Heidelberg United FC (1) vs North Geelong Warriors FC (1):
This week of games started off with Heidelberg United hosting the North Geelong Warriors at Olympic Village on Friday night.
It was the away side who kicked off the scoring through George Elliss who scored an absolute screamer in the 32nd minute from just over the half-way line.
However, Heidelberg were able to level the scores just before half-time where Deion Nikolaidis’ cross was deflected into the North Geelong goal by Anthony Banovac.
Oakleigh Cannons FC (5) vs Altona Magic SC (1):
The second game played on Friday night saw the Oakleigh Cannons beat the Altona Magic by four at Jack Edwards Reserve.
Oakleigh’s Connor Hampson got onto the scoresheet first in the 26th minute after a cross from the captain Joe Guest found the head of Hampson whose header was too powerful for Zac Bowling to stop, giving the Cannons the lead.
As the first half was edging closer to an end, Altona levelled the scores where John Stojcevski’s cross was met by Rob Harding and his header hit the crossbar, but Josh Markovski was there on the follow up to tap it in.
However in the 45th minute, the set piece duo of Guest and Hampson gave Oakleigh the lead once again after Guest’s cross found Hampson who headed it past Bowling.
Daniel Clark doubled Oakleigh’s lead in the 57th minute where he spun away from Alex Castiello in order to get the shot off where he slotted it past Bowling.
Clark joined fellow teammate Connor Hampson to score two goals in the game where Chris Lucas’ corner found Clark in the box and he headed it into the goal in the 83rd minute to increase the lead to three.
Two minutes after Oakleigh’s fourth, the assister became goal scorer as Chris Lucas scored the Cannons’ fifth goal of the game to seal off a commanding win.
Avondale FC (4) vs St Albans Saints SC (0):
Avondale’s unbeaten run this season continues as they beat the St Albans Saints at Avenger Park on Saturday afternoon.
It only took Avondale less than a minute to score the first goal of the game where Stefan Zinni slotted it past Jasmin Keranovic with the assist coming from Kristian Trajceski.
Just before the end of the first half, Zelfy Nazary tried to clear the ball but unfortunately his clearance was deflected off Shaun Timmins into the St Abans goal giving Avondale a two goal advantage into the break.
The goals kept coming Avondale’s way in the second half as Zander Guy scored their third of the game in the 52nd minute followed by a fourth from Dillon Jakupi in the 71st minute, keeping Avondale at the top of the table and unbeaten this season.
Hume City FC (2) vs Bentleigh Greens SC (3):
Bentleigh come out with a win in a back-and-forth game on Saturday evening against Hume City away from home.
The game started off with the home side scoring five minutes into the game through Jawad Rezai where the ball was bobbling around a crowded box and Rezai was there to tap it in and give Hume the early lead.
Bentleigh levelled the scores in the 23rd minute through Christos Theodorakopoulos where he was able to run onto Ben Carrigan’s long ball and slotted it underneath Eren Arslan.
Bentleigh were fortunate to be in front right before half-time after an own goal was scored by Hayden Tennant.
However, Rezai scored again for Hume in the 57th minute through some individual brilliance where he cut inside and curled it into the bottom left corner seeing the scores level once again.
But the deciding goal in this game came from Bentleigh where it involved some nice interplay between Barcia, Strickland and Abandelwa who assisted the goalscorer Theodorakopoulos who tapped it in to win the game for the Greens.
Dandenong Thunder FC (3) vs Moreland City FC (2):
The last game played on Saturday night saw Dandenong Thunder pick up three points against Moreland City at George Andrews Reserve.
Dandenong scored the first goal of the game in the 24th minute after a thunderous strike by Deniz Yildiz hit the top right-hand corner.
Kieran Dover doubled Thunder’s lead in the 54th minute after he won the ball off Michael Tzoutzidis and he found himself one-on-one with Alex Kondoleon where he slotted it past him.
Moreland cut the lead back to one after James Hooper scored a penalty in the 60th minute. But, Dadenong also won a penalty later on in the 73rd minute where Gerhardus Damen scored regaining their two goal advantage.
Fletcher Fulton gave Moreland some hope with a goal in the 84th minute, but Dandenong held on for the remainder of the game to seal the win.
Melbourne Knights FC (3) vs Green Gully SC (2):
The Melbourne Knights won three big points against Green Gully at Knights Stadium on Monday night.
Ciaran Bramwell kicked off the scoring in the 13th minute as his strike struck the crossbar and went into the back of the net giving Melbourne the lead. Bramwell scored again in the 36th minute after he poked it past Green Gully kepper Liam Driscoll doubling the Knights’ lead.
Late into the game, Green Gully reduced the lead back to one goal through Pierce Waring where his shot from outside the box found the back of the net in the 84th minute.
Substitute Mohamed Sumaoro regained Melbourne’s two goal advantage in the 85th minute, but Green Gully kept knocking on the door after an own goal was scored by Joseph Franjic.
But the Knights just held on to see out the game and claim the victory at home.
South Melbourne FC (5) vs Port Melbourne Sharks SC (2):
The last game of the round saw South Melbourne beat the Port Melbourne Sharks by three goals at Lakeside Stadium.
The home side got off to an early lead through Max Mikkola where his shot was able to squeeze through a line of players and into the back of the net.
Not too long after South’s first, they scored their second of the game in the 10th minute through Ajak Riak where he rose above the Sharks’ defence and headed it past Andrew Withers.
Josh Wallen scored South Melbourne’s third of the game after a trademark long throw by Max Mikkola found its way to Wallen who smashed it into the back of the net. Port Melbourne quickly replied back with a goal from Fletcher McFarlane to reduce the lead to two goals.
Mikkola regained South’s three goal advantage in the 77th minute where he was in an one-on-one with Withers and lobbed it over him. Two minutes later, substitute Dor Jok gave the Sharks hope with a goal.
But Andy Brennan sealed the game off with a fifth for South Melbourne after their counter attack found the back of the net giving South the win.
Image Credit: Mark Avellino
