NPL Victoria wrap: premiership race latest, red card drama, goals galore

It’s all happening in NPL Victoria, dramatic late goals, red card controversy, brilliant individual performances. Check out all the big talking points here.

Adolph Koudakpo celebrates a goal. Picture: Mark Avellino

With just three matches remaining in the NPL Victoria season, every match is critical.

There was certainly plenty of drama over the weekend with late goals, controversial red cards and season-defining results.

The premiership races in all three grades remains wide open while the relegation battle is only getting fiercer.

Check out the biggest talking points from the round below.

Green Gully celebrates a goal. Picture: Mark Avellino

GULLY STAYS ALIVE

Green Gully secured what might be the biggest win of its season on Friday night, knocking off neighbouring rival Melbourne Knights 2-0. Adolph Koudakpo opened the scoring for the Cavaliers minutes after the half-time restart and Gianluca Iannucci found the back of the net in the 84th to seal the three points. The result further tightens the top-six battle. Gully remains in seventh but is only one point behind Altona Magic and three points behind Port Melbourne. The win also brings the Knights into reach, just four points ahead in fourth. Green Gully faces eight-placed Dandenong Thunder, Heidelberg United and St Albans in the final three weeks.

GOAL OF THE WEEK

A couple of long-range bangers from Green Gully’s Gianluca Iannucci and Altona Magic’s Charlie Leech were certainly eye-catching. Dandenong Thunder’s Scott Lochead also receives a honourable mention for his thumping finish from an acute angle. However, it’s hard to go past a stunning acrobatic strike from Hume City’s Josh Bingham. With his back to goal, the City skipper controls a difficult ball in from Matthew Lazarides with his chest and before the ball can hit the ground he bangs it in the net. A fine piece of skill.

NORTH’S BIG POINT, RED CARD CONTROVERSY

In the battle of the Warriors, North Geelong and Heidelberg United finished nil-all at Elcho Park. The result is largely immaterial for United, which will more be focused on its Dockerty Cup final and Australia Cup campaign but it could be huge for North. The point sees North Geelong move off the bottom of the ladder with 14 points. While it remains in the relegation zone it is now level on points with Bentleigh Greens and only two points behind St Albans in the battle for survival. The home teams couldn’t capitalise on a man advantage for the entire second half, having a couple of late chances to snatch all three points but couldn’t beat Pierce Clark in Heidelberg’s goal. The positive result was soured when Nikola Jurkovic was given a red card after the final siren after a post-match confrontation.

Nikola Jurkovic in action for North Geelong. Picture: Mark Wilson

LEECH LIFTS MAGIC

Altona Magic has won five straight and seven of its last eight matches to be arguably the most in-form team in the NPL. The streak looked in strife on Saturday when premiership contender Oakleigh Cannons came to Paisley Park and took the lead through Stef Valentini seconds after half-time. However, a pair of stunning strikes from Charlie Leech turned the game on its head. Taking a pass from Tommy Semmy on the edge of the box, Leech unleashes a bullet into the far top corner to level the scores in the 66th minute. In almost a carbon copy, Leech turns his man and again fires across the goalkeeper and into the net to secure a critical three points in the top-six race.

SOUTH BOUNCES BACK

Amazing to say that South Melbourne was struggling after a loss to Oakleigh, draw with Hume City and sneaking past Bentleigh Greens 2-0. However, Hellas returned to its imperious form on Saturday with a commanding 4-0 thumping on fourth-placed Port Melbourne at Murphy Reserve. Centre-back got the visitors off to the perfect start with a towering header in just the fifth minute and Pat Langlois doubled the lead in the 14th minute. Langlois made it a brace to give his team a 3-0 half-time lead and Ajak Riak rounded off the scoring on the hour mark. The result keeps South’s premiership hopes alive, four points behind Avondale with a game in hand, and facing the Avengers in a fortnight.

AVONDALE SURVIVES SCARE, TIMMINS SEES LATE RED

Avondale was made to work hard for its 19th win of the season, edging St Albans 2-1 at Churchill Reserve. Kalilou Kamara gave the visitors the lead in the 34th minute and the Saints were down to 10 men 10 minutes later when Joseph Monek was shown a straight red for a swinging elbow on Kristian Trajceski. As the game looked to be petering out there was late drama. In the 86th minute, Shaun Timmins lost his cool after having his feet taken out by Liston Diaz, pushing his head into his opponents. He too was shown a straight red for the incident and Avondale was awarded a penalty, which Yusef Ahmed duly converted. Dylan McGlade got a late consolation thanks to a goalkeeping error from Tom Manos with almost the last kick of the game. Avondale faces Oakleigh and South Melbourne in the next fortnight, which will likely decide the NPL premiership.

CONTROVERSY IN TOP-OF-THE-TABLE BLOCKBUSTER

There was plenty of drama at The Grange on Friday night as Kingston City hosted Dandenong City in a fiery top-of-the-table clash. Damian Iaconis had given the visitors an early lead with an cool finish after George Lambadaridis had won the ball back. Controversy then erupted on the half-hour mark as the home team was reduced to 10 men. Captain Faisal Sakhizada was shown a straight red card, with replays showing him clashing with Dandenong counterpart Jack Webster behind play as Kingston set up for a free kick. After a discussion with his linesman, the referee gave Sakhizada his marching orders. Despite being a man down, the ladder-leaders responded strongly and were level just 10 minutes later through mid-season recruit James Wilson. Kingston remains on top, leading Dandenong by a point with Western United a further point back in third. Kingston travels to City Vista to face United on Saturday in another critical clash.

JUVENTUS HOLDS UNITED

Speaking of United, the A-League club was held to a 1-all by Brunswick Juventus, a result that could have major ramifications for both clubs. The point will be invaluable for Juventus as it hopes to avoid relegation but is a setback for United as it chases the NPL2 premiership and automatic promotion. The Zebras will be disappointing they couldn’t hold on to all three points after Callum Richardson gave the home team the lead in the 61st minute. Matthew Grimaldi saved United blushes with a last-gasp penalty in the 88th minute after Charbel Shamoon went down in the box. Brunswick Juventus remains in the relegation zone but just one point behind Brunswick City and Werribee City in the fight for survival. Meanwhile, Western United sits third, a point behind Dandenong City and two behind ladder-leader Kingston City.

NORTHCOTE ENDS PRESTON BACK-TO-BACK HOPES

In Friday night’s third game, Australia Cup Round of 32 qualifier Northcote City might just have ended Preston Lions’ NPL2 premiership hopes with a 2-0 victory at John Cain Memorial Park. A pair of own goals decided the match, adding insult to injury for Preston. Harley Orr put the ball in his own net in the 71st and Ryan Paczkowski followed suit in the 90th minute to hand Northcote the win. Preston drops to fifth on goal difference and is now six points behind ladder-leader Kingston City and five behind Dandenong City in the race for automatic promotion.

BRUNSWICK CITY TAKES STEP TO SURVIVAL

Brunswick City’s first win in five games has given the club’s NPL2 survival hopes a massive boost. The come-from-behind 2-1 win over Eastern Lions at Gardiners Creek Reserve sees the club jump out of the relegation zone. Omani Leacock gave the home team the lead on the half-hour mark as Eastern Lions took a half-time lead. However, seconds after the restart Brunswick was level thanks to Yuga Watanabe and Kobe Timms snared all three points in the 78th minute. The result sees City move to 12th, one point ahead of Brunswick Juventus in the relegation race and level with Werribee City. Langwarrin is just two points ahead in a congested field.

GOALS GALORE

There was an incredible 16 goals scored in two games on Saturday. Manningham United clinched a 5-3 victory over Langwarrin to move into fourth on the NPL2 ladder, while Melbourne City and Werribee City played out an incredible 4-all draw. Manningham’s Ben Everson and Werribee’s Lewis Bamford both scored four goals in stunning individual performances. At Lawton Park, Langwarrin fought back to equalise three times against Manningham but Everson’s fourth – from the penalty spot – and Salvatore Accardo scoring within two minutes of each other to wrap up the win. Over at Parade College, Melbourne City had held a 2-0 lead at half-time before Bamford went bananas. His four unanswered goals put the Bees up 4-2 but they couldn’t hold on as City scored in the 87th and 89th minute to tie it up and share the points.

THUMPING MOVES BULLEEN CLEAR

Bulleen Lions took a big step towards NPL2 survival with a 5-1 thumping of last-placed Pascoe Vale on Sunday. The Rams had started strongly, taking the lead just three minutes in thanks to Ethan Brooks. Luke Lofts found an equaliser in the 22nd minute for the Lions and Ram Kwangmook Lim was shown a straight red in the 27th minute as Pascoe Vale got through to half-time level. Unfortunately for the Rams, it all went pear-shaped from there. Lofts’ second gave Bulleen the lead in the 47th minute before Riki Foster-Hosoai and Marko Bagaric found the back of the net. Lofts completed his hat-trick, taking him to a league-leading 14 goals, just before full-time. Bulleen is now four points clear of the relegation zone with a +7 goal difference, the fourth best in the competition.

Adem Duratovic in action for Melbourne Victory. Picture: Mark Brake

VICTORY KEEPS NOSE IN FRONT

Melbourne Victory passed a major test of their NPL3 premiership credentials on Sunday with a 2-1 win over fifth-placed Nunawading City at Epping Stadium. The Victory launched out of the blocks with goals to Tim Atherinos and Adem Duratovic in the opening four minutes. The scorers were untroubled for the next 87 minutes before Hericles de Sousa Costa scored a consolation goal for Nunawading in the 91st minute. The victory sees Victory keep its one-point buffer at the top of the table but Caroline Springs George Cross still has a game in hand – also against Nunawading.

SUNS, EAGLES THRILL

Six goals, a couple of red cards it was all happening at John McEwen Reserve on Saturday. NPL3 promotion contenders Goulburn Valley Suns and North Sunshine Eagles played out a dramatic 3-3 draw with Sun Russell Currie and Eagle Ryan Stewart both scoring braces. The Suns took the lead in the opening minute through Taku Hisida before Stewart equalised in the 15th. Currie put the home side back in front second after half-time but, again, North Sunshine responded through Stewart. Nick Epifano gave the visitors their first lead just six minutes later but Currie would ensure a share of the points in the 77th minute. The brace takes Currie to a league-leading 15 goals for the season.

CAN BALLARAT SURVIVE?

A few weeks ago, Ballarat City was dead and buried in NPL3. Fast forward five weeks and it has five wins on the trot and is back level in the relegation race. Sunday’s 3-2 win over relegation rival Essendon Royals sees City move to 17 points, level with the Royals and Geelong and just one point behind Beaumaris. A -24 goal difference sees Ballarat remain in last place but the stunning reversal of form has it confident it can secure survival. City travels to Wembley Park to face eighth-placed Box Hill before a difficult final fortnight with matches against Caroline Springs George Cross and North Sunshine Eagles. Michael Trigger was the hero with a match-winning strike seconds after the half-time restart.