VPL Round 12 Preview

Stats, fixtures, history and results; what more do you need...

Hume City v Melbourne Knights
Fri 8:30pm, Epping Soccer Stadium
5th v 9th

Last Round:
Moreland Zebras 2-1 Hume City
Southern Stars 2-1 Melbourne Knights

VPL History:
Hume City win: 3
Melbourne Knights win: 3
Draw: 1

Reverse Fixture:
Melbourne Knights 0-2 Hume City

Form:
Hume City: WWWDL
Melbourne Knights: WLWWL

Two sides coming off disappointing losses last week will be hoping to get back on track at the other’s expense as they face-off this Friday night. Both Hume and Knights were in good form and full of confidence last week as they played lowly sides but were dealt a harsh dose of reality in 2-1 losses.

Once again, the two teams will come together thinking they have what it takes, and with the history between the clubs as close as it gets; this could come down to the wire.

Oakleigh Cannons v Heidelberg United
Fri 8:30pm, Jack Edwards Reserve
2nd v 12th

Last Round:
Oakleigh Cannons 2-1 Bentleigh Greens
South Melbourne 2-1 Heidelberg United

VPL History:
Oakleigh Cannons win: 8
Heidelberg United win: 6
Draw: 4

Reverse Fixture:
Heidelberg 0-2 Oakleigh Cannons

Form:
Oakleigh Cannons: LWDLW
Heidelberg United: LLDLL

With new coaches on board, Oakleigh welcomed their new gaffers to the VPL with an impressive win against Bentleigh Greens. With Heidelberg struggling to avoid relegation and not being able to find form this match should be a formality – but nothing is ever certain in this league.

An interesting sub-plot is Heidelberg’s new coach George Katsakis was rumoured to have taken over as Oakleigh’s new coach last week but the deal was cancelled. 

Richmond v Northcote City
Fri 8:30pm, Kevin Bartlett Reserve
10th v 3rd

Last Round:
Richmond 1-1 Dandenong Thunder
Green Gully Cavaliers 1-1 Northcote City

VPL History:
Richmond win: 2
Northcote City win: 2
Draw: 1

Reverse Fixture:
Northcote City 2-1 Richmond

Form:
Richmond: DDLLD
Northcote City: WWWWD

Two teams at opposite ends of the table both desperately need the three points. Richmond are looking more and more like relegation material, and with Moreland winning two matches in a row they are quickly gaining on the Eagles.

Northcote meanwhile drew with reining Premiers Green Gully last week when they wanted a win to keep pressure on the first-placed Dandenong Thunder. A win here would thrust them right back into the Championship mix.

Green Gully Cavaliers v Bentleigh Greens
Sat 3pm, Green Gully Reserve
6th v 4th

Last Round:
Green Gully Cavaliers 1-1 Northcote City
Oakleigh Cannons 2-1 Bentleigh Greens

VPL History:
Green Gully Cavaliers win: 19
Bentleigh Greens win: 6
Draw: 3

Reverse Fixture:
Bentleigh 4-1 Green Gully Cavaliers

Form:
Green Gully Cavaliers: WLLLD
Bentleigh Greens: LWDWL

The battle of the greens will be on show in what should be an entertaining showdown. Bentleigh scored four goals in the second half in the reverse fixture to shock the Cavaliers in the opening match of the VPL this season and have gone on to prove that it was no fluke; being around the top three ever since.

Green Gully have showed glimpses of what they are capable of, but without any sort of consistency – and only avoided their worst losing streak in over two years after sharing the points with Northcote last week. They are traditionally known for having a strong second half of the season, so this week could be a platform for their now annual comeback.

Southern Stars v Dandenong Thunder
Sat 7pm, Kingston Heath Soccer Complex
7th v 1st

Last Round:
Southern Stars 2-1 Melbourne Knights
Richmond 1-1 Dandenong Thunder

VPL History:
Southern Stars win: 0
Dandenong Thunder win: 1
Draw: 0

Reverse Fixture:
Dandenong Thunder 4-0 Southern Stars

Form:
Southern Stars: LDWDW
Dandenong Thunder: WDDWD

Dandenong Thunder completely outplayed Stars in the Round One reverse fixture, but much has changed since then. Though Thunder has remained undefeated it has been the form of Stars which has been surprising.

Since the opening round, Stars have yet to have been completely outplayed and will fancy their chances of claiming at least a point from this encounter.

This won’t be easy of course with the likes of Nate Foster, Luke Sherbon and Liam Kearney in the side it will be hard to keep Dandenong scoreless.

Moreland Zebras v South Melbourne
Sun 3pm, Epping Soccer Stadium
11th v 8th

Last Round:
Moreland Zebras 2-1 Hume City
South Melbourne 2-1 Heidelberg United

VPL History:
Moreland Zebras win: 1
South Melbourne win: 7
Draw: 2

Reverse Fixture:
South Melbourne 4-0 Moreland Zebras

Form:
Moreland Zebras: DLLWW
South Melbourne: LDLLW

Two sides who were tipped to make waves this season are lingering around the bottom of the table and not in a great position. Moreland have won two matches in a row though, and that momentum could see them claim a hat-trick of victories and extract revenge on the 4-0 mauling they suffered in Round One at the hands of South.

South Melbourne, as much a people say they are in trouble, remain only three points from a play-off position – but every point dropped raises the pressure even more. The boys from Lakeside will be pulling out all stops to ensure they claim a valuable three points away from home.

Goals
8 – Nate Foster, Dandenong Thunder
8 – Luke Sherbon, Dandenong Thunder
7 – James Kalifatidis, Northcote City
5 – Jason Hayne, Green Gully Cavaliers
4 – Scott Bullock & Luke O’Dea, Bentleigh Greens
4 – Ricky Diaco & Jesse Krncevic, Oakleigh Cannons
4 – Liam Kearney, Dandenong Thunder
4 – Mathew Sanders, Green Gully Cavaliers 
4 – Mark Leech, Southern Stars
4 – Nicholas Hegarty, Hume City

Yellow Cards
5 – Steven Topalovic, Richmond
5 – Daniel Jones, Green Gully Cavaliers
5 – Brian Bran, Dandenong Thunder
5 – Jonathan Voulgaris, Northcote City
4 – Andrew Viola & Daniel Visevic & Nicholas Marinos, Richmond
4 – Frankie Lagana, Oakleigh Cannons
4 – Adam Zilic, Melbourne Knights
4 – Saso Alexovski, Heidelberg United


Red Cards
3 – Richmond (Liam Cannell, Michael Ferrante, Mate Medjedovic)
3 – Southern Stars (Lean Williams, Ridvan Saglam, Halil Gur)
2 – Green Gully Cavaliers (Patricio Vargas, Mile Medjedovic)
1 – Heidelberg United (George Papadopoulos)
1 – Melbourne Knights (Ben Surey)