Author: Tim McGlone

South Melbourne FC’s two year unbeaten PlayStation 4 NPL Victoria run at Lakeside Stadium has ended following a 0-1 defeat to Bentleigh Greens on Sunday evening.

Chris Lucas’ second half goal consigned an undermanned South Melbourne to its first League loss at home since a 1-4 loss against Bentleigh on 21 July 2013.

South pushed hard for an equaliser but ultimately came up short against a strong Bentleigh defence, with Brad Norton’s late dismissal capping a sour night for the reigning champions.

In a match that pitted the League’s top two sides against each other, South were without two key players in defender Luke Adams and in-form winger Nick Epifano.

Nevertheless, Chris Taylor’s men acquitted themselves well in a tight first half. Milos Lujic had the game’s first chance when he headed over the bar from Tim Mala’s cross.

Nikola Roganovic made a great one-on-one save on the stroke of half-time to prevent Lucas from scoring. Leigh Minopoulos came on at half-time, replacing Mathew Theodore, who was suffering from the effects of concussion.

The game opened up when Lucas scrambled home a goal following a Bentleigh set piece, bundling the ball in the back of the net after Troy Ruthven’s header.

With South pushing for an equaliser, Liam McCormick had a tremendous chance to put the game beyond doubt for the visitors but blazed a header over the bar from point blank range.

Nikola Roganovic made another great save not long after to deny Lucas a second goal and keep the score at 0-1. Stephen Hatzikostas came off the bench to play his first minutes of the season following a lengthy injury layoff and received a warm reception from the home crowd.

In the dying minutes, Lujic headed straight at Alistair Bray as South failed to break through a resolute Greens defence.

Brad Norton’s second yellow card in the third minute of injury time capped a disappointing night.

Coach Chris Taylor was disappointed with the way his side conceded and pointed to Mathew Theodore’s substitution as a turning point in the game. “With the three or four changes we were forced into from last week, I thought we set ourselves quite well. It was a pretty even first half. Theodore with concussion had to come off at half-time, which probably changed the game. A bit disappointed with the goal we conceded, a set play. We’re not used to doing that.”

Taylor was also disappointed with Norton’s dismissal, with his side now short on defenders. Norton will miss next Friday night’s clash with Heidelberg United, which takes place at Lakeside Stadium at 8:30pm.

In the Under 20s, Nick Morton’s late goal gave South Melbourne a 1-0 victory over the Bentleigh Greens.

FINAL SCORE: SOUTH MELBOURNE 0-1 BENTLEIGH (HT: 0-0)

Goal Scorer:
0-1: Chris Lucas (53′)

South Melbourne FC:
1. Nikola ROGANOVIC (GK), 2. Tim MALA, 4. Michael EAGAR (C), 6. Thomas LAKIC (13. Stephen HATZIKOSTAS 83’), 8. Mathew THEODORE (27. Leigh MINOPOULOS 46’), 9. Milos LUJIC, 11. Brad NORTON (sent off 90+3′), 12. Iqi JAWADI, 14. Chris IRWIN (16. Andy BEVIN 62’), 21. Jake BARKER-DAISH, 23. Andy KECOJEVIC.

Unused Subs: 10. David STIRTON, 22. Fraser MacLAREN (GK).

Bentleigh Greens:
21. Alastair BRAY (GK), 4. Troy RUTHVEN, 5. Jack WEBSTER, 6. Liam McCORMICK, 9. Chris LUCAS, 10. Tyson HOLMES, 11. Dion KIRK, 19. Daniel VISEVIC, 23. Ryan DE VRIES, 24. Luke PILKINGTON, 36. Steven TOPALOVIC.

Unused Subs: 1. Ryan SCOTT (GK), 7. Jamie DE ABREU, 8. Wayne WALLACE, 16. Luke O’DEA, 17. Ryan LOVE.

SMFC FIX Hellas Beer Man of the Match: Michael Eagar
Venue: Lakeside Stadium
Date: Sunday 28 June 2015

South Melbourne FC is back in the national spotlight once more following a 6-1 FFA Cup demolition of Frankston Pines at Lakeside Stadium on Wednesday night.

The victory means that South will advance to the Westfield FFA Cup Round of 32 proper for the first time after missing out in 2014. It also gives South the chance to win a national Cup competition for the first time since defeating Newcastle Breakers 3-1 to win the old National League Cup in 1996.

Despite the lopsided scoreline on Wednesday night, State League One side Frankston were far from disgraced and caused South Melbourne trouble in the first half. In one of several opportunities in an impressive opening, the Pines had the ball in the back of the net after thirteen minutes, however the goal was disallowed for offside.

The home side had the chance to take the lead on the half hour mark when Nick Epifano was brought down in the box. Unfortunately for South, the usually reliable Milos Lujic had his penalty saved by Pines goalkeeper Kris McEvoy. It mattered little as Leigh Minopoulos capitalised on a defensive mix-up three minutes later to give South the lead.

Roles were reversed on the stroke of half-time, when Lujic won a penalty that Epifano stepped up to take. The in-form winger, who netted twice in the unforgettable victory against the Melbourne Knights in the previous round of the Cup, calmly slotted home to make the score 2-0 to the home side.

After a quiet opening to the second half, South scored three goals in the space of four minutes to all but end the contest.
Lujic nodded home from Epifano’s cross after 75 minutes, before substitute Andy Kecojevic scored a wonderful goal following a failed defensive clearance from Frankston. Lujic added his second of the night a couple of minutes later, with Iqi Jawadi then completing the rout by scoring his fifth goal of the season after a fantastic solo run.

With the match into injury time, Brad Blumenthal scored a consolation goal for a Frankston side that had enjoyed a very impressive Cup run in 2015 but that had ultimately ended for them at Lakeside Stadium.

As well as qualifying for the Westfield FFA Cup, South has also qualified for the Semi Finals of the Dockerty Cup and will be trying to win the Dockerty Cup for the first time since defeating the Melbourne Knights 3-1 in the 1995 final.

The draw for the FFA Cup Round of 32 will be broadcast live on FoxSports on Wednesday 1 July at 4pm.

FINAL SCORE: SOUTH MELBOURNE 6-1 FRANKSTON PINES (HT: 2-0)

Goal Scorers:
1-0: Leigh Minopoulos (33′)
2-0: Nick Epifano (43’p)
3-0: Milos Lujic (75′)
4-0: Andy Kecojevic (77′)
5-0: Milos Lujic (79′)
6-0: Iqi Jawadi (84′)
6-1: Brad Blumenthal (90+4′)

South Melbourne FC:
1. Nikola ROGANOVIC (GK), 4. Michael EAGAR (C), 6. Tom LAKIC, 11. Brad NORTON (19. Massimo PESCE 64’), 7. Nick EPIFANO, 9. Milos LUJIC, 12. Iqi JAWADI, 16. Andy BEVIN (23. Andy KECOJEVIC 55’), 20. Nick MORTON, 21. Jake BARKER-DAISH, 27. Leigh MINOPOULOS.

Unused Subs: 2. Tim MALA, 8. Matthew THEODORE, 22. Fraser MacLAREN (GK).

Frankston Pines:
23. Kris McEVOY (GK), 2. Kyle CRAWFORD (5. Jordan AVRAHAM 33’), 4. Ilya DAVIDOV (13. Matthew HODGSON 72’), 6. Phil HAWKINS, 7. Grant LANE, 8. Michael HOOGENDYK, 9. Brad BLUMENTHAL, 10. Nick GIANNOPOULOS, 12. Paul MCEVOY, 15. Matthew HAMES (17. Ioasa SAEMO 58’), 18. Chris HODGSON.

Unused Subs: 1. Jordan MARSHALL, 3. Aidan VERDUN.

SMFC Fix Hellas Beer Man of the Match: Leigh Minopoulos
Venue: Lakeside Stadium
Date: Wednesday 17 June 2015

South Melbourne FC heads into tonight’s Westfield FFA Cup Round 7 clash against the Frankston Pines at Lakeside Stadium knowing that they are just one win away from once again gracing the national stage.

Victory against the Pines, who compete in State League 1, will guarantee South Melbourne a passage into the Westfield FFA Cup Round of 32 proper, joining the ten A-League teams and various state league clubs from around the country. Winning tonight will also see South qualify for the Dockerty Cup semi finals, making this clash all the more vital.

SMFC’s 2015 Westfield FFA Cup Qualifying Campaign so far:
Round 4: 5-0 v Whittlesea United (Saturday 14 March) at Thomas Street Reserve.
Round 5: 8-0 v North Sunshine (Wednesday 15 April) at Lakeside Stadium.
Round 6: 3-1 v Melbourne Knights (Friday 5 June) at Lakeside Stadium.

Iqi Jawadi’s stunning long-range effort gave South a precious 0-1 win against the Dandenong Thunder last Saturday night and continued South’s run of three consecutive wins across all competitions. Goalkeeper Fraser MacLaren produced a man-of-the-match display in his first full debut for the club, pulling off a string of fine saves to ensure the three points. With first-choice goalkeeper Nikola Roganovic available after serving his mandatory one-week suspension following his sending off against the Melbourne Knights on 5 June, it remains to be seen who will start in between the sticks tonight.

Another man who could feature heavily in tonight’s game is recent signing Andy Bevin, who arrived at Lakeside Stadium from MLS side Seattle Sounders last week and made his debut against Dandenong. With Frankston likely to take a defensive mindset into the game, Coach Chris Taylor will be hoping that Bevin and fellow attackers Milos Lujic and Nick Epifano are able to create early goal scoring opportunities.

Frankston Pines have been impressive in reaching this stage of the FFA Cup, with the State League 1 South-West club one of the remaining lower division clubs still alive in the competition. They earnt the right to play against South Melbourne by beating NPL Victoria side Avondale FC 1-0 in a major FFA Cup qualifying upset. Frankston currently sits in seventh position in their League and heads into tonight’s clash having lost 2-1 against Noble Park at the weekend.

Frankston Pines’ 2015 Westfield FFA Cup Qualifying Campaign so far:
Round 3: 4-2 v Moreland United (Saturday 7 March) at C B Smith Reserve.
Round 4: 5-1 v Kings Domain (Saturday 14 March) at Monterey Reserve.
Round 5: 3-1 (AET) v Morwell Pegasus (Wednesday 15 April) at Monterey Reserve.
Round 6: 1-0 v Avondale FC (Sunday 7 June) at Monterey Reserve.

South Melbourne and Frankston Pines have previously played each other six times in the old Victorian Premier League, with South winning five of those games and the other game ending in a 1-1 draw. The last match played between the two sides saw South defeat Frankston 1-3 at Monterey Reserve on Sunday 24 August 2008 thanks to goals from Fernando De Moraes (69′, 81′) and Gianni De Nittis (89′). South has won all three of their home matches against Frankston.

Tonight’s match shapes as one of the defining games of the season for South Melbourne, with the chance to again compete for national glory on the line for Australia’s most successful football club. The match kicks off at 7:30pm at Lakeside Stadium. All 2015 South Melbourne members have free entry.

Nick Epifano’s first goal in Friday night’s FFA Cup match against Melbourne Knights is one that will live long in the memory of all South Melbourne supporters.

Having trailed for the entire night, Epifano’s looping, dipping shot that found the top right hand corner put South ahead with seven minutes remaining, and was the sort of magical moment the FFA Cup is becoming
renowned for.

Epifano produced the best performance of his South career to date against the club’s great rivals, scoring a late brace to lift South to a sensational 3-1 victory.

The win exorcized demons of the corresponding fixture last season, where Knights upset a highly fancied South side to advance to the FFA Cup finals.

Stand in captain Brad Norton hailed the enigmatic 20 year old’s performance, reserving special praise for THAT goal.

“Once you saw him pick it up you thought he was going to score it.” Norton told SMFC TV post match. He cut down the wing and when he hit it, man I was having heart palpitations. Epa has worked hard the last few weeks on and off the park, he’s been scoring goals for us lately. Tonight was a big game for him, and a big game for the club, and he stepped up for us.”

After a rocky start to the season, both individual and team seem to have clicked in recent weeks.

Head coach Chris Taylor, a close mentor of Epifano, applauded both the goal and the player.

“It was one of those ones that hung there for a while, but it went in and it was a great goal to win the game on. Full credit to the boy. He’s been a match-winner tonight and since some well publicised problems at the start of the year it is extremely pleasing to see the work he is putting in is starting to be rewarded”

The man himself, Nick Epifano was also quite pleased with the effort, the win and the progress he has made on and of the park since the start of the season. “The start of the year was quite tough for me personally and i’m sorry about how some things happened. While I can’t change that, i can work hard to make sure I play well for the team and for the supporters. Its great that the boys got the win and for me to finally hit the back of the net. I want to be scoring more and giving the everyone at the club more to get excited about, so i’m very happy tonight and can’t wait to our next match against Dandy”.

The draw for the next round of the FFA Cup will be held on Tuesday.

South Melbourne vice-captain Brad Norton has hailed the atmosphere at Lakeside Stadium in the aftermath of the club’s epic 3-1 FFA Cup victory over Melbourne Knights.

South came from behind to win agains their rivals for the third time this season, with Norton visibly ecstatic with the victory.

“In the four years I’ve been at this club I don’t reckon I’ve played in a game like this.” Norton told SMFC TV after the game.

“The atmosphere, with the crowd getting involved, I was saying to one of the boys, it was almost like the old NSL days. We can’t ask for any more. It’s what got us over the line, being at home and having our 12^th man. I’m a bit speechless at the moment, it was crazy. We have the best fans in the country by a mile”

Milos Lujic converted a penalty to draw South level with 10 minutes to play in the match, before a late brace to Nick Epifano sealed a memorable win.

The victory moves South to within one game of qualification for the lucrative FFA Cup finals, where the boys from Lakeside would once again grace the national stage against the likes of Melbourne Victory should they progress.

Brad Norton took the captain’s armband on the night in the absence of regular skipper Michael Eagar, and was also given the daunting task of filling in at Eagar’s regular position in the heart of defence.

Norton was typically understated when asked about his role on the night.

“Look I enjoy the challenge, but at the same time we’d love to have Michael Eagar back in there. But I knew I had to do a role for the team tonight. Everyone had a job tonight and we knew that if everyone stepped up and did theirs, we’d get over the line and that’s what we did.”

South Melbourne will be out to exact some revenge when it takes on Melbourne Knights in a huge FFA Cup clash tonight at Lakeside Stadium.

South are two wins away from qualifying for the FFA Cup finals, however it was the Knights that knocked the club out of the running for the Cup finals at the final stage of qualifying last season.

That match, also at the Lakeside, was possibly the upset of the season in Victorian football in 2014, given South’s dominance of the league up until that point.

This time around it has been a similar story, with South sitting second on the table on goal difference, while Knights have also been impressive and sit in fourth position. However, ladder positions are often irrelevant when these two sides meet.

The two sides have met twice already this season, producing two very similar tales on each occasion. A come from behind 2-1 victory at Somers street, in torrential rain, in the FFV Community Shield served as the perfect start to South’s 2015 campaign.

Then, in March, Andy Brennan netted the winner in a dominant display as South again overcame an early deficit to triumph 2-1 in the league.

Tonight’s match will be Brennan’s last in a South shirt this season, with the rangy winger on his way to A-League side Newcastle Jets. Brennan will no doubt be keen to end his time at South on a high, and given he has scored on both occasions against South’s old rivals this season, it is a brave person that would back the Tasmanian scoring again tonight.

South regain Golden Boot winner Milos Lujic for the match, after he missed a match for picking up his fifth yellow card of the season against Oakleigh a fortnight ago.

Who Chris Taylor will drop for the razor sharp marksman is the subject of much debate. Leigh Minopoulos filled in as striker in the 7-1 victory over North Geelong Warriors last Friday, scoring a double in the process.

Andy Kecojevic, Chris Irwin, Iqi Jawadi and Brennan himself also scored in that match, making selection for this game very difficult.

One man who won’t be under consideration is Captain Michael Eagar, who will miss again through suspension following his red card against Oakleigh.

South have defeated Whittlesea Ranges and North Sunshine FC to get to this round of the Cup, scoring a total of 13 goals in those two matches. Knights progressed on the back of victories against Melton Phoenix and Sunbury United.

A large crowd is expected for what is always a passionate affair.

The clash between South Melbourne and Melbourne Knights kicks off at 7.30pm at Lakeside Stadium, Albert Park. Those unable to make the match can follow proceedings on the club’s Facebook and Twitter accounts, using the handles #SMFC and #FFACup.

This Friday night’s FFA Cup match against Melbourne Knights will be Andy Brennan’s 16^th and final appearance for South Melbourne this season. While there have been many to have played more games in the club’s famous blue and white jersey, few have made as much of an immediate impact as Brennan has.

Following Friday night’s game, the Tasmanian will travel north to join up with the club he signed for in April, A-League side Newcastle Jets.

Brennan joined South Melbourne from PS4 Victory League side South Hobart last November. During his time at Lakeside Stadium, the rangy winger has constantly wowed the supporters with his blistering pace and power.

The 21 year old has scored seven goals for South at time of print, although this total is a very real possibility of being added to on Friday night given Brennan’s penchant for scoring against Melbourne Knights.

He memorably scored with his first touch as a South player against South’s old rivals, equalizing in torrential conditions in the 2-1 Community Shield victory at Somers Street back in February.

A goal and man-of-the-match display in the 2-1 league victory over Knights in April was enough to convince the Jets officials in attendance at that game of Brennan’s worth.

A quietly spoken character, Brennan highlighted the two previous Knights games as favourites of his time at South, whilst also noting his improvement under head coach Chris Taylor.

“CT’s been such a massive help, and had such an impact on me in a short period of time” Brennan said ahead of his final game.

“I’ve looked of videos of myself, and I’ve seen a really big improvement. Before in my crossing, I never used to look to get the ball in the box that much and now, that’s pretty much my first thought, how I can get the ball into a dangerous area. That’s pretty much all down to Chris. He had a chat to me and I started doing what he said, and I can remember the training where it all initially clicked. He’s certainly someone I’ll keep looking back to if I need any guidance.”

Along with South striker Milos Lujic, Brennan has formed one of the deadliest partnerships seen at South Melbourne in recent years.

On countless occasions this season, Lujic has found the back of the net following a pinpoint cross from Brennan, with the pair developing a unique and prolific understanding.

While Lujic will no doubt miss his partner in crime, Brennan says he is just as disappointed he won’t have the big striker with him at Newcastle.

“I suppose training together you learn the way each other moves, and Milos knows when I’m going to put the ball in the box. He’s a pretty good target to hit, you know he’s going to finish most of the time when you put one in. I think I I’ll be just as disappointed to lose him, where if we stayed together longer we’d probably only get better, but unfortunately that’s the way football is sometimes.”

Given the importance of the FFA Cup clash with the Knights, head coach Taylor demanded a stipulation of Brennan’s move to Newcastle be that he still remained available for this fixture.

Whereas one might expect a player’s form to decrease after joining a club at a higher level, it must be said that Brennan’s form has only gone from strength to strength since he signed with the Jets.

It says much about the character of the man, who described his time at South as ‘amazing’.

“Overall it’s been really enjoyable. It’s a pretty formidable club. Everything from the players at the club, the training facilities, coaching staff, the people behind the scenes, guys like (team manager) Frank Piccone, Nick Maikousis, CT, the media people. The whole experience has been amazing and its one that I definitely won’t forget.”

South Melbourne would like to thank Andy Brennan for his service to the club this season, and wishes him all the best for the rest of his career, where one day we hope to see him wearing our famous shirt again.

 

A sensational second half performance has seen South Melbourne run away with a commanding 7-1 victory over North Geelong Warriors at Lakeside Stadium on Friday night.

South scored six goals after the break, with Leigh Minopoulos (two), Andy Brennan, Andy Kecojevic, Chris Irwin and Iqi Jawadi all netting after half-time to give South the perfect response to last weekend’s loss to Oakleigh Cannons.

South’ Nick Epifano gave the home side the perfect start when his shot took a wicked deflection off Warriors defender Michael Grgic, and trickled into the back of the net in just the third minute of play.

Despite missing stars Milos Lujic and Michael Eagar through suspension, South looked comfortable on the ball and were dominant in the game from the outset. Teenage defender Thomas Lakic made a promising debut for the club, proving he may be another shrewd Chris Taylor acquisition after joining South on deadline day.

Nikola Roganovic made a smart save to deny North Geelong’s Yusuf Yusuf after half an hour, however the 1-0 halftime score-line flattered the Warriors, given South’s dominance in possession.

Not long after the break, Leigh Minopoulos capitalised on a rare berth in the starting line-up when he finished neatly from Nick Epifano’s cross.

Minutes later, South had a third when Andy Brennan drove home from the edge of the box after he was played through by Epifano.

Substitute Andy Kecojevic scored straight away after coming onto the ground. The seventeen year-old lobbed the ball over the North Geelong keeper, before using a second touch to put the ball into the back of the net.

It was raining goals at the Lakeside, with North Geelong unable to halt South’s attacking play. Chris Irwin scored his first goal for the club with a sensational run and finish down the right hand side.

Leigh Minopoulos scored his second for the night in the 86^th minute, giving South five goals in 40 minutes of play.

Matthew Townley converted a penalty to pull one back for the visitors, however it was merely a consolation goal.

Iqi Jawadi rounded off a tremendous night with a goal in injury time, to make the final score 7-1.

Coach Chris Tayor was pleased with how a relatively new side gelled together on the night.

“The pleasing part for me was having so many new faces out there, and putting in a good performance.

“It’s a massive disruption when you lose four players from the week before.

“I thought the four at the back acquitted themselves well, Tom Lakic had outstanding game at full-back for his debut.

“I’ve said all along we’ve got a great dressing room here, the boys really believe in themselves, tonight was just a question of whether we’d adapt to the changes and we did.”

FINAL SCORE: SOUTH MELBOURNE 7-1 NORTH GEELONG (HT: 1-0)

Goal Scorers:
1-0: Michael Grgic OG (3’)
2-0: Leigh Minopoulos (52’)
3-0: Andy Brennan (58’)
4-0: Andy Kecojevic (62’)
5-0: Chris Irwin (77’)
6-0: Leigh Minopoulos (86’)
6-1: Matthew Townley (88’p)
7-1: Iqi Jawadi (90+2′)

South Melbourne FC:
1. Nikola ROGANOVIC (GK), 2. Tim MALA, 6. Tom LAKIC, 5. Luke ADAMS, 7. Nick EPIFANO, 8. Mathew THEODORE (23. Andy KECOJEVIC 60′), 11. Brad NORTON (C), 12. Iqi JAWADI, 17. Andy BRENNAN (14. Chris IRWIN 59′), 21. Jake BARKER-DAISH (20. Nick MORTON 72′), 27. Leigh MINOPOULOS.

Unused Substitutes: 19. Massimo PESCE, 22. Fraser MacLAREN (GK).

North Geelong Warriors:
1. Daniel ZILIC (GK), 2. Darren LEWIS, 3. Matthew TOWNLEY, 7. Ridvan SAGLAM (14. Gareth RICHARDS 59’), 8. Vito CICHELLO, 10. Yusuf YUSUF, 11. Juso JULARDZUA, 16. Michael GRGIC (6. Josh PUGH 80’), 17. Nicholas JURCIC, 18. Stipe TRBUHOVIC (7. Reardo LUKA 80’), 23. Michael ANDERSON.

Unused Substitutes: 5. Anthony BANOVAC, 31. Hamish FLAVELL.

SMFC Fix Hellas Beer Man of the Match: Nick Epifano
Venue: Lakeside Stadium
Date: Friday 29 May 2015

South Melbourne returns to the Lakeside on Friday night for what shapes as a vital home clash against North Geelong Warriors.

SMFC lost their first game of the season last Friday night against Oakleigh Cannons. The 2-0 defeat at Oakleigh’s Jack Edwards Reserve ended an incredible 19 game unbeaten run in the league.

The loss was further soured by a serious knee injury to midfielder Dane Milovanovic, and suspensions to leading goal scorer Milos Lujic and captain Michael Eagar. Lujic picked up his fifth yellow card of the season, meaning he will miss only this clash, however Eagar’s red card means he will serve at least a two game suspension.

South added three signings to their squad on the final day of the NPL transfer window in the shape of midfielder Thomas Lakic from Melbourne Victory’s NPL1 side and goalkeeper Fraser McLaren from Kingston City. The duo join Chris Irwin (pictured), Andy Bevin and Nick Morton as the club’s mid-season additions.

In Lujic’s absence, it is expected that Tasmanian Andy Brennan will start his game as the side’s frontline striker, with Leigh Minopoulos or David Stirton likely to receive a call-up to the side’s starting line-up.

Despite the setbacks, Chris Taylor’s men will be confident of getting back on track against the bottom-placed Warriors, who have struggled to adapt to life in Victoria’s top flight after being promoted last season.

North Geelong have picked up just five points in the first half of this campaign, with their only win coming in the form of an astonishing 6-1 dismantling of Green Gully earlier in the season.

The Warriors have lost star winger Robbie Zadworny to Melbourne Knights in the transfer window, however have picked up a trio of players from NPL1 in Yusuf Yusuf (St. Albans) Ridvan Saglam (Whittlesea Ranges) Gareth Richards (Moreland City).

The last time these two sides met, South took the points in a 3-0 victory at Elcho Park, with goals to David Stirton, Milos Lujic and Andy Brennan.

The clash between South Melbourne and North Geelong Warriors kicks off at 8.30pm at Lakeside Stadium, Albert Park. Those unable to make the match can follow proceedings on the club’s Facebook and Twitter accounts, using the handles #SMFC and #PS4NPLVIC.

 

 

 

South Melbourne has pulled off a major coup in signing former New Zealand U20 international Andy Bevin to its squad for the remainder of the 2015 National Premier League season.

The razor sharp striker joins South after a stint with MLS side Seattle Sounders, where other names in the squad included former English Premier League stars Clint Dempsey and Obefami Martins.

Prior to his time in Seattle, Bevin spent four years at West Virginia University, where he made a name for himself as a reliable finisher in front of goal. Bevin finished his time at WVU ranked seventh on the University’s all time goal scoring list with 31 goals.

Originally from Napier, New Zealand, Bevin starred for Hawkes Bay United and Waitiakere United across the ditch before getting his chance in the U.S. In the 2010/11 season, as an 18 year old, Bevin came second in the New Zealand championship Golden Boot award.

In 2011, Bevin represented New Zealand at the FIFA U20 World Cup in Colombia, scoring a goal against Uruguay in the group stage. He also represented the All-Whites at the U17 World Cup in 2009.

Bevin will link up with fellow Kiwis Luke Adams and Michael Eagar at the club, continuing the strong New Zealand theme that has been present over the last few years at Lakeside Stadium.

The 22 year old will be available in early June as he arrives in the country from New Zealand.

South Melbourne FC Football Director Nicholas Maikousis was excited by the signing of Bevin. “Andy has joined the club after a quite successful period of playing in the United States, where his form at University level prompted him to be drafted by MLS franchise Seattle Sounders. While that didn’t work for him, we are extremely confident that we have acquired an attacking player that will make an immediate impact at this level through his work rate and ability to score. We cannot wait until he arrives”.

The signing is South’s third of the mid-season transfer window, following Tasmanian Nick Morton, and winger Chris Irwin.

Everyone at South Melbourne would like to welcome Andy to the club, and wish him all the best for his time in Blue and White.

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