For the first time in 2020, there is separation atop the NPL Victoria table: Hume City standing alone out front at the conclusion of round three.
Head Coach Nick Hegarty’s side was forced to do it the hard way, however, after they went down early against the visiting Dandenong City at ABD Stadium on Saturday night; Nick Kalmar letting loose with a thunderous half-volleyed effort that beat Mike Weier in the game’s 28th minute to open proceedings.
Nonetheless, a well-worked move that saw James Brown pick out Mathew Lazarides at the back post tied things up in the 68th minute and breathed new life into the contest.
Seven minutes later Hajduk failed to clear a cross from Andy Brennan - who gave a big boost to Hume when he was subbed in on the hour - and allowed Mitch Cooper to pounce and poke home an effort that gave his side the win.
Newly promoted St Albans Saints, who sit second on the table after round three on goal difference, continued their strong return to life in NPL Victoria by downing Melbourne Knights on Sunday afternoon.
Playing in front of their newly refurbished stand, the Saints struck twice in six minutes to stun the visitors – Oliver Bassett putting Dinamo ahead in the 67th minute of play and substitute Mate Barisic making it 2-0 in the 73rd.
The two-goal margin of victory proved enough to move the Saints’ goal difference just above Oakleigh Cannons, who were held to a 0-0 draw with traditional rivals South Melbourne on Friday night at Jack Edwards Reserve.
On a night where there was much foreplay but very little end product from either side’s attack, the Cannons were forced to play much of the game with ten men after defender Lucas Portelli was shown a straight red card for bringing down South striker Harrison Sawyer from behind early doors.
Hamish Millar had Oakleigh’s best chance of the game in the 70th minute when, with the South defence opening in front of him as he advanced the ball from his position at right-back, he let loose with a long-range cannon that whizzed just beyond the post.
Sawyer had a golden chance to win it for South when he was picked out by Chris Irwin on the edge of the six-yard box in the 91st minute but the big striker couldn’t make proper contact with his shot as it scooted beyond him for a goal kick.
Port Melbourne Sharks recorded their first win of the season in other Friday night action, defeating Eastern Lions 3-0 at JL Murphy Reserve.
Once again, a second-half fadeout came back to haunt the newly-promoted Lions; Sharks banging in goals from Ross Archibald, Francesco Stella and Yuta Konagaya to propel themselves to a comfortable win.
Still undefeated, the Sharks move into the sixth position on the NPL Victoria table with the win, whereas Lions remain rooted to the foot of the table as they continue to search for a first point in their first-ever season in the Victorian top-flight.
Avondale moved up to the ninth position on the table thanks to a 2-0 win over Green Gully in Friday night’s final fixture; newly-signed Blake Carpenter putting the Avengers ahead in the ninth minute when he produced an ultra-rare olympico to score directly from a corner.
The former Adelaide United prospect then provided the assist that enabled his side to make it 2-0 four minutes later when he picked out Stefan Valentini inside the box and put in a ball that allowed him to send home his second goal of the season.
It took something special down at George Andrews Reserve to separate Carpenter’s former side Dandenong Thunder and Bentleigh Greens on Saturday evening.
With the game deadlocked at 0-0 heading into the fixture’s final 15 minutes, newly-signed Jamal Ali, afforded a crucial yard of space by the Greens’ defence, sent a stinging long-range effort into the bottom corner of Javier Lopez’s goal to condemn the defending champions to their first defeat of the season in front of a vocal home crowd.
Celebrating his 100th game for Heidelberg United, Adrian Zahra had proven the hero earlier on Saturday afternoon as he converted two penalties to help his Bergers down Altona Magic 3-1 at their temporary home digs of CB Smith Reserve.
Lachlan Barr put Heidelberg ahead in the eighth minute of that contest when he rose highest to head home from a corner before Dutch import Maarten Hemmen tied things up for the Magic when he got free and shot past Chris Theodoridis in the 57th.
Nonetheless, a penalty won by Lucas Derrick and converted Zahra restored the hosts lead and when Zahra converted his second penalty of the day, which he himself won, in the 87th minute the three points were secured.
The Round Ahead
The Bergers will look to back-up their win over Altona on Friday evening – one of five fixtures on the night – when they travel to Green Gully Reserve to take on a Gully side that alongside Eastern Lions and the Magic are still looking for their first points of the 2020 season.
Hume City, on the other hand, will be looking to make it four wins from four when they welcome northwest rivals Melbourne Knights to ADB Stadium.
Port Melbourne Sharks and South Melbourne are set to clash in a bayside derby, while Bentleigh Greens will play their first official home game of the season when they test the credentials of surprise packets St Albans Saints at Kingston Heath.
Dandenong City will seek to get their first win of the season when they welcome Avondale to Frank Holohan Soccer Complex in other Friday night action and Oakleigh, in the fourth fixture of their five-game homestand to open the campaign, will take on Altona at Jack Edwards Reserve.
In a match moved to Monday evening, Eastern Lions will look to belatedly kick-start their 2020 campaign when they visit Dandenong Thunder.