Last weekend’s NPL Victoria action provided plenty of closely fought contests and some surprising results. Some sides at the wrong end of the table found some valuable points while others were left still searching for a spark. At the other end of the table, the league leaders found breathing space again after being reined in the week prior. All to play for as we head into Round 16!
This weekend’s action couldn’t have a better curtain raiser, as under the famous Friday night lights, Knights Stadium plays host to the original Melbourne Derby. Melbourne Knights and South Melbourne, two of Victoria’s most decorated clubs, face off once again in a fixture that is steeped in tradition.
South ran out 2-0 winners when the sides met in Round 3, and since then it’s safe to say that the fortunes of each team have fared rather differently.
Knights have struggled to find consistent form all season and currently sit in the bottom half of the table, having conceded as many as times as they have converted this campaign. South, meanwhile, are enjoying life at the top as their win against Bentleigh on Saturday saw them re-open a two point gap after Oakleigh slipped up against Eastern Lions.
Harrison Sawyer’s winning header sealed South’s comeback from a 2-1 deficit and saw him draw level with Cannons forward Wade Dekker at the top of the individual scoring leader board.
A moment of individual brilliance in the second half from Luka Celic (see below in the NPL Goals of The Month: May) saw Knights earn a point away at Avondale on Saturday. Celic was subbed on in the first half after an injury to Knights top scorer Gian Albano, and the should Albano not be fit for tonight’s game Celic will look to keep the ball rolling for his side.
Despite where these two sides find themselves on the ladder, it is common knowledge that in a derby game form is of little consequence. A game that both sets of fans have pencilled in their calendars, and for good reason, it promises to be a cracker.
Despite missing key players through suspension, Green Gully made light work of Altona Magic last weekend, running away 4-0 winners at Paisley Park. This week they welcome a Port Melbourne side who were stunned by a shock loss at home to Hume City.
The Sharks good form came to a sudden halt as a second half fightback from the resurgent Hume saw their efforts to close the gap on second placed Oakleigh take a hit. Instead, they saw Gully jump ahead of them into third as Gully’s four goal margin was enough to put them in front on goal difference.
Luc Jeggo has netted in four of hist past five league matches, with Gully’s Round 14 implosion against Oakleigh the only match where he has failed to convert in that span.
Despite the loss, Sharks forward Jackson Courtney-Perkins scored his second in as many games, and he has had a productive month with all five of his goals so far this campaign coming in May.
The reverse fixture saw the Sharks prevail 2-0, but with outright third place up for grabs for the victor this time around expect goals from both sides, in a game too close to call.
Bottom of the table Eastern Lions have showed promise in recent weeks. A narrow loss to Dandenong Thunder in Round 14 was sandwiched by two stout defensive away performances at Heidelberg and Oakleigh, earning a point in both.
This weekend they welcome an Altona Magic side needing to urgently steady the ship after leaking seven goals across their last two games while failing to score themselves in either fixture.
After going on a three game run without conceding between rounds 11 to 13, Magic head coach Savvas Patikkis must be scratching his head wondering what has gone wrong.
His side now find themselves only five points of ahead of 12th placed Hume, who’s new found form has them breathing down Altona’s neck.
For the Lions, their results against the Bergers and the Cannons are good blocks to build on, but they must now start turning one point into three. Andrea Lombardo’s side are still languishing in last place on the NPL Victoria table, but a win against the Magic could see them finally jump ahead of Dandenong City.
Ryan Losty returned to the starting line-up against Oakleigh last round and scored to help secure the point for the Lions, and when the Magic and the Lions last met earlier this season, it was his strike that earnt the Lions their sole win of this campaign.
Will he be able to help his side to their second victory of the season? Or will the Magic conjure up a much needed win to stop their slide down the table?
Find out this Saturday at Gardiners Creek.
The Oakleigh Cannons will be shaking their heads wondering how just as soon as they had caught up to South Melbourne they immediately let it slip, allowing the league leaders to edge ahead again.
Arguably the most inform team in the competition going into last Friday’s match against bottom of the table Eastern Lions, salvaging a 1-1 draw in the final five minutes is probably not the result they would have envisioned.
The lack of celebration and subdued demeanour of substitute Christopher Lucas when he equalised in the 86th minute perhaps understandable given the Cannons lofty aspirations this season.
This Saturday they travel to George Andrews Reserve to take on the Dandenong Thunder. Thunder captain Ali Sulemani’s second half strike wasn’t enough overcome a 2-0 first half deficit last weekend against a Heidelberg side who finished with 9 players on the field.
The loss leaves the Thunder with a perfectly balanced record in NPL Victoria this season. Six wins, three draws and six losses with 22 goals scored and 22 conceded has them unsurprisingly smack bang in the middle of the table. Their loss to Heidelberg last weekend saw the Bergers jump ahead of them, leaving the Dandenong in eighth.
As intriguing to the lovers of statistics as the Thunder’s current record may be, they will definitely be hoping to tip the scales to the positive this weekend. However, they face a tall task in their visitors, as the Cannons will be desperate to get back to winning ways to keep South Melbourne within their reach.
The reverse fixture saw Oakleigh narrowly edge out Dandenong 2-1. Will David Chick’s side get revenge or will the Cannons fire their way to a season double over the Thunder?
Hume City are on the rise at the moment and made a statement of their intention to climb back up the table with their upset defeat of Port Melbourne at the weekend.
This Saturday night it’s the tale of two cities they host a hapless Dandenong City side who are dangerously close to bottom of the table. Dandenong’s last and only win of the season came back in Round 3 when these two sides last met, and a loss to St Albans on Saturday further compounded their disappointing season thus far.
Dandy City were able to hold out until the 85th minute against the Saints, and can potentially take heart from their ability to respond seconds after going two behind in the 94th minute, even if it was too little too late.
After going winless in their first 10, Hume have now picked up 10 points from their last five games. Second half substitute Alex Walters’ 85th minute winner against the Sharks on Saturday secured their first win against a top half opposition this season.
A win on Saturday would see them potentially open up a welcome eight point gap between themselves and the bottom two, as their sights now turn to chasing down the mid table pack.
For Dandy City, it’s getting desperate now, and with Eastern Lions showing signs of life of late, they could very soon find themselves at the bottom of NPL Victoria.
St Albans snapped a four game losing streak on the weekend with their win over Dandenong City, as they left it late to take all three points back to the west. This Sunday, Churchill Reserve welcomes an Avondale side still struggling to rekindle their early season form.
After coming from behind to earn a point against Bentleigh Greens two weeks prior, last weekend saw Avondale let a first half lead slip as they shared the spoils with Melbourne Knights. The result now means they are without a win in their last five in the league, and have slipped back into the mid table discussion, with four points all that separates them in fifth from the Saints who sit ninth.
For St Albans, victory in Dandenong would have brought about a sigh of relief from players and fans alike, but with Hume seemingly speeding up the table the Saints must keep the results coming if they are to stay at arm’s length from a relegation play-off spot.
Zander Guy hit a brace for the Saints in their victory on the weekend, taking his tally to seven for the season and the home crown will be hoping for more of the same come Sunday.
As for Avondale, they not only remain on the hunt for their first win since the 23rd of April, but they will also look to avenge their defeat to the Saints at Avenger park back in Round 3.
After a shaky start to the season, Heidelberg United have started to churn out some consistent performances over the past month, taking 10 points from four matches in May. On Sunday afternoon they welcome Bentleigh Greens to Olympic Village as they look to overtake them on the table in front of the Bergers faithful.
United will be without lively winger Chudiar Tharjiath and tall target man Luka Ninkovic, after both picked up two bookings and were given their marching orders in the Bergers dramatic 2-1 win over Dandenong Thunder last weekend.
Two stunning long range efforts from Corey Sewell and Pierce Waring weren’t enough for the Greens to take anything away from Lakeside stadium, as they fell to league leaders South Melbourne.
After going ahead 2-1 in the first half, they were shown to be susceptible to South’s long throws, conceding once from either side of the ground in the second half to be defeated 3-2. An issue that coach Nick Tolios is sure to have worked on in training during the week.
Heidelberg, on the other hand, will surely be looking to exploit what seemed like a glaring chink in the Bentleigh armour, with big man up top Kaine Sheppard having shown his ability to be a fox in the box this season.
Curiously, The Bergers away form has been significantly better than their home form this season, winning just two of seven at Olympic Village in the league.
Conversely the Greens have been rather ineffective away from Kingston Heath, winning just two league games on the road in 2022.
Make of that what you will in what promises to be an entertaining contest to round out the Round 16 action.