NPL Victoria: Pascoe Vale looms as title threat after victories over top-two sides Bentleigh Greens and Heidelberg United

VICTORIES over title favourites Bentleigh Greens and Heidelberg United have Pascoe Vale bullish about its chances of success come National Premier League finals.

VICTORIES over title favourites Bentleigh Greens and Heidelberg United have Pascoe Vale bullish about its chances of success come National Premier League finals.

While the Rams are unlikely to challenge for the league title after trailing Heidelberg by 12 points after Round 18, they were six points clear in fourth and closing on a finals berth.

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Pascoe Vale took a point off Avondale FC (third) when they met in Round 8 and has defeated top-two sides Bentleigh 2-1 and Heidelberg 2-0 in recent weeks.

“Looking at the run home for us, we are playing pretty much every team below us, bar Avondale,” captain Joseph Youssef said.

“If we get our act together, I don’t see a reason why we can’t get close.

“Whether we get there or not, we’ll have a good crack at it.”

Gonzalo Abascal Munoz has been a key figure in defence for Pascoe Vale. Picture: Chris Eastman.

Youssef said the Rams’ reputation as a giant killer would have their rivals on notice come finals.

“One of our strengths has always been playing against the top sides and playing on big occasions,” he said.

“We are a big-game sort of team. Anyone and everyone in that top six will know that.

“We would probably be of the worst teams you’d want to come up against in finals.”

Pascoe Vale finished seventh last year, missing out on finals due to goal difference.

It last earned a top-six finish in 2015, when it knocked out Heidelberg on penalties and took league champion South Melbourne to extra-time in a semi-final after finishing sixth.

The Rams will get another chance to take a top-three scalp when they welcome Avondale FC to CB Smith Reserve on July 20.

Striker Davey van’t Schip netted a brace in the club’s Round 18 triumph over Heidelberg United, taking his season tally to 13 goals from 18 matches.

“The reality of the game is you need to score goals and without the goals Davey is providing we wouldn’t be in the top four,” Youssef said.

“He’s a huge aspect of the team.”

Defender Gonzalo Abascal Munoz, Matteo Ballan and goalkeeper Alex Pavlidis have also been pivotal to the club’s positive run.

Pascoe Vale can cement itself in fourth when it takes on Green Gully away on Friday from 8.30pm.