White Eagles on the up and up

By Gavin Staindl
THE SPRINGVALE White Eagles are off to the Premier League next year.
The White Eagles defeated the Whittlesea Zebras 4-3 at Epping Soccer Stadium to give an insurmountable lead on top of the Division One ladder with one round remaining.
It was symbolic that the winning goal that promoted the White Eagles into the Victorian Premier League came from the boot of 19-year-old Velibor Mitrovic.
Mitrovic was one of the three teenage substitutes for the match and reflected the confidence the coach and president had in their young players to get the job done.
“He (Mitrovic) came on in the 74th minute and scored the winner with two minutes left … he was very, very happy,” president Bob Stojanic said.
The goal and subsequent win was met with joyous celebrations as the players formed a circle in the middle of the pitch and broke into song.
By Stojanic’s admission it was an “interesting” game, as the lead changed hands four times before Mitrovic scored to put the Eagles in front for the second time in the match.
Upon reflection, Stojanic is amazed at the transformation of a club that at the beginning of this year was intent purely on avoiding relegation after narrowly avoiding the drop to Division Two in 2009 by a point.
“At the start of the season we wanted to be in a position to avoid relegation and maybe finish middle of the table.
“We were a little bit lucky last year to stay in the league.
“We only finished one point ahead of Frankston Pines but we’ve brought in new coaches this year and they’ve been great,” Stojanic said.
Zed Mihalovic and his assistant coaches are no older than 36, but in their first year leading the White Eagles they have already impressed Stojanic.
“They have done more than I expected.
“It has been a happy year and we’re a happy family and we’re not focussing on next year just yet, we’re just enjoying our time,” Stojanic said.
The top of the table clash in Division Three between Noble Park and South Springvale was called off after the referee declared the pitch was too wet to guarantee player safety.
The outcome now means if results fall as predicted next week, the two teams will play off for first place in the final game of the season.
Springvale City and the Division Two Southern Stars also had their match postponed because of poor weather.
The other two local Division Two matches were played out but perhaps they would have preferred to sit at home.
The visiting Heatherton United was downed 4-0 to Morwell while Dandenong City was beaten 3-0 to Knox City in Dandenong’s first home match since July.