NPL - Round 24

Pascoe Vale v Dandenong Thunder
8th v 10th          
8.30pm, Friday August 22, 2014
Hosken Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #PVvDT #NPLVIC

Last round:
Pascoe Vale 3-0 Goulburn Valley Suns
Dandenong Thunder 0-1 South Melbourne

Form:
Pascoe Vale: WLLLW
Dandenong Thunder: LDLWL

Last time they met:
Dandenong Thunder 1-2 Pascoe Vale, Round 19 2014

With Ballarat recording a shock victory away to Hume City last week, Dandenong now finds itself in a four-way battle with Port Melbourne, Werribee City and Ballarat to avoid joining Goulburn Valley in the relegation zone.

It faces one of the toughest trips away to Pascoe Vale, which has proven hard to break down at home and regained some confidence in an impressive 3-0 win over Goulburn Valley.

The home side will also regain first-choice ‘keeper Stefaan Sardelic, while striker Luca Santilli is most likely to miss again with a broken wrist.

You never really know what you’re going to get from this youthful but inconsistent Thunder squad, but they showed their better side in a hard-fought 1-0 loss to South Melbourne and would be expected to avoid relegation with similar performances in their final three matches.

Bentleigh Greens v Oakleigh Cannons
3rd v 2nd
8.30pm, Friday August 22, 2014
Kingston Heath Soccer Complex
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #BGvOC #NPLVIC
Highlights to follow on FFV TV

Last round:
Bentleigh Greens 5-0 Port Melbourne Sharks
Werribee City 0-1 Oakleigh Cannons

Form:
Bentleigh Greens: LDWDW
Oakleigh Cannons: LWWWW

Last time they met:
Oakleigh Cannons 2-1 Bentleigh Greens, Round 19 2014

There’s so much at stake for the Cannons, who know that dropped points here could have disastrous consequences in their race for the inaugural NPL title.

Their task will be a tough one; the Greens are in fine nick and enjoying their football without any pressure.

To add more spice to this local derby, Friday night will also be the homecoming for Oakleigh regulars Dominic D’Angelo and Aron Wilford.

Bentleigh was disappointed to lose the pair in the off-season, but will have its own worries with star attacker David Stirton leaving the club during the week to trial in Scotland.

Stirton’s loss may be offset by the likely return of captain Wayne Wallace however.

This one promises to be a blockbuster.

Green Gully v Port Melbourne Sharks
9th v 11th             
3.00pm, Saturday August 23, 2014
Green Gully Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #GGvPM #NPLVIC

Last round:
Melbourne Knights 4-3 Green Gully
Bentleigh Greens 5-0 Port Melbourne Sharks

Form:
Green Gully: DDWLL
Port Melbourne Sharks: DWLLL

Last time they met:
Port Melbourne Sharks 1-1 Green Gully, Round 19 2014

The Sharks’ season is spiralling out of control, and it’s now do or die if they are to remain in the NPL next season.

Given Bentleigh was coming off a three-day break and was without captain Wayne Wallace, they couldn’t be excused for the 5-0 thumping.

Coach Eric Vassiliadis may have been encouraged by his charges’ second-half performance, but was it as inspiring as Green Gully’s last week?

After trailing the Knights 4-0 at half-time, Green Gully pegged back the scoreline to 4-3 to almost snatch the most unlikely of draws.

If form is anything to go by, we could be in for a goal-fest here.

Ballarat Red Devils v Werribee City
13th v 12th  
3.00pm, Saturday August 23, 2014
Morshead Park Stadium
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #BRDvWC #NPLVIC

Last round:
Hume City 0-1 Ballarat Red Devils
Werribee City 0-1 Oakleigh Cannons

Form:
Ballarat Red Devils: WLLLW
Werribee City: LWWLL

Last time they met:
Werribee City 1-3 Ballarat Red Devils, Round 19 2014

While Bentleigh v Oakleigh may all but decide who wins the title, this battle at the other end of the table will be just as eagerly anticipated.

Werribee sits just three points clear of Ballarat and relegation, but the latter has two games in hand and form on its side.

The Red Devils sent shockwaves through the NPL with a win away to a red-hot Hume City, and even kept a clean sheet clean in the process – a rare achievement this season.

They had been playing decent football up until that win, with some narrow losses on the way, and they’ll be favoured to repeat their previous performance against Werribee.

With NPL survival on the line, expect a fierce contest.

Hume City v Heidelberg United
5th v 4th               
3.00pm, Sunday August 24, 2014
Broadmeadows Valley Park
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #HCvHU #NPLVIC

Last round:
Hume City 0-1 Ballarat Red Devils
Northcote City 1-0 Heidelberg United

Form:
Hume City: WLWWL
Heidelberg United: WDWDL

Last time they met:
Heidelberg United 2-0 Hume City, Round 19 2014

If you think Hume City has nothing to play for, then you’re wrong.

That’s the message from coach Lou Acevski, who put his players on notice after they “didn’t turn up mentally” in the loss to Ballarat.

With that in mind, there could be some big decisions made at Hume’s selection table on Sunday.

Heidelberg United coach George Katsakis was also furious after the loss to Northcote City, labelling the pitch an “absolute disgrace” and the reason for his side’s downfall.

There will be no such excuse at Hume’s pristine playing surface, as Heidelberg looks to snap a two-game winless streak and stay above the former in the standings.

Melbourne Knights v Goulburn Valley Suns
7th v 14th
3.00pm, Sunday August 24, 2014
Knights Stadium
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #MKvGVS #NPLVIC

Last round:
Melbourne Knights 4-3 Green Gully
Pascoe Vale 3-0 Goulburn Valley Suns

Form:
Melbourne Knights: LDLWW
Goulburn Valley Suns: WDDLL

Last time they met:
Goulburn Valley Suns 1-1 Melbourne Knights, Round 19 2014

Goulburn Valley’s nightmare became a reality last week, with the loss to Pascoe Vale meaning it will step down to the NPL 1 next year.

After such a demoralising loss, the challenge for the Suns is to regroup and restore some pride in what has been a difficult season for the club.

It’s almost hard to believe that their opponents - the Knights - could finish as high as the top five, after sitting alongside the Suns in the bottom three two months ago.

This contest was once looming as a battle for survival, but the Knights deserve credit for their turnaround and will be expected to continue on their merry ways and be too strong for the Suns on Sunday.

South Melbourne v Northcote City
1st v 6th 
5.00pm, Sunday August 24, 2014
Lakeside Stadium
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #SMvNC #NPLVIC

Last round:
Dandenong Thunder 0-1 South Melbourne
Northcote City 1-0 Heidelberg United

Form:
South Melbourne: DWLWW
Northcote City: DDLWW

Last time they met:
Northcote City 1-1 South Melbourne, Round 19 2014

Northcote City is somewhat of a bogey side for South Melbourne, having kept the league leader winless in their past four encounters in the top tier of Victorian football.

But there's no important time than now for South Melbourne to break that streak and the equation is simple; if it wins on Sunday and Oakleigh loses to Bentleigh, the NPL title will go to South Melbourne.

And if that eventuates, Milos Lujic and Michael Eagar - both won the Victorian Premier League title with Northcote City last season - will have another honour to add to their profile.

All eyes will be on this one, and another tricky fixture for South Melbourne looks on the cards with Northcote City in solid form.

NPL leading goalscorers:

18 – Milos Lujic (South Melbourne)
16 – Daniel Heffernan (Heidelberg United)
14 – Dean Piemonte (Oakleigh Cannons)
11 – David Stirton (Bentleigh Greens)
10 – Brent McGrath (Bentleigh Greens), , Craig Carley (Goulburn Valley Suns), Kaine Sheppard (Heidelberg United), Dusan Bosnjak (Oakleigh Cannons), Nate Foster (Oakleigh Cannons), Goran Zoric (Oakleigh Cannons), Matthew Sanders (Green Gully), Jamie Reed (South Melbourne)
8 – Osagie Ederaro (Green Gully), Jason Hayne (Green Gully), Wade Dekker (Northcote City), Jake Nakic (Pascoe Vale)
6 – Jack Petrie (Heidelberg United), Leigh Minopoulos (South Melbourne)
5 – Deang Aguek (Ballarat Red Devils), Daniel O’Donnell (Ballarat Red Devils), Paul Harvey (Ballarat Red Devils), Matthew Millar (Dandenong Thunder), Daniel Vasilevski (Heidelberg United), Richie Cardozo (Hume City), Daniel Visevic (Melbourne Knights), Jonathan Munoz (Northcote City), Trent Rixon (Northcote City), Luca Santilli (Pascoe Vale), Kevin Braniff (Port Melbourne), Lambros Honos (Port Melbourne), Mathew Theodore (South Melbourne), Steven Cudrig (Werribee City), Stipo Andrijasevic (Melbourne Knights), Liam Wooding (Northcote City)

NPL 1 – Round 22

Richmond v Moreland Zebras
6th v 7th   
8.30pm, Friday August 22, 2014
Kevin Bartlett Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #RSCvMZ #NPLVIC

Brunswick City v St Albans Saints
14th v 4th            
3.00pm, Saturday August 23, 2014
Dunstan Reserve
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #BCvSAS #NPLVIC

North Geelong Warriors v Whittlesea Ranges
2nd v 13th  
3.00pm, Saturday August 23, 2014
Elcho Park
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #NGWvWR #NPLVIC

Dandenong City v Avondale Heights
8th v 1st 
3.00pm, Saturday August 23, 2014
Frank Holohan Soccer Complex
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #DCvAH #NPLVIC

Springvale White Eagles v FC Bendigo
11th v 12th            
3.00pm, Saturday August 16, 2014
White Eagles Stadium
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #SWEvFCB #NPLVIC

Box Hill United v Sunshine George Cross
3rd v 9th 
3.15pm, Saturday August 23, 2014
Wembley Park
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #BHUvSGC #NPLVIC

FC Bulleen Lions v Kingston City
5th v 10th  
8.30pm, Monday August 25, 2014
Veneto Club – David Barro Stadium
Radio: Live on NPL VIC Live (also available on TuneIn app – search ‘Live Cast’)
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #BLvKC #NPLVIC

NPL 1 leading goalscorers:

25 – Joseph Katebian (FC Bulleen Lions)
19 – Tom Cahill (Richmond)
13 – Rinor Muriqi (Box Hill United)
12 – Max Etheridge (Kingston City)
11 – Kenny Athiu (Box Hill United), Oleksiy Khrapko (Avondale Heights), Juso Julardzija (North Geelong Warriors), Mark Paleka (North Geelong Warriors)
10 –Andrew Le Page (Avondale Heights), Nick Symeoy (Moreland Zebras), Hamlet Armenian (Richmond), Gino Defeo (Kingston City), 
9 –Dario Matkovic (Dandenong City), Vojislav Milojevic (Springvale White Eagles)
8 – Reardo Luka (North Geelong Warriors), Matthew Breeze (FC Bendigo), Kliment Dimitrieski (Whittlesea Ranges)
7 – Barry Devlin (St Albans Saints), Dario Matkovic (Dandenong City), Manuell Sadik (Sunshine George Cross), George Slefendorfas (FC Bendigo), Velibor Mitrovic (Kingston City), Stjepan Trbuhovic (Whittlesea Ranges)
6 – Goran Jozeljic (Dandenong City), Jason Principato (Avondale Heights)
5 – Ryan Don Paul (Springvale White Eagles), Matthew Iuliano (Whittlesea Ranges), Sean McIlroy (St Albans Saints), Delfin Mosibe (Sunshine George Cross), Brodie Paterson (St Albans Saints), Alex Dao (FC Bulleen Lions)

Image credit: Cindy Nitsos