Monday, 13 May 2013 3:21 PM
By John Kyrou
South Melbourne FC came from behind to defeat Richmond 3-2 in a Mother’s Day classic at Lakeside Stadium on Sunday evening. Goals from former South player Kliment Taseski and then Josh Groenewald looked to have given the Eagles the three points, however Tyson Holmes scored a double before Rhys Meredith won the contest for the home side.
South came into the match having won three of its four away games in the opening month of the 2013 Victorian Premier League season, though the last match that it played in the League was the 3-0 loss against Dandenong Thunder. Richmond ’s start to the season was a complete contrast to South’s, with the Eagles having lost all four of their opening matches in the Victorian Premier League, with the most recent being a 2-7 loss against Northcote City. This led to the resignation of former coach Jean-Marc Imbert and the arrival of new coach Grant Brebner. With new management at the helm at Kevin Bartlett Reserve, South coach Peter Tsolakis warned his players not to take the bottom-placed side lightly.
Richmond started brightly and could have opened the scoring in the opening minute of the match but for a rushed finish that was blasted over Peter Gavalas’ near post. From that moment, South enjoyed possession and plenty of positive moves forward but could not break down the Eagles defence. The home side worked hard, however, it could not get past Rani Dowisha despite having a large amount of corners and set pieces. South controlled the match but often gave the ball away sloppily to a Richmond side keen on capitalising on those mistakes. The away side finally did so in first half injury time when Taseski was put through and he chipped the advancing Gavalas to give the Eagles the lead at halftime.
Richmond doubled their advantage two minutes after the halftime break when former South man Hamlet Armenian’s low cross from the right was coolly finished by Groenewald. South were stunned but responded straight away a minute later when Holmes scored his first goal for the Club with a spectacular overhead kick to halve the deficit. The home fans found their voice again as South pressed forward for a leveling goal. It arrived with just over twenty minutes to go when Bradley Norton’s cross from the left side was headed home by Holmes for his second goal of the evening.
Tsolakis brought on Andy Vlahos following the equalising goal and it was the experienced veteran that provided the assist for the winning goal only four minutes after his introduction. Vlahos was put through on goal from a quick throw-in on the left side but his resulting shot was blocked well by Dowisha. Unfortunately for the Richmond custodian, his block could only be parried to the back post where a waiting Meredith was on hand to score the winning goal for the home side. South’s win lifts the Club into second place on the Victorian Premier League table, only three points behind leaders Northcote City .
The Under-21s also enjoyed success in their game, as goals from Trent Rixon and Anthony Giannopoulos gave South a 2-0 victory.
South is on the road again next Sunday afternoon when it travels to Broadmeadows Valley Park to play Hume City . Kick-off is at 3PM next Sunday 19 May.
FINAL SCORE: SOUTH MELBOURNE 3-2 RICHMOND EAGLES (HT: 0-1)
Goal Scorers:
0-1: Kliment Taseski (45+2′)
0-2: Josh Groenewald (47′)
1-2: Tyson Holmes (48′)
2-2: Tyson Holmes (69′)
3-2: Rhys Meredith (73′)
South Melbourne FC:
1. Peter GAVALAS (GK), 6. Dimi TSIARAS, 7. Joe KEENAN (14. Andy VLAHOS 70′), 10. Tyson HOLMES, 11. Brad NORTON, 12. Rhys MEREDITH, 13. Luke BYLES (C), 15. Dimi HATZIMOURATIS, 18. Marinos GASPARIS (8. Fernando DE MORAES 80′), 19. Shaun KELLY, 23. Renco VAN EEKEN
Richmond Eagles:
Rani DOWISHA, Erhan KARAHAN, Peter FRANJIC, Haris VRBOVAC (Sam SHEPPARD 33′), Hamlet ARMENIAN, Kliment TASESKI (Samuel VALDEVEISO 77′), Gideon SWEET (Nicholas KROUSORATIS 60′), Ariel RITZ, Timmy PURCEL, Sam GALLAGHER, Josh GROENEWALD
SMFC Man of the Match: Tyson Holmes
Venue: Lakeside Stadium
Date: Sunday 12 May 2013