By Charlene Gatt
THE Green Gully Cavaliers have broken a three-week dry spell to post a 1-0 win over the Melbourne Knights in their Football Federation Victoria Foxtel Cup match at Green Gully Reserve on Sunday.
Only one point stands between the Cavaliers and first-placed Oakleigh Chargers, with Green Gully’s win elevating the side to second place.
The competition between Green Gully and the Knights was fierce, with Cavaliers Emanuel Muscat, Dragi Nastevski and Joel Nikolic all receiving yellow cards early on.
Earlier rain thwarted either side’s chances of making much headway in the first half, with Cavalier goalkeeper Ante Lonkaric fobbing off a scoring attempt by the Knights’ Matthew Grbesa in the 33rd minute to keep the teams scoreless at half-time.
Desperate to be the first to post a score, both sides came into the second half determined, but the crowd didn’t have to wait long as Green Gully’s Brandon Vassallo booted through the first and only goal of the game.
At Chaplin Reserve, the Sunshine Georgies also broke their winless streak, claiming a 2-1 victory over the Springvale White Eagles.
The Georgies dominated the first half, nabbing the opening goal courtesy of Alfonso Opzo in the 20th minute before team-mate Christopher Greechan opened up the margin to 2-0 halfway through the second term.
But the Eagles weren’t prepared to give the game away that easily, with a well-aimed shot 10 minutes later from Igor Arsovski putting the side back in the game.
Despite bringing fresh legs Gordan Mrdic and Rados Tomic into attack, the Eagles couldn’t keep up the momentum.
Meanwhile, Western Suburbs are firmly rooted to the bottom of the ladder after a 1-0 loss to the Whittlesea Zebras.
In a heated encounter in which seven yellow cards were dished out, the bottom-of-the-table clash saw the Zebras dominate possession and finally succeed with only 10 minutes to go thanks to a stroke of genius by Hamlet Armenian.
At Bob Jane Stadium, 2006 runner-up Altona Magic avenged its title in a premiership rematch over rival South Melbourne.
After the teams were level at half-time, Altona captain Daniel Vasilevski scored twice in the second half to give his team the win.
In other games, Kingston City and Preston Lions drew 0-0 in a largely uneventful match, Richmond disarmed the previously undefeated Oakleigh Chargers in a stunning 4-1 victory, the Essendon Royals pipped Fawkner Blues 2-1 and Heidelberg United won 3-0 over the AIS.
