 – Dusan Bosnjak (Oakleigh Cannons), Craig Carley (Goulburn Valley Suns), Kaine Sheppard (Heidelberg United), Goran Zoric (Oakleigh Cannons)
8 – Mathew Sanders (Green Gully)
7 – Osagie Ederaro (Green Gully), Nate Foster (Oakleigh Cannons), Jamie Reed (South Melbourne), David Stirton (Bentleigh Greens)
6 – Jason Hayne (Green Gully)
5 – Jake Nakic (Pascoe Vale), Trent Rixon (Northcote City), Mathew Theodore (South Melbourne), Daniel Visevic (Melbourne Knights), Daniel Vasilevski (Heidelberg United)

NPL 1 – Round 17

Avondale Heights v Whittlesea Ranges
1st v 13th
3:00pm, Saturday July 19, 2014
Avondale Heights Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #AHvWR #NPLVIC

Sunshine George Cross v Moreland Zebras
7th v 8th
3:00pm, Saturday July 19, 2014
Chaplin Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #SGCvMZ #NPLVIC

Springvale White Eagles v Dandenong City
12th v 11th
3:00pm, Saturday July 19, 2014
White Eagles Stadium
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #SWEvDC #NPLVIC

Box Hill United v Brunswick City
4th v 14th
3:15pm, Saturday July 19, 2014
Wembley Park
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #BHUvBC #NPLVIC

FC Bulleen Lions v North Geelong Warriors
2nd v 5th
5:00pm, Saturday July 19, 2014
Veneto Club
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #BLvNGW #NPLVIC

FC Bendigo v St Albans Saints
10th v 6th
6:00pm, Saturday July 19, 2014
Epsom Huntly Recreation Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #FCBvSAS #NPLVIC

Kingston City v Richmond SC
9th v 3rd
8:30pm, Monday July 21, 2014
Grange Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #KCvRSC #NPLVIC

NPL 1 leading goalscorers:

17 – Joseph Katebian (FC Bulleen Lions)
15 – Tom Cahill (Richmond)
11 – Kenjok Athiu (Box Hill United),
10 – Oleksiy Khrapko (Avondale Heights)
9 – Gino Defeo (Kingston City), Max Etheridge (Kingston City), Rinor Muriqi (Box Hill United)
8 – Andrew Le Page (Avondale Heights), Nick Symeoy (Moreland Zebras), Juso Julardzija (North Geelong Warriors, St Albans Saints)
7 – Hamlet Armenian (Richmond),Kliment Dimitrieski (Whittlesea Ranges), Reardo Luka (North Geelong Warriors), Vojislav Milojevic (Springvale White Eagles),
6 – Jamie De Smit (Springvale White Eagles), Barry Devlin (St Albans Saints),Goran Jozeljic (Dandenong City), Dario Matkovic (Dandenong City), Jason Principato (Avondale Heights), Manuell Sadik (Sunshine George Cross)
5 – Matthew Breeze (FC Bendigo), Matthew Iuliano (Whittlesea Ranges), Velibor Mitrovic (Kingston City), Delfin Mosibe (Sunshine George Cross), Mark Paleka (North Geelong Warriors), George Slefendorfas (FC Bendigo), Stjepan Trbuhovic (Whittlesea Ranges)

Image Credit: Cindy Nitsos