NPL – Round 25

Pascoe Vale v Port Melbourne Sharks
8th v 10th             
8.30pm, Friday September 5, 2014
Hosken Reserve
Twitter: Live updates on Twitter @nplvictoria, #PVvPM #NPLVIC

Last round:
Pascoe Vale 0-0 Dandenong Thunder
Green Gully 1-2 Port Melbourne Sharks

Form:
Pascoe Vale: LLLWD
Port Melbourne Sharks: WLLLW

Last time they met:
Port Melbourne Sharks 0-2 Pascoe Vale, Round 12 2014

With his side’s survival in the NPL assured, Pascoe Vale coach Vitale Ferrante has said there is still plenty to play for as his charges play for their spot in the team in 2015.

In what has been a testing month for the mid-table side with injuries and suspensions, some positive stories have emerged. One of those is 17-year-old ‘keeper Yaren Sozer, who has kept clean sheets in the past two weeks in the absence of injured first-choice custodian Stefaan Sardelic.

He’ll again be called upon to keep out Port Melbourne, which can all but guarantee a spot in the NPL with a win tonight. Expect the Sharks to come out firing and full of confidence after its upset win away to Green Gully last week.

Bentleigh Greens v Hume City
4th v 5th
8.30pm, Friday September 5, 2014
Kingston Heath Soccer Complex
Twitter: Live updates on Twitter @nplvictoria, #BGvHC #NPLVIC

Last round:
Bentleigh Greens 1-1 Ballarat Red Devils (catch-up game)
Goulburn Valley Suns 1-4 Hume City (catch-up game)

Form:
Bentleigh Greens: WDWLD
Hume City: WWLLW

Last time they met:
Hume City 0-3 Bentleigh Greens, Round 12 2014

Just when they looked to be cruising to a third-place finish, the Greens have lost their rhythm and confidence in front of goal in the past fortnight, having failed to register wins at home to Oakleigh (1-4) and Ballarat (1-1).

If they are to overtake Heidelberg in third position, they’ll have to overcome a Hume City outfit inspired by the return to form of captain Nick Hegarty.

The influential midfielder featured in the starting 11 for the first time in over three months since overcoming a serious knee injury, scoring two goals in Hume City’s 4-1 win against Goulburn Valley.

Though it’s been an inconsistent season for Hume City, it can still finish as high as fourth with a win tonight.

Northcote City v Green Gully
7th v 9th               
3.00pm, Saturday September 6, 2014
John Cain Memorial Reserve
Twitter: Live updates on Twitter @nplvictoria, #NCvGG #NPLVIC

Last round:
South Melbourne 2-1 Northcote City
Green Gully 1-2 Port Melbourne Sharks

Form:
Northcote City: DLWWL
Green Gully: DWLLL

Last time they met:
Green Gully 6-2 Northcote City, Round 12 2014

Northcote City’s defence was humiliated when these two sides last met, but form is on its side this time round.

Last year’s Victorian champion took newly-crowned Victorian champion South Melbourne down to the wire last week on the back of two wins.

It will be favoured to grab the points at home on Saturday, but Green Gully is no certainty to avoid relegation and must snap a three-game losing streak to guarantee its survival.

Ballarat Red Devils v Melbourne Knights
13th v 6th                
5.45pm, Saturday September 6, 2014
Morshead Park Stadium
Twitter: Live updates on Twitter @nplvictoria, #BRDvMK #NPLVIC

Last round:
Bentleigh Greens 1-1 Ballarat Red Devils (catch-up game)
Melbourne Knights 1-0 Oakleigh Cannons (catch-up game)

Form:
Ballarat Red Devils: LLWLD
Melbourne Knights: LWWWW

Last time they met:
Melbourne Knights 4-2 Ballarat Red Devils, Round 12 2014

What a month it has been for the Knights, who won the Dockerty Cup on Sunday before ending the NPL title race with a 1-0 win over Oakleigh on Wednesday night.

Andrew Marth’s men are currently on a run of four consecutive league wins, but can they extend that streak on Saturday in their third game in six days?

It will be a tough ask, given Ballarat has the fresher legs and must win to make its survival in the top flight realistically achievable.

All eyes will be on this result in Ballarat.

Dandenong Thunder v Goulburn Valley Suns
11th v 14th
7.00pm, Saturday September 6, 2014
George Andrews Reserve
Twitter: Live updates on Twitter @nplvictoria, #DTvGVS #NPLVIC

Last round:
Pascoe Vale 0-0 Dandenong Thunder
Goulburn Valley Suns 1-4 Hume City (catch-up game)

Form:
Dandenong Thunder: DLWLD
Goulburn Valley Suns: DLLLL

Last time they met:
Goulburn Valley Suns 0-4 Dandenong Thunder, Round 12 2014

Dandenong Thunder hasn’t even talked about relegation, according to coach Dean Hennessey, but it’s a realistic possibility.

If it is to drop points here, it might have to rely on pinching a result away to third-placed Heidelberg United in the final round next week - no easy task.

The Suns started brightly against Hume City last week, but crumbled once Ben Clarke was sent off in the 4-1 loss.

The winger has been arguably his side’s standout player this season, and his absence will be a massive boost for Thunder.

Werribee City v Heidelberg United
12th v 3rd
3.00pm, Sunday September 7, 2014
Galvin Park
Twitter: Live updates on Twitter @nplvictoria, #WCvHU #NPLVIC

Last round:
Ballarat Red Devils 1-2 Werribee City
Hume City 0-2 Heidelberg United

Form:
Werribee City: WWLLW
Heidelberg United: DWDLW

Last time they met:
Heidelberg United 2-2 Werribee City, Round 12 2014

The equation is simple for Werribee: if it defeats Heidelberg and the Knights defeat Ballarat, it will remain in the top flight.

The Bees’ form at home is poor though, with five losses from their past six outings at Galvin Park.

Heidelberg will be strongly favoured to grab a win on the road for the second successive week, while star striker Daniel Heffernan – two goals behind NPL leading goalscorer Milos Lujic – may just have one eye on the Golden Boot award.

South Melbourne v Oakleigh Cannons
1st v 2nd
5.00, Sunday September 7, 2014
Lakeside Stadium
Twitter: Live updates on Twitter @nplvictoria, #SMvOC #NPLVIC

Last round:
South Melbourne 2-1 Northcote City
Melbourne Knights 1-0 Oakleigh Cannons (catch-up game)

Form:
South Melbourne: WLWWW
Oakleigh Cannons: WWWWL

Last time they met:
Oakleigh Cannons 3-0 South Melbourne, Round 12 2014

This top-of-the-table clash had loomed as the potential title decider just two days ago, but it will now serve as the stage for the title celebrations.

South Melbourne claimed the inaugural NPL title on Wednesday night without kicking a ball, following Oakleigh’s 1-0 loss to Melbourne Knights in a midweek catch-up fixture.

This is the club’s ninth Victorian championship and its first since 2006, and South Melbourne fans will arrive in droves at Lakeside Stadium on Sunday evening to see their side lift the trophy at the conclusion of full time.

Oakleigh will no doubt be licking its wounds and out to spoil the party however.

NPL leading goalscorers:

20 – Milos Lujic (South Melbourne)

18 – Daniel Heffernan (Heidelberg United)

16 – Dean Piemonte (Oakleigh Cannons)

11 – David Stirton (Bentleigh Greens), Nate Foster (Oakleigh Cannons), Craig Carley (Goulburn Valley Suns)

10 – Brent McGrath (Bentleigh Greens), Kaine Sheppard (Heidelberg United), Dusan Bosnjak (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), Daniel O’Donnell (Ballarat Red Devils), Nick Hegarty (Hume City), Stipo Andrijasevic (Melbourne Knights)

5 – Deang Aguek (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), Liam Wooding (Northcote City)

NPL 1 – Round 23

Whittlesea Ranges v Dandenong City
13th v 8th     
8.30pm, Friday September 5, 2014
Epping Stadium
Twitter: Live updates on Twitter @nplvictoria, #WRvDC #NPLVIC

Sunshine George Cross v Springvale White Eagles
9th v 12th             
3.00pm, Saturday September 6, 2014
Chaplin Reserve
Twitter: Live updates on Twitter @nplvictoria, #SGCvSWE #NPLVIC

Box Hill United v Avondale Heights
5th v 1st              
3.15pm, Saturday September 6, 2014
Wembley Park
Twitter: Live updates on Twitter @nplvictoria, #BHUvAH #NPLVIC
Highlights to follow on FFV TV

If Avondale Heights defeats Box Hill, it will gain promotion into the NPL. A win could also see it crowned the inaugural NPL 1 champion as early as Sunday, should North Geelong Warriors lose to Moreland Zebras.

FC Bendigo v FC Bulleen Lions
12th v 4th              
6.00pm, Saturday September 6, 2014
Epsom Huntly Reserve
Twitter: Live updates on Twitter @nplvictoria, #FCBvBL #NPLVIC

St Albans Saints v Richmond
3rd v 6th               
3.00pm, Sunday September 7, 2014
Churchill Reserve
Twitter: Live updates on Twitter @nplvictoria, #SASvRSC #NPLVIC

Moreland Zebras v North Geelong Warriors
7th v 2nd                
3.00pm, Sunday September 7, 2014
De Chene Reserve
Twitter: Live updates on Twitter @nplvictoria, #MZvNGW #NPLVIC

Kingston City v Brunswick City
10th v 14th                 
8.30pm, Monday September 8, 2014
The Grange Reserve
Twitter: Live updates on Twitter @nplvictoria, #KCvBC #NPLVIC

NPL 1 leading goalscorers:

26 – Joseph Katebian (FC Bulleen Lions)

20 – 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), Nick Symeoy (Moreland Zebras), Hamlet Armenian (Richmond)

10 –Andrew Le Page (Avondale Heights), Gino Defeo (Kingston City), Vojislav Milojevic (Springvale White Eagles)

9 –Dario Matkovic (Dandenong City), Matthew Breeze (FC Bendigo)

8 – Reardo Luka (North Geelong Warriors), Kliment Dimitrieski (Whittlesea Ranges), Barry Devlin (St Albans Saints)

7 – 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), Sean McIlroy (St Albans Saints)

5 – Ryan Don Paul (Springvale White Eagles), Matthew Iuliano (Whittlesea Ranges), Delfin Mosibe (Sunshine George Cross), Brodie Paterson (St Albans Saints), Alex Dao (FC Bulleen Lions), Christopher Dib (Sunshine George Cross), Ryan Oppermann (Richmond)

Pictured: Avondale Heights could wrap up the NPL 1 title as early as this weekend with a win over Box Hill United. Image credit: Mark Avellino