Souths strike for first win

By Stuart Teather
SPRINGVALE South picked up its first win of the State League Two South East season on Saturday, defeating the winless Casey Comets at Comets Stadium.
The two sides were the only remaining teams in the division without a win for the season and it was the Souths who got the result, coming out 2-0 winners.
Casey went on the attack early but South Springvale got numbers back and seemed content to attack on the breakaway.
The visitors got the breakthrough late in the first half when Fikret Korkaric received a ball from Chris Palasidis and thumped it into the net.
Soon after Korkaric slotted his second goal for the match after the Souths were awarded a penalty for a rough tackle inside the box.
The second half proved to be a lacklustre affair with South Springvale in control with the two-goal buffer, and neither side was to trouble the scorers again.
Souths coach Ulysses Kokkinos said the win took some of the pressure off the club. “When the team doesn’t go well everyone is under pressure,” he said. “When you win, the confidence of the players comes up … if we can put two or three wins together it’ll be fantastic.”
He said there were plenty of promising signs to come from the match, but, as always, said there was room for improvement.
“We should learn how to break down quicker and release the ball quicker, we don’t release the ball quick enough.”
Meanwhile Dandenong City played out a 1-1 draw with ladder-leader Doncaster at Anderson Park.
City had the lead at half-time after Ivan Gelemanovic converted, but the Rovers hit back through Michael Santaro to tie the game.
The draw was still a good result for Dandenong City, and the club is only the second team so far this year to score against the classy Rovers defence.
Heatheron United picked up its second win of the season with a 4-1 thumping of Knox City. The goals came thick and fast at Bosnia and Herzegovnia Centre, and the win boosted Heatherton to sixth on the ladder.
In State League One action, Springvale White Eagles had a 2-0 loss to Northcote City at White Eagles Stadium.
The Southern Stars tied 1-1 with Fawkner at Ross Reserve, with Sercan Doganay finding the back of the net for the Stars.
The local teams also had a tough day out in State League Three South East, with Noble Park enduring a 5-2 defeat at the hands of the Southern Suburbs, and Springvale City went down 3-0 to Brandon Park.