NPL Victoria Men’s: South Melbourne Hellas proves too hard to die

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South Melbourne Hellas showed their resilience, digging heavy to unafraid a hard-fought three points against Melbourne Victory successful a lucifer brimming with strength and carnal battles crossed the pitch. The location broadside had the luck of seeing some of their biggest names successful top form, a origin that ultimately tipped the scales successful their favour.

Hellas struck first, with Jankovic uncovering the backmost of the nett successful the 10th minute. However, the visitors turned the crippled connected its head, netting twice successful the 30th and 39th minutes to take the pb successful the archetypal half. Just when things looked grim and a acheronian unreality began to loom implicit Lakeside Stadium, 1 of Hellas’ astir talented players stepped up to level the people and acceptable the tone for the remainder of the match. Max Mikkola equalised successful the 55th minute, sparking enthusiasm and optimism among the small but passionate radical of Hellas supporters who braved the Sunday day to cheer connected their side.

The comeback was implicit successful the 66th infinitesimal when Bonada fired location to enactment Hellas ahead. Marshall sealed the memorable victory successful the 85th minute, putting the icing connected the barroom for a South Melbourne Hellas broadside that has endured its just stock of struggles this season. With this win, the Greek-Australian outfit climbed to tenth successful the league table, present three points wide of eleventh-placed St Albans.

When Oakleigh Cannons are firing connected each cylinders, fewer teams successful the NPL tin lucifer them. That’s precisely what Chris Taylor’s broadside proved erstwhile again connected Friday night. The hosts welcomed Port Melbourne Sharks with 1 wide goal: wrap up the lucifer aboriginal and bask a stress-free evening. And they did conscionable that.

They broke the deadlock successful the 10th infinitesimal done the in-form Kingsley Sinclair, mounting the tone early. The 2nd extremity came from the night’s standout, Oakleigh’s centre-forward Alex Salmon. The English striker worked his magic successful the Port Melbourne box, doubling the pb earlier the half-hour people with ease.

The Cannons didn’t take their ft disconnected the gas, adding a third done Connor Hampson conscionable earlier the break. That extremity efficaciously killed disconnected the contest, turning the 2nd fractional into a formality.

The 2nd fractional saw a displacement successful tempo. With the effect successful the bag, Oakleigh’s players focused connected conserving vigor for the tough roadworthy ahead, knocking the shot astir successful midfield. The lone alteration came connected the scoreboard. In the 82nd minute, Thomas Alisandratos pulled 1 backmost for the Sharks with a classy, curling strike from extracurricular the container to bushed the Cannons’ keeper.

But Alex Salmon wasn’t done. In the 87th minute, the star striker weaved done the defence and slotted location a clever decorativeness to seal a 4–1 rout. This emphatic win brought the reigning champions person to the top of the table, filling their fans with optimism. Oakleigh are backmost to playing the benignant of shot that landed them the Victorian crown past season.

A fearfulness start outgo Heidelberg United dearly arsenic they slipped up against St Albans Saints. The hosts were obscurity to beryllium seen successful the opening 20 minutes, and by the clip they woke up, they were already 0–2 down, courtesy of goals from Joseph Monek and Juan Colina successful the 10th and 16th minutes.

Coach John Anastasiadis didn’t clasp backmost post-match: “That archetypal 15 minutes was astir apt our worst this season. The lads are human, and they’re allowed an disconnected day. After the aboriginal shock, they lifted, created monolithic chances, and fought with everything to turn it around. They gave their all, and I can’t responsibility them for the 2–2 draw. That’s football. We determination connected to the adjacent one.”

The antheral who salvaged a constituent for Heidelberg was nary different than the talented James Ngor. The fig 11 bagged two cracking goals successful the 32nd and 81st minutes, ensuring the “yellow and blacks” walked distant with a draw.

The 2–2 effect was a stumble for Heidelberg, knocking them disconnected the top spot. Avondale, contempt going 0–1 down to Melbourne Knights, recovered the grit to turn it astir and romped to a 5–1 win. Now, the Greek-Australian broadside will regroup for a monolithic clash against Preston Lions adjacent week.

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Bentleigh Greens are doing something close this season, and the shot gods are rewarding them. The “Greens” came distant from Eastern Lions’ crushed with a hard-fought 0–1 win, reclaiming top spot. It was a gritty, choky lucifer packed with strength and moments of brilliance. The visitors showed their combat from the off, scrapping for each ball, and it paid off. The star of the amusement was the prime Ayden Von Essen, who netted the lone extremity successful the 41st minute.

Kingston City fto their fans down again this weekend. The “red and whites” travelled to Langwarrin connected Saturday for a important six-pointer, sitting conscionable 1 constituent supra their hosts successful the table. By the last whistle, Langwarrin had turned the tables, winning 3–1. The historical Clarinda-based broadside present find themselves second-bottom, conscionable supra Moreland City.

Brunswick City struggled to find immoderate positives successful their lucifer against Western United. The “Black and Greens” dominated the afloat 90 minutes, scoring three awesome goals and securing three important points.

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Box Hill United’s Pythagoras took a monolithic enactment of caller aerial connected Friday night. The Greek Australian broadside faced Nunawading distant successful a must-win clash. They delivered successful style, leaving with a 0–1 victory and three vital points. The effect sparked optimism among fans hopeless to debar the menace of relegation to the State League.