NPL Victoria wrap: Heidelberg United, Moreland City score critical wins

Kenny Athiu scores his first goal for Heidelberg United, a new coach breaks Moreland City’s drought and a must-see Goal of the Week.

Sean Ellis in action for Heidelberg United.

Never a dull weekend across NPL Victoria.

This week saw Heidelberg United and Moreland City pick up big wins in the fight for survival.

City also has a new coach.

We also saw arguably one of the goals of the season, which needs to be seen to be believed.

In NPL2, the premiership, promotion and relegation fights continue to be insanely tight.

And in NPL3, what looked a runaway Melbourne Victory has been reeled back in after a shock loss.

Check out all the latest talking points below.

Joshua Pin in action for Heidelberg United.

KING KENNY STANDS TALL FOR BERGS

Ken Athiu couldn’t have picked a better time to score his first goal of the season for Heidelberg United. The star striker scored the match-winner to secure a 1-0 victory over Hume City and an invaluable three points for the Warriors. Forward partner Kaine Sheppard lobbed in a high cross and Athiu calmly headed home in the 71st minute at Olympic Village.

Bergers coach George Katsakis was confident this was just the beginning for the former A-League gun. “It was fantastic, it’s long over due,” he said. “We banked on Kenny being a standout for us, admittedly he had a tough pre-season, but he’s fitter now and ready to do business. “Hopefully for the rest of the season he can do what he’s good at doing, I think we’ll see a different Kenny in the next month.”

The result sees United remain in 10th on the NPL ladder but importantly move seven points clear of the relegation zone. On a congested table, it is now just six points outside the top-six and a potential finals berth. Katsakis paid tribute to his club’s young players that stood up when needed most. “Considering the circumstances, we had five out and three under injury clouds, one came off at half-time and the other two in the second half,” he said. “I think we finished the game off with seven kids under the age of 19, which is a great effort considering all things. “You try and bleed as many in as you can but you need to be cautious as well, to be fair we didn’t have any other option. “We through the kids under the pump and they delivered, all credit to those boys, I think four of them made their debut for the club.”

Heidelberg United will now face St Albans twice in the space of five days in the NPL and Australia Cup – both at Olympic Village. The winner of the Cup tie on Tuesday night will progress to the national Round of 32. The Warriors knocked off NPL leader Avondale to reach the final stage of the state rounds, a remarkable turnaround from their league meeting. “It was huge considering we’d lost only 14 days earlier to Avondale 8-2, which was a nightmare,” Katsakis said. “Again under a cloud because we had our two centre-halves missing and a couple of other senior bodies. “If we beat St Albans we’re in the Round of 32 and we’d be very happy with that considering our season, our record in the cup has been impeccable.”

Jump to 4min30sec to see our Goal of the Week

GOAL OF THE WEEK

Two stunning contenders for Goal of the Week in Round 15. First though, Melbourne Knights’ Corey Sewell’s volley to get his team back in the game against Oakleigh Cannons on Friday night and Fletcher Fulton’s slaloming run to kick-start Moreland City are worthy podium-getters. Now it gets tough. Dandenong Thunder Mersim Mehmeti’s stunning free-kick is just edged out into second place. Standing just outside the box, the Thunder forward delightfully curls the ball around the wall and into the top left-hand corner. However, it’s tough to go past Port Melbourne defender Kristian Bombaci’s thunderbastard against North Geelong. Valentin Cesnik touches it out to Bombaci about 30m from goal and he just puts his right foot through the ball, launching a laser into the top left corner. Even though Warriors goalkeeper Hamish Flavell saw it all the way he still couldn’t stop it smashing into the back of the net. The look of disbelief on his teammates faces tells you plenty about the strike.

KNIGHTS’ STUNNING COMEBACK

It was an early taste of finals football at Jack Edwards Reserve and both Oakleigh Cannons and Melbourne Knights would be both pleased and disappointed. It was a tale of two halves. The Cannons surged out to a 2-nil lead thanks to Anton Mlinaric and Alex Salmon. However, the Knights responded in the second half with Corey Sewell’s well-hit volley and Mo Sumaoro’s equaliser in the 76th minute. Both teams are cemented in the top four, Oakleigh sitting third and Knights just two points back in fourth, seven points clear of Port Melbourne in fifth.

Adrian Mathers has stood down as coach of Moreland City. Picture: Hamish Blair

NEW COACH, THREE POINTS FOR MORELAND CITY

After a difficult week off field that saw long-time coach Adrian Mathers resign, Moreland City scored arguably it biggest win of the season. David Ostijic was in charge of the club’s first win in nine games and first goal in five, the significance of the 3-1 win over Bentleigh Greens at Kingston Heath cannot be understated. It was Moreland’s second win over Benteigh this season and first victory on the road. The result also lifts the NPL2 champions back out of the relegation zone and drops the Greens back in. Fletcher Fulton’s impressive run and finish gave the visitors the perfect start, taking the lead in just the fourth minute and Apai Ukuno doubled the lead just two minutes later bursting onto a Byron Figueroa through ball. Chris Theodorakopoulos got Bentleigh back in the game just before half-time but City shopped early once more in the second half as Jamie Latham restored the two-goal buffer in 47th minute.

MARKOVSKI, GUY LATE SHOW

It looked like a regulation win for Avondale as Saturday’s game entered the final minutes at Paisley Park. The Avengers held a comfortable 3-0 lead before all hell broke loose. Jonas Markovski broke his four-game goalscoring drought in the 85th minute with a strong first-time finish and made it a brace just two minutes later from the penalty spot to get the home team back in the contest. However, Zander Guy then sealed the win for Avondale in the 91st minute with a cheeky finish through the goalkeeper’s legs and netted his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 93rd. You’d be kicking yourself if you left early as four goals were scored in the final eight minutes of the match. Markovski and Avondale’s Stef Zinni are now joint league-leading goalscorers with nine.

BEES STING LIONS

In one of the upsets of the season, Werribee City stunned Preston Lions 3-1 at BT Connor Reserve on Friday night. It is the Lions’ third loss in the past four matches but somehow they remain joint ladder-leader, behind Western United on goal difference. The Bees, meanwhile, have found their grove with three wins and a draw in their past five matches. Lars Kinnander opened the scoring for the visitors with a spot kick in the 39th minute and Stephen Lawless doubled the lead early in the second half. Kinnander made it a brace nine minutes later as Werribee stormed to a comfortable 3-0 lead. Delarno Pharoe got a consolation goal for the Lions in the 80th minute. The result sees Werribee jump to seventh in the NPL2 ladder, now just five points behind United and Preston in an insanely tight premiership race. The brace also sees Kinnander jump to the top of the league goalscoring charts with nine for the season.

BRUNSWICK SHOCKS UNITED

Knowing Preston Lions had lost on Friday night, Western United had the chance to claim top spot outright when they hosted Brunswick City at City Vista on Sunday. However, the A-League club was stunned by Leonidas 2-1. Lisandro Paz opened the scoring for the visitors but Max Bisetto levelled the scores on the stroke of half-time. However, Brunswick came against and Itsuku Narumi put it back in front early in the second half and it held on for an upset win. United remains on top of the ladder, on goal difference ahead of Preston, while Brunswick is now 10th and four points clear of the relegation zone.

BULLEEN GOES BACK-TO-BACK

Look out! Here come the Lions. After three straight defeats dropped Bulleen into the relegation zone it has responded with consecutive wins. On Sunday it travelled to Parade College to face a resurgent Melbourne City and came away with a 1-0 win and an invaluable three points. Ivan Grgic delivered the match-winner in the 49th minute. Bulleen remain in the relegation zone, sitting 16th, but are now just one point behind Pascoe Vale and two points behind Melbourne City, while Manningham United and Brunswick City are four points away, in an unpredictable fight for survival.

SUNS TOO HOT

Goulburn Valley delivered Melbourne Victory just its second defeat of the NPL3 campaign on Saturday, securing a 2-1 win in Shepparton. Goals from Adam Gatcum and Taku Hishida in the opening 20 minutes put the Suns in control. While Tim Atherinos scored just before half-time and Hishida was sent off in the final minutes the home team held on for a big win. What looked a runaway Melbourne Victory premiership is no longer as certain as the gap to North Sunshine in second closes to just three points. With three wins and a draw in their past five, the Suns are very much in the promotion battle as well, now just two points behind the Eagles and five behind Victory.

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EAGLES GO BANG

Winless in their last three – with draws against strugglers Geelong and Essendon Royals and a 3-0 loss to Melbourne Victory – Boroondara-Carey exploded offensively on Saturday. The Eagles handed Box Hill a 6-1 thumping at Wilcox Field. Andrew McLean got the ball rolling in the 33rd minute and Tristan Patsiotis doubled the lead just before half-time. Lachlan Hogben made it 3-0 in the 75th minute, which saw Yuma Hiroki come on as a substitute, and he proceeded to score a remarkable hat-trick. Hiroki scored in the 84th, 86th and 93rd minute to put a bow on a commanding win. The result sees Boroondara-Carey join the NPL3 promotion fight, now just five points behind North Sunshine in second place.

NATIONAL STAGE UP FOR GRABS

The state round of the Australia Cup enter its final stage in the next fortnight with a spot in the national Round of 32 up for grabs. State League 2 leaders Clifton Hill are the fairytale team, looking to go from the state’s fifth tier to the national stage and a potential clash against an A-League club. However, they will have to get past local rival Northcote City first, with the match to be played at John Cain Memorial Park on June 13. State League 1 club Yarraville Glory is also in with a shout but faces Melbourne Knights at Knights Stadium. In other matches, NPL3 side Goulburn Valley will host Hume City, NPL rivals Heidelberg United and St Albans face off and Oakleigh Cannons, which reached the semi-finals last year, welcome Geelong to Jack Edwards Reserve.