NPL – Round 23

Bentleigh Greens v Port Melbourne Sharks
4th v 11th          
8.30pm, Friday August 15, 2014
Kingston Heath Soccer Complex
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #BGvPM #NPLVIC

Last round:
Heidelberg United 2-2 Bentleigh Greens
Port Melbourne Sharks 0-1 Melbourne Knights

Form:
Bentleigh Greens: WLDWD
Port Melbourne Sharks: DDWLL

Last time they met:
Port Melbourne Sharks 2-4 Bentleigh Greens, Round 9 2014

The Greens haven’t lost in their past four outings and will be buoyed by their Westfield FFA Cup win over Blacktown City on Tuesday night.

They didn’t return from New South Wales until Wednesday however, and will have to fight a short turnaround.

The Sharks have slumped to two consecutive losses and now find themselves in contention for relegation, but they are unpredictable and might just be coming up against Bentleigh at the right time.

Look out for Bentleigh star Ryan De Vries, who scored a brace last week and has been in sensational form since joining the club a month ago.

Pascoe Vale v Goulburn Valley Suns
9th v 14th     
3.00pm, Saturday August 16, 2014
Hosken Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #PVvGVS #NPLVIC

Last round:
Oakleigh Cannons 3-0 Pascoe Vale
Goulburn Valley Suns 3-1 Northcote City

Form:
Pascoe Vale: DWLLL
Goulburn Valley Suns: LWDDL

Last time they met:
Goulburn Valley Suns 0-2 Pascoe Vale, Round 11 2014

Pascoe Vale has had its fair share of challenges in the past month. It lost star player Davey van’t Schip to an overseas contract, while in-form striker Luca Santilli (broken wrist) and first-choice goalkeeper Stefaan Sardelic (suspended) will miss another week.

It has lost its past three matches and been held goalless in the process, but Pascoe Vale will consign Goulburn Valley to the NPL 1 in 2015 if it wins on Saturday.

While a draw would make avoiding relegation mathematically possible, the Suns know they must walk away from Hosken Reserve with the three points.

It’s all on the line in this contest of huge importance.

Dandenong Thunder v South Melbourne
10th v 1st             
7.00pm, Saturday August 16, 2014
George Andrews Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #DTvSM #NPLVIC

Last round:
Ballarat Red Devils 0-1 Dandenong Thunder
South Melbourne 4-0 Werribee City

Form:
Dandenong Thunder: LLDLW
South Melbourne: WDWLW

Last time they met:
South Melbourne 5-0 Dandenong Thunder, Round 11 2014

It’s the business end of the season, and a real danger game looms for South Melbourne on Saturday night.

The league leader sits seven points clear of second-placed Oakleigh, which has a game in hand, but comes up against a Dandenong outfit buoyed by an impressive win away to Ballarat.

Dandenong was in freefall before the win in Ballarat, having not won in its nine matches prior.

When South Melbourne last visited George Andrews Reserve in Round 6 of the Dockerty Cup in May, it needed extra time to settle a stalemate against Thunder.

This looms as a fascinating contest which will shape both ends of the table.

Hume City v Ballarat Red Devils
5th v 13th  
3.00pm, Sunday August 17, 2014
Broadmeadows Valley Park
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #HCvBRD #NPLVIC

Last round:
Green Gully 0-1 Hume City
Ballarat Red Devils 0-1 Dandenong Thunder

Form:
Hume City: LWLWW
Ballarat Red Devils: DWLLL

Last time they met:
Ballarat Red Devils 1-3 Hume City, Round 11 2014

Ballarat is running out of chances to lift itself out of the relegation zone, and now comes up against an in-form opponent which is sitting pretty in fifth position.

Much of Hume City’s form – it has won three of its past four matches – can be put down to a lethal and youthful strikeforce, headlined by the likes of Abel Fesseha, Anthony Proia and Kliment Taseski.

Then there’s captain Nick Hegarty, who made his long-awaited return to the teamsheet last week after knee surgery but wasn’t subbed on.

Ballarat is also dangerous in attack, but concedes too many goals. It will need a huge defensive effort to pinch a result on Sunday.

Werribee City v Oakleigh Cannons
12th v 2nd               
3.00pm, Sunday August 17, 2014
Galvin Park
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #WCvOC #NPLVIC

Last round:
South Melbourne 4-0 Werribee City
Oakleigh Cannons 3-0 Pascoe Vale

Form:
Werribee City: LLWWL
Oakleigh Cannons: WLWWW

Last time they met:
Oakleigh Cannons 2-0 Werribee City, Round 11 2014

Oakleigh may be closing in on league leader South Melbourne but won’t allow the hype surrounding the title race to become a distraction.

That’s the message from assistant coach Franz Weimper, who says his charges are taking it one week at a time and will prepare for Werribee in the usual manner.

The Bees finally got out of a rut a few weeks ago but slipped back to old habits in a demoralising 4-0 loss to South Melbourne. When switched on, they can be hard to break down and pull out some surprise wins, just as they did away to Oakleigh in Round 4 of the Dockerty Cup.

The key for Werribee will be to arrest the defensive errors it makes at critical moments, but that will be easier said than done against the league’s second highest-scoring team.

With one team pushing for the title and the other battling to avoid relegation, this contest promises to be huge.

Northcote City v Heidelberg United
6th v 3rd
3.00pm, Sunday August 17, 2014
John Cain Memorial Park
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #NCvHU #NPLVIC

Last round:
Goulburn Valley Suns 1-3 Northcote City
Heidelberg United 2-2 Bentleigh Greens

Form:
Northcote City: WDDLW
Heidelberg United: DWDWD

Last time they met:
Heidelberg United 1-1 Northcote City, Round 11 2014

The last meeting between Heidelberg and Northcote resulted in a hard-fought 1-1 draw, and recent form suggests we could be in for a similar result.

Northcote has played some impressive football in the past couple of months and somewhat flown under the radar, while Heidelberg will be keen to extend its eight-match unbeaten run and stay ahead of fourth-place Bentleigh.

The title race may be out of reach for both these sides, but pride will be on the line when they meet on Sunday.

Melbourne Knights v Green Gully
8th v 7th
3.00pm, Sunday August 17, 2014
Knights Stadium
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #MKvGG #NPLVIC

Last round:
Port Melbourne Sharks 0-1 Melbourne Knights
Green Gully 0-1 Hume City

Form:
Melbourne Knights: WLDLW
Green Gully: LDDWL

Last time they met:
Green Gully 1-0 Melbourne Knights, Round 11 2014

The Knights finally registered a win after a rather lean month of results, which allows them to tackle their local rivals with some confidence.

Stipo Andrijasevic’s lone strike was enough to see off Port Melbourne, and he will be hoping to help the Knights inflict revenge upon Green Gully, the side they lost to in Round 11.

Green Gully’s win over Ballarat two weeks ago hands it a worry-free end to the season, as far as relegation is concerned.

With no finals in the NPL, there’s not a whole lot on the line in this one, but these are two proud clubs who will be keen to outdo each other in the final standings.

A win could see Gully move up to sixth place, while the Knights will want to ensure they don’t fall down the congested mid-table pecking order.

NPL leading goalscorers:

18 – Milos Lujic (South Melbourne)

16 – Daniel Heffernan (Heidelberg United)

14 – Dean Piemonte (Oakleigh Cannons)

10 – Brent McGrath (Bentleigh Greens), David Stirton (Bentleigh Greens), Craig Carley (Goulburn Valley Suns), Kaine Sheppard (Heidelberg United), Dusan Bosnjak (Oakleigh Cannons), Nate Foster (Oakleigh Cannons), Goran Zoric (Oakleigh Cannons)

9 – Jamie Reed (South Melbourne)

8 – Osagie Ederaro (Green Gully), Jason Hayne (Green Gully), Matthew Sanders (Green Gully), Wade Dekker (Northcote City)

7 – Jake Nakic (Pascoe Vale)

6 – Jack Petrie (Heidelberg United), Leigh Minopoulos (South Melbourne)

5 – Deang Aguek (Ballarat Red Devils), Daniel O’Donnell (Ballarat Red Devils), Matthew Millar (Dandenong Thunder), Daniel Vasilevski (Heidelberg United), Richie Cardozo (Hume City), Daniel Visevic (Melbourne Knights), Jonathan Munoz (Northcote City), Trent Rixon (Northcote City), Luca Santilli (Pascoe Vale), Kevin Braniff (Port Melbourne), Lambros Honos (Port Melbourne), Mathew Theodore (South Melbourne), Steven Cudrig (Werribee City)

NPL 1 – Round 21

Whittlesea Ranges v Richmond
13th v 6th   
8.30pm, Friday August 15, 2014
Epping Stadium
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #WRvRSC #NPLVIC
Highlights to follow on FFV TV

Avondale Heights v North Geelong Warriors
1st v 2nd          
3.00pm, Saturday August 16, 2014
Avondale Heights Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #AHvNGW #NPLVIC

Sunshine George Cross v Dandenong City
9th v 8th  
3.00pm, Saturday August 16, 2014
Chaplin Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #SGCvDC #NPLVIC

Moreland Zebras v St Albans Saints
7th v 4th
3.00pm, Saturday August 16, 2014
Clifton Park
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #MZvSAS #NPLVIC

FC Bendigo v Box Hill United
12th v 3rd            
3.00pm, Saturday August 16, 2014
Truscott Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #FCBvBHU #NPLVIC

Kingston City v Springvale White Eagles
10th v 11th
8.30pm, Monday August 18, 2014
The Grange Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #KCvSWE #NPLVIC
Highlights to follow on FFV TV

FC Bulleen Lions v Brunswick City
8th v 10th  
8.30pm, Monday August 18, 2014
Veneto Club – David Barro Stadium
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #BLvBC #NPLVIC

NPL 1 leading goalscorers:

21 – Joseph Katebian (FC Bulleen Lions)

17 – Tom Cahill (Richmond)

12 – Rinor Muriqi (Box Hill United)

11 – Kenny Athiu (Box Hill United), Max Etheridge (Kingston City), Oleksiy Khrapko (Avondale Heights),

10 –Andrew Le Page (Avondale Heights), Nick Symeoy (Moreland Zebras), Hamlet Armenian (Richmond), Juso Julardzija (North Geelong Warriors), Mark Paleka (North Geelong Warriors)

9 – Gino Defeo (Kingston City), Dario Matkovic (Dandenong City), Vojislav Milojevic (Springvale White Eagles)

8 – Reardo Luka (North Geelong Warriors)

7 – Barry Devlin (St Albans Saints), Dario Matkovic (Dandenong City), Kliment Dimitrieski (Whittlesea Ranges), Manuell Sadik (Sunshine George Cross), George Slefendorfas (FC Bendigo), Matthew Breeze (FC Bendigo)

6 – Goran Jozeljic (Dandenong City), Velibor Mitrovic (Kingston City), Jason Principato (Avondale Heights), Stjepan Trbuhovic (Whittlesea Ranges)

5 – Ryan Don Paul (Springvale White Eagles), Matthew Iuliano (Whittlesea Ranges), Sean McIlroy (St Albans Saints), Delfin Mosibe (Sunshine George Cross), Brodie Paterson (St Albans Saints)

Pictured: Northcote City midfielder Michael Catalano (Image credit: Graeme Furlong)