Category: News

South Melbourne FC is aiming to snap a two-game losing streak when it hosts Green Gully in PlayStation 4 NPL Victoria action at Lakeside Stadium tonight.

Chris Taylor’s men have suffered consecutive home losses in the past two weeks, firstly to ladder leaders Bentleigh Greens 0-1 on 28 June and then last Friday night’s 1-2 derby loss against Heidelberg United.

Taylor was forced to field a makeshift starting eleven in South’s two defeats due to injuries, suspensions and the unavailability of a number of players.

Left-back Brad Norton returns to the starting eleven for tonight’s match after serving a one game suspension, whilst midfielder Mathew Theodore will also be available for selection after being substituted in the Bentleigh game following concussion and then missing the Heidelberg match.

Star winger Nick Epifano may miss tonight’s match due to a hamstring issue, whilst centre-half Luke Adams is still away on international duty with New Zealand.

Green Gully is currently in eighth position on the PS4 NPL Victoria ladder and come into tonight’s match in sensational form by having won their last three games. They produced one of the results of the season on Saturday when they smashed League leaders Bentleigh 4-0 and subsequently handed the Greens their first League loss in 2015.

Liam Boland scored a brace against Bentleigh and has impressed since joining from Oakleigh during the mid-season transfer window. Fellow Cannons recruit Evan Christodoulou also got on the scoresheet against Bentleigh and will provide a stern test for South’s central midfielders tonight.

Milos Lujic was one of South’s best in the Heidelberg match last Friday night. He scored a trademark header to take his personal goal-scoring tally to 17 goals across all competitions in 2015. The big striker’s impact will again be vital if South are to take all three points against Green Gully in what is a must-win game tonight.

In the earlier meeting between the two sides this year at Green Gully Reserve on Saturday 4 April, two late goals from Lujic (75’, 90+4’) secured a 0-2 victory for South. In the corresponding meeting last year at Lakeside Stadium on Sunday 6 July 2014, Theodore’s headed goal after 12 minutes secured a 1-0 home win for South.

Tonight’s clash between South Melbourne FC and Green Gully kicks off at 8:15pm at Lakeside Stadium. Those unable to make the match can follow proceedings on the club’s Facebook and Twitter accounts, using the handles #SMFC and #PS4NPLVIC.

Dan Heffernan’s goal in the third minute of second half injury time won Heidelberg United the derby against South Melbourne FC at Lakeside Stadium on Friday night.

Heffernan had also scored in the first half, whilst Milos Lujic got on the scoresheet in a thrilling but ultimately disappointing match for South that ended 1-2 to the visiting Bergers side.

Chris Taylor was forced to name a makeshift back four, with vice captain Brad Norton (suspension) and Luke Adams (international duty) both unavailable. Nick Epifano (hamstring) and Mathew Theodore (concussion) were also unavailable, with Taylor handing starts to Stephen Hatzikostas in midfield and Chris Irwin in the unfamiliar position of left back.

Heffernan’s opening goal arrived after seventeen minutes, when the forward headed Kaine Sheppard’s cross over South goalkeeper Nikola Roganovic and into the back of the net. Heidelberg were the deserved leaders at that point in the game, with Rueben Way and Sheppard going close on several occasions in the first twenty minutes.

In an open half of football, South had several chances to score but lacked a precise final ball. On the stroke of half time, the home side received a free kick on the edge of the area after a foul on David Stirton. Jake Barker-Daish’s well-flighted free kick found Milos Lujic, who scored with a trademark diving header into the bottom right hand corner that gave Bergers keeper Griffin McMaster no chance.

The second half was much the same as the first in terms of an open midfield and end-to-end play that characterised the night.

Andy Kecojevic went agonisingly close from two free kicks in the space of five minutes, with the first one seeing his goal-bound shot saved brilliantly by McMaster, before his second free kick hit the post from a near-identical position.

Heidelberg substitute Kenny Athieu might have thought he had scored after 84 minutes, however Tim Mala dramatically cleared his header off the goal line.

With the match into second half injury time, Heffernan finished off a swift counter-attack move from the Bergers and a depleted South side suffered its second straight defeat at home.

In the Under 20s match, South Melbourne and Heidelberg United played out a 0-0 draw.

South only have a few days to regroup before facing Green Gully at Lakeside Stadium on Tuesday night. Kick-off is scheduled for 8:15pm.

FINAL SCORE: SOUTH MELBOURNE 1-2 HEIDELBERG UTD (HT: 1-1)

Goal Scorers:
0-1: Dan Heffernan (18’)
1-1: Milos Lujic (44’)
1-2: Dan Heffernan (90+3’)

South Melbourne FC:
1. Nikola ROGANOVIC (GK), 2. Tim MALA, 4. Michael EAGAR (C), 6. Tom LAKIC, 9. Milos LUJIC, 10. David STIRTON (20. Nick MORTON 80’), 11. Iqi JAWADI, 14. Chris IRWIN, 21. Jake BARKER-DAISH, 23. Andy KECOJEVIC (27. Leigh MINOPOULOS 63’) 77. Stephen HATZIKOSTAS (16. Andy BEVIN 77’)

Unused Subs: 19. Massimo PESCE, 22. Fraser MacLAREN.

Heidelberg United:
23. Griffin McMASTER (GK), 2. Jamie CUMMING, 7. Rueben WAY, 9. Kosta KANAKARIS (12. Kenny ATHIEU 76’), 10. Jack PETRIE, 13. Luke BYLES, 14. Dan HEFFERNAN, 17. Steven PACE, 20. Nejc KOLMAN, 21. Andreas GOVAS (3. Les DOUMBALIS 2′), 22. Kaine SHEPPARD (5. Daniel VASILEVSKI 83’).

Unused Subs: 1. Jason KOUTSODONTIS, 24. Andrew CARTANOS.

SMFC FIX Hellas Beer Man of the Match: Iqi Jawadi
Venue: Lakeside Stadium
Date: Friday 3 July 2015

South Melbourne FC’s huge month of football continues tonight when Chris Taylor’s men host traditional rivals Heidelberg United at Lakeside Stadium in round 19 PlayStation 4 NPL Victoria action.

South will be looking to bounce back against their old foes following the disappointing 0-1 home defeat to the Bentleigh Greens last Sunday, its first home loss in the League in nearly two years.

Tonight’s meeting against Heidelberg is another top of the table blockbuster, with South currently sitting second on the NPL Victoria ladder on 42 points, two points ahead of third-placed Heidelberg.

Star winger Nick Epifano will again be missing, as will defender Luke Adams who is still on international duty with New Zealand. Mathew Theodore suffered a concussion in the first half of the Bentleigh game last Sunday and is considered a 50/50 chance to take his place in the starting line-up tonight.

One bright note from last Sunday’s defeat was the return of midfield enforcer Stephen Hatzikostas from a long-term injury layoff. Hatzikostas came off the bench to play the final ten minutes of the Bentleigh match and will be in consideration for selection tonight.

Heidelberg was on top of the League standings at one point during June but has stumbled slightly in the last fortnight. Bentleigh defeated them 4-0 at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex on Friday 19 June, before the Bergers conceded an equalising goal in the third minute of second half injury time to draw 1-1 draw against Avondale FC at the Olympic Village last Sunday.

George Katsakis’ men still possess a number of dangerous options in attack, including the likes of Dan Heffernan and Kaine Sheppard, though it remains to be seen if either will play tonight due to recent injuries. Sheppard scored the equalising goal in the second half in the 1-1 draw between Heidelberg and South Melbourne at the Olympic Village earlier this year on Sunday 29 March after Milos Lujic opened the scoring in the first half.

South Melbourne and Heidelberg have been rivals since their very first League meeting on 30 March 1964. In 79 League meetings, South Melbourne has won 40 games, Heidelberg has won 20 games and there have been 19 draws. South’s best win was 5-0 at Middle Park on 17 November 1991, with Heidelberg’s best win being 5-2 at Middle Park on 4 July 1977.

In the corresponding fixture played on Sunday 22 June 2014, South Melbourne smashed Heidelberg 3-0 at Lakeside Stadium.

South has a fixture congestion during July. Following tonight’s game, South has League matches against Green Gully (home, 7 July), Melbourne Knights (away, 12 July), Hume City (home, 19 July) and Pascoe Vale (away, 25 July). Sandwiched in between them is the Dockerty Cup semi final meeting against Heidelberg (15 July at Jack Edwards Reserve), as well as the possibility of playing Palm Beach SC in the Westfield FFA Cup on the Gold Coast on either 28 or 29 July.

Tonight’s clash between South Melbourne FC and Heidelberg United kicks off at 8:30pm at Lakeside Stadium. 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 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

Second meets first in PlayStation 4 NPL Victoria action this Sunday as South Melbourne FC hosts the Bentleigh Greens at Lakeside Stadium.

John Anastasiadis’ Bentleigh side come into Sunday’s game one point ahead of South on the NPL Victoria ladder. They are the form team of the competition, having won their last eight straight League games and having destroyed the previously second-placed Heidelberg United 4-0 at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex last Friday night.

Chris Taylor’s South Melbourne side took advantage of Heidelberg’s loss to jump into second spot on the NPL Victoria ladder by defeating Werribee City 1-0 at Lakeside Stadium last Sunday evening. Nick Epifano’s goal was the difference between the two sides and South is now just one point behind Bentleigh on the ladder.

The danger men for Bentleigh are Ryan De Vries, Chris Lucas and 2014 SMFC Championship player Tyson Holmes. All three were instrumental in the 4-0 win over the Bergers last Friday night and will be key players for South’s defence to shut down.

South will be missing Epifano on Sunday as the midfielder is currently trialing in Europe. Epifano’s absence may provide Leigh Minopoulos with the opportunity to play over the next couple of weeks and try to cement his place in the starting eleven.

South Melbourne has met the Bentleigh Greens 13 times in League competition. South has won six games, Bentleigh has won four games and there have been three draws.

In the last encounter between the two sides earlier this year on Friday 20 March, South came back from a 2-0 deficit to draw 2-2.

In the corresponding fixture played at Lakeside Stadium on Sunday 11 May 2014, South triumphed 2-1 thanks to second half goals from Milos Lujic and

Stephen Hatzikostas made a successful return onto the Lakeside Stadium pitch last weekend against Werribee City, having recovered from an injury sustained in the 2014 NPL Finals Series match against South Hobart FC.

Last week against Dandenong Thunder at George Andrews Reserve, Hatzikostas came off the bench during the Under 20s match. He gained a valuable 30 minutes of match preparation and in typical Hatzikostas style, picked up a yellow card along the way.

This week he was in the starting line-up for the Under 20s on the pristine Lakeside Stadium pitch for the match against Werribee City. Playing sixty minutes in the midfield, Hatzikostas was an imposing figure in the centre of the pitch.

Speaking to smfc.com.au after the match, Hatzikostas said “I’ve been tracking really well, it felt good today. Just a matter of fitness and sharpness now. The more minutes I can get in the 20s, the closer I am to playing senior football. When that is I don’t know, it will be up to Chris Taylor but I’ll work as hard as I can in the 20s until I’m required in the first team.”

Playing a senior squad member in the Under 20s is a rarity at South Melbourne. Coach Sasa Kolman refelcted on the 0-0 draw with Werribee City and specifically the influence Hatzikostas had on the match. “We were lucky we had Steve in the team. He knows how to stop the ball and how to deliver the ball with great accuracy. Once we took him out, we didn’t have the same structure anymore. As long as he was there, everything for us was working perfectly fine. We were pressing, having the ball, creating the chances. You can’t wish for more than that” he said.

Kolman was asked about how much of an impact it was for the younger players to have an experienced and senior player such as Hatzikostas on the pitch. “A massive impact. He is probably one of the best players there anyway. The boys can learn a lot from him. He is a really nice kid who is giving instructions to the young ones. They can get a lot out of it if they are smart. I think that’s a bonus for us over the weeks he is with us” Kolman said.

South Melbourne FC defeated Werribee City 1-0 at Lakeside Stadium on Sunday evening to move into second spot on the PlayStation 4 NPL Victoria ladder and set up a monster clash against the first-placed Bentleigh Greens next Sunday.

Chris Taylor’s side had originally begun the round in third place (level on points with Heidelberg but with a slightly inferior goal difference) but was elevated into second spot thanks to Bentleigh’s 4-0 win against Heidelberg last Friday night.

Luke Adams returned to the starting eleven after missing the mid-week FFA Cup win against Frankston Pines due to international duties with New Zealand’s Under 20s. He replaced captain Michael Eagar, who missed the Werribee match having accumulating five yellow cards in the PS4 NPL Victoria in 2015 and therefore serving the mandatory one-match suspension.

Werribee City started the match the brighter of the two sides and would have taken the lead but for some timely saves from South goalkeeper Nikola Roganovic. As the half wore on, the home side got themselves back into the match and took the lead just before the half hour. Nick Epifano was released down the left side of the field and he honed in on goal before slipping the ball past the advancing David Thomson and into the back of the net.

Epifano was involved again early in the second half when he was brought down in the penalty area and the home side were awarded a penalty. Unfortunately for South, Thomson guessed the right way and saved Milos Lujic’s spot kick, with the centre-forward having also had a penalty saved mid-week against Frankston.

Iqi Jawadi and Epifano worked hard all game and were two of the key players in South’s quest to score a second goal and kill off the game. Epifano almost replicated his incredible goal against the Melbourne Knights in the FFA Cup on 5 June but the ball curled just wide of the far post and out for a goal kick.

Yellow cards were issued throughout the second half as Werribee pushed to level the scores and South threatened to kill the game off on the counter-attack. On 74 minutes, Werribee’s coach Nino Ragusa was sent off by the referee for dissent.

With time running out, Werribee pushed forward in search of an equalising goal. The five minutes of injury time were chaotic, with Roganovic required to make several interceptions, including tipping a goal-bound effort over his crossbar. The final whistle moments later confirmed a hard-fought but important 1-0 victory.

In the Under 20s, South Melbourne missed several opportunities to score as they drew 0-0 with Werribee City.

Second hosts first next Sunday 28 June as South Melbourne FC welcomes the Bentleigh Greens to Lakeside Stadium. Kick-off is at 5pm.

FINAL SCORE: SOUTH MELBOURNE 1-0 WERRIBEE CITY (HT: 1-0)

Goal Scorer:
1-0: Nick Epifano (29′)

South Melbourne FC:
1. Nikola ROGANOVIC (GK), 2. Tim MALA, 5. Luke ADAMS, 6. Tom LAKIC, 7. Nick EPIFANO, 8. Mathew THEODORE, 9. Milos LUJIC, 11. Brad NORTON (C), 12. Iqi JAWADI, 14. Chris IRWIN (21. Jake BARKER-DAISH 87′), 16. Andy BEVIN (23. Andy KECOJEVIC 65′).

Unused Subs: 22. Fraser MacLAREN (GK), 19. Massimo PESCE, 27. Leigh MINOPOULOS.

Werribee City:
25. David THOMSON (GK), 3. Ryan FILIPOVIC (C), 4. Simon COLOSIMO, 5. Dean TOMESKI, 6. Anthony RAGUSA, 8. Kobbie BOAHENE (15. Deang AGUEK 70′), 9. Evan BATSIS, 13. Milan SARIC, 16. Angus MARTIN (11. Bobby VIDANOSKI 70′), 19. Rob NAUMOSKI, 23. Steven CUDRIG.

Subs: 1. Frano Saric (GK), 2. Michael SIMMS.

SMFC Fix Hellas Beer Man of the Match: Nikola Roganovic
Venue: Lakeside Stadium
Date: Sunday 21 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.

The Club:

South Melbourne FC is a leading football club that plays in the National Premier League and FFA Cup Competitions in Australia.

With nine State League Championships, South Melbourne FC is equal with Green Gully as the most successful football club in Victoria. With the addition of its four National Soccer League Championships, South Melbourne FC is historically Australia’s most successful football club.

South Melbourne FC strives to be the best football club that it can possibly be and always aims to be playing at the top level of football competition in Australia.

The Role:

The Videographer is responsible for shooting and collecting a range of club related material, including all of the Senior NPL and FFA Cup matches in all relevant competitions.

This presents an exciting opportunity for a young and driven individual to be part of one of Australian football’s leading media teams, as well as being a part of the production of our weekly TV show SMFC TV which is screened weekly on FOXTEL.

You will ensure video and other content produced meet the brief, conforming to branding guidelines.

The Person:

It is preferred, but not essential that the successful candidate will hold a relevant tertiary qualification in a related field.

You will have previously worked in a video and multimedia environment for a minimum of two years and must have a current driver’s license and working with children’s check available.

How to Apply:

To apply please send your resume, cover letter and previous work to admin@smfc.com.au.