NPL Victoria Talking Points: see all the highlights from the weekend’s NPL/VPL action

Talking Points: Manningham United pulls off the upset of the decade, while Pascoe Vale puts a rival to the sword. Plus, coaching change chaos.

Manningham United shocked NPL power Avondale.

The NPL/VPL drama went up a notch this week.

Off the field, it’s only taken six weeks but we’ve had the first coaching changes of the season.

On the pitch, Manningham United produced one of the more stunning upsets we’re likely to see this season and for the foreseeable future.

There were goals galore, with Pascoe Vale scoring eight all by itself.

Plus, two sensational goals vie for our coveted Goal of the Week.

84:39: GOAL! Manningham United Blues score to make it MUFC 3 : AVFC 0.

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— NPL Victoria (@nplvictoria) March 16, 2024

UPSET OF THE DECADE?

We’re on three years and six weeks into the 2020s but we’re pretty confident Manningham United’s stunning 3-0 win over premiers and champions Avondale at Pettys Reserve will hold up pretty well as one of the biggest upsets in recent and future history. The promotion winners were coming off a 5-2 thumping from South Melbourne – having taken an early 2-0 lead – and 3-0 defeat at the hands of Port Melbourne. The Blues hadn’t kept a clean sheet all season until they faced the offensive juggernaut that is Avondale. The Avengers hadn’t gone goalless in their previous 16 matches, averaging 3.5 goals per match in that time – scoring 56 in total. A sublime pass from Junya Kada released Rob Harding and he finished well one-on-one with Tom Manos to open the scoring in the 11th minute. The second goal on 38 minutes was even better, from a short corner routine, Ben Everson’s backheel put Jose Ramirez in space and he found the back of the net from an acute angle. James Tountas then put the cherry on the cake in the 85th minute, curling the ball from the edge of the area. The result is Manningham’s second win of the season and arguably the biggest in club history.

45:48: GOAL! Port Melbourne Sharks score to make it PMSC 1 : HUFC 1.

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— NPL Victoria (@nplvictoria) March 16, 2024

GOAL OF THE WEEK

Another week of sensational goals and a very difficult choice. It came down to two. Joe Guest’s immaculate free kick on Friday night for Oakleigh Cannons or Emmanuel Peters long-range stunner for Port Melbourne on Saturday. Guest’s was a thing of beauty, curling the dead ball perfectly past the wall and a diving Liam O’Driscoll in Green Gully’s net. However, we’ve chosen Peters strike for its sheer audacity. Pouncing on a loose pass, Peters turns and unleashes from a good 35m out from goal. Despite the distance, Heidelberg United keeper Yoren Sozer can’t lay a finger on it as the ball nestles into the bottom corner. A wonderful strike to equalise in the first minute of first-half stoppage time.

RAMS’ DEMOLITION JOB

Friday night’s clash with Beaumaris will long be remembered at Pascoe Vale. The Rams put VPL2 rival Beaumaris to the sword with a stunning 8-1 victory at CB Smith Reserve. It was 4-0 at half-time and Pascoe Vale didn’t take the foot off the pedal in the second half. Aydin Mustedanagic scored a hat-trick, while Tom Alisandratos added a brace. Nick Hatzigeorgiou, Will Roberts and Joe Piggott also found the back of the net on a night where everything seems to find the top corner. Gianluca Pizzirani scored Beaumaris’ lone goal. The Sharks night was further soured by a straight red card shown to second half substitute Josh Jackson. The Rams are two from two to begin the VPL2 season, aiming to win promotion straight back to VPL1 and face Nunawading City at CB Smith Reserve on Friday night.

FAN FIGHT FALLOUT

Football Victoria announced on Friday night one player and four spectators had been identified and banned as a result of fan violence that forced the Round 5 clash between Oakleigh Cannons and Dandenong Thunder to be abandoned in the second half. The five have been banned from playing or attending matches, while the investigation is finalised with penalties to be confirmed. “FV’s investigation into anti-social behaviour at the match remains active and we thank both clubs and the wider football community for their co-operation and assistance,” a FV statement read. “To date, four key individuals have been identified as having involvement in the off-field incident, each of which has been issued with an interim suspension order, prohibiting them from attending or playing football while the investigation is ongoing. “In addition, one player has also been temporarily suspended while investigations continue.”

CANNONS FIRE

Oakleigh Cannons scored seven goals in the space of five days last week. The Cannons handed Altona Magic a 3-0 defeat on Monday night, replaying the Round 3 match that was called off after Magic defender Aaron O’Driscoll was knocked out. They backed it up on Friday night with a 4-1 win over Green Gully at Jack Edwards Reserve. Skipper Joe Guest scored a double, included a superb free kick from outside the penalty area. Alex Salmon and Moonib Adus also found the back of the net, while Josh Hope scored Gully’s only goal. Oakleigh’s night was soured when Jacob Eliopoulos was sent off for a second yellow card. He will miss Friday night’s blockbuster against undefeated ladder-leader South Melbourne, again at Jack Edwards Reserve. With a game in hand, Oakleigh sits fifth also undefeated.

40:57: GOAL! Oakleigh Cannons score to make it OCFC 3 : GGSC 0.

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— NPL Victoria (@nplvictoria) March 15, 2024

HELLAS CONTINUES GOAL GLUT

After dropping points for the first time this season, South Melbourne wasted no time hitting back – unfortunately for Altona Magic. South wrapped up a 4-1 win at Paisley Park on Saturday, the second time in three weeks the club has netted four or more goals. Hellas captain Harrison Sawyer scored his seventh of the season from the penalty spot, while Ross Archibald, Max Mikkola and Nahuel Bonada also found the back of the net. Jawad Rezai was Magic’s goalscorer on a difficult night. South’s undefeated record will go on the line on Friday night in a blockbuster clash against Oakleigh Cannons at Jack Edwards Reserve.

CITY STAYS HOT BUT SACKS COACH ANYWAY

Hume City continued its strong start to the NPL Victoria season, claiming a 2-1 win over St Albans but two days later announced it had parted ways with coach Cam Watson. The club made the stunning decision despite sitting third on the ladder. The club announced the decision on Monday night before revealing former manager David Chick, who was removed by Bentleigh Greens on the weekend, would take charge on Tuesday morning. City’s only losses have been to Avondale and South Melbourne but not even the club’s best start to a season in recent years could save him. Josh Bingham and Lloyd Isgrove were on the scoresheet for Hume, while Scott Bakkor got a late consolation goal for the Saints. Chick’s first match in charge will be Friday night against Melbourne Knights at Knights Stadium.

DERBY DOMINION

For the 11th time in a row, Thunder claims dominion over Dandenong. Dandenong Thunder’s stranglehold on the Dandy Derby continued on Friday night with a stunning upset 2-1 win over NPL Victoria rival Dandenong City at Frank Holohan Reserve. Since 2016, the club has never surrendered the Jim Memeti Cup. First-half goals from Wade Dekker and Birkan Kirdar silenced the home crowd, while goalkeeper Piece Clark pulled off a string of saves – including a superb double save early in the match. It took until the 80th minute for City to finally hit the back of the net, through Damian Iaconis, but it couldn’t find the equaliser in a frantic finish.

GREENS WIN IN CHICK FAREWELL

A 97th minute winner gave Bentleigh Greens a heart-stopping 3-2 win over Preston Lions and coach David Chick a winning send off. Kieran Dover scored the dramatic winner, getting on the end of a Jay Davies free kick, with essentially the last touch of the game. Riki Foster-Hosoai and Gevaro Nepomuceno had earlier scored for Bentleigh, while Luc Jeggo and Will Baynham netted Preston’s goals. It was the Greens’ second win of the season after a difficult start under Chick, which has seen him replaced by three-time NPL premiership-winner George Katsakis had been appointed.

WARRIORS GET WORSE

North Geelong is staring down the barrel of a second straight relegation unless it can dramatically turn its season around. The Warriors are now 0-0-6 after a 2-0 loss to Western United at Elcho Park on Saturday. The club has only scored two goals in six matches and owns a -12 goal difference. Abel Walatee and Nic Koek scored the goals for United’s second win of the season, which lifts it to ninth.

NORTHCOTE RISING

After an indifferent start to the season, Northcote City is finding its rhythm. Hercules had a 1-1-2 record in the opening month but has since knocked off Bentleigh Greens 2-1 and, on Saturday, defeated Eastern Lions 3-0 at The Grange. Alun Webb, Terry Skapetis and Michael Domfeh all found the back of the net in the club’s best performance of the campaign. The win lifts Northcote to fifth on the VPL1 ladder and Hercules will look to make it a hat-trick of wins when it travels to Geelong to face winless North Geelong on Saturday.

ROYALS PINCH THREE POINTS

A last-gasp Graham Kelly strike secured all three points for Essendon Royals on Saturday. Just as it looked like Doveton and the Royals would share the points at Waratah Reserve, Kelly’s strike somehow snuck between goalkeeper Tom Avdoulos and his near post and in to snatch a 2-1 win. Theofanis Tzelepis had given Essendon and early lead before Jason Quinlan equalised for the Doves.

JUVENTUS BOUNCE BACK

After a humbling 3-0 season-opening loss, Brunswick Juventus bounced back in the best way possible with a 1-0 win over Goulburn Valley Suns. Making the win more meritorious, the Zebras took the three points after a tough road trip up to Shepparton for the match at John McEwan Reserve. Lucas Oliveira scored the match-winner for the visitors. Dieuseul Kandundaho pinched the ball from an unsuspecting defender and, sneaking between two defenders, Oliveira poked the ball past on-coming Suns goalkeeper Niki Kitabatake just before half-time.

FOUR-ALL FREE-FOR-ALL

Altona City and FC Melbourne’s first meeting since last season’s State League championship certainly didn’t disappoint. At least, any neutral spectators. The two promotion winners played out a bonkers 4-4 draw at the Home of the Matildas on Saturday night. Altona led 3-2 at half-time – coincidently the same scoreline they won the State League final with – before Melbourne roared home to share the points. Luis Covarrubias (City) and Matthew Papadimitriou (Srbija) both scored braces. Lachlan Smith and Marcus Petricca also found the back of the net for Altona, while Maksim Ilic and Luka Ninkovic were Melbourne’s other scorers.

GIANTS DRAWN TOGETHER IN AUSTRALIA CUP

The fourth round of the Australia Cup preliminaries are locked in with several top clubs drawn to face each other in the coming weeks. Original rivals Melbourne Knights and South Melbourne will do battle at Knights Stadium on Thursday, March 28. On the same night Port Melbourne will host Oakleigh Cannons.

In other high-profile ties …

Werribee City (VPL1) v Bentleigh Greens (VPL1)

Green Gully (NPL) v North Geelong (VPL1)

Eastern Lions (VPL1) v Beaumaris (VPL2)

Preston Lions (VPL1) v Dandenong City (NPL)

Doveton (VPL2) v Langwarrin (VPL1)

Box Hill United (VPL2) v Caroline Springs George Cross (VPL1)