In one of the most topsy turvy months of football in recent memory, six teams recorded two wins, two teams one win, one team no wins, and one team all five in the NPL2 West. This leaves Melbourne City as the main beneficiaries with four players in the side, and a plethora of players from most of the other teams as well.
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GK: Daniel Zilic (North Geelong Warriors)
Two clean sheets this month including some key performances, notably against Moreland Zebras, ensures Zilic’s selection in this month’s TOTM. Appropriate given the custodian has been the mainstay of the team with the least goals conceded in the league.
RB: Angus Martin (Werribee City)
Martin has been leading the Bees well, helping his side pick up seven points this month including an impressive win against Whittlesea. Was also good against Sunshine as well as earning a clean sheet in Bendigo as his side continues to improve under coach Sabbadini.
CB: Darren Lewis (North Geelong Warriors)
While there’s been plenty of forced shuffling of the Warriors XI throughout the past month, one constant has been Darren Lewis in the backline, with the defender putting in regularly combative performances to aide his side’s cause, and like Zilic, has helped earn two clean sheets at a time when the Warriors struggled due to injuries.
CB: Ryan McGuffie (St Albans Saints)
The captain has again been the reliable defensive outlet for St Albans. While results have been hard to come by, he was resolute against the Warriors in a massive win, and also added two goals to his own tally for the month, continuing to be responsible for taking penalties for his side.
LB: Daniel Petrov (Moreland Zebras)
Last month the Zebras were coming off five games unbeaten and were brimming with players in TOTM, while this time around they’ve struggled to maintain those results, albeit like many sides in May. Petrov has been one positive, helping his side keep two high-profile clean sheets against Ballarat and North Geelong and putting in determined performances.
CM: Leo Athanasiou (Melbourne City)
Providing ever-consistent performances for City, Athanasiou has added a touch of class to the midfield which helped his side win every game in May. Has been one of the links that eventually lead to goalscoring opportunities to the likes of Ahmed and Wong.
CM: Domenico Marafioti (Werribee)
Like Werribee in the past month, Marafioti’s performances have been improving and on the rise. Marafioti’s enthusiasm and dynamism in midfield saw him score two goals, including a crucial one in a massive win against Whittlesea. One of his side’s standouts.
CM: Michael Trigger (Ballarat)
Trigger goes from strength to strength in the Ballarat midfield. Netted three times in May, doubling his season tally in the process to six. Two of those came against big opponents in North Geelong and St Albans. His contributions have been one part of the reason his side have only lost once last month.
CAM: Atilla Ofli (Whittlesea Ranges)
While this may be far in the memory bank, Ofli commenced Round 10 with five goals, scoring all his team’s tally against Eastern Lions. While only two more goals came in the following four fixtures, cumulatively he scored seven across the five fixtures, making it a really productive spell as Ofli continues to lead the West top scorers.
RF: Yusuf Ahmed (Melbourne City)
Five goals in his last four fixtures makes Ahmed without doubt the in-form player in the West. While they’ve come against teams towards the bottom of their respective leagues, he’s nonetheless put the ball in the back of the net regularly to show his class, continuing the form that saw him snapped up by City from Thunder at the end of last season.
LF: Ahmet Turer (Sunshine George Cross)
His team may not have picked up a win this month, but Turer’s form has been worthy of a winner, having scored in three consecutive games. He’s also netted against the likes of Melbourne City and Moreland City – the latter coming off a win and clean sheet against the Zebras – no pushovers.
Substitutes:
Austin Wong (Melbourne City)
His stocks keep rising this month at Melbourne City as Wong man gets consistent senior game time under his belt. Netted three times to take his overall season tally to four in a productive month for the former Bentleigh Greens man.
Chris Cristaldo (Melbourne City)
As one of the most experienced heads in the side, Cristaldo continues to lead up front, netting three times from Round 10-14, albeit mostly early on. Provides the usual attacking spark expected of someone with his pedigree.
Finn Huzzey (Moreland City)
It hasn’t been the best month for Moreland City, but there was some light at the end of the tunnel in the form of a 1-0 win against rivals Moreland Zebras. Huzzey has been good at the back for his side and played a part in that clean sheet, along with a few other
Nelson Salvatore (Ballarat Red Devils)
Didn’t actually score a goal during the month but was a constant threat on the wing, getting in dangerous positions and providing good service for his teammates, who consistently rate him as one of the side’s standouts.
Aaron Romein (Ballarat Red Devils)
The Red Devils haven’t been shipping many in this month and part of it has been due to Romein in goals. While not the most defensively miserly showing ever, we’ve decided it warrants a bench spot for Ballarat’s highly regarded custodian.