By Tonci Prusac (@tonciprusac)

Richmond outclassed an inexperienced Sunshine George Cross to run out 6-0 winners in a highly entertaining but one-sided NPL1 Round 19 encounter at Chaplin Reserve on Saturday afternoon.

Two world class goals by star striker Hamlet Armenian and singles to Liam Flynn, Ryan Opperman, Mitchell Bissenger and Alex Tabor saw the visitors return to the winners' list following a recent form slump. 

Promotion chasing Richmond had its lofty ambitions battered in the last two games, dropping five points out of a possible six, while George Cross had failed to pick up a victory in its last four matches, drawing two and losing two games during that period.

The visitors were out for revenge, as the last time these two teams had met, way back in Round 6, Sunshine ran out 4-3 winners in a high scoring affair.

As such, fans of both teams were expecting an entertaining game of football and that's exactly what they got, right from the outset. 

Within two minutes of kick-off, Richmond had opened the scoring through a Tim-Cahill-inspired goal by Armenian. 

His powerful volley gave Sunshine 'keeper Nabi Tuna no chance and it was a sign of things to come for the hapless custodian.

In the 19th minute, Richmond doubled its lead through another world class strike, this time from a set piece. 

Armenian stood over the ball, but then allowed Flynn to come through and execute the free kick. 

The ball sailed into the back of Tuna's goal, leaving everyone at the ground breathless with what they had just witnessed.

On the stroke of half time, Bissinger made it 3-0, when he managed to poke the ball over the line, amidst a mad goal-mouth scramble.

Just three minutes after the resumption of play, Armenian trapped the ball in his own half, sped towards his attacking goal, evading two flat footed Sunshine defenders. 

He found himself in a one-on-one situation with Tuna, and calmly guided the ball into the net to make it 4-0.

Richmond wasn't done there, however.  

The hard working Oppermann scored in the 71st minute, but copped an injury in the process and was replaced by Tim Purcell. 

Purcell was to have a hand in the final goal, right at the death, when he took the ball to the byline and perfectly cut it in for another substitute, Alex Tabor, to tap the ball in for the final 6-0 scoreline. 

The home side's coach, Tony Ciantar, was an understandably dejected figure after the game. 

''We have got too many injuries at the moment and no depth in the squad,” Ciantar lamented.

“As far as the game was concerned, we were simply not good enough.” 

Although far more buoyed by his team’s performance, his Richmond counterpart, Rick Mensink, was not about to get carried away.

“It was a dominant display, we came here with great trepidation because we know it’s a tough place to get points,” Mensink started. 

“But we had a very good week on the track and the boys knew it was do or die, as far as our promotion hopes were concerned, to get a win today. 

“Having said that, I don’t want to get carried away with all the talk about promotion. We’ve got a tough game next week so we need to take it one game at a time.” 

Richmond is faced with a daunting assignment, next week, when it hosts runaway league leaders Avondale Heights at home on Friday night.

What will make it even tougher, is the fact that Mensink’s men will need to tackle Avondale without the services of Hamlet Armenian, who received his second yellow card in the 86th minute of today's game.

George Cross will also be faced with their own ‘version of ‘Mission Impossible’ when they take on promotion aspirants North Geelong Warriors at Elcho Park in Geelong.

MATCH DETAILS 

Sunshine George Cross 0 lost to Richmond SC 6 (Armenian 2' 48', Flynn 19', Bissinger 44', Oppermann 72', Tabor 90') at Chaplin Reserve (HT: 0-3)

Sunshine George Cross: 21 Nabi TUNA, 2 Eddie CETKIN, 4 Tom REILLY, 5 Christopher DIB, 16 Matthew OGHANNA, 6 Damian RASTOCIC, 8 Chris OGHANNA (15 Jason DOMAZETOVSKI 71’), 17 Jacob ATTARD (12 James XYDIAS 73’), 14 Anthony CASSAR, 7 Brandon ZAFFINA, 13 Kojo BROWN (9 Bozidar LOJANICA 74’) 

Unused subs: 1 Anthony MURANA, 11 Samuel ANTONIADIS.

Yellow cards: DIBB 44’, DOMAZETOVSKI 82’.

Red cards: None 

Richmond SC: 1 Edward CHADWICK, 11 Liam FLYNN (16 Sam SHEPHERD 52’), 6 Vincent BONTEMPS, 4 Mitchell BISSENGER, 5 Ryan SADLER, 14 Sebastian PETROVIC, 8 Joshua KNIGHT, 3 Peter SAWAN (17 Alex TABOR 67’), 12 Ryan OPPERMANN (10 Tim PURCELL. 74’), 7 Hamlet ARMENIAN, 9 Tom CAHILL.

Unused subs: 15 Andrew SKOULIOS, 18 Daniel MILBORROW

Yellow cards: BISSENGER 7’, ARMENIAN 42’

Red cards: ARMENIAN 86’.