Liam Boland scores a hat-trick, Avondale thumps Mindil Aces in Australia Cup

Avondale booked its ticket to the Australia Cup Round of 16 for the second year in a row as history was made in the Northern Territory.

It was mission accomplished for Avondale on Thursday night in Darwin.

The Avengers marched into the Australia Cup Round of 16 with a commanding 6-0 win over Northern Territory club Mindil Aces.

Star striker Liam Boland netted a hat-trick and second half substitute Liston Diaz scored a brace as the NPL Victoria power showed its class on a hot, humid night.

The match also saw history made with Mindil Aces’ 14-year-old Barney Wood making a late entry to become the Cup’s youngest player ever.

With the temperature hovering around 30 degrees at Larrakia Park, Avondale were in equally hot form.

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Scott Hilliar opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a powerful header from a corner and Boland completed the rout in the 89th.

Coach Zoran Markovski was pleased to see a 90-minute performance to secure passage to the next round for the second season in a row.

“It was a good professional performance by the boys, we dictated the game from the start,” he said.

“They were writing in the paper that we wouldn’t get accustomed to the conditions, which we did, we took a high intensity into the game, got ourselves 2-nil up after 25 minutes and didn’t the foot off the peddle.”

Avondale enjoyed nearly 70 per cent of possession on the night, making 557 passes to Mindil’s 254 and taking 30 shots to one.

Boland’s first game came in the 27th minute with a powerful drive from a free kick just outside the box.

He doubled his tally in the opening minute of the second half with another long range finish on his opposite foot and completed his hat-trick with a deft touch from a Kalilou Kamara cross.

“Liam was super, he showed a lot of presence up forward – he loves the FFA Cup,” Markovski said.

Liam Boland celebrates a goal for Avondale.

“He’s come back from a broken nose, got his nose fixed and played in a mask, so to score three goals is good for his confidence.

“The boys were looking for him at the end but he gets himself in good positions, he’s a smart footballer.”

Diaz wasted little time making an impact after coming on at half-time, scoring from a goal mouth scramble in the 50th minute before taking advantage of a defensive error in the 84th.

The match also saw Avengers captain Matthew Reid and key playmaker Stefan Valentini return from injury.

The pair got critical minutes ahead of a monster run home as the club juggles a fierce top-six battle with Cup duties.

Avondale returns to Melbourne on Friday and will back up against third-placed Port Melbourne Sharks at Hume City’s Valley Park on Tuesday.

Currently sitting fourth, the Avengers are locked in a four-way fight to play finals with fellow Cup contenders Benteigh Greens, Green Gully and Heidelberg United.

They then face Dandenong City, Heidelberg United and ladder-leader South Melbourne in the final three games.

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The Australia Cup Round of 16 will take place across two weeks from August 10 to 17.

“We were meant to play tomorrow at home and we could have played on Sunday but I said we need to give the boys a bit of rest,” Markovski said.

“It took us six hours to get here, some of the boys got a direct flight for four hours, and they’ve been up here in the heat and humidity.

“The chance to play finals is in our hands and we’re getting bodies back, I’m pretty confident when we hit our rhythm we can do some damage.”