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PS4 NPL Victoria

By Mark Gojszyk

Pascoe Vale 2 (Conversano 11’, Nakic 30’) Richmond SC 2 (Flynn 41’, Roorda 45’)

Pascoe Vale's search for a win continues after Richmond fought back from a two-goal deficit to snatch a 2-2 draw at CB Smith Reserve.

Matt Conversano scored before assisting Jake Nakic for the hosts' early goals, before Liam Flynn and Geert Arend Roorda salvaged the draw on the stroke of half time.

It was Bryan bran with the early chance for Richmond as the centre-back got forward for a Flynn cross but headed over.

Conversano made no mistake at the other end, ghosting in to put away Yusei Kitade’s effort on the counter which was initially parried by keeper Gian Tapia.

The sides then exchanged a couple of opportunities, with Conversano again getting in behind and teeing up Nakic who missed wide, before a ball won in Richmond’s defence was released the Nick Kokolakis, whose effort stung the palms of keeper Erik Pryce.

The second goal came in more controversial circumstances when Conversano’s through ball looked to be initially aimed for an offside Kitade, before Nakic ran through and put the ball away.

While the hosts seemed to be cruising, two mistakes at the back allowed Richmond to wrestle their way back into the contest.

The first one came when keeper Pryce spilled a deflected Kokolakis effort, allowing Flynn to pounce and tap home.

The second, on the stroke of half time, saw a Jake Barker-Daish low corner bobble around in the box, landing at Roorda at the back post for a simple tap in.

The second half was much more subdued scoring-wise, though keeper Tapia was certainly the busier of the keepers, denying the likes of Kitade and Nakic to frustrate the hosts and preserve his side's away point.

Melbourne Knights 1 (Andrijasevic 23’) Hume City 0

Melbourne Knights inflicted Hume City’s second consecutive defeat with a narrow home win on Friday.

The hosts’ early chances were mainly thwarted by Chris Oldfield. The deadlock was broken in the 23rd minute when a quick clearance from Ben Surey released Jason Hicks in the middle of the park, finding Brekalo on the overlap, who played in a diagonal ball for Stipo Andrijasevic to do the rest.

While Hume threatened thereafter – highlighted by a corner count of 19, the Knights’ defence held on for an invaluable three points.

Green Gully SC 2 (Krousoratis 61’, Jones pen 74’) FC Bulleen Lions 0

A Green Gully without talismanic striker Liam Boland still did the job against Bulleen Lions on Saturday.

After a scoreless first half, Gully got going in the 61st minute when Luke Walker won a header from a goal-kick and found Christodoulou, who played in Krousoratis, with the forward waltzing towards goal and beating Griffin McMaster between the sticks.

Krousoratis then won a penalty after being brought down in the box, with captain Daniel Jones stepping up and sealing the three points from the spot.

 

Northcote City 0 Avondale FC 1 (Sanders 89’)

In a clash between the bottom two sides, it was Avondale who triumphed late, leaving the besieged hosts firmly planted on the floor of the NPL ladder.

With the contest heading towards a scoreless stalemate, the ball found itself pinballing around the box, and it was none other than Matt Sanders with the poacher’s effort to seal the three points and wheel away in jubilation.

 

Melbourne Victory 0 Oakleigh Cannons 1 (Bosnjak 71’)

A Victory side without a number of players due to A-League duty, and the injured Joey Katebian, were powerless to resist as Oakleigh continued their good form with a narrow win.

Dusan Bosnjak’s 71st minute strike was enough to separate the sides, with the Cannons’ defence handling all of what came its way throughout the 90.

South Melbourne 2 (Konstantinidis 45+2' Theodore 60') Bentleigh Greens 1 (Wallace 20')

The Grand Final re-match took some time to get started but grew to a dramatic climax at Lakeside Stadium.

Wayne Wallace lost the South Melbourne defence to lash in at close range on 20 minutes after a header across goal from Chris Lucas.

South absorbed Bentleigh's pressure and hit back in first half stoppage time when Kristian Konstantinidis read the ball best to head in a free kick from the left.

Bentleigh was reduced to 10 men on 53 minutes when Dion Kirk was sent off for a second bookable offence.

South capitalised soon after with Milos Lujic heading into the path of Mathew Theodore, who after his initial shot was blocked was first to the rebound to blast through a pack of Bentleigh bodies on the line.

Bentleigh continued to attack in spite of being down a man, and earned a penalty through Kamal Ibrahim in the 79th minute. Chris Lucas' penalty lacked power however, saved by South goalkeeper Nikola Roganovic.

As the game ticked into stoppage time Tyson Holmes was fouled, and another penalty kick paid. But again Roganovic would foil the Greens, this time saving from Troy Ruthven to preserve South Melbourne's 2-1 lead.

Heidelberg United 4 Port Melbourne Sharks 1

Having postponed kick-off for 25 hours to cooperate with Victoria police investigating a nearby crime scene, Heidelberg United didn't miss a beat against Port Melbourne.

Kenny Athiu had the home team in front after 12 minutes and doubled the advantage shortly after the half hour.

David Stirton pegged one goal back for Port Melbourne, but Sean Ellis' goal just after the hour restored a two-goal buffer, before Athiu secured the points by completing his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 78th minute.

PS4 NPL Victoria Women's Round 5

By Marc Sudholz

FC Bulleen Lions 0 Geelong Galaxy United 2 (M. Taranto 45', Spiranovic 56')

Geelong Galaxy United ended FC Bulleen Lions’ unbeaten start to the season, recording a 2-0 away victory at David Barro Stadium on Sunday Evening.

Despite the hosts’ form, they found themselves on the back foot for most of the game, unable to deal with Galaxy’s high pressing tactics.

The best chance of the opening 20 minutes came through Beattie Goad after 10 minutes, who was picked out by Lia Privitelli, but her shot was well held by Kelsey Quinn in goals for Galaxy.

5 minutes later, Laura Spiranovic dispossessed Emily Dolzan, but her shot from 20 yards was easily saved by Lauren Farrugia.

The game was a midfield battle, and Substitute Caitlin Pickett nearly got the breakthrough, firing a shot into the side netting in the 34^th minute, with Farrugia beaten.

The breakthrough came for Galaxy in the shadows of half time.

Following a goalmouth scramble, Mel Taranto poked home from the six yard box to give the away side a deserved lead.

Galaxy continued to press the home side, and doubled their advantage in the 56^th minute.

The ever-dangerous Laura Spiranovic was expertly picked out by Aneta Komijat, before firing convincingly past Farrugia on her left foot to double the visitors’ advantage.

The home side rallied late, and should’ve grabbed a goal though Caitlin Friend, who, following Alex Natoli’s strike from 25 yards, which hit the underside of the bar, fired over from six yards.

Jamie Pollock then saw a shot blocked by Sarah Sumner, as Galaxy defended their clean sheet with desire.

Ultimately, the visitors did hold on, running out deserved 2-0 winners.

Alamein FC 2 (Ayres 46' Gibney 90+3') Bayside United 1 (James 36')

Bronte James continued her scoring streak with a fifth goal of the season when she won the ball on the right, sprinted into the area and finished on an acute angle.

ut Melina Ayres' introduction to the game at half time bore immediate results as Alamein drew level after the re-start.

Seemingly holding out for a draw, Bayside United's defensive concentration lapsed late and Alamein capitalised. Brittany Thomas chased down a high ball into the penalty area and teed up Annabelle Gibney, who had the time and space to shoot in the winner.

Southern United 1 (Lines pen 19') Heidelberg United 1 (Barbieri 79')

Southern United's search for a first win continues but some promising signs emerged as they took a first point of the season against Heidelberg United.

Saphri Lines converted a first half penalty to put Southern in the ascendancy, but with 10 minutes remaining Matildas legend Melissa Barbieri would deny the home team.

Barbieri, playing as an outfielder and enjoying success in doing so, netted her second goal of the season with 11 minutes remaining to earn Heidelberg a point.

Box Hill United 0 Calder United 0

Calder's perfect run to start the season ended at Wembley Park as the visitors dropped points against the team they'd beaten 3-0 in the Team App Cup just three days earlier.

The game was a tale of two goalkeepers as Box Hill's Emily Shields and Calder's Bethany Mason-Jones won the day. Both were tested repeatedly but did not relent, leaving the PS4 NPLW with its first scoreless draw of the senior season.

PS4 NPL 2 East

By Ahmed Yussuf

Brunswick City 1 (Romas 41’) Murray United 1 (Zac Walker 67’)

Brunswick City opened the scoring late in the first half courtesy of Dean Romas. Putting Murray United on the back foot on the stroke of half time with a goal on the run of play.

United started the second half fighting to find their way back into the game, despite early pressure from City. The away side used set pieces to trouble City to regain moment.

Minutes after causing pressure with their set pieces, United find the all-important equaliser through Zac Walker.

The pendulum shifted. United started to combine with Goffery Lino and goal scorer Walker.

However, the away side weren’t able to nab the winner.

Eastern Lions 3 (Nyadzayo 10’, Ellis 20’, Neales 30’) Nunawading City 0

Eastern Lions came out of the blocks with an impressive 3-0 win against league strugglers Nunawading City.

All three goals came in the opening half hour of the game.

Munya Nyadzayo troubled City with his long shots from distance, before opening the scoring with a cheeky finish.

Lions continued to pressure City in attacking areas. Goal scorer Nyadzayo came to haunt City again with a long-range shot. However, City shot-stopper Jason Koutsodontis parried it away but into the path of William Ellis who finishes well to make it two.

Moments later, City were reduced to ten men when Nikolaos Argyrakakis received his second yellow for shirt pulling.

With ten men and 2-0 down before half time City struggled to stay in the game.

In no time they were exposed again. A shot from outside the box forced Koutsodontis into a save, but like the second he parries into the path of a Lions player. This time Cameron Neales.

Goulburn Valley Suns 2 (Alaraibi 80’ 90’) Dandenong Thunder 3 (Barnes 44’ 70’, Osmancevic 56’)

Goulburn Valley Suns rallied late but couldn't stop Dandenong Thunder's pefect start to the season.

Brandon Barnes continues his scoring streak, the Englishman had to miss the opening rounds of the season but is quickly moving up the scoring charts after netting a double.

Amir Osmancevic continued his scoring spree by netting his ninth NPL goal in 7 games.

Hakeem Alairibi gave the Suns some hope in the 80th minute and scored again late as the home team repaired the goal difference.

Springvale White Eagles 1 (Stoilovic 91’) Box Hill United (Osei-Safo 28’)

For this second game running Springvale saved a point in stoppage time, this week Damir Stoilovic doing the job. Stoilovic's curling effort caught out the Box Hill defence and goalkeeper to bounce in as he shot from the top right corner of the area.

Box Hill took the lead when Ben Osei-Safo knocked in a ball headed down into the six-yard area after a cross from the right.

Box Hill hit the post before half time, it would prove to be the visitors' best chance for a second goal.

Kingston City 1 (Iaconis 27’) Dandenong City 0

Kingston remains in hot pursuit of Dandenong Thunder at the top of the league after one goal was enough to guide the home team past Dandenong City on Monday night.

Damian Iaconis' header capped a well-worked team move to give Kingston their match-winning goal.

PS4 NPL 2 West

By Tim Michell

Sunshine George Cross 2 (Julardzija pen 69' Mason 71') Moreland Zebras 3 (McMonagle-Ihasz 7' Yousif 34' Papadimitriou 90+1')

An injury-time strike from James Papadimitriou lifted Moreland Zebras to a 3-2 victory over Sunshine George Cross at Chaplin Reserve.

Moreland led 2-0 at haltime thanks to goals from Josh McMonagle-Ihasz and Baggio Yousif. McMonagle-Ihasz drove a shot low into the bottom left corner after a cut-back to the top of the area, while Yousif sprung the Sunshine backline by running down a goalkeeper clearance and timing perfectly a volley as the bouncing ball fell into his path.

The home side found its groove after the break.

Juso Julardzija netted a penalty and Martin Mason rose to head in free kick delivered from the right.

But an errant backpass straight to James Papadimitriou played the striker through one-on-one, where he duly rounded the keeper to score a stoppage-time winner for the Zebras.

Bendigo City FC 2 (Younan 54' McHeileh 89') North Geelong Warriors FC 7 (Thorne 5' 45' Eze 10' Anderson 20' Jurcic 30' Cichello 41' Townley 62')

North Geelong hammered struggling Bendigo City 7-1 after netting six first-half goals at Epsom Huntly Reserve.

The writing was on the wall after 16 minutes when the Warriors led 3-0 after goals from Matt Thorne, Kene Eze and Matt Townley. Nicholas Jurcic made it 4-0 after 23 minutes before Vito Cichello and Michael Anderson rounded out the opening-half rout.

David Younan pulled a goal back for Bendigo City before Townley completed his brace in the 60th minute.

Whittlesea Rangers FC 6 (Sekulovski 45' 87' Sunni 50' Ofli 62' Slefendorfas 70' 90') Moreland City Football Club 4 (Paz 15' 27' Ukuno 22' Thomas 59')

WHITTLESEA Ranges showcased their title credentials in an incredible 6-4 NPL2 West victory over Moreland City on Saturday at Epping Reserve.
The hosts looked a shadow of the side which had gone unbeaten through the first six rounds of the campaign in the opening 30 minutes, conceding three goals against a Lisandro Paz-inspired Moreland.

The electric winger gave Moreland City the lead after 15 minutes when he dispatched a deflected shot past Whittlesea keeper Luke Gallo.

Minutes after the league’s leading scorer Atilla Ofli missed a chance level the contest, Apai Ukuno doubled the visitors’ advantage.

Paz emphasised Moreland’s dominance when he curled a free-kick past Gallo, putting City firmly in the drivers’ seat.

Ranges peppered Kieran Mcdowell’s goal just before halftime and got their reward when captain Naum Sekulovski reacted quickest to deflect a powerful header from a corner past the Moreland keeper.

Five minutes into the second half, lively Ranges winger Dauda Sanni lobbed Mcdowell after beating his opponent to a precise through ball to bring the scoreline back to 3-2.

But for all its good work, Whittlesea appeared to have handed Moreland the points when Corey Thomas pounced on a Trent Rixon header to prod home and restore his side’s two-goal buffer.

An Ofli goal always appeared inevitable and the lethal attacker made his mark in the 62nd minute, smashing an unstoppable freekick into the roof of the goal to make it 4-3.

George Slefendorfas completed the comeback seven minutes later, putting Whittlesea on level terms with seven minutes to play.

The hosts looked the only side likely to break the deadlock and found the winner after 87 minutes when Sekulovski angled a right-foot shot into the left corner of Mcdowell’s goal.

Slefenforfas put the exclamation mark on a game that will go down as one of the best of the NPL2 campaign, rifling home in stoppage time to secure Ranges’ fifth win from seven games.

Werribee City FC 2 (Mosibe Esara 53' 55') St Albans Saints SC 5 (Tsiakalakis 25' Knight 43' Devlin 59' McGuffie pen 79' Grgic 90+2')

St Albans Saints piled the misery on Werribee City with a 5-2 win at Galvin Park on Sunday.

The Saints led by two goals at halftime, but Werribee found a lifeline when it equalised seven minutes after the break.

Two minutes later the contest was level and City could sense an opportunity to end a turbulent week on a positive note.

But when Barry Devlin headed home after 59 minutes momentum swung back in St Albans’ favour. Ryan McGuffie doubled the visitors’ lead after 79 minutes and Michael Grgic was also on the scoresheet, netting in stoppage time. The result keeps the Saints in touch with their promotion rivals after seven rounds.

Melbourne City 0 Ballarat Red Devils 1 (Swinton 45+2’)

Ten man Ballarat Red Devils pulled off a surprising 1-0 victory against Melbourne City away from home.

Ballarat began the livelier of the two, coming out of the blocks in the first half energetically. They were rewarded late in the opening period through talisman Dom Swinton who opened the scoring before the break.

However, Ballarat started the game with a disadvantage, and in the words of coach Jimmy Robinson they were playing with “eleven outfield players” from the first whistle.

The Red Devils needed to lean on midfielder Michael Trigger to deputise for the absent Dave Romein and co.

Despite the absence of a regular goalkeeper, Ballarat thrived. They provided an instant threat through the combination play between Patrick Karras and Jake Francis.

Francis was able to latch onto the pass of Karras, to get in behind the City backline within five minutes of play. He finished expertly, but the goal was adjudged to have been offside.

Melbourne City struggled to find any rhythm of play in midfield, because of the strong press of Ballarat. They were forced to switch their focus in attacking in wide areas.

City delivered their first genuine foray into the Ballarat defensive third when a cross came in from left wing. The cross-caused confusion in the penalty area as deflections off both Giusessepe Marafioti and Cristopher Cristaldo goal side forced the Red Devils into action.

The attack was halted as makeshift ‘keeper Trigger helped clear the danger away from goal.

City continued to struggle, as Ballarat grew into the game. Swinton’s involvement in attacks became more frequent.

From a breakaway attack, Swinton was found in on goal but wasn’t able to beat City gloveman James Delianov.

But on the stroke of half time Swinton was found once more. This time through a Jordan Hall blunder that saw him one-on-one with Delianov again. The attacker made no mistake finishing the chance to put Ballarat goal up away from home.

City tried to claw there way back but after finding that all-important goal Ballarat stood strong in defence.

The away side seemed to grow in confidence despite being a man down when Joshua Romein picked up a second yellow.

Ballarat stood off and allowed the home side to have the bulk of possession to spring counter attack after counter attack.

In the latter stages of the game the away side almost doubled their lead.

Daniel Tinker surged down the left, whipping in a ball for Simon Murphy. The attacker got on the end of the cross but only managed to hit the woodwork, but the ball on the rebound to youngster Brandon Lauton who’s shot was saved.