South Melbourne FC

The Blue and White Forever

Derby Preview – NPL R11 – Melbourne Knights v SMFC

Derby Preview – NPL R11 – Melbourne Knights v SMFC
Matthew Millar celebrates his goal

South Melbourne FC makes a second successive Friday night trip to Knights Stadium, this time to face old rivals the Melbourne Knights in the original Melbourne derby.

South goes into the derby having won six straight matches across all competitions in the month of April, with the most recent being last Friday night’s tough 2-0 win on the road against Avondale FC. Chris Taylor’s men have consolidated a three-point lead at the top of the PS4 NPL Victoria ladder and enjoyed a full seven-day break between games this week, something they did not have the recent luxury of doing.

Andrew Marth’s Melbourne Knights side go into the derby in winning form, having secured a late 2-1 win against Melbourne Victory’s NPL side at Epping Stadium last Saturday. That lifted the Knights to eighth spot on the NPL Victoria ladder and a derby win on Friday night could further elevate them as high as fourth spot if other results also go their way.

Ladder positions mean absolutely nothing in matches between the two sides, with the lower-ranked team defeating the higher-ranked team on many occasions in the past. This occurred as recently as last season, when Chris May saved David Stirton’s penalty kick deep into injury time to secure a memorable 2-1 win for the Knights. The Knights have a solid recent home record against South – with two wins from the last three derbies at Knights Stadium – and will no doubt be using this as inspiration to get one over their old foes.

Season 2016 marks the 33rd consecutive season that SMFC and the Knights have played against each other in league competition, following Melbourne Croatia being promoted into the National Soccer League in 1984. There have been many great derby games in the past and those heading to the game on Friday will be hoping to witness another classic.


Friday night’s match at Knights Stadium kicks off at 8:30pm. 


SMFC v Melbourne Knights – Head to Head (League & Finals)

Matches Played: 97
Wins (SMFC): 48
Wins (MKFC): 26
Draws: 23

First match: SC Croatia 1-2 South Melbourne Hellas (2 April 1960, Corio Oval)
Last match: Melbourne Knights 2-1 South Melbourne (12 July 2015, Knights Stadium)

Biggest Winning Margin (SMFC): 7-0 (11 June 2006, Lakeside Stadium)
Biggest Winning Margin (MKFC): 4-0 (3 May 1989, Olympic Park / 23 February 2001, Knights Stadium)

Most Goals in a Match (SMFC): 7 (7-0 win) – (11 June 2006, Lakeside Stadium)
Most Goals in a Match (MKFC): 5 (5-3 win) – (16 April 1972, Olympic Park)

Biggest Finals Win (SMFC): 4-1 (27 April 1997, Knights Stadium)
Biggest Finals Win (MKFC): 3-2 (30 April 1995, Olympic Park)

 

Div 1 Home Away Finals

1960

6-0 2-1
VSL Home Away Finals

1963

1-0 1-1

1965

1-0 2-3

1966

1-1 2-0

1967

4-3 2-2

1968

1-3 2-1

1969

1-0 0-2

1970

2-0 3-3

1971

2-0 1-1

1972

2-0 3-5
NSL Home Away Finals

1984

1-0
3-0
2-0 3-2

1985

1-2 1-1

1986

1-0 1-0

1987

2-1 2-0

1988

1-1 1-0

1989

0-4 3-4

89/90

2-1 1-1 1-1 (6-7p)

90/91

1-1  3-0 0-1
1-1 (5-4p)

91/92

1-1  1-0 0-0 (3-5p)

92/93

1-1  2-1

93/94

1-1  1-2 1-2
2-2

94/95

1-1 0-3 2-3

95/96

1-0 0-1
1-1

96/97

1-1 0-1 4-1
3-0

97/98

2-2 1-1

98/99

3-1 1-0

99/00

3-0 4-0

00/01

 4-1 0-4

01/02

0-1 3-2

02/03

4-2 0-1

03/04

4-0 5-0
NPL Home Away Finals

2005

0-1 1-1

2006

7-0 2-0

2007

0-3 2-0

2008

2-2 0-2

2009

2-1 1-1

2010

3-0 1-0

2011

3-1 0-1

2012

1-2 2-2

2013

2-2 1-2 1-0

2014

 4-3 1-0

2015

2-1 1-2

SC Croatia*/Melbourne Croatia/Knights weren’t in the same division as SMFC during the following seasons:
1961 to 1962, 1964, 1973 to 1983
(*with thanks to Pave Jusup for his assistance)

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