By ADEM SARICAOGLU
MELBOURNE Knights ensured a top two finish in the Victorian Premier League with a 2-1 away win over Hume City on Sunday.
In typically blustery conditions at Broadmeadows Valley Park, the Knights survived an anxious finish to the match to hold onto all three points after going into the half-time break deadlocked at 0-0.
Neither club could genuinely trouble the goalkeepers throughout the first half but the Knights looked more threatening up front, pressing on a number of occasions but often failing to beat the offside trap.
The Knights then jumped out of the blocks in the second half as James McGarry was finally able to break the deadlock in the shadows of the hour-mark with a stunning lobbing finish from the edge of the penalty box.
Fifteen minutes later Jacob Colosimo doubled the visitors’ lead with a tap-in, seemingly killing off the Hume City resistance.
However, a Steven Pace strike in the 85th minute breathed life into the contest as City began to surge.
During a lengthy period of injury time City pushed hard for an equaliser and nearly delivered, but the Knights held firm on the last line of defence and managed to keep the home team out, on their way to win number 13 for the year.
As of Sunday evening the second-placed Knights sat just one point below Northcote City on the VPL table.
Their final home-and-away fixture will take place at home this Sunday against the Oakleigh Cannons.
