Image: Drazen Jurina
It’s a familiar pattern in NPL2 East as both Dandenongs continued to extend their lead at the top after City beat Springvale and Thunder saw off Box Hill. Melbourne City dropped two points but salvaged a late draw against Eastern who sit above Richmond after their defeat to Nunawading. Goulburn Valley also enjoyed a regional victory over Murray.
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Dandenong City have maintained their five point lead at the top of the NPL2 East standings after a 3-1 away victory over rivals Springvale White Eagles at White Eagles Stadium on Saturday afternoon. English attacker James Kelly pounced onto a Daniel Visevic cross into the penalty area to net the game’s opener five minutes into the contest. He doubled Hajduk’s lead five minutes before the break when Nick Kalmar’s searching free-kick into the area was met by Shaun Kelly, whose header struck the crossbar and rebounded into the path of his younger brother who made no mistake from close range.
The former Bolton Wanderers academy graduate sealed his hat-trick in the second half when a clumsy foul from Springvale midfielder Gavin de Niese on his former South Melbourne teammate Liam McCormick saw Kelly make no mistake from the spot. The hosts got one back from the spot themselves when de Niese was fouled by Shaun Kelly as Damir Stoilovic converted past namesake Damir Salcin to join James Kelly on eight goals for the season in a disappointing day for Zeljko Popovic’s side who were no match for the experienced league ladders.
Chasing city rivals Dandenong Thunder recorded another stunning come-from-behind win after scoring four times in the space of 12 minutes late on to defeat Box Hill United 4-2 at George Andrews Reserve. United had famously kick-started Thunder’s late season fade-out last term and looked set to continue haunting the hosts when storming to a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Todd Dekker and Thomas Lakic. However the 2012 VPL Champions recovered and were in front in next to no time as goalscoring defender Simon Colosimo, new signing Adam Centofanti and goal machine Brandon Barnes all found the back of the net in quick succession. Veteran Veton Korcari was instrumental in the comeback and got on the scoresheet himself with a textbook header to ensure Thunder have City in their sights as the battle for top spot heats up in Dandenong.
Up on the state border, the Goulburn Valley Suns claimed bragging rights once more over regional rivals Murray United following a 1-0 triumph at LaTrobe University Sports in Wodonga. The home side went into the clash without the services of suspended duo Lewis Greenwood and Archie Thompson and there was no love lost between the two sides following their heated encounter earlier in the season. Ultimately a superb strike in the dying minutes of the clash from Welsh winger Robert Hughes meant the Suns returned to Shepparton victors and move level on points with Murray on the standings in fourth on the table.
Third-placed Melbourne City Youth battled out for a 2-2 draw with the struggling Eastern Lions on Sunday afternoon at Bundoora, with the result all but ending any promotion hopes Joe Palatsides’ youngsters might have had. Captain Ali Eyigun gave City the early lead only for 21 year-old attacking midfielder Yianni Toumanidis to break his drought for the campaign with two goals either side of the break. The visitors had lost at Bundoora 7-0 last year and were on course for all three points only for a late strike from Zac Bates to ensure both sides enjoyed a share of the spoils.
NPL2 round 20 Melbourne City v Eastern Lions match highlights from Eastern Lions Soccer Club on Vimeo.
That result meant Eastern lifted itself off the bottom of the table as Richmond suffered a 3-1 defeat against Nunawading City at Mahoneys Reserve. Captain Robert Taylor gave Brian Vanega’s visitors a lead going into the break only for former Melbourne City defender Patrick Gerhardt to level the scoring with his first for Nuna since joining the club three weeks ago. Mitch Cooper then marked his return to the starting XI with a quick-fire brace to move the hosts four points away from Richmond who are now last and face the bleak possibility of back-to-back relegations.