By Andrew Bishara

Ballarat Red Devils cruised to a comfortable 5-1 win over Nunawading City at Mahoneys Reserve on Sunday afternoon. 

Two goals from Shaun Romein, plus strikes from Simon Murphy, Dominic Swinton and Liam Harding cancelled out City's lone late goal from David Antequerra.

The Red Devils absolutely battered City from the opening minute, suffocating the hosts in its own half by disrupting their passing game.

City goalkeeper Keegan Coulter was forced into good saves early, denying headers from Murphy and Romein.

The pressure told though when Ivan Skorich brought down Michael Trigger in the box and Romein stepped up to bury the penalty. 

Nunawading barely drew breath when it was two-nil down a minute later, after Coulter parried Trigger's shot into the path of Murphy who tapped in the open goal.

The game was effectively over when City gave another sloppy penalty and Romein, who had to take it twice after teammates encroached in the box, made it three-nil.

Murphy then turned provider when he broke into space and laid a ball across the box for Swinton to roll into the net.

The second period followed the first with City insisting to play out the back and Ballarat pressing high up to counter it.

The visitors had a slew of missed chances including seeing Swinton blast a ball over an open goal, while Murphy and Harding had their one-on-ones with Coulter saved.

The hosts did have a good chance when Emile Damey saw his header and rebound denied by Red Devils custodian Aaron Romein.

Harding got on the scoresheet when he found himself completely alone in the box and merely rolled it past Coulter.

There was some joy for City in the final minutes when Antequerra got his foot on the end of a deflected shot to open Nunawading's account, but that was it for the hosts.

Nunawading City (David Antequerra 88’) lost to Ballarat Red Devils 5 (Shaun Romein 13’, 19’, Simon Murphy 14’, Dominic Swinton 37’, Liam Harding 77’)

Nunawading City: 1. Keegan COULTER, 10. Ivan SKORICH (45.Dimitriou KIOVSIS 79’), 9. David ANTEQUERRA, 19. John-Luc SILVESTRI (7. Anthony GIANNOPOULOS 19’), 21. Felix DIMITRAKIS, 44. Samuel ANTONIADIS, 31. Dylan FACCI, 40. Daniel PATTERSON, 41. Emile DAMEY, 20 Stefan PAPAGGORGIOU (17. David MOROVIC 56’), 5. Peter EVANCELAKOS

Unused Subs: 22. Dylan TERVIT

Yellow Cards: FACCI 56’

Ballarat Red Devils: 1. Aaron ROMEIN, 15. David KING, 14. Daniel FIRTH (13. Dechlan PICKEN 66’), 17. Shaun ROMEIN, 21. Charles KING, 6. Liam HARDING (28. Callum FERGUSON 81’), 17. Shaun ROMEIN, 23. Daniel TINKER, 15. Dominic SWINTON (19. Miles BAKER 66’), 31. Simon MURPHY 

Unused Subs: 33. Joshua DEVOOGEL, 40. Ryan SCHORBACK

Yellow Cards: C.KING 61’, FERGUSON 81’