Round 19 of the NPL in Victoria occurred over the weekend, with some comprehensive results occurring.
Which sides were in hot form and which sides put in performances they’d want to quickly forget?
Find out below!
Green Gully FC 4 – 0 Altona Magic
Green Gully bounced back in round 19 with a dominant four-goal win over Altona Magic at Green Gully Reserve.
The Magic did well to keep pace with Gully in the first half but would undo their work on the stoke halftime, conceding a penalty. Alex Salmons converted from spot to put the home side ahead at the main break.
The game broke open in the second half, forward Mamadi Kamara goaled on the hour mark, before Salmons would complete a hat-trick 10 minutes later.
He’d convert again from the spot in the 65th minute, before scoring pearler outside the box to find the top corner in the 70th minute to complete the hat-trick.
Oakleigh Cannons 6 – 1 Dandenong City
The Cannons recorded their third win in a row in a lop-sided five goal win against Dandenong City at Jack Edwards Reserve.
Just like in round 18, City quickly got out of the gates, Brayden Mann scoring in the 3rd minute to put the side ahead.
Christopher Lucas would then equalise in 9th minute for Cannons. Adam Thomas headed from the corner in the 27th minute, Cannons captain Joe Guest would score in the 41st minute before Lucas would goal for the second time in 43rd minute.
After going down a goal early, the Cannons dominated to take a 4-1 lead into half time.
The side continued to stretch the in the second half.
Lucas would complete the hat-trick with the side’s fifth goal in the 75th minute, with Wade Dekker scoring three minutes later for the side’s sixth and final goal.
Avondale FC 3 – 1 Bentleigh Greens
Avondale are now two points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand following their 3-1 victory over Bentleigh Greens at Avenger Park.
The Greens stunned the home-side early, a defensive calamity allowed Braedyn Crowley to pounce and kick the opener in the 15th minute.
Order would be restored in the second half for the home side, trailing at half time they’d reverse the deficit through Stefan Valentini who scored in the 50th and 52nd minute.
Substitute Yusuf Ahmed then scored the sealer five minutes from time to secure a two-goal victory for the ladder leaders.
Hume City 4 – 0 Eastern Lions
Hume City climb up to third on the ladder after an impressive 4-0 performance against the Eastern Lions at ABD Stadium.
After a scoreless first half, Daniel Dixon would break the game open being the third player of the round to score a hat-trick.
He’d waste little time in icing the game, scoring in the 47th, 52nd and 57th minute.
Josh Bingham would score the side’s fourth goal of the game in the 80th minute to finish the round as the league’s leading scorer.
Dandenong Thunder 4 – 1 South Melbourne
Dandenong Thunder ran out three-goal winners against South Melbourne in a ninth verses eight contest.
Tomas Maricic would score the opening goal for the Thunder in the 15th minute with Hamish Watson later doubling the team’s advantage to take a two-goal lead into the main break.
South Melbourne would peg a goal back in the 63rd minute from an unlikely source. Defender Lirim Elmazi scored from a corner for his first goal of the season.
The Thunder would regain momentum to run away with the game. Nahuel Bonada and Joshua Meaker goals in the 75th and 78th minute was enough to see off a comprehensive 4-1 victory.
Port Melbourne Sharks 4 – 0 St Alban’s Saints
Port Melbourne Sharks have climbed back into the top six after their 4-0 victory over bottom placed St Alban’s Saints at Churchill Reserve.
The game was over at halftime as the Sharks scored three goals to none in the opening half.
Lathan Dunn scored the opener in the 8th minute, Jackson Courtney-Perkins and Kristopher Kioussis then goaled in the final five minutes of the half to make it 3-0 at half time.
Attacking midfielder Valentin Cesnik would score then score the Sharks fourth goal in the 76th minute to cap off a dominant win away from home.
Heidelberg United 2 – 2 Melbourne Knights
Heidelberg United would leave it late and salvage an important draw against the Melbourne Knights at Olympic Village in the final game of round 19.
Both sides were separated by a point on the table, with the Knights needing a win to jump into the top six.
The sides failed to break the deadlock in the first half, and it was the Knights who drew first blood in the second half.
Mohammad Sumaoro received a clever through ball and finished in the 57th minute.
United wasted little time to get an equaliser, Luka Ninkovic finding the net a minute later to level the scores at 1-1.
The Knights would the regain the lead in the 79th minute through striker Gian Albano. The Knights looked positioned to take all three points, but the game would have one final twist.
Joshua Wilkins would get through on goal in injury time and fire home a late minute equaliser to ensure his side gained a vital point and hold a spot inside the top six.
Image Supplied: Dandenong Thunder
