Salisbury United coach Earl Pudler proud of his depleted squad after an exodus rocked the club last week

Players return after a week of turmoil to help Salisbury United avoid forfeit while Adelaide United continued a round of huge upsets in the NPL.

Salisbury coach Earl Pudler lost lots of sleep stressing over his club but was clearly content when it fielded an 11 after an exodus threatened to put the proud Blues in jeopardy of forfeiting a State League 1 clash.

Although Salisbury United lost 4-0 to table-topping Modbury Jets at Ridgehaven, Pudler revealed that seven of the 12 players that walked away from Salisbury on Tuesday returned for the clash on Saturday.

“One of the seven that returned didn’t play because he was injured but the rest that walked out aren’t coming back, I don’t really want them back,’’ Pudler said revealing he was the last coach to win his old club Jets promotion to the then Super League in 2010.

“If they’re not going to be committed to the club I don’t want them, I want players that want to be there.

“We had a good meeting on Thursday night with the players that came back, they trained, I told them my stance, what I expect from them and what the club expects from them.

“We promoted six reserves players on Saturday, they never played first team before, they were all young kids and they’ve all done the club proud, the only way from here is up.

“We needed to show pride and character in themselves, everybody gave 120 per cent.

“It was an emotional day, it’s been a very stressful week, I take coaching to heart.

“It’s my life, I couldn’t sleep for two nights before the game because of the events.”

Aladin Irabona and Matthew Dawbar contest the ball during the Adelaide United versus MetroStars match on Sunday. Picture: AAP Image/ Morgan Sette

Adelaide United teammates celebrate a goal during their 3-2 win. Picture: AAP Image/ Morgan Sette

Meanwhile in the NPL, Adelaide United upset MetroStars 3-2 at The Parks on Sunday.

Ninko Beric opened the score for United, Tom Strain equalised for Metro before the young Reds scored twice in the space of four minutes.

Pacifique Niyongabire made it 2-1 just after the break before Carlo Armiento — who briefly featured in the Reds A-League’s scoreless draw with Melbourne City in Melbourne on Saturday — scored a third goal in the 49th minute. An own goal brought it back to 3-2 a minute before time before Metro keeper Isaac Carmody was sent off in stoppage time.

In other matches, West Adelaide upset Adelaide City 3-0 at Angle Park on Saturday.

Perry Mitris scored a brace after Thanasis Lesi handed West the lead just before the hour.

City’s Zak Waters was expelled a minute before Mitris scored West’s third goal which saw the 1978 national soccer league champion record its first win of the season.

NPL leader Blue Eagles managed to hold onto pole position despite going down 2-1 to Comets at Jack Smith Park.

Former Sampdoria striker Emanuele Testardi jagged a goal and his seventh in just his fifth match for Blue Eagles.

Comets Andreas Weins scored two goals after the Italian’s strike to give his side all points.

Nathan Munro’s incredible hat-trick for Croydon wasn’t enough as the Kings drew 3-3 with South Adelaide to give the side its first point of the new campaign.

Raiders beat Olympic 2-1 at Angle Park and Para Hills and reigning NPL Australian and SA champion Campbelltown City drew 0-0 at The Paddocks.

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