Clinical Sharks bury Red Devils

By Tonci Prusac (@tonciprusac)

Port Melbourne has run out comfortable 3-1 winners over Ballarat in a mid-week fixture at a windswept JL Murphy Reserve on Wednesday night.

The hosts were presented with a series of chances, which it gleefully accepted with both hands, consigning Ballarat to a crucial defeat. 

There was a lot at stake for both teams in this Round 12 NPL clash, as the travelling Red Devils knew nothing short of the three points would satisfy their loyal supporters back home, in view of Werribee City’s win over Pascoe Vale the previous evening.

As a result of Werribee City's triumph, Ballarat found itself in the dreaded relegation zone in 13th position on the ladder.

A victory at Port Melbourne, however, would mean James Robinson’s men would jump out of the relegation zone and overtake both Werribee and 11th placed Port.

Ballarat sharp shooter, Paul Harvey, was the man the Port Melbourne defenders had to watch, as the inform striker had found the back of the net on six occasions in the past three games.

Coincidentally, it was Harvey who had the first shot on goal in the 10th minute, but his weak effort went straight into the safe hands of the Sharks' shot stopper Stjepan Gal.

It was the home side, however, who was the first to trouble the scoreboard attendant, registering the opener just five minutes later. 

It came courtesy of a Shaun Romein own goal after livewire striker Lambros Honos ran to the byline, viciously cut the ball back and forced Romein to knock it into his own net.

In the 22nd minute, Ballarat's Deang Aguek scored a sensational equaliser. 

Twisting and turning with his back to goal, Aguek spun round and pounded his left footed strike past an outstretched Gal.

Less than a minute later, however, the home side regained the lead through the ever-dangerous Honos, who finished off a delightful attacking move which was started by Luka Prelevic, continued by Kemal Ibrahim and completed by Honos’ well placed strike.

It took just five minutes after the resumption of proceedings for Port to effectively seal the game.

Honos was fouled by Sean Harding just outside the box and James Riccobene stepped up to take the free kick. 

His powerful shot managed to slice the wall open and thunder past a furious Aaron Romein in the Ballarat goal.

What followed was a 20 minute period of sustained Red Devil dominance, as the visitors peppered the home side’s goal with numerous chances, but to no avail.

Deng Aguek had a gilt edged opportunity to pull one back, but his shot hit the post and was cleared away for a corner.

Harding had two shots on goal in the space of a minute and speedster Nelson Salvatore was looking dangerous with his protruding runs into the box.

Nonetheless, the Sharks managed to absorb the pressure right up until the final whistle. 

Even a prolonged period of extra time – just over six minutes – wasn’t able to help the Red Devils, who remain in second-last position as a result of the loss to Port. 

After the match, Port Melbourne captain Phillip Riccobane was an understandably happy man.

“Today we stuck to our game plan. We knew it was always going to be a tough match, but we dug deep and the boys did very well,” Riccobane said.

“We just have to keep doing what we’ve been doing. We just need to keep the momentum going and keep scoring goals and picking up points which we did do today.”

A disappointed James Robinson was left to lament what could have been.

“In the end, we conceded three goals, which could have been easily prevented,” the Ballarat coach said. 

“Full credit to Port Melbourne, they were presented with chances and they put them away.  For us, it was always going to be a case of ‘do our defensive job’, which we simply didn’t do.

“We are creating a lot of chances, as everyone could see in that second half, but if you give them (the opposition) goals and they take it…. well, that’s the ball game,” Robinson concluded.

Come Saturday, Ballarat will have travelled to Melbourne three times in the space of six days, when the Red Devils take on Green Gully at Green Gully Reserve in a must win encounter. 

Meanwhile Port Melbourne will have an extra day’s rest, when the Sharks front up against Hume City at Broadmeadows Valley Park on Sunday. 

MATCH DETAILS:

Port Melbourne Sharks 3 (og 15’, Honos 24’, J. Riccobene 50’) defeated Ballarat Red Devils 1 (Aguek 22’) at JL Murphy Reserve (HT: 2-1) 

Port Melbourne: 22. Stjepan GAL (GK), 6. Chris GROSSMAN (7. Amadu KOROMA 65’), 23. Conor REDDAN, 18. Milos RIDESIC, 3. James RICCOBENE, 19. Nicky McNAMARA (11. Nicholas KROUSORATIS 68’), 27. Andrew MILICEVIC, 17. Phillip RICCOBENE, 26. Lambros HONOS, 14. Kamal IBRAHIM (9. Alexander ANTONESCU 75’), 10. Luka PRELEVIC.

Unused Subs: 1. Adam HREHORESIN (GK), 15. Stefan NIGRO

Yellow cards: RIDESIC 31’, McNAMARA 58’, ANTONESCU 84’)

Red cards: None 

Ballarat Red Devils: 1. Aaron ROMEIN, 19. Daniel FIRTH, 18. Daniel O’DONNELL, 25. Steven THOMSON, 28. Sean HARDING, 17. Shaun ROMEIN, 16. Charles KING (3. Daniel TINKER 88’), 11. Nelson SALVATORE, 31. Simon MURPHY (6. Liam HARDING 59’), 7. Deang AGUEK, 9. Paul HARVEY.

Unused Subs: 40. Jordan FRANKEN, 2 Tristan ROMEIN, 13. Michael TRIGGER.

Yellow cards: None

Red cards: None 




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