State League 3 North-West soccer: Epping City clinches title with 1-0 victory over Essendon United

IT HAS seemed only a matter of time for so much of the State League 3 North-West campaign and on Saturday, Epping City clinched the title with three rounds to spare.

Epping City FC players celebrate a goal in State League 3 North-West. Picture: Paul Seeley.

IT HAS seemed only a matter of time for so much of the State League 3 North-West campaign.

Epping City has been clear at the top of the table since Round 4 and an eight-match unbeaten run to start the season had the club five points in front by the midway point.

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There has been no shortage of challengers.

Sebastopol Vikings, Moreland United, Sunbury United, FC Strathmore and Upfield have loomed as threats to Epping City’s superiority throughout 2018.

But each time it has been challenged, Epping has responded by increasing its buffer.

By Round 18, it was celebrating promotion after moving 13 points clear of third-placed Sebastopol.

The title was fittingly sealed the next week by striker Leon Osei, his 14th goal of the campaign clinching Epping’s 15th victory and giving it an unassailable lead.

Epping City strier Sasa Aleksovski dribbles. Picture: Paul Seeley.

“The week before we celebrated promotion and then the championship. It has been a big couple of weeks,” coach Joe Montagnese said.

Montagnese has spruiked the importance of Epping City’s depth throughout the year and it came to the fore in the Round 19 victory against Essendon United.

“I think that is the pitfall that some clubs make,” he said.

“They rely on two, three or four stars. If you do that, once any of those boys go down, then where to next? You need a squad, like we have always had.

“It’s a bit like the Alastair Clarkson, one soldier in, one soldier out, mentality. The boys have been tremendous all year.”

State League 2 North-West beckons for Epping City next year, a far cry from when Montagnese took over with the club in State League 4.

“We will sit down at the end of the season and work out what the club wants to do in terms of Division 2,” he said.

“But all things being equal, if we go into the season with the current squad, I think we will be competitive.

“If we want to challenge, we’re going to need to bolster the squad.”

Epping City will face FC Strathmore, Point Cook and Upfield in its remaining fixtures.