NPL Victoria wrap: Bentleigh Greens step towards survival, run home calculations

There’s just six games to go in the NPL Victoria campaign and the battle for premierships, promotion, finals and survival are heating up.

Mario Barcia in action for Bentleigh Greens. Picture: Matt Galea

The end of the home-and-away season is drawing closer.

There’s just six games to go in the NPL Victoria campaign and the battle for premierships, promotion, finals and survival are heating up.

There were some brilliant goals, crazy goal-fests, red card and penalty drama and plenty more across the weekend.

Check out the major talking points from the weekend.

Daniel Clark in action for Oakleigh Cannons. Picture: Hamish Blair

THE RUN HOME

There’s just six games left in the NPL home-and-away season and there’s still plenty of play for with the premiership race and top-six battle heating up. Oakleigh’s 2-0 over South Melbourne ensures the premiership race remains a three-way fight. Avondale escaped with a draw against fourth-placed Melbourne Knights on Friday night to build a four-point lead at the top of the table. However, South Melbourne has a game in hand and can close to within a point when they play the postponed match against Heidelberg United next month. The Cannons remain in the hunt five points behind the Avengers. The premiership will likely be decided in rounds 24 and 25. Oakleigh hosts Avondale at Jack Edwards Reserve in Round 24 before the Avengers take on South Melbourne at Avenger Park the following week. Avondale’s record-breaking goalscoring this season has built it a sizeable lead in goal difference, which could prove crucial.

Meanwhile, the finals race is also red-hot. With the top-three locked in, there is arguably three places up for grabs. Melbourne Knights is in the box seat in fourth on 35 points, followed by Port Melbourne (34) in fifth and Green Gully (30) in sixth. Altona Magic is just a point out in seventh after its stirring win over Dandenong Thunder. That result put a major dent in the Thunder’s finals hopes as they now fall six points behind Gully and face Avondale this week, desperately needing a shock upset win.

At the other end of the table, the relegation battle looks to be down to four teams. Moreland City sits last on 12 points, a point behind North Geelong Warriors on 13. Bentleigh Greens moved into safety with a win over St Albans on Friday night and are now a point ahead of the Warriors. The Saints are far from safe and are now just three points away from their sister club in the drop zone.

GOAL OF THE WEEK

We’re a big fan of Jonas Markovski’s second goal for Altona Magic. The NPL’s leading goalscorer controls a difficult ball with his chest before quickly heading the ball past an on-coming goalkeeper. It’s a super bit of skill under pressure. However, we believe the Goal of the Week this week comes down to a battle between Bentleigh Greens teammates. Scott Hilliar and Moonib Adus scored a couple of absolute belters in the win over St Albans on Friday night. Waiting on the edge of the area, Adus volleys home through traffic, with a lovely bit of skill. The other, a rebound comes to Hilliar, a good 25 metres from goal, the Saints defence sits off and allows him to load up a thunderous right-footed strike and finds the bottom left corner. It’s a beautiful strike and a worthy winner of our weekly nomination.

GREENS INTO SAFETY

Bentleigh Greens have moved out of the NPL relegation zone for what could be the first time this season. A strong 2-0 win over St Albans at Churchill Reserve on Friday night could prove season-defining for the Greens. Scott Hilliar launched an unstoppable bullet to put the visitors in front in the 13th minute and mid-season addition Moonib Adus doubled the lead with a delightful volley of his own in the 74th. The Greens strengthened their squad in the recent transfer window with three quality additions. Adus arrives from A-League club Newcastle Jets, where he played under Riccardo Marchioli, Daniel Dixon crossed from Heidelberg United and one-time A-League cult hero Golgol Mebrahtu from Avondale. All three played a part on Friday night. Bentleigh is now a point above North Geelong in the drop zone.

HUME SURVIVES STUNNING COMEBACK

When Josh Bingham scored his second goal in the 61st minute it looked like Hume City was cruising towards a comfortable win over Moreland City. However, the game turned on its head in the next six minutes as the relegation battlers stormed back to parity. Fletcher Fulton scored two goals in the space of 60 seconds to level the game, capitalising on some lazy Hume defending, twice waltzing through before tucking the ball home. However, Matthew Lazarides picked the perfect time to score his first goal of the season to snatch all three points for the home team. A brilliant run from Brandon Lauton put Hume City on the attack before finding a free Lazarides, who’s first-time strike found the top of the net.

MARKOVSKI DOES IT AGAIN

There is no hotter player in the NPL than Jonas Markovski. The Altona Magic striker scored his first hat-trick of the season in a commanding 3-0 win over Dandenong Thunder in Dandenong on Saturday to burst clear in the league goalscoring race. It’s been a remarkable season for the young star, scoring eight goals in the opening nine matches of the season. After a four-game drought, he’s been arguably even better in the six games since, scoring nine times. Markovski opened the scoring in the 38th minute at George Andrews Reserve with a simple tap-in, his second was a piece of quick-thinking excellence as he controlled the ball on his chest and headed past an on-coming goalkeeper. He finished off with a classy strike in the 92nd minute. The hat-trick sees Markovski move three goals clear of Pierce Waring on the goalscoring charts.

HOWLER HORRORS

When will goalkeepers learn not to hold onto the ball? It proved terribly costly for Avondale’s Tom Manos and Heidelberg United’s Pierce Clark over the weekend. A heavy first touch saw Manos caught in possession by Melbourne Knights’ Luka Kolic for the opening goal on Friday night. A contentious penalty secured the Avengers a share of the points as Yusef Ahmed made no mistake from the penalty spot. However, Clarke wasn’t as lucky on Saturday against Port Melbourne. The Warriors custodian had time to clear but tried to jink around an on-rushing Jalil Regague, was dispossessed, and Chris Duggan was on hand to make him pay with what proved the match-winning goal. The goal came in the 77th minute and United didn’t have time to find the equaliser.

JUVENTUS WINS AGAIN

A month ago, relegation loomed large for Brunswick Juventus but four wins and five games undefeated has seen the Zebras jump up the NPL2 ladder and survival looks more and more likely. The latest win came on Friday night, 2-0, at the expense of relegation rival Pascoe Vale. Jonathan Bounas found the back of the net for the first time this season on the stroke of half-time to give Juventus the lead and making his debut, Nathan Lowe made the perfect introduction, doubling the visitors lead to seal the three points. The Zebras are now a point clear of the relegation zone, while Pascoe Vale’s season goes from bad to worse, three points and considerable goal difference away from safety.

LIONS STEAL POINT

Robert Stambolziev saved Preston Lions’ bacon on Friday night with a late, late equaliser to ensure a share of the points with Langwarrin at BT Connor Reserve. The Lions were staring down the barrel of a costly loss when Archibald Macphee put Langwarrin in front in the 80th minute. Left all alone, Macphee had no trouble heading home from a pin-point Lucas Portelli cross. However, Preston snared a critical point as Dalibor Markovic lofted in a long ball and a rebound fell kindly for Stambolziev to tap home, sparking wild celebrations. The result keeps Preston within reach of Kingston City in the premiership race, now three points behind the ladder-leader, while Langwarrin is seventh but still very much in the hunt for promotion, six points out of second and five points behind Preston in third.

BONKERS UNITED-BLUES DRAW

Six goals, four penalties, and a share of the points. Western United and Manningham United played out one of the more crazy games of the NPL2 season at City Vista on Sunday. Max Bisetto gave Western United a half-time lead with a penalty before fireworks exploded in the second half. Ben Everson levelled the game for Manningham with a penalty of his own in the 55th minute, Bisetto’s second goal – and second penalty – restored United’s lead in the 67th. The game was level again as Jose Ramirez found the back of the net with the first open-play goal but that didn’t last long as Campbell Dovison found the back of the net just three minutes later in his first game back from the Under-17 Asian Cup. Everson stepped up to score his second penalty in the 81st minute, the fourth goal in 14 minutes, to cap a crazy goal-fest. The draw sees Western United drop two points behind Kingston City in the premiership race. Meanwhile, Bisetto takes the outright lead in the NPL2 goalscorers race with 13 to his name.

PITCH SEES GAME CALLED OFF

The condition of Gardiners Reserve has seen Eastern Lions match against Northcote City postponed. The referee made the call to call off Saturday’s NPL2 clash before kick-off due to safety concerns. The match is expected to be rescheduled for the NPL’s make-up weekend in August. The match will be critical to Eastern Lions’ premiership and promotion hopes. With a game in hand, the Lions are seven points behind ladder-leader Kingston City and five points back of Western United in second. Meanwhile, at the other end of the ladder, Northcote City is looking to stay clear of relegation as it sits just a point above Brunswick City in the drop zone.

KINGSTON CLEAR ON TOP

A comfortable 3-1 win over Brunswick City at CB Smith Reserve on Saturday as propelled Kingston City three points clear in a fierce NPL2 premiership race. An Andrew Mesourouni brace and late goal from Sayed Fatemi secured all three points for City, capitalising on rivals Western United and Preston Lions both being held to draws. The result sees City move two points ahead of Western United, three ahead of Preston and four ahead of Dandenong City in what looms as an enthralling run home. Kingston City faces last-placed Pascoe Vale before a season-defining three weeks as they face Preston, Dandenong and Western United back-to-back-to-back. Yuga Watanabe scored for Brunswick City, which has now dropped into the relegation zone on goal difference.

EAGLES BOUNCE BACK

After five defeats in their last six matches, North Sunshine got its season back on track with a crucial 2-1 win over NPL3 promotion rival Nunawading City at the Veneto Club on Saturday. Despite the tough month, the Eagles draw level with Nunawading on 25 points, only six points outside the automatic promotion places and three points behind Goulburn Valley Suns in third. Liam Brian opened the scoring with his first goal of the season in the 55th minute and Nick Epifano doubled the advantage 10 minutes later. Ko Sawada got a late consolation for Nunawading in the 90th minute. North Sunshine travels to Geelong this weekend, while Nunawading is away to Boroondara-Carey.

BALLARAT GOES BACK-TO-BACK

After going 14 rounds without a win, Ballarat City now has two on the trot after a commanding 3-1 win over fellow NPL3 relegation battler Beaumaris at Ballarat. The Sharks opened the scoring in the 13th minute through Felix Polster but it took just two minutes for the home side to be level again thanks to Kenta Futami. The Japanese forward then put his side in front in the 37th minute, securing his fourth goal in two games. Fellow Japanese Yushiro Shiomi then sealed the three points from the penalty spot in the 87th minute. The result draws Ballarat to within seven points of Beaumaris and eight points of Geelong and potential survival.

NINE-MAN SUNS’ DRAMATIC WIN

It all kicked off in the opening minutes at Cross Keys Reserve as two players were shown straight red cards. Essendon’s Graham Kelly and Suns’ Matt Lelliott were given their marching orders after an off-the-ball incident in just the sixth minute. Goulburn Valley settled the quicker and took the lead in the 19th minute thanks to Declan Kinnane. The Suns forward finished well after being set up by Brandon Giaccherini. As the game looked to be coming to a close, there was more drama. Goalscorer Kinnane was sent off for a second yellow card in the 76th minute, reducing the visitors to nine men, but they doubled their lead in the first minute of injury time as Russell Currie latched onto a long ball, rounded the keeper and tapped home his 11th of the season. However, the game wasn’t finished as Essendon somehow found a consolation goal just two minutes later with almost the last kick of the game through Dean Clarke. The result keeps GV in the hunt for automatic promotion from NPL3, just three points behind second-placed Caroline Springs George Cross, while Essendon is two points above the relegation zone.