By James Manton

Braces to Joshua Knight and Tom Cahill gave Richmond a convincing 4-1 victory over Springvale White Eagles on Friday night.

A dominant performance throughout, it was Richmond's fifth-consecutive win as it races up the ladder after a slow start to the season.

Richmond almost conceded a farcical own-goal in the opening stages of the match as a back-pass bobbled over goalkeeper Christian Ross' foot, but his scrambling clearance just kept the ball out of the net.

But it didn't take long for the back of the Richmond net to bulge, as Hamish Millar provided a silver-service tap-in for Milan Jovanovic to give Springvale the early lead.

Liam Flynn came close to equalising as his whipped-in free-kick somehow avoided being touched as it raced past the goalmouth and over the by-line.

Not long after, Knight scored the first of his two goals as a Samuel Catherine cross found him on the edge of the box, with Knight nestling the ball past the keeper into the corner of the net.

Richmond's dominance began to shine through in the second half as they controlled the ball and opportunities, with a goal-bound Peter Sawan shot blocked shortly after the interval.

Knight's second goal of the night came in spectacular fashion as an Andrew Goff cross found him free at the back post, and with the outside of his right boot he blasted the ball into the inside of the far net.

Despite changing to two strikers upfront, the White Eagles' task became nigh-on impossible as a Tom Cahill chest-down and shot put the hosts 3-1 up midway through the half.

And if it weren't difficult enough, the very next minute Cahill was taken down inside the box for a penalty, roosting the ball into the top of the net to establish an unassailable three-goal lead.

Richmond had a number of opportunities to extend its lead, but with the match essentially finished by that point, it finished with a 4-1 result.

 

Richmond Soccer Club 4 (Knight 31', 57', Cahill 73', 75') defeated Springvale White Eagles FC 1 (Jovanovic 12')

RICHMOND: 1. Christian ROSS, 2. Andrew GOFF, 3. Matthew COLLIER, 23. Joshua VALADON (21. Daniel PIOVESAN 80'), 12. Matthew WATERS, 6. Peter SAWAN, 17. Samuel CATHERINE (16. Ryan LAMBERT 87'), 15. Jay KELLY (7. Hamlet ARMENIAN 49'), 11. Liam FLYNN, 8. Joshua KNIGHT, 9. Tom CAHILL

Unused substitutes: 20. Chris DAVIS, 5. George VOLIOTIS

Yellow card(s): Nil

Red card(s): Nil

Springvale: 1. Nebojsa VUJIC, 2. Jordan BALLERINI, 6. Slavisa SARIC (5. Scott MILLAR 56'), 33. Zarko MILOJEVIC (4. Simo JOVANOVIC 42'), 7. Keletso MATHEMBU, 8. Hernan DE RITO, 10. Stojan MILOJEVIC, 13. Hamish MILLAR, 15. Milan JOVANOVIC, 21. Dejan ERAKOVIC (22' Anthony SOLEMIDIS 63), 23. Marcus HOLMES

Unused substitutes: 30. Jeremy SANDOVAL

Yellow card(s): Z. Milojevic 42', Holmes 55', S. Milojevic 64', Ballerini 75'

Red card(s): Nil