Monday, 18 June 2012 10:11 AM
By John Kyrou (Photo by Cindy Nitsos)
South Melbourne FC has suffered yet another defeat – its third in a row in all competitions – following a 1-0 defeat away against the Bentleigh Greens on Friday night. The winning goal was scored from the penalty spot by Luke O’Dea following a handball in the penalty area ten minutes from time. The result keeps the Greens in top three whilst South has slipped even further away from the top five as the halfway mark of the Victorian Premier League arrives next weekend.
South enjoyed a wealth of possession in the first half and should have gone into the break with a lead, however like in previous weeks the side could not score any of their chances. Trent Rixon went close with a volley early in the game and later in the half had a goal-bound shot cleared off the goal line by the Greens defence. It was Jason Trifiro who had the best chance on the half hour, when he went on a dazzling run through the entire Greens defence before his final shot beat Greens keeper Lawrence Thomas but not the inside of the far goal post. The ball rolled across the goal line before being collected by a grateful Thomas. Bentleigh’s best and only real notable chance of the half came from a Damir Lokvancic free kick that Scott Bulloch couldn’t connect with properly from six yards out.
The home side nearly took the lead in the second half when Lokvancic hit a spectacular volley from nearly thirty yards that flew past Peter Gavalas’ far post, with the South keeper breathing a sigh of relief. South’s next chance fell to Rixon who connected with a Marinos Gasparis cross but could only hit his header straight at Thomas. Glen Trifiro hit a long shot from outside the area that also went straight to Thomas. The game seemed destined for a scoreless draw until the 80th minute when South lost the ball in midfield then carelessly conceded a penalty when Dimi Tsiaras was judged to have handled the ball in the area. Substitute O’Dea stepped up and sent Gavalas the wrong way, placing the ball into the bottom left corner. The home side then ran down the clock and condemned South to a second straight League defeat and a third straight loss in all competitions. South has not won since Friday 11 May against Hume City and since then has only collected one point from a possible twelve in the Victorian Premier League.
Things need to change quickly next Sunday when South hosts traditional rival Heidelberg United at Lakeside Stadium in what is shaping up to a be six-point game. A loss for South could see the them slip dangerously near the relegation zone at the halfway mark of the season, something unthinkable at the start of the season when the side won its opening two matches.
The Under-21s match finished in a goalless stalemate, with South missing a penalty.
FINAL SCORE: BENTLEIGH GREENS 1-0 SOUTH MELBOURNE (HT: 0-0)
Goal Scorer:
1-0: Luke O’Dea PK (80′)
Bentleigh Greens:
Lawrence THOMAS (GK), Nicholas ANSELL, Wayne WALLACE, Paulo RETRE, Connor PAIN, Aron WILFORD, Danny KELLY, (Nicholas CURTIS 89’), Dado LOKVANCIC, Dominic D’ANGELO, Luke PILKINGTON, Scott BULLOCH (Luke O’DEA 65’)
South Melbourne FC:
1. Peter GAVALAS (GK), 2. Tom MATTHEWS, 4. Steven O’DOR, 6. Dimi TSIARAS, 8. Dimi HATZIMOURATIS (25. Kyle JORYEFF 61’), 9. Trent RIXON, 10. Glen TRIFIRO, 11. Bradley NORTON, 12. Philip PETRESKI, 18. Marinos GASPARIS (20. Gianni DE NITTIS 85’), 23. Jason TRIFIRO
SMFC Man of the Match: Tom Matthews
Venue: Kingston Heath Soccer Complex
Date: Friday 15 June 2012