Author: Tim McGlone

South Melbourne FC enjoyed derby success for the second time in 2015 with a come from behind win against the Melbourne Knights at Lakeside Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Goals from Milos Lujic and Andy Brennan were enough to record a 2-1 victory that lifted South above their old rivals and into third position on the PlayStation 4 NPL Victoria ladder, with a game in hand over the top two teams Heidelberg and Bentleigh.

On a magnificent Melbourne afternoon, the Knights took an early lead through their former captain Ben Surey, who had the ball in the back of the net despite an attempted clearance off the line from a South defender.

Despite the early setback, South had looked dangerous from the offset, especially down the right flank where Andy Brennan was giving his opposite number a torrid time. Time and again the big Tasmanian beat his opponent down the wing and delivered excellent crosses, however in-form striker Milos Lujic was unable to get on the end of the crosses to turn South’s dominance into goals.

Filling in for the suspended Tim Mala at right back, Bonel Obradovic nearly scored an astonishing goal when his volleyed cross-come-shot smacked the crossbar.

It seemed as though South would head into the break with a 0-1 deficit, with the defending NPL Victoria Champions unable to translate their dominance of the game on the scoreboard.

On the stroke of half time, the game really kicked into gear when Iqi Jawadi went down in the box and the referee pointed to the spot. Lujic coolly converted the penalty with the last kick of the first half, with the goal leading to a scuffle between the two sides en route to the change rooms.

South picked up where they left off in the second half and it wasn’t long before Andy Brennan calmly slotted home the winner after finding himself one-on-one with Knights goalkeeper Chris May. Brennan is making a habit of scoring in the derby, having also scored against Knights in the FFV Community Shield clash in February.

South could have put the game beyond doubt when first Lujic and then David Stirton were denied by some tremendous goalkeeping from May that kept the score at 2-1.

The last twenty minutes gave supporters their first glimpse at star signing Jake Barker-Daish, who got through his first run for South Melbourne without issue.

Despite having to endure some pressure from Knights in the final few minutes, South’s defence held firm to record a second derby victory in 2015.

It was further good news in the Under 20s, as Nashir Hussainey’s goal gave South Melbourne a 1-0 win against the Melbourne Knights.

South next hosts North Sunshine Eagles in the fifth round FFA Cup match, with kick-off at 7:30pm at Lakeside Stadium on Wednesday night.

FINAL SCORE: SOUTH MELBOURNE 2-1 MELBOURNE KNIGHTS (HT: 1-1)

Goal scorers:
0-1: Ben Surey (13’)
1-1: Milos Lujic (45’p)
2-1: Andy Brennan (54’)

South Melbourne FC:
1. Nikola ROGANOVIC (GK), 4. Michael EAGAR (C), 5. Luke ADAMS, 6. Bonel OBRADOVIC, 8. Mathew THEODORE (21. Jake BARKER-DAISH 60’), 9. Milos LUJIC, 10. David STIRTON, 11. Brad NORTON, 12. Iqi JAWADI, 13. Dane MILOVANOVIC, 17. Andy BRENNAN (27. Leigh MINOPOULOS 86’).

Melbourne Knights:
1. Chris MAY (GK), 4. Ben SUREY, 5. Milan BATUR, 6. Tomislav USKOK (C), 11. Anthony COLOSIMO (9. Jacob COLOSIMO 78’), 12. Ivan GRGIC, 15. Alex DAO, 18. Josh BREKALO, 21. Stipo ANDRIJASEVIC, 23. Adrian ZAHRA (7. Christopher TALAJIC 60’), 27. Andrew BARISIC.

SMFC Fix Hellas Beer Man of the Match: Andy Brennan
Venue: Lakeside Stadium
Date: Saturday 11 April 2015

South Melbourne FC returns home this Saturday afternoon when they take on old foes the Melbourne Knights in a huge derby clash at Lakeside Stadium.

The match is a top of the table affair, with the Knights currently occupying second position on the PlayStation 4 NPL Victoria ladder behind Heidelberg United on goal difference. South enter this weekend two points off the pace in fourth, albeit with a game in hand over the rest of the competition. A victory on Saturday will see the defending Champions leapfrog the Knights on the table and possibly even end the round on top of the ladder.

Green Gully was the scene of South’s 2-0 victory last weekend, an explosive match that saw Tim Mala sent off following an incident in the dying minutes. Mala will miss this week’s clash with suspension, with Bonel Obradovic his most likely replacement at the right side of defence.

The loss of Mala is somewhat compensated by the return to fitness of star signing Jake Barker-Daish, who has been kept out of action in the first part of the season with a persistent knee injury. The former Adelaide United midfielder, who signed for the Club with much fanfare in February, has been in full training for some weeks and looks certain to play some part in Saturday’s match.

Dane Milovanovic, Andy Brennan and Milos Lujic were the stars of last weekend’s win, with Lujic scoring a late brace to take his season’s tally to six goals in all competitions in 2015. Milovanovic took full advantage of his promotion to the starting line-up with a commanding display in midfield, while Brennan was also impressive after coming on as a substitute.

The Melbourne Knights were the form team in the first few months of the NPL Victoria season, with five wins from their first five games leading some to label them as title contenders. Last weekend, Andrew Marth’s men dropped their first points in a 3-0 home loss against the Bentleigh Greens and then gave up a two goal lead to draw 2-2 at home to the struggling Oakleigh Cannons on Tuesday night.
In the inaugural FFV Community Shield in early February at Knights Stadium, South came from a goal down to defeat the Knights 2-1 thanks to late goals from Brennan and Leigh Minopoulos. South fans will be hoping for more heroics from their men, in a match that was once considered the biggest game in Australian football. 

A large crowd is expected for the match, which kicks off at 3pm on Saturday afternoon at Lakeside Stadium. Those unable to make the game can follow it with live updates on the South Melbourne FC Facebook page and on the Club’s official Twitter @smfc with the hashtags #PS4NPL and #SMFC.

South Melbourne FC clash with Green Gully on Saturday afternoon in a match that pits two teams side by side on the PlayStation 4 NPL Victoria table against each other.

The clash will be the sixth consecutive match South have played away from Lakeside Stadium, with the stretch netting two League wins, two League draws and an FFA Cup victory over Whittlesea United.

Those draws have come in the previous two matches, with last week’s 1-1 derby draw preceding the pulsating match 2-2 fixture against the Bentleigh Greens a fortnight ago. Whilst not picking up maximum points in either of these fixtures, South’s ability to remain undefeated and come away with a draw against arguably two NPL Victoria Championship contenders in 2015 could be vital come the end of the season.

Chris Taylor’s men are currently four points off the pace in fourth position, however a win this weekend could see that margin trimmed to one point following Melbourne Knights’ loss to Bentleigh on Thursday night.

South have won the past three encounters against Green Gully. Last season’s corresponding fixture produced one of the games of the season, with South winning 3-5 in a match Gully finished with nine men on the park. Milos Lujic scored a hat-trick and South fans will be hoping for a similar performance in this week’s crucial clash. The powerful marksman has found the back of the net in each of the past two games and looks to be getting close to top form.

Another man who has been extremely impressive so far this season is Nikola Roganovic. After two years out of the game, the shot-stopper has made a number of important saves at crucial times for South, playing a pivotal role in South’s unbeaten start to the season. Roganovic is no stranger at Green Gully Reserve either, having been between the sticks during Gully’s VPL Championship winning seasons of 2010 and 2011.

The squad continues to be impacted by injuries following last weekend’s taxing derby. Cody Martindale will miss after limping off in the opening few minutes with a knee injury. Tim Mala also came off with a knock but is expected to be fit to take his place in the side against Green Gully.

The clash kicks off at 3pm at Green Guly Reserve, Keilor Downs. Those unable to make the game can follow it with live updates on the South Melbourne FC Facebook page and on the Club’s official Twitter @smfc with the hashtags #PS4NPL and #SMFC.

South Melbourne FC remains unbeaten following a 1-1 draw with rivals Heidelberg United at Olympic Village on Sunday afternoon. South took an early lead when Milos Lujic fired a superb shot into the bottom corner in the twelfth minute, however Kaine Sheppard’s second half equaliser meant that the away side had to settle for a share of the points for a second consecutive week.

Chris Taylor’s men were keen to atone for their slow start against the Bentleigh Greens the week prior and took the lead when Lujic capitalised on some good work up the field to score with a slick finish past Griffin McMaster from the edge of the box. The lead was almost doubled a few minutes later when Lujic managed to get on the end of Andy Brennan’s stinging cross, only for his well-timed volley to be directed straight at McMaster. South’s poor run with injuries continued in this match, with Cody Martindale forced off early with what appeared to be a serious knee injury. Tim Mala also picked up a knock after landing awkwardly and was substituted in the second half. South’s passing and interplay was superb in the first half and although the score was only 0-1 at half-time, many at the ground were predicting a comfortable victory margin for the reigning PlayStation 4 NPL Victoria Champions.

As has often been the tale this season however, this was to be a game of two halves. It could have been 0-2 early in the second half when Andy Brennan, who enjoyed a good game, was unable to finish after some fantastic lead-up work by Nick Epifano down the right side. Moments later South lost the ball in midfield and the ball went down the other end of the pitch, with Sheppard firing home from distance to level the scores at 1-1. South were forced to endure wave after wave of attack from the Bergers, with the defence being put under enormous pressure from a fired up home side. A string of fine saves from Nikola Roganovic kept South in it; the goalkeeper at one stage blocking Sheppard in a one-on-one situation where a goal seemed a certainty. Four-time Championship winner Roganovic has been in tremendous form this season after two years out of the game.

Despite the pressure, Roganovic and his back four held firm to ensure a point was salvaged from a match where a point looked unlikely at times in the second half. Epifano might have won it right at the end for South, having been put through by substitute Leigh Minopoulos, however Heidelberg cleared the ball away with what proved to be the final play of a pulsating derby.

Coach Chris Taylor lamented his side’s run with injuries but said a draw was probably a fair result. “It’s been the story of our season so far and we’ve been unlucky again with injuries today. Heidelberg had some chances to win it in the second half…at the same time you have to look at the chances we had to put the result beyond doubt, so you could say that both sides could have won it.”

Sunday’s 1-1 draw leaves the reigning NPL Victoria Champions in fourth position on the table, four points behind League leaders Melbourne Knights.

The Under 20s unfortunately lost 3-2 against Heidelberg, with Nashir Hussainey and Eric Hauser scoring South’s goals.
South Melbourne FC next face Green Gully this Saturday afternoon in the last of a grueling run of tough away fixtures to start the season. Kick-off is at 3pm at Green Gully Reserve.

FINAL SCORE: HEIDELBERG UNITED 1-1 SOUTH MELBOURNE (HT: 0-1)

Goal scorers:
0-1: Milos Lujic (12’)
1-1: Kaine Sheppard (65’)

Heidelberg United:
23. Griffin MCMASTER (GK), 2. Jamie CUMMINGS, 13. Luke BYLES, 17. Steve PACE, 9. Kostas KANAKARIS (3. Les DOUMBALIS 60’), 10. Jack PETRIE, 5. Daniel VASILEVSKI (8. John VOULGARIS 60’), 7. Reuben WAY, 21. Andreas GOVAS, 22. Kaine SHEPPARD, 12. Kenny ATHIU (24. Andrew CARTANOS 75’).

Unused substitutes: 1. Christopher MAYNARD, 20. Nejc KOLMAN.

South Melbourne FC:
1. Nikola ROGANOVIC (GK), 2. Tim MALA  (6. Bonel OBRADOVIC 55’), 4. Michael EAGAR, 5. Luke ADAMS,  7. Nick EPIFANO, 8. Matthew THEODORE, 9. Milos LUJIC, 11. Brad NORTON, 12. Iqbal JAWADI, 15. Cody MARTINDALE (23. Andy KECOJEVIC 8’), 17. Andy BRENNAN (27. Leigh MINOPOULOS 72’).

Unused Subs: 13. Dane MILOVANOVIC, 10. David STIRTON.

Fix Hellas Man of the Match: Nikola Roganovic
Venue: Olympic Village
Date: Sunday 29 March 2015

It will be yet another huge clash away from home when South Melbourne FC takes on old rivals Heidelberg United at the Olympic Village on Sunday afternoon.

Last week, South fought back from a 2-0 half-time deficit to register a draw away at the Bentleigh Greens. Milos Lujic and Nick Epifano were the players that got on the scoresheet for South in the second half, with the team finishing the match strongly following what could be described as a very underwhelming first half.

South is yet to taste defeat in 2015 across all competitions and will be desperate to maintain that record against old foes Heidelberg United. The historic Heidelberg-South Melbourne derby is one that goes all the way back into the 1960s, with the teams first meeting each other on Monday 30 March 1964. South Melbourne Hellas beat Alexander 2-1 on that day thanks to two goals from George Papadopoulos.

It remains to be seen what starting eleven Head Coach Chris Taylor will take into the derby this Sunday. David Stirton has started every League match this season, although the recruit is facing stiff competition for the right sided spot in attack from Tasmanian Andy Brennan. Mathew Theodore played an impressive 90 minutes against Bentleigh, with most only expecting an hour’s work from the man returning from hip surgery. The diminutive midfielder is likely to start the derby, providing that his body has had enough time to recover. The tenacious Cody Martindale was another who impressed at Kingston Heath, coming on at half-time and helping South wrestle control of the midfield battle.

South was far too strong in both encounters against Heidelberg last season, with two 3-0 victories underlying their superiority. Having said that, Heidelberg were very impressive in their return to Victoria’s top flight in 2014, winning twelve games en route to finishing third in the League standings. The Bergers have started strongly again this season, winning three out of their first four games to sit in sixth position.

One thing that Taylor and his coaching staff won’t have to worry about is containing star Heidelberg marksman Dan Heffernan, who is expected to miss the game through injury. The striker netted 18 times last season and finished second behind South’s Milos Lujic in the Golden Boot award. Despite this setback for the Bergers, the home side still have a number of players who can find the back of the net, with Kaine Sheppard likely to be the man that the South defence must be most wary of.

Sunday’s clash marks the 78th time that the two sides have faced off against each other in League competition (both at State League and National League level). South has won 40 times, Heidelberg has won 20 times and there have been 18 draws. South’s best win against the Bergers was 5-0 at Middle Park on 17 November 1991, with Heidelberg’s best win against South being 5-2 at Middle Park on 4 July 1977.

Heidelberg have not beaten South since triumphing 2-0 at the Olympic Village on 11 July 2010. Whilst form and recent history means nothing when these sides face off, South will be hoping they can once again rise to the challenge in a big game as they have done so often in recent times.

Sunday’s derby match kicks off at 4pm at the Olympic Village.

In what was a thrilling contest worthy of its top of the table billing, a stirring comeback saw South Melbourne FC record a 2-2 draw with the Bentleigh Greens at Kingston Heath last Friday night.

South came back from two goals down at the half-time break, with second half goals from Milos Lujic and Nick Epifano maintaining the defending PlayStation 4 NPL Victoria Champions’ unbeaten start to the 2015 season.

In a clash that embodied the old phrase ‘a game of two halves’, Bentleigh started the brighter of the two sides and opened the scoring after 30 minutes through Queensland recruit Matt Thurtell. Minutes later South conceded again, when Chris Lucas slotted home to make the score 2-0 to the hosts. Bentleigh were physically and technically superior in the first half and the half time interval couldn’t have come quickly enough in order for Chris Taylor’s men to regroup.

Taylor brought on Andy Brennan and Cody Martindale at the start of the second half to replace David Stirton and Bonel Obradovic respectively. The changes brought immediate dividends, with the away side looking a completely different team in the second half.

A slick move after 53 minutes finished with Milos Lujic going down in the box and the 2014 Golden Boot winner duly converted the resulting penalty to halve the deficit and put his side back in the game.

With a more physical presence on the field, South began to win control over the midfield battle, with the likes of Epifano enjoying more influence as the game went on. Having barely seen the ball in the first half, Epifano suddenly looked like the most threatening man on the pitch and was creating space for his teammates with several delightful touches and dummies.

With just over ten minutes to play, the midfielder raced onto a flick-on by Lujic before chipping the ball over the advancing Greens keeper Alistair Bray and into the unguarded net to level the scores and send the South Melbourne fans on the far hill into raptures.

The goal set up a grandstand finish and both sides might have won it in the dying minutes.

Firstly the Bentleigh players claimed that the ball had crossed the line in a mad goal line scramble that eventually resulted in a corner kick being given. Following a clearance from the corner, the ball went up the other end and fell to Lujic for the chance to snatch a memorable victory for South. In what was the last action of the match, the centre forward scuffed his chance and the full-time whistle moments later ended what was a thrilling contest.

Post-match, South coach Chris Taylor said that a draw was the correct result. “We were totally outplayed in the first half. We made some changes at the break, came home with a wet sail and even though we could have won it there at the end, I think that a draw was probably a fair result.”

Vice-Captain Brad Norton said that the players were told to keep calm at the half-time break. “We were in sixes and sevens in the first half; we weren’t really sure what was going on. [At halftime] CT told us that we were good enough to get back into a game like this. We knew that if we played to our style then we would be able to get back into the game and credit to the boys, that’s what we did.”

The Under 20s also played out a draw with Bentleigh with the score finishing 1-1. Nashir Hussainy scored South’s goal.

It’s another huge fixture for South Melbourne FC next week, with a derby clash against old rivals Heidelberg United on Sunday afternoon at the Olympic Village. Kick-off is at 4pm.

<h3>FINAL SCORE: BENTLEIGH GREENS 2-2 SOUTH MELBOURNE (HT: 2-0) </h3>
Goal Scorers:
1-0: Matt Thurtell (30’)
2-0: Chris Lucas (35’)
2-1: Milos Lujic (53’p)
2-2: Nick Epifano (79’)

Bentleigh Greens:
21. Alistair Bray (GK), 2. Tom Matthews, 4. Troy Ruthven (6. Liam McCormick 81’), 5. Jack Webster, 8. Wayne Wallace, 9. Chris Lucas, 10. Tyson Holmes, 18. Matt Thurtell, 19. Daniel Visevic (7. Jamie de Abreu 71’), 24. Luke Pilkington, 36. Steven Topalovic.
Unused Subs: 1. Ryan Scott (GK), 11. Dion Kirk, 15. Kobbie Boahene.

South Melbourne FC:
1. Nikola Roganovic (GK), 2. Tim Mala, 4. Michael Eagar (C), 5. Luke Adams, 6. Bonel Obradovic (15. Cody Martindale 46’), 7. Nick Epifano (27. Leigh Minopoulos 89’), 8. Mathew Theodore, 9. Milos Lujic, 10. David Stirton (17. Andy Brennan 46’), 11. Brad Norton, 12. Iqi Jawadi.
Unused Subs: 13. Dane Milovanovic, 23. Andy Kecojevic.

Fix Hellas Man of the Match: Brad Norton
Venue: Kingston Heath Soccer Complex
Date: Friday 20 March 2015

South Melbourne FC faces another tough away fixture this week when it heads to Cheltenham for a huge clash against the Bentleigh Greens on Friday night.

South has been on the road since defeating the Oakleigh Cannons at home in the PlayStation 4 NPL Victoria season opener. Chris Taylor’s men are halfway through a stretch of six consecutive away matches that has seen them record victories against North Geelong, Werribee City and Whittlesea United in last Saturday’s FFA Cup clash.

This Friday’s match with Bentleigh presents perhaps the sternest test of the season thus far. Last season’s FFA Cup semi-finalists currently sit on top of the NPL Victoria ladder with three wins from their four games, albeit having played one extra game than their nearest rivals. Their only blemish was the 1-1 draw with Werribee City, a side that almost snatched a point against South Melbourne a fortnight ago.

On paper this fixture appears to be a very evenly matched contest played between two sides that are likely to be gunning for the title at season’s end.

South will come into the match with confidence on the back of last weekend’s 5-0 thrashing of State League 3 side Whittlesea United. Milos Lujic, Andy Brennan, Mathew Theodore, Luke Adams and Andy Kecojevic all got on the scoresheet in a display that was confident but expected.

Theodore’s successful return from injury was perhaps the most pleasing aspect of the win. The diminutive midfielder underwent hip surgery in the off season after playing a key part in last season’s Championship win. His return gives Taylor even more options in the midfield, an area where he is presently spoilt for riches. Theodore joins a group of playmakers that includes exciting youngster Kecojevic, Nick Epifano, Leigh Minopoulos, Iqi Jawadi and
David Stirton all available for selection, with Jake Barker-Daish still to return from a knee injury.

Tim Mala is also expected to be fit for the match, bolstering South’s defence against one of the most potent attacking teams in the League. Unfortunately, centre-back Kristian Konstantinidis will be out of action for at least three months after suffering an injury following a tackle on him in the Werribee match.

The Greens were one of just two sides to defeat South during last year’s League campaign in a match that finished 2-1 at Kingston Heath. Stirton was on the scoresheet for Bentleigh on that occasion, as was Tyson Holmes for South Melbourne. Both players will face their former clubs on Friday night. Bentleigh warmed up for Friday by putting nine goals past Seaford United in their FFA Cup fixture last weekend.

Since 2010, South and Bentleigh have met each other ten times, each recording four victories and two draws. If recent history and form are anything to go by, supporters of both sides can expect Friday night’s match to go down to the wire.

The contest kicks off at 8:15 pm at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex in Cheltenham. Those unable to make the game can follow it with live updates on the South Melbourne FC Facebook page and on the Club’s official Twitter @smfc with the hashtags #PS4NPL and #SMFC.

South Melbourne FC face State League 3 North West side Whittlesea United tomorrow in the Fourth Round of the 2015 Dockerty Cup / Westfield FFA Cup qualifying. In order to qualify for the FFA Cup Round of 32, South needs to win four matches against a variety of NPL and State League clubs, beginning with Whittlesea United tomorrow.

Last year saw South knocked out at the final stage of FFA Cup qualifying (the quarter final stage of the Dockerty Cup), following a 0-2 home loss against the Melbourne Knights. Chris Taylor’s men will be eager to ensure there is no complacency this weekend against a side that competes in the fifth tier of Victorian football.

Whittlesea United are captained by former South Melbourne player Tansel Baser, who is a member of the South Melbourne Hall of Fame and played a total of 106 matches across seven seasons for the Club. He played in the Club’s 1998 National Soccer League Championship as well as the 2006 Victorian Premier League Championship. His current side qualified to play against South on the back of a sensational 3-2 upset against FC Clifton Hill last Saturday.

South are coming off a bruising encounter with Werribee City last Sunday and will likely be forced into a number of changes for tomorrow’s match. Despite recording a 1-2 victory, there were injuries to Tim Mala (rolled ankle), Kristian Konstantinidis (ankle) and Nick Epifano (a minor knock), whilst 16 year old Andy Kecojevic succumbed to severe cramp late in the game with no substitutions left. Mala and Konstantinidis will miss this weekend’s match, whilst Epifano is likely to feature as a substitute.

Captain Michael Eagar could slot back into defence as he did last weekend, however there is the possibility that Ioannis Avramidis could be promoted from the Under 20s to fill in at the centre-half position. Kecojevic was tremendous in the first half against Werribee, delighting the South fans with several classy touches and a brilliant pass in the lead up to Epifano’s goal. The youngster could also feature in midfield if he is fit.

Saturday’s match kicks off at 3pm at Thomas Street Reserve in Thomastown. Those unable to make the game can follow it with live updates on the South Melbourne FC Facebook page and on the Club’s official Twitter @smfc with the hashtag #FFACUP.

South Melbourne FC continued its perfect start to the 2015 PlayStation 4 NPL Victoria season, surviving a late onslaught to defeat Werribee City 2-1 at Galvin Park on Sunday afternoon.

Chris Taylor was forced into an early change when Tim Mala was substituted just four minutes into the match, having rolled his ankle in a contest. Mala was replaced by 16 year old Andy Kecojevic, who made his first appearance for South Melbourne in 2015.

Despite the change, South looked in control for most of the first half and took the lead after 14 minutes. David Stirton quickly played a short corner to Iqi Jawadi, who curled a shot into the back of the net for his first League goal for South Melbourne in a competitive match.

Kecojevic then set up South’s second goal of the afternoon with a superb through-ball that was finished perfectly by Epifano. Kecojevic showed several brilliant touches in a superb first half performance, delighting the large contingent of away fans that had travelled to Galvin Park for the match.

At half-time, South held a resounding two goal lead and most at the ground were predicting a runaway victory for the reigning NPL Victoria Champions. However, a first half knock meant that Kristian Konstantinidis did not return after the break, leaving Chris Taylor down two key defenders for the second half due to injury.

Epifano also limped off early in the second half and Werribee City pulled a goal back when Julian Cassano tapped into an open net with 25 minutes to go. South was forced to endure wave after wave of attack from Werribee, who looked a different side after the break and after their goal. Kecojevic became the fourth South player to injure himself, however he was forced to continue playing in the dying stages as South had used up all its substitutions earlier in the match due to other injuries.

With the second half into the fourth minute of injury time, Steven Cudrig’s flying header beat Nikola Roganovic but not the crossbar, with the ball bouncing off the bar before being cleared by the South defence. The final whistle sounded moments later, much to the relief of a South side that had been forced to re-organise itself following injuries to several key players.

Captain Michael Eagar, filling in at the centre of defence in Konstantinidis’ second half absence, made several crucial interceptions and clearances to ensure victory. The skipper said that his side was keen to move on to next week. “We made it a lot more difficult for ourselves than we should have in the second half. We were unlucky with injuries but then maybe we got a bit of luck also go our way at the end with the header hitting the crossbar, so at the end of the day we’ll take the three points and move on.”

Coach Chris Taylor highlighted the importance of squad depth in the victory, singling out Kecojevic’s performance in particular. “We were forced into three changes which happens once in a blue moon but all the guys who came on did a good job. Andy Kecojevic came on and gave us a new dimension and created things, he was great. It shows that we’ve got good depth in the squad.”

Next Saturday afternoon, South Melbourne face Whittlesea United in the Fourth Round of the Dockerty Cup / Westfield FFA Cup qualifying. The match kicks off at 3pm at Thomas Street Reserve in Thomastown.

Final Score: Werribee City 1-2 South Melbourne (HT: 0-2)

Goal Scorers:
0-1: Iqi Jawadi (14′)
0-2: Nick Epifano (34′)
1-2: Julian Cassano (65′)

Werribee City:
1. Frano SARIC (GK), 3. Ryan FILIPOVIC, 4. Simon COLOSIMO, 6. Anthony RAGUSA, 7. Simon ZAPPIA, 10. Chris CRISTALDO, 11. Bobby VIDANOVSKI (8. Daniel CHAABANI 46’), 13. Milan SAVIC (C) (5. Aturo YMERI 83’),  15. Nicola CAROFIGLIO (14. Julian CASSANO 60’), 19. Rob NAUMOVSKI, 23. Steven CUDRIG.

South Melbourne FC:
1. Nikola ROGANOVIC (GK), 2. Tim MALA (23. Andy KECOJEVIC 4’), 3. Kristian KONSTANTINIDIS (13. Dane MILOVANOVIC 46’), 4. Michael EAGAR (C), 5. Luke ADAMS, 6. Bonel OBRADOVIC, 7. Nick EPIFANO, (17. Leigh MINOPOULOS 68’) 9. Milos LUJIC, 10. David STIRTON, 11. Brad NORTON, 12. Iqi JAWADI.

Fix Hellas Man of the Match: Michael Eagar
Venue: Galvin Park
Date: Sunday 8 March 2015

South Melbourne FC will be confident of picking up all three points when it travels to Galvin Park to face Werribee City on Sunday afternoon.

Chris Taylor’s side put in a strong performance to defeat North Geelong Warriors 3-0 last Saturday, in the first of a number of early season road trips. That result becomes even more impressive considering the Warriors thrashed perennial contenders Green Gully 6-1 just four days later.

David Stirton was the star of the show for South last Saturday, scoring his first goal for the Club before turning provider and setting up Milos Lujic to set up the win before half-time. Andy Brennan added a third late in the game after coming on as a substitute, further confirming his reputation as the Club’s new ‘super-sub’.

Since crossing over from the Bentleigh Greens in the off-season, Stirton has added another element to a line-up already brimming with firepower. The attacker was South Melbourne’s Fix Hellas Beer Man of the Match and was also named in The Corner Flag’s ‘NPL Team of the Week’, along with holding midfielder and skipper Michael Eagar.

Having opened his 2015 account last week, Golden Boot winner Lujic will be aiming to get on the score sheet again this week as he looks to get his season up and running. Lujic, who signed a two year contract extension in the off-season, scored 23 goals in last season’s Championship.

The away form of Chris Taylor’s men will be crucial in the early part of the season, with trips to Heidelberg, Green Gully and Bentleigh Greens all coming up in the next month of football.

Taylor isn’t expected to make many changes to the line-up that defeated the Warriors, with a predominantly fit squad barring the long-term injuries to Peter Gavalas and Stephen Hatzikostas.

South Melbourne will have to be wary of the threat posed by Werribee City, who drew with Bentleigh during the week. Nino Ragusa’s men were unlucky not to gain a point in either of their first two matches this season, before Christopher Cristaldo’s strike on Wednesday night was enough for the Bees to open their account for season 2015. Cristaldo is a new arrival at Galvin Park, along with former Socceroo and South Melbourne player Simon Colosimo.

Sunday’s match kicks off at 3pm at Galvin Park in Werribee. Those unable to make the game can follow it with live updates on the South Melbourne FC Facebook page and on the Club’s official Twitter @smfc with the hashtags #PS4NPLVIC and #WCvSM.