By Brad Worrall

MURRAY United has kept its first clean sheet of its short PS4 NPL1 history in a 4-0 win over Nunawading City at La Trobe University in Wodonga.

English midfielders Ash Dunn and James Coutts controlled proceedings for much of the day – their vision and passing prising open City’s defence from the opening whistle.

Chief beneficiary was winger Melkie Woldemichael whose pace and crosses proved a constant threat.

But it was captain Ryan Giles who delivered the first salvo for the homeside when a short corner to Coutts gave him the time to pick out the unmarked lanky midfielder for a free header and a 1-0 lead after just four minutes.

City’s possession based style began to turn the tide after 20 minutes and when Daniel Patterson’s chip found David Morovic in the box, his volley grazed the crossbar and reignited the home side.

City continued to press with Emile Damey looking like a player intent on getting on the scoresheet against his former club.

The first half ended it as it began with chances to Dunn and Zach Walker unrewarded, one shot from the striker finding its way between the keepers legs but unable to cross the line.

It was Dunn who turned provider after just five minutes of the second half, his ball to Woldemichael leaving him with just the keeper to beat and it was 2-0.

When Walker was brought down in the box seven minutes later, it was the Murray United striker’s turn to add to the scoreline and make it 3-0.

Chances continued to fall United’s way and only the resolve of City’s central defender Dylan Facci kept the margin within reach.

Coutts could have produced the goal of the season when his ambitious shot from halfway cleared keeper Keegan Coulter, only to be denied by the crossbar on 70 minutes.

But it was man of the match Woldemichael again just 8 minutes later, a pin-point cross finding substitute Hussein Ntakirutimana at the near post and a bullet header gave Coulter no chance and United the final 4-0 scoreline.

Caretaker coach Coutts said it was a team performance inspired by Woldemichael.

“If I was a scout he would be an automatic choice – Melkie’s work ethic, speed and determination is the benchmark not only for the senior side but this entire club,” he said.

“And the back four deserved a clean sheet, they have been so good for so long and that was an outstanding performance again today.”

MURRAY UNITED 4 (Giles 4’, Woldemichael 49’, Walker 57’, Ntakirutmana 79’) def NUNAWADING CITY 0 La Trobe University Ground, Wodonga

MURRAY UNITED: N Brown, J Ferguson, S Pye, M Jessup, B Chaffey, A Dunn, R Giles (H Ntakirutimana 72’), J Coutts, M Woldemichael, D Pawlik (A Waters 59’), Z Walker (A Eggleston 86’)

NUNAWADING CITY: K Coulter, I Skorich, S Antoniadis (B Robinson 45’), F Dimitrakis, P Evangelakos, D Facci, D Patterson (S Pappageorgiou 55’), A Giannopoulos, E Damey (J Louziotis), M Cui, D Morovic

Yellow cards: E Damey, Nunawading City