Preview the PlayStation 4 NPL Victoria fixtures for Round 24.
Bentleigh Greens v Avondale FC
8:15pm, Friday August 7, 2015
Kingston Heath Soccer Complex, Cheltenham
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #BGvAFC #PS4NPLVIC
Last round:
Port Melbourne Sharks 2-2 Bentleigh Greens - Match Report
Avondale FC 6-0 Werribee City - Match Report
Form:
BG: LDLWD
AFC: DLLWW
Last time they met:
Avondale FC 0-2 Bentleigh Greens
The break probably came at a good time for Bentleigh, after it only managed a point against Port Melbourne in its last outing, and has only won once in five attempts.
With just three games left, the Greens still have faith in their own hands, albeit by a thin margin now if you factor in South Melbourne and Heidelberg’s games in hand.
Avondale meanwhile has secured its own safety by defeating the bottom two convincingly in the last two rounds.
The six-goal thrashing of Werribee was the sixth game in a row in which Avondale has scored, and the side will be looking to extend that against the Greens on Friday night.
Bentleigh needs its defence to get back to its mean ways, which up until this bad spell, was the best in the league.
South Melbourne v Port Melbourne Sharks
8:30pm, Friday August 7, 2015
Lakeside Stadium, South Melbourne
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #SMvPM #PS4NPLVIC
Last round:
Pascoe Vale 0-0 South Melbourne - Match Report
Port Melbourne 3-2 North Geelong Warriors (Round 20 catch-up) - Match Report
Form:
SM: LLWLD
PM: DWWDW
Last time they met:
Port Melbourne 2-2 South Melbourne
South Melbourne comes into this game on the back of its Dockerty Cup triumph over Oakleigh Cannons, and the side will be hoping to carry on its momentum.
The hosts’ league form has been stuttering of late though, unable to capitalise on slip ups by Bentleigh Greens.
A run of good form has catapulted Port Melbourne into seventh spot, remarkable considering it had gone winless in seven games prior to its win against North Geelong.
Eric Vassiliadis’ men also took a point from Bentleigh two weeks ago, meaning this will be no walk in the park for South Melbourne.
A title is on the line, and only four games remain for South Melbourne to chase the Greens to defend its crown.
Green Gully v Pascoe Vale
3:00pm, Saturday, August 8, 2015
Green Gully Reserve, Keilor Downs
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #GGvPV #PS4NPLVIC
Last round:
Green Gully 3-1 Hume City - Match Report
Pascoe Vale 0-0 South Melbourne - Match Report
Form:
GG: WWLWW
PV: WWWLD
Last time they met:
Pascoe Vale 2-1 Green Gully
Green Gully’s scoring streak has now totalled to 21 goals in six games, and there seems to be no stopping the Gully juggernaut at the moment.
Liam Boland’s hat trick against Hume last time out has seen him climb to the top of the league’s golden boot chart, and it really has been a breakout season for the Western Australian forward.
Pascoe Vale has a tough final three games ahead of it beginning with the task of stopping Gully’s attack.
The danger for Paco is potentially losing its momentum heading into the finals series, but it does have happy memories at Green Gully Reserve, winning 3-2 at the venue on the final day of last season.
Gully has not beaten Pascoe Vale since the NPL came into existence with the visitors holding a 3-0 win-loss record against the side.
Dandenong Thunder v Oakleigh Cannons
7:00pm, Saturday, August 8, 2015
George Andrews Reserve, Dandenong South
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #DTvOC #PS4NPLVIC
Last round:
Dandenong Thunder 0-0 Northcote City - Match Report
Oakleigh Cannons 4-1 North Geelong - Match Report
Form:
DT: LLLLD
OC: LDDLW
Last time they met:
Oakleigh Cannons 4-2 Dandenong Thunder
Dandenong Thunder snapped its eight-game losing streak last round against Northcote City with a 0-0 draw, but the side will need much more than that to stay in the top flight next season.
Sitting bottom of the league and with by far the worst defensive record in the league, Thunder needs to capitalise on an Oakleigh side who might have attentions elsewhere.
The Cannons haven’t had a good run of late, and losing to South Melbourne in the Dockerty Cup won’t have helped things.
Add on the upcoming Westfield FFA Cup tie against Far North Queensland Heat next Tuesday, and Oakleigh really has a busy period ahead of itself.
Still, the Cannons did put four past North Geelong in its last league outing, a danger sign for Dandenong, who really needs to pick up the points.
Werribee City v Northcote City
3:00pm, Sunday, August 9, 2015
Galvin Park, Werribee
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #WCvNC #PS4NPLVIC
Last round:
Avondale FC 6-0 Werribee City - Match Report
Dandenong Thunder 0-0 Northcote City - Match Report
Form:
WC: LLLLL
NC: WWDLD
Last time they met:
Northcote City 2-0 Werribee City
The situation at Werribee City really has become dire, with the side now on a nine-game losing streak, conceding 27 goals in the process at an average of three per game, while only scoring three.
Coupled with being the worst attack in the league, Werribee has a lot on its plate to turn this bad situation around before the end of the season.
Northcote meanwhile has effectively seen its finals hopes ended with the draw against Dandenong in the side’s last outing.
The Bees will be hoping to prey on any complacency from Northcote, but should they fail to break their losing streak, it could very well be curtains.
Melbourne Knights v Hume City
3:00pm, Sunday, August 9, 2015
Knights Stadium, Sunshine
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #MKvHC #PS4NPLVIC
Last round:
Melbourne Knights 2-1 Heidelberg United - Match Report
Green Gully 3-1 Hume City - Match Report - Match Report
Form:
MK: WDWLW
HC: WWWWL
Last time they met:
Hume City 0-0 Melbourne Knights
The Knights’ win over Heidelberg last start has given them new hope of a top-two finish, sitting just two points behind South Melbourne and Heidelberg, albeit with the other two having a game in hand.
Stipo Andrijasevic is hitting form at the right time, and he now has seven goals to his name this season after a lean start.
What a week it has been for Hume City, who prevailed 4-3 in a classic Westfield FFA Cup fixture against Brisbane Strikers.
Having the weekend’s rest should have allowed for Hume to rest tired legs, and the side would have been pleased to see Marcus Schroen back to dangerous form, scoring two late equalisers in that fixture.
Expect another close contest here, as both sides will be after a higher league position for a more favourable finals draw.
Heidelberg United v North Geelong Warriors
4:00pm, Sunday, August 9, 2015
Olympic Village, Heidelberg West
Twitter: Live updates @nplvictoria, #HUvNGW #PS4NPLVIC
Last round:
Melbourne Knights 2-1 Heidelberg United - Match Report
Port Melbourne 3-2 North Geelong Warriors (Round 20 catch-up) - Match Report
Form:
HU: DWLWL
NGW: LLWWL
Last time they met:
North Geelong Warriors 0-0 Heidelberg United
Heidelberg United also had a week to remember in the Westfield FFA Cup, winning 3-1 over Northern New South Wales side Broadmeadow Magic.
Kaine Sheppard and Dan Heffernan look to have got their dangerous partnership back on song, and Heidelberg will need the duo to fire against the relegation battlers.
The Warriors couldn’t hold on even for a point against Port Melbourne last Friday, but still remain in the relegation play-off spot.
North Geelong is also due to play the bottom two in the final two rounds of the season, so a result in this game could give it a huge boost ahead of those two big clashes.
Luck has it for Heidelberg, who can now enjoy the comforts of Olympic Village for its last four home games of the season, and with a title to fight for, nothing less than a win would do this week.
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