FC Bendigo player-coach Steve Martin feels the club are moving in the right direction in it’s inaugural year, and the 1-0 win over Kingston City will simply add to the belief that they can handle the NPL system.
Local product Jonathan Ryan unleashed a piledriver towards goal which Kingston City ‘keeper Sermin Sadikovski only managed to take the sting out of, before watching it go into the back of the net, ensuring that the regional club came away with only their third win of the season.
Martin was delighted with the outcome of the game, in particular with their first clean sheet of the year.
An impressive feat considering Bendigo have conceded at least two goals per game in their 10 previous NPL1 matches.
“It was pleasing because it was a full 90 minutes of disciplined football and that’s what I asked the boys at the start of the night because the last few weeks, we’ve been ahead but just haven’t been able to close out the game,” Martin said.
“It shows and gives the boys a bit of believe that we can do it for 90 minutes and get a result. But we also had our chances as well that we could’ve closed out the game ourselves.
“I think that it just gives us that belief because I think defensively it’s our first clean sheet for the year so to do that in that fashion, away from home, I’m pleased with the boys.”
The fixture was originally scheduled to be played at Bendigo’s Epsom Soccer Complex, but had been switched to Grange Reserve due to a problem with the lights.
Martin explained the situation, and hopes that they will be able to play there in the near future.
“Apparently they just got the new lights and I think the foundations were an issue when putting the lights up. There was a bit of movement in the foundations so that must’ve put them back a few weeks,” he said.
“It was meant to be open last week, even four weeks ago and we found out during the week that they weren’t ready and up to regulation.
“[We were] just thankful that Kingston allowed us to change the fixture around and we can hopefully play under lights next week.
Overall, Martin is pleased with the progress of the club and has reiterated that this really is a long-term project.
“It’s a great opportunity for FC Bendigo to play in Melbourne, it’s been a long time coming,” he said.
“It’s definitely [good] to have a real new club, across the club from the juniors to the seniors, it’s a real work in progress and I think we’ve got the right people in.
“We’re working hard and while we’re not going to be an overnight success, we’re putting in the foundations.
“On and off the park, it’s definitely a work in progress. That’s why [Saturday night] was such a milestone, to have that consistent effort for 90 minutes and to have that clean sheet. For us as a club and a football department, we’ve got to continue to work.
“That’s the attitude ‘never say die’, and that’s the culture we’re trying to create.”