NPL Victoria wrap: check out all the big talking points from the weekend’s action

Kingston City took a big step towards a premiership, there were big wins for both Dandenong teams and a stunning revival continued in NPL Victoria.

Paul Kuol in action for Kingston City. Picture: Kingston City

There’s just four games remaining in the NPL Victoria campaign.

Finals will be upon us shortly but first there are premiership, promotion and relegation races to decide.

The premiership is still wide open in all three leagues, while any number of teams could suffer the dreaded drop.

The weekend saw a number of critical results with major ramifications for the ladder.

Check out the major talking points below.

David Chick celebrates a Dandenong Thunder goal.

DANDY EXPLODES

It had been six weeks since Dandenong Thunder tasted victory and it jumped back into the winners’ circle in style on Saturday night. The Thunder piled on six goals and kept a clean sheet in a romping win over relegation threatened North Geelong at George Andrews Reserve. After a 5-1 thumping at the hands of Avondale, it was a much-needed response from David Chick’s men and officially rules out relegation for 2023 and, mathematically, keeps them in the finals race. Star midfielder Grad Damen scored a hat-trick in the win, opening the scoring in the 13th minute, scoring a penalty in the 48th and netting his third in the 71st. The performance takes the Dutchman to 10 goals for the season. Kasper Hallam added a double and Josh Karantz also found the back of the net in a successful night for the club. Thunder will look to keep the winning momentum going when it travels to CB Smith Reserve to face second-last Moreland City.

GOAL OF THE WEEK

We liked Jake Marshall’s volley for South Melbourne as the big central defender showed all his class with a chest control and first time finish. Tommy Semmy could have been in the running for the weekly award if not for a cheeky touch from Cian Cuba to steal the goal after an outstanding solo run. As such, we can’t go past Chris Duggan’s second goal on Friday night to wrap up Port Melbourne’s big win over Oakleigh Cannons. The star striker pounces on a Cannons mistake deep in his own half and runs the length of the field, nutmegging a defender along the way, before calmly sliding the ball home past an oncoming goalkeeper. A stunning goal.

WARRIORS HOLD AVENGERS

Heidelberg United might be out of the NPL Victoria premiership race but it continues to play a key role. Having been the first team to beat South Melbourne earlier in the season, the Warriors have now held Avondale to a shock 1-all draw at John Cain Memorial Park. They very nearly pinched all three points as Cherif Aidara gave United the lead in just the third minute. It took until the 80th minute for the usually fluid Avengers to find a breakthrough. A cross found its way to super substitute Liston Diaz at the back post and his shot fortuitously nutmegged a defender before squeezing in in the opposite corner. Heidelberg United will have another chance to impact the premiership race when it faces South Melbourne again in a make-up game on August 16.

SHARKS STUN CANNONS

Port Melbourne put a major dent in Oakleigh’s premiership hopes and cemented itself in the top-four with a strong 2-0 win. Star striker Chris Duggan potted both goals, the first from the penalty spot in the 47th minute and the second with a stunning solo run in the 77th to wrap up a well-earned three points. The brace takes Duggan to 12 goals for the season and outright third on the league goalscoring charts. Meanwhile, Port looks comfortable in fifth, six points and goal difference ahead of seventh-placed Green Gully with four games remaining. However, Oakleigh is now six points behind Avondale at the top of the ladder.

Paul Kuol in action for Kingston City. Picture: Kingston City

KINGSTON EDGES CLOSER TO TITLE

Kingston City took a major step towards the NPL2 premiership on Friday night with a strong 2-0 win over fourth-placed Preston Lions at BT Connor Reserve. George Stavridis picked a fine time to score his first goal of the campaign to open the scoring in the 39th minute. Paul Kuol then wrapped up the three points in the 75th minute. It’s the first of a three-week bloc that will likely decide the premiership with Kingston City to face second-placed Dandenong City at The Grange this weekend and then third-placed Western United at City Vista. Kingston is a point ahead of Dandenong and two points clear of United in what looks a three horse race with Preston City falling five points behind with four games remaining.

CITY EYEING PROMOTION

Three straight victories has Dandenong City on the edge of an immediate bounce back promotion. Friday night’s 3-1 win over Brunswick Juventus at Frank Holohan Reserve keeps City in second place, a spot that would earn them automatic promotion from NPL2. In what looms a thrilling finish to the season, Dandy is a point behind ladder-leader Kingston City and a point above Western United in third but importantly, now four points ahead of fourth-placed Preston Lions. Matthew Hennessey opened the scoring for the home team in the 39th minute but Juventus were level on the hour mark through Tom Barforosh. However, Damian Iaconis quickly restored the lead five minutes later and substitute Luca Slavica wrapped up the three points in the 79th minute.

BRUNSWICK, BULLEEN ALL SQUARE

The NPL2 relegation race didn’t get any clearer as Brunswick City and Bulleen Lions drew 1-all while their rivals all lost. The valuable point moved Bulleen into 10th, three points clear of Brunswick City in the drop zone, which is within a point of safety behind Brunswick Juventus. The bottom five sides are separated by just four points with Bulleen, Werribee City, Brunswick Juventus, Brunswick City and Pascoe Vale all fighting for survival.

BALLARAT CITY’S REMARKABLE TURNAROUND

Extraordinary, Ballarat City has won its fourth straight game and all of a sudden is right back in the race to avoid relegation. City’s thumping 4-0 win over sixth-placed Boorondara-Carey in Ballarat continues the club’s remarkable turnaround. Yushiro Shiomi put the home team in front in the 10th minute with a penalty kick. Daniel Angeleski then scored for the second game in a row to double the lead on the half-hour mark. Having crossed from Preston Lions, mid-season recruit Michael Trigger then made his mark to make it 3-0 at half-time and picked up a brace in the 86th minute. Ballarat is now just three points behind Essendon Royals and Geelong in the relegation battle and has the chance to move level when they host the Royals on Sunday. They’ll then face fellow struggler Box Hill but finish the season against premiership contenders Caroline Springs George Cross and North Sunshine Eagles.

DOVES SEASON-SAVING WIN?

Doveton has ended any danger of relegation with a crucial 3-0 win away at Essendon Royals. Isaiah Joseph opened the scoring in the 28th minute at Cross Keys Reserve and a quick double strike in the second half from Keagan Sheridan and Sam Catherine wrapped up the win. The result sees Doveton move nine points clear of the drop zone. Meanwhile, Essendon is teetering on the edge, sitting on the bubble on goal difference ahead of Geelong, both on 17 points, a point behind Beaumaris. Ballarat City is coming with a bullet and is now just three points behind in the fight for survival.

EAGLES BLOW PREMIERSHIP RACE OPEN

Melbourne Victory’s hold on the NPL3 premiership is slipping after North Sunshine Eagles claimed a 1-0 victory on Friday night. With Victory missing several key players due to the Australia Cup playoff in Darwin, North Sunshine took full advantage at Larissa Reserve. League-leading goalscorer Redouane Sarakh netted the winning goal – his 13th of the campaign – in the 42nd minute to send the home fans into a frenzy. The result sees North Sunshine jump back into third place on goal ahead of GV Suns. Victory, meanwhile, is now just one point ahead of Caroline Springs, which has a game in hand.

GEORGE CROSS SMASH TITLE RIVAL

Caroline Springs could be leading the NPL3 premiership when it plays its make-up game against Nunawading City on August 8. George Cross could be on top before then if it continues to win and Melbourne Victory stumbles again. For now, the club is one point behind in the title race after a thumping 4-1 win over third-placed Goulburn Valley Suns at City Vista on Saturday. The home team started strongly as Josh Whiteley opened the scoring in the 27th minute and Daniel Bramall made it two just 60 seconds later. The Suns got one back on the stroke of half-time through Taku Hishida but it was all George Cross in the second half as Lochlan Reus restored the two-goal lead and Whitley made it a brace in the 71st minute. Whiteley is now up to 12 goals for the season, third on the league goalscoring charts. Caroline Springs travels to Beaumaris on Saturday, while Victory hosts Nunawading City at Epping on Sunday.

DOCKERTY CUP FINAL LOCKED IN

Last year’s runner-up Oakleigh Cannons and 2017 winners Heidelberg United will face off for the first silverware of the season on August 4 in the Dockerty Cup final. Bentleigh’s Kingston Heath will host the final. Oakleigh is looking to win four trophies this season, while Heidelberg will be desperate to claim honours after a poor campaign in the league.