By: JAMES WILLOUGHBY (@jwilloughby26)

Photo: MATT JOHNSON

Melbourne Knights have returned to winning ways, with goals from Andrew Barisic and Marijan Cvitkovic helping them to a 2-0 home triumph over Green Gully on Friday.

Andrew Marth's men made a blistering start to the NPL Victoria season, winning their first five matches, but had gone three without a win heading into this clash.

Included in that run was a 2-1 derby loss to South Melbourne last week but the Knights responded well on this occasion, with Barisic's clever finish from a tight angle on the half-hour mark added to when substitute Cvitkovic lashed in an 18-yard effort with 20 minutes to play.

Gully should have taken an early lead when Knights goalkeeper Christopher May could only parry Mathew Sanders' cross but Matthew Breeze blasted the loose ball over.

Sanders and Breeze were constant threats in the first half, but the Knights also had their fair share of chances in an entertaining start.

And Barisic gave them the lead in the 30th minute when Adrian Zahra's ball over the top caught Green Gully napping.

The striker latched onto the pass on the right and then held his nerve, slotting through the legs of the onrushing Rani Dowisha from a tight angle.

Rinor Muriqi could have levelled almost immediately, but one-on-one, he was denied by May with what would prove to be a crucial save.

Knights burst out of the blocks in the second half and James McGarry fired into the crossbar from 25 yards, while Alex Dao volleyed a cross wide from inside the six-yard box when he should have done better.

Barisic was replaced in the 63rd minute by Cvitkovic and the change proved to be inspired, as the latter fired a volley into the bottom-left corner after taking a touch to compose himself.

And his stylish finish took the sting out of the game, with the latter stages dominated by the excellent Stipo Andrijasevic. 

He was unable to score what would have been a deserved goal - coming closest when Dowisha turned his header behind for a corner - but it mattered little in the end, as Knights won well.

MATCH DETAILS

Melbourne Knights 2 (Barisic 30', Cvitkovic 70') defeated Green Gully 0 at Knights Stadium, Sunshine North.

Melbourne Knights: 1. Christopher MAY, 4. Ben SUREY, 5. Milan BATUR, 8. James MCGARRY (7. Chris TALAJIC 87'), 11. Anthony COLOSIMO, 12. Ivan GRGIC, 15. Alex DAO, 18. Josh BREKALO, 21. Stipo ANDRIJASEVIC (9. Jacob COLOSIMO 90+3'), 23. Adrian ZAHRA, 27. Andrew BARISIC (Marijan CVITKOVIC 63')

Unused Subs: 25. Hrvoje CAKARLN, 5. Adrian DEL MONACO

Yellow Cards: Brekalo 2', A Colosimo 24', Surey 67'

Red Cards: Nil

Green Gully: 23. Rani DOWISHA, 2. Mathew REID, 3. Aaron COHEN, 4. Daniel JONES, 7. Liam SCOTT, 10. Rinor MURIQI (9. Nikolas MARKOVSKI 75'), 11. Matthew BREEZE, 12. Mathew SANDERS (6. Nicholas KOZDRA 75'), 13. Omar ABDIGAFAR, 14. Amadu KOROMA, 17. Alon BLUMGART

Unused Subs: 1. Sebastian MATTEI, 14. Mohammed UZUMCU, 18. Anthony MARAFIOTI

Yellow Cards: Reid 87'

Red Cards: Nil