The Greens continued their perfect start to the 2019 NPL season with a victory over Pascoe Vale in a 6-goal thriller at CB Smith Reserve in Fawkner.
Josh Barresi continued his good run of form nodding home from a corner after 17 minutes.
Matt Thurtell then converted a penalty after it was adjudged that Barresi was brought down in the box after a neat run between the Pascoe Vale lines.
Before the end of the 2nd half Bentleigh had a number of other good chances but failed to capitalise and went into the break 2-0 up.
Bentleigh started the 2nd half as they finished the 1st and found themselves 3-0 up after 50 minutes when George Lambadaridis tapped home after a failed clearance from a corner fell into his lap.
Paco were then handed a controversial life line in the 75th minute. Ryan Scott made it 3-1 with 15 minutes left to play.
5 minutes later Pascoe Vale were awarded a penalty after Joseph Youssef was adjudged to have been brought down by Marco Jankovic in the box. Davey van’t Schip stepped up and had no problems sending Ryan Scott the wrong way to ensure the crowd of a grandstand finish.
However Brody Taylor made it 4-2 in injury time sending the Greens home with all 3 points and their 2nd win in 2 games.
South Melbourne FC earnt their first three points of season 2019, grinding out a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Dandenong City at Lakeside Stadium.
Both teams were hungry to bounce back from round 1 defeats and it was the home side who controlled the early possession.
South struggled to find attacking rhythm but held a solid defensive shape led by Luke Adams and Jake Marshall, who made several strong interceptions to prevent Dandenong from working into dangerous areas.
The breakthrough for South finally came in 78th minute through dynamic youngster Gerrie Sylaidos after Dandenong scrambled away a corner. Sylaidos, who found the ball on the right edge of the 18-yard box, danced around a defender and powered a shot through bodies into the bottom left corner.
NPL Results
Hume City – Oakleigh Cannons 1-0
Melbourne Knights – Altona Magic 4-3
Pascoe Vale – Bentleigh Greens 2-4
South Melbourne – Dandenong City 1-0
Avondale –Port Melbourne 1-0
Green Gully – Heidelberg United 4-2
Κingston City – Dandenong Thunder 1-3
The Ladder
- Hume City 6
- Bentleigh Greens 6
- Avondale 6
- Green Gully 6
- Melbourne Knights 6
- Dandenong Thunder 3
- South Melbourne 3
- Port Melbourne 1
- Kingston City 1
- Heidelberg United 1
- Pascoe Vale 1
- Altona Magic 0
- Oakleigh Cannons 0
- Dandenong City 0
Next Round Fixtures:
Friday, March 1
Bentleigh Greens – Green Gully, 8.15 pm.
Dandenong City – Pascoe Vale, 8. 30 pm.
Οakleigh Cannons – Dandenong Thunder, 8. 30 pm.
Saturday, March 2
Avondale – Kingston City 3.15 pm.
Port Melbourne – South Melbourne 6.00 pm.
Heidelberg United – Melbourne Knights, 6.00 pm.
Altona Magic – Hume City, 6.00 pm.
