It was a thrilling final round of NPL action, with the relegation threatened clubs’ fates not determined until the last moment. It looked like Ballarat would hang on to survival by a thread, with Port Melbourne were losing 1-0 to Werribee with just seconds to go. They needed a point to leapfrog the Red Devils on the ladder, and the equaliser came in the 95th minute to seal a dramatic result and their top flight status for next season. The rest of the matches this round didn’t have as much bearing on the ladder, with the lack of urgency in some matches reflective of the guaranteed safety of other clubs.
GK: Tommy Dunn (Werribee City)
The Werribee ‘keeper performed superbly on the day, holding off a determined Port Melbourne until the 95th minute, before the desperate Sharks struck late to just seal their survival in NPL. Alas, Dunn was commanding all game, great with his feet and distribution, while pulling off a string of classy saves.
RB: Tim Mala (South Melbourne)
The man at right back epitomised South’s solid defensive showing all season, which has undeservedly not received as many plaudits as their prolific attack. Mala kept the Suns’ Ben Clarke quiet all game, giving his attacking teammates more opportunity to do their thing in their third of the park.
CB: Sakhi Zada Faisal (Dandenong Thunder)
Faisal was on course for a Team of the Week nomination with a dominant display at the back to keep the opposition at bay, but then decided to score a 30-yard volley with the last kick of the game just for good measure. And he did it all while bandaged up after copping an errant elbow early in the contest, making his performance all the more admirable. Give that man more stray elbows!
CB: Adrian Chiappetta (Northcote City)
The Team of the Season candidate put in a solid final knock for the season, as we’ve become accustomed to from the Northcote skipper. Led the way at the back, ensuring Hume struggled to find a way at goal, and was rewarded with a clean sheet.
LB: Mark Pistininzi (Pascoe Vale)
With the exception of a costly two minute period in the first half, Pascoe Vale’s whole back four was solid against Green Gully, with Pistininzi the standout. He was solid and tidy all game, rarely putting a foot wrong.
DM: Dominic D’Angelo (Oakleigh Cannons)
When Oakleigh were on top, D’Angelo dominated through the middle. His teammates may have popped up to provide the match highlights, but the defensive midfielder was the most consistent performer on the day. It was a great finish to the season by the player who Bleiberg rates as his best.
CM: Lambros Honos (Port Melbourne)
The attacking midfielder almost single handedly kept Port Melbourne in the NPL for next season with a moment of brilliance – his sublime run through the middle and ball into the centre resulted in an easy goal for Connor Reddan. He was a menace all game, and deserved the plaudits.
CM: Sean Harding (Ballarat Red Devils)
A gritty box-to-box performance, the midfielder was everywhere, desperate in everything he did, as he willed Ballarat to survival – ultimately in vain. He was creative, technical, and involved in almost every single one of Ballarat’s attempts on goal when on the pitch.
ST: Jake Nakic (Pascoe Vale)
The former Dandenong man finished his season in style, scoring a hat-trick for Pascoe Vale. The third goal was the pick of the bunch, lobbing Gonzalez from long range. While Gully had a scintillating two minute period to take the lead in the first half, Nakic scored consistently throughout the contest, securing a deserved win to end the season.
ST: Milos Lujic (South Melbourne)
Just for good measure, the runaway Golden Boot winner won a penalty, converted it, and also assisted Matt Theodore’s goal with a nice cross against Goulburn Valley. He was prominent all game, showing exactly why he was the league’s most revered front-man in the inaugural NPL campaign.
ST: Wade Dekker (Northcote City)
One of the standouts in a low-key affair, the Melbourne City trialist was the difference on the day, scoring a 77th winner. He showed why he is on the A-League radar by making space in the area, and shooting past Chris Oldfield.
Substitutes:
Osagie Ederaro (Green Gully)
Ederaro was Gully’s best on the day. Unfortunately, many of Gully’s best on a day happen to be on the losing side, with their impact stifled by the opposition. Regardless, the striker was most dangerous up front and his goal was well taken.
Milan Batur (Melbourne Knights)
There were periods throughout the game where Bentleigh looked likely to open the floodgates against the Knights, but failed to score one goal. While their profligacy was partly to blame, Knights’s back four were also solid, with Batur breaking up play and intercepting low crosses from both sides. In fact, he was so defensively switched on that even the penalty called against him didn’t yield a goal for the Greens, meaning it was all part of Batur’s plan.
Kamal Ibrahim (Port Melbourne)
The right winger’s intelligence and guile won his side multiple fouls. He was a livewire on the day, despite not having the legs to run the game out. A worthy performer for Port, one of their best in a disappointing season.
Michael Eagar (South Melbourne)
The Kiwi was another solid performer for South, keeping the Suns at bay for almost the whole contest. It also must be noted that his skills were pushed to his limits in a fierce battle with one of the club’s U12s in FIFA on Monday.