By Mark Gojszyk (@hahahamark)

A disciplined and clinical Oakleigh has dispatched Pascoe Vale 3-0 to keep its title hopes alive.

Attacking from the outset, the home side survived a few scares on the counter, before Veton Korcari scrapped home a ball from close range.

Nate Foster and Dean Piemonte added two more goals after the break, while the defense stood tall to keep the visitors at bay.

The opening minutes commenced with Oakleigh pressing high, trying to smother its opponents’ time and space on the ball.

Thomas Lakic had the first attempt at goal, looping a shot into the arms of Yaren Sozer.

The home side's heart was then in its mouth when a lobbed Carl Recchia through ball found talisman Jake Nakic on the break, but John Honos was equal to the task, getting his fingertips on the ball.

Oakleigh was poking and prodding, with Foster and Goran Zoric often dangerously dribbling into the box, but Pascoe Vale were again closest to opening the scoring on the counter.

From the right, Joseph Youssef played a low ball which found Nakic one-on-one with Honos.

Unable to round the keeper, he passed the ball back to Michael Ferrante, who shot high.

Oakleigh continued to press, but its accuracy in front of goal was letting it down.

Lakic played a sublime cross to Goran Zoric who mistimed his volley, and then minutes later Korcari also hit a scuffed shot wide of the post.

The latter would make amends in the 36th minute with a scrappy, close range goal. 

Korcari opened the passage of play with a clever flick on to John Black, who ran into the box and cut the ball back in the middle.

Korcari was there to finish off the move, seemingly from under the grasp of an advancing Sozer.

The Cannons came out after the break in similar fashion to the first, firing from the outset, and doubling its advantage in the 52nd minute in controversial circumstances.

Nate Foster received the ball from midfield, taking a touch, composing himself, and drilling a low strike into the bottom right corner of the net.

There were suspicions that Foster was in an offside position as the pass was played to him, but the goal stood.

In an attempt to wrestle its way back in the contest, Pascoe Vale began to push higher, but Oakleigh’s defence was resolute, tidily clearing its lines.

Piemonte added a late third goal to put the result beyond doubt - the beneficiary of Foster’s expert dribble into the box, who passed the ball off to the substitute for an easy finish.

With time running out, Pascoe Vale resorted to long shots, none of which came to fruition. 

Oakleigh had chances to add to its advantage, with a curling effort from Zoric saved by Sozer, and a Piemonte lob drifting just high of the crossbar.

Oakleigh assistant coach Franz Weimper was most pleased with the side’s ability to keep a clean sheet.

“The objective is to score one goal, and don’t concede to the opposition, and you win the game – everything else is a bonus,” Weimper said.

“When you play Pascoe Vale, you have to be prepared to go to war, they are a tough team.”

Pascoe Vale coach Vitale Ferrante was aggrieved at his side’s inability to take its chances early, along with Oakleigh’s second goal, which he believed was offside.

“We copped a scrappy goal when we had two golden opportunites to score,” Ferrante said.

“We didn’t [score], they did, and the second goal was a clear offside.”

MATCH DETAILS

Oakleigh Cannons 3 (Korcari 36’, Foster 52’, Piemonte 77’) defeated Pascoe Vale 0 at Jack Edwards Reserve. [HT: 1-0] 

Oakleigh Cannons Starting XI: 1. John HONOS, 7. Bonel OBRADOVIC, 18. Adam LE CORNU, 3. John BLACK, 2. Thomas LAKIC, 23. Dominic D’ANGELO, 14. Nate FOSTER (12. Tremayne SADLER 79’), 19. Goran ZORIC, 10. Veton KORCARI (17. Dean PIEMONTE 62’), 5. Aron WILFORD, 4. Ian KAMAU (21. Andreas GOVAS 69’)

Unused Subs: 35. Harry RAWORTH, 8. Dusan BOSNJAK

Yellow Cards: Le Cornu 46’

Pascoe Vale Starting XI: 1. Yarez SOZER, 2. Adrian TALARICO, 3. Nathen MEGIC, 5. James STEFANOU, 8. Joseph YOUSSEF, 9. Jake NAKIC, 11. Jonathan VOULGARIS, 14. Alvaro CARRILO, 16. Marco SANTILLI (13. Mathew LAZARIDES 86’), 21. Michael FERRANTE, 22 Carl RECCHIA

Unused Subs: 17. Evan KARAVITIS, 19. Lindsay HENDERSON, 4. Eli LUTTMER

Yellow Cards: None

Red Cards: None

Image credit: Matt Johnson