Photo: Smile For Peter
The promotion race has picked up pace at a rate of knots in the past few weeks in the NPL2 West. An incredibly tight race for the one playoff position seems no clearer now than it was a month ago, with five teams still considered a realistic chance of taking a top-two spot, with a further two rank outsiders.
One big winner from this round however is Whittlesea Ranges, who extend their lead at the top of the table to four points, their equal biggest lead of the season to date.
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Ranges push four clear as usual suspects fire
As Whittlesea Ranges edge closer and closer to their first ever ascent into the NPL Victoria top-flight, they’ve done so with the attacking input of two men in particular.
There were no surprises when both Atilla Ofli and George Slefendorfas both got on the scoresheet to down Bendigo City, taking their combined tally for the season to 39 goals.
The win is their fifth in seven games, with two draws – one against Dandenong Thunder – nestled in between, and makes it a seventh straight game without defeat.
While Bendigo proved stiff competition on the day, especially in the second half where Whittlesea found it harder to break them down, it was just another notch on the belt of the Ranges juggernaut, who we may just be seeing in NPL 2017.
In other Whittlesea news, former player Matthew Iuliano has moved to Preston Lions, with his last game coming in late June, where he appeared off the bench against Kingston City.
Zebras gain ground on second placed Saints
A solitary goal saw Moreland Zebras down promotion rivals Melbourne City 1-0 in a game with huge ramifications for the title race.
Joel Nikolic’s first half goal put the Zebras in front at CB Smith reserve, and they were able to hold on for the three points, which sees them jump into third spot on the NPL2 West ladder and right in the hunt for the elusive playoff spot.
A win for City would’ve seen them jump to third, and sit just two points of St Albans.
Melbourne City travel to Morshead Park next week in a crunch game against Ballarat Red Devils, while the Zebras tackle Sunshine George Cross as they look to keep the pressure on the top two.
St Albans rescue vital point with last-gasp equaliser
A goal with the final action of the game from St Albans Saints’ George Tsiakalakis gifted the visitors an vital point against Moreland City in the quest for NPL2 West promotion.
Both sides were clinical with their chances in the early stages, as the game raced out to a 2-1 scoreline, Moreland’s way.
Apai Ukuno was on hand to first put away an Osman Kose cross, before captain Corey Thomas doubled the lead in the 17th minute.
Debutant goalkeeper Dean Menere was beaten at the other end just two minutes later by a wonder goal from Spaniard Vitaka Rodriguez, who scored for the first time since returning to the NPL.
Welshman Casey Thomas tried to emulate his brother’s feats and add his name to the scoreboard, but struck the crossbar with his chipped effort on goal.
It was a long wait between drinks for St Albans who had to wait right until the death to get their second goal of the afternoon, as Tsiakalakis fired a header across goal from a Joe Monek corner to round off the result.
In-form Jurcic bails out Warriors
North Geelong Warriors had Nicholas Jurcic to thank for rescuing a point from a 1-1 draw with Sunshine George Cross, who lead for the most part of the contest.
The Georgies took the lead from the spot, with Warriors keeper Daniel Zilic collecting a Sunshine forward as he rushed from his area.
Hernan Arredondo made no mistake from the spot to put his side into a 23rd mintue lead.
A second penalty of the game was awarded late in the second half, but captain Matthew Townley was unable to beat keeper Robert Santilli in the 80th minute.
Instead, Jurcic was left to level the scores with a well taken volley with just seven minutes remaining.
A win would’ve seen the Warriors take third place, but the point instead sees them sitting four points off a promotion spot.
First senior goals earn Ballarat share of spoils
First ever senior goals to two young Red Devils earned Ballarat a 2-2 draw with a 10-man Werribee City, with the equaliser coming in the final moments of the game.
The Bees thought they had an opener through Englishman Shaun Weaver, who had headed home Domenico Marafioti’s cross from the byline, however the linesman adjudged the striker as offside.
Jonathan Voulgaris instead opened the scoring on 17 minutes with an expertly taken free-kick, which was dispatched into the top right corner.
Forward Dejan Mitrovic produced an equaliser on 33 minutes after a dogged display of chasing saw him close down a defensive clearance, before slotting home from a tight angle, with a little assistance from a Werribee City defender.
A wonderful, raking ball from Michael Trigger set Mitrovic free once more, but the forward was unable to hit the target from just outside the penalty area.
Voulgaris was also denied his second for Werribee, as he saw his bullet header saved by an alert Aaron Romein.
Marko Stevanja was unable to hold a tame effort from 16-year-old Brandon Lauton, which almost allowed Mitrovic in once again, however his shot was blocked on its way out for touch.
Voulgaris was sent off on 74 minutes for an uncompromising tackle in the middle of the park, however the numerical disadvantage, as it often strangely does, lead to a goal for the recipients, as Werribee hit the lead soon after as Weaver rose highest to meet the ball from a corner.
Ballarat chased hard for an equaliser, which saw a triple chance go begging after shots from Mitrovic, Josh Romein and finally Jake Francis were saved, blocked and put off target.
Weaver nearly extended the lead, but a reflex stop from Romein in goals kept alive their hopes of getting something out of the tie.
So it proved as Michael Mullins was able to poke home with the last chance of the game from a corner kick to fire home his first ever senior goal.