Marijan Cvitkovic, Nikola Kostadinoski, John Maclean and Andrew Marth have taken out the Winning Edge Presentations player and coach awards for Rounds 22-26 of the NPL and NPL1 2014 seasons.

Melbourne Knights playmaker Cvitkovic was a consistent performer in his side’s run of four wins in five games to finish the season, polling nine votes out of a possible 15 to win the NPL player of the month. 

His performances against Port Melbourne, Green Gully and Bentleigh Greens stood out in particular, with the media voting him as the best on ground in each clash.

Cvitkovic missed the first half of the season through injury, but last season’s Victorian Premier League Gold Medal winner showed exactly what the Knights had missed by hitting peak form in the last five matches.

Kostadinoski becomes the first goalkeeper to win the NPL1 player of the month award after polling six votes, including two best-on-ground performances against Richmond in Round 22 and Dandenong City in Round 26.

The 21-year old helped Moreland Zebras finish the season off well with two wins and a draw from its last five games, ensuring that it finished in the top half of the table.

The rising star of the month across NPL and NPL1 was Kingston City’s John Maclean. 

Maclean impressed the media with eye-catching performances on the wing against Brunswick City, FC Bendigo and Sunshine George Cross, polling a total of five votes in four games that he played.

The 18-year old may have missed the win against Avondale Heights due to his Melbourne Victory youth team trial, but still helped Kingston defeat Brunswick City and Sunshine George Cross.

It has been quite the season for Marth in charge at Melbourne Knights.

Having guided his side out of a horror run or results in the first half of the season, he steered his side into the Westfield FFA Cup Round of 32, and to a very respectable fifth-placed finish.

Marth wins the NPL coach of the month award after four wins in the last five games, with the only loss coming against an embattled Ballarat Red Devils side.

Image credits: Mark Avellino (Marijan Cvitkovic), Aleksandar Jason Photographer (Nikola Kostadinoski), Zac Groenevald (John Maclean), Steve Starek (Andrew Marth)