Atilla Ofli’s incredible haul of five goals against Eastern Lions – all of his team’s goals in a 5-2 win – comes only behind Craig Carley’s tally of seven against Nunawading City as the equal second highest single personal tally in NPL history.
The win ensured Whittlesea kept in touch with the top two of NPL2 West after Moreland Zebras’ defeat to Springvale White Eagles on Friday, with the Ranges, Zebras and North Geelong Warriors all on 21 points.
On a personal level, Ofli’s sensational solo effort – made more impressive by his role as an attacking midfielder behind front-man George Slefendorfas – propels him back to the top of the NPL2 Golden Boot race, comfortably ahead of next-best Baggio Yousif in the West.
NPL2 round 10 Eastern Lions v Whittlesea Ranges the Goals from Eastern Lions Soccer Club on Vimeo.
After a mini-drought of two games without a goal, Ofli’s tally of 16 means he has scored in seven of 10 games this season.
Entering Round 10 level on 11 with the Zebras’ Yousif, with the latter not scoring against Springvale, it sees Ofli kick ahead by five in West.
Some margin behind them is Moreland City’s Apai Ukuno, with the South Sudanese international unable to carry his own goalscoring form after netting seven times in the opening four rounds, adding one more since then in a reflection of his side’s overall form, though he has also missed games to international duty.
Meanwhile, Yousif’s strike partner James Papadimitriou follows on seven.
However, another contender has emerged in the East, with Dandenong Thunder’s Brandon Barnes netting a hat-trick in his side’s 4-0 win over Moreland City.
Since his delayed introduction in the Thunder squad after arriving in Australia from New Zealand, the Englishman has struck 12 times since Round 5, averaging two goals a game in six matches.
In the process he has overtaken previous leader Amir Osmancevic, who, after four consecutive braces to lead on eight goals after four games, has netted just twice since then – missing a couple of games in the process – to sit on 10.
Following the duo are Eastern Lions’ Cameron Neales and Goulburn Valley Suns’ Craig Carley on seven and six respectively, well behind the East’s leading duo.
While last season’s Golden Boot chase was essentially a two-horse race between Carley and Melbourne Victory’s Joey Katebian, 2016’s battle is a much more fiercely contested one, with a number of names putting in noteworthy solo efforts and the lead chopping and changing numerous times after 10 rounds.
NPL 2 Golden Boot after 10 rounds:
Atilla Ofli (Whittlesea Ranges) – 16
Brandon Barnes (Dandenong Thunder) – 12
Baggio Yousif (Moreland Zebras) – 11
Amir Osmancevic (Dandenong Thunder) – 10
Apai Ukuno (Moreland City) – 8
Cameron Neales (Eastern Lions) – 7
James Papadimitriou (Moreland Zebras) – 7
For full list of scorers, click HERE.