By RUSTY WOODGER (@RustyWooder)

Photo: BALLARAT COURIER

Ballarat has continued its rich vein of form with a resounding 2-0 win over Melbourne City on Friday night.

First-half strikes from Dominic Swinton and Michael Trigger were enough for the Red Devils to secure three points in a wet and slippery encounter at Morshead Park Stadium.

The conditions played into the hands of the hosts from the outset, and it took just six minutes for Swinton to put Ballarat in front with a calm finish inside the box after a creative run from Trigger.

The early goal seemed to increase the hunger of the Red Devils forwards, with strong offensive pressure making it difficult for City to maintain possession in its defensive half.

A rare foray into attack from the visitors saw Anthony Rizk come close to beating Aaron Romein with a curling effort, but the Ballarat shot-stopper was up to the task.

At the other end, Trigger continued to make pressing runs down the left flank, while Nelson Salvatore dazzled the home crowd with nifty footwork that City struggled to contain.

Just when it looked as though the Red Devils were content to enter the sheds at half-time with a 1-0 lead, Melbourne turned over the ball cheaply in defence to allow a late counter-attack from Ballarat.

Callum Ferguson’s long ball from defence caught the run of Trigger, who fended off pressure from a City defender as he dribbled into the box and finished past Yaren Sozer.

After the break, Melbourne began to shore up its defence and gradually work its way back into the contest.

On 48 minutes, City came close to drawing one back when its top scorer Marc Marino nearly got on to the end of a Wade Dekker cross.

With five minutes remaining, substitute Nick Morton almost went one better from two metres out, but Romein’s outstretched hands saved a certain goal.

But aside from those chances, the Red Devils’ steely defence reduced Melbourne to speculative efforts from distance.

The win is Ballarat’s third in as many games – after dispatching Bentleigh in the FFA Cup and then defeating Dandenong City last week – and puts it equal with City on 11 points.

Melbourne has now sunk to consecutive defeats, and will look to bounce back when it faces Box Hill next week.

 

MATCH DETAILS

Ballarat Red Devils 2 (Swinton 6’, Trigger 42’) defeated Melbourne City 0 at Morshead Park Stadium [HT: 2-0].

Ballarat Red Devils: 1. Aaron ROMEIN, 28. Callum FERGUSON (23. Daniel TINKER 69’), 4. David KING, 21. Charles KING, 14. Daniel FIRTH, 8. Joshua ROMEIN, 17. Shaun ROMEIN, 11. Nelson SALVATORE (35. Jake FRANCIS 77’), 10. Michael TRIGGER (22. Patrick KARRAS 66’), 15. Dominic SWINTON, 31. Simon MURPHY

Unused subs: 40. Jason HILL, 13. Scott LAMONT

Yellow Card(s): Nil

Red Card(s): Nil

Melbourne City:  1. Yaren SOZER, 2. Tyler JAMES, 5. Leo ATHANASIOU, 6. Phil PETRESKI, 7. Hernan ESPINDOLA, 8. Ratip CILELI (10. Luka PRELEVIC 80’), 9. Wade DEKKER (15. Luke GALLO 62’), 12. Anthony RIZK, 16. Matthew MILLAR, 19. Anthony TARANTO (14. Nick MORTON 69’), 21. Marc MARINO

Unused subs: 20. Jack WEST-ASTUTI, 22. Baley ROW

Yellow Card(s): Nil

Red Card (s): Nil