NPL Victoria wrap: all the big news from NPL, NPL2 and NPL3 action

Bentleigh Greens jumped off the bottom of the NPL ladder with a critical win, while Pascoe Vale has a new coach Doveton pulled off a massive upset.

Mario Barcia and Charlie Fleming. Picture: Mark Wilson

We’ve turned the corner and entered the home straight.

The NPL, NPL2 and NPL3 seasons continue to produce some outstanding highlights and astonishing results.

This week, Bentleigh Greens secure an invaluable three points to jump off the bottom of the ladder, while the top four looks all but locked in.

Elsewhere, Pascoe Vale has a new coach and Bulleen Lions find their attacking rhythm.

While in the third tier, Caroline Springs George Cross scored the biggest win of the weekend.

Check out all the major talking points from the weekend’s action below.

Bentleigh Greens match-winner Manase Abandelwa. Picture: Mark Wilson

CRITICAL POINTS FOR GREENS

As we enter the second half of the season the relegation battle is only getting tighter. Bentleigh Greens taking all three points with a 2-1 victory over North Geelong at Elcho Park could be decisive in each club’s fight for survival this season. The victory sees the Greens move off the bottom of the NPL ladder and out of the relegation zone. North Geelong sits last, two points behind Moreland City, with Bentleigh 12th on goal difference. Heidelberg United and St Albans are another four points away.

Coach Riccardo Marchioli said it was always tough travelling down the highway. “It’s always a difficult place to go, down in Lara, and come away with any points, let alone all three so I was very proud of the way we acquitted ourselves,” he said. “Every point we can get in the second half of the season is important and that’s a notoriously difficult place to go.”

64:07: GOAL! Bentleigh Greens SC scores to make it NGW 0 : BGSC 2

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— NPL Victoria (@nplvictoria) May 20, 2023

Greens captain Ben Carrigan put his side in front in the first half and Manase Abandelwa then doubled the visitors’ lead just past the hour mark. A quick reply from the Warriors’ Charlie Fleming and a red card to Bentleigh’s Mario Barcia made for a nervy last 15 minutes but North Geelong couldn’t find the equaliser. “The way we’re preparing the team, we’re prepared for most scenarios, so it’s not something we get overly stressed about,” Marchioli said. “In the context of the season it was a lot more important but regardless of whether we have 10 or 11 men it’s one you need to overcome and as a team we’re getting better at coming out favourably.”

Bentleigh faces another massive relegation battle on Saturday when Moreland City comes to Kingston Heath. The Greens suffered a 2-1 loss at CB Smith Reserve in Round 2 and will be keen to turn the tables and get some breathing space away from the bottom two. “Every single game is important, every game is winnable, we’ve shown we can compete with anyone in the competition – we pushed Port Melbourne to the end and Altona Magic to the end,” Marchioli said. “Moreland is an interesting one, I’ve had some fair battles with them over the years. “They’re a tight-knit unit as a team and as a club, they’ll make it difficult but they’re coming to our home and we’ll make sure we’re up for it.”

30:52: GOAL! Bentleigh Greens SC scores to make it NGW 0 : BGSC 1

Watch live and free on https://t.co/bOA3JNp71S#NPLVIC#NGWBGSCpic.twitter.com/85lD3akzOf

— NPL Victoria (@nplvictoria) May 20, 2023

GOAL OF THE WEEK

Still on North Geelong and Bentleigh, all three goals from the clash at Elcho Park were bangers and we believe are all on the podium for this week. Manase Abandelwa scored the match-winner with a piledriver that beat Warriors keeper Hamish Flavell top corner. Charlie Fleming gave the Warriors hope with a sublime curling effort. Taking the ball just outside the Greens’ box on the left, he found the bottom right corner, bending it past Bon Scott’s desperate lunge. However, for sheer wow-factor it’s hard to go past Ben Carrigan’s opener. Whether he meant it or not can be debated but it was an extraordinary goal none-the-less. Getting down the right wing, Carrigan’s cross/shot was caught in the wind and sailed perfectly into the top left-hand corner, giving Flavell no chance.

THUNDER COMEBACK, JUMP INTO SIX

George Andrews Reserve hasn’t been a particularly happy hunting ground for the Thunder this season and it looked like the home ground curse would continue on Saturday when Heidelberg United took the lead early in the second half thanks to Anthony Theodoropoulos. However, Dandenong mounted a commendable comeback to snatch all three points. Just a minute after coming on as a substitute, Geoffrey Lino got the home team back on level terms when he poked home after a scramble in the box. Then with time running out, Thunder were awarded a penalty in the 85th minute and Grad Damen cooly finished to earn the win. The result proved doubly important with Green Gully losing on Friday night, seeing Dandenong move into the top-six.

KNIGHTS SEAL TOP-FOUR

While there’s still basically half the season to run, the top four looks set after Melbourne Knights’ dismantling of St Albans on Friday night. The Knights are now nine points clear of Port Melbourne in fifth, leaving just two finals spots up for grabs. Luka Kolic, Josh Phelps and Ciaran Bramwell all found the back of the net to secure the three points before the two teams traded own goals late in the second half. Joseph Monek getting himself set off with two yellow cards in the space of six minutes in the second half didn’t help the Saints’ cause.

HUME LEAVES IT LATE

New Hume City coach Colin Cooper has his first win after a heart-stopping 1-0 win over Altona Magic at Valley Stadium on Saturday. After a strong run down the right from Dylan McGlade, Yagoub Mustafa kept his nerve to jink past a couple of Magic defenders and finish low into the near corner. The result keeps City in the NPL finals hunt, just two points behind Dandenong Thunder in sixth, and also sees them move ahead of Altona Magic on goal difference.

CAN ANYONE STOP TOP THREE?

Avondale, South Melbourne and Oakleigh have lost just four games between them in the opening 14 rounds. Avondale and South Melbourne have only lost once each and sit five points clear of Oakleigh. Avondale’s only loss came to South and its only loss came against Heidelberg United in arguably the upset of the season. Oakleigh has only lost to Avondale and South. The premiership looks a race in three at this point and it’s hard to see another team, perhaps Melbourne Knights, challenging.

RAMS APPOINT AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL GREAT

Pascoe Vale has a new coach after parting ways with Alex Cobo earlier this month. The Rams have welcomed former Young Socceroo and NSL legend Ante Moric to Hosken Reserve. Moric represented Australia at the 1996 Olympics and had a decorated domestic career with Sydney United. The 49-year-old was Western United’s inaugural NPL coach in 2021 and led Bankstown City in the NSW League Two last season. Pascoe Vale president Lou Tona said it was a privilege to have someone of Moric’s calibre take the reins. “We tried to get him after he left Western United and when we parted ways with Alex the stars aligned for us and Ante,” he said. “He’s a fantastic human and we’re excited to see what he can bring to our club.” After a strong start to the season, the Rams have slid to 12th, third last, following seven games without a win and four straight defeats after Friday night’s 1-0 loss to Preston Lions.

BULLEEN BATTER BLUES

It’s been a tough season for the Lions, who are battling to avoid relegation. However, Sunday’s match against Manningham United was certainly a bright spot. Bulleen found their goalscoring form with a convincing 5-0 win at the Veneto Club. Big striker Riki Foster Hosoai and Luke Lofts each scored a brace, while Stefan Ristic also found the back of the net. Despite the win, the Lions remain in 13th but are now just four points behind Pascoe Vale and Brunswick City and have a much-improved goal difference of -2. They face a tough trip to Bundoora to face a rejuvenated Melbourne City this weekend.

LIONS ROAR ON THE ROAD

After a disappointing defeat to last-placed Brunswick Juventus last week, Langwarrin responded perfectly to take all three points on the road against Kingston City. The 2-1 win at the Grange keeps the Lions clear of relegation trouble. A Faisal Sakhizada own goal gave the visitors the lead and Archi McPhee doubled the lead early in the second half. Daniel Bennett got Kingston on the board with a late consolation goal. Just three points separates sixth from 12th in an extraordinary tight NPL2 ladder.

GEORGE CROSS PUTS BALLARAT TO THE SWORD

We wrote of Ballarat’s plight last week and Caroline Springs George Cross showed the NPL3 cellar-dweller no mercy at City Vista on Saturday night. Caroline Springs put seven goals on the board in a rout as six different players found the back of the net. Josh Whitely scored a brace, while Daniel Brammall, Robert Naumoski, Omar Ammache, Ren Furuyama and Peter Lay also got on the scoresheet. It’s George Cross’ third win in a row and has them in fifth, just five points outside the promotion spots, and now with a +7 goal difference.

DOVES STUN EAGLES

Heading into Round 10, Doveton were hovering just above the relegation zone while North Sunshine was eyeing a premiership and promotion challenge. In one of the upsets of the season a Sam Catherine goal secured Doveton a stunning upset at Larissa Reserve on Saturday. Catherine struck in just the 10th minute and the visitors defence held firm to bag a critical three points. Doveton jumps up to eighth on the NPL3 ladder, now four points clear of Essendon Royals in the bottom two, while North Sunshine drops to third position and out of the promotion spot after Nunawading City beat Beaumaris 2-1.