DESTINY is in Noble Park’s own hands as it ventures into a two-game home stand that will determine whether it will be promoted into Division Two.
Drina is coming off a 2-1 loss to Croydon Arrows at Dorset Recreational Reserve that dropped them back to within a game-and-a-half in front of third position.
But with games in the next two weeks against the third-placed Kingston City and second-placed South Springvale, Noble Park understands that winning both is crucial to getting them through to Division Two next year.
“The way the club and I are looking at it, these two weeks are going to decide our destiny,” treasurer Vradislav Kurivak said. “If we are good enough to beat them then we’ll go up, if not then better luck next year.”
Noble Park will come into the match against Kingston City without Neovjsa Vukosljevic after he was red-carded on Friday night for a dubious tackle.
The card means he will miss at least this week’s match and possibly the following week.
Even with a mounting injury toll and numerous players heading overseas, Kurivak is remarkably calm given his team is on the verge of promotion.
“We are hoping to win the six points. If we do then we do, but if we don’t then we don’t,” Kurivak said. “It will be good if we do because then there will be big parties after the game … everyone has come together, in unity, and we want to win it,” he said.
South Springvale remains perilously close to dropping out of the top two despite beating Nunawading 3-1 at Warner Reserve.
Livewire Ken Athiu scored two goals as South Springvale remains one point clear of Kingston City.
Springvale City was hammered 7-1 by Fitzroy City at Fairfield Reserve and the heavy loss gives the club the worst goal difference in Division Three.
The race for promotion in Division Two is heating up but the Southern Stars still have the edge after a 3-1 over Doncaster Rovers at Ross Reserve.
Diamond Valley remains a game back from the Stars after they beat local hopes Dandenong City 3-0 at Comets Stadium. In another high-scoring encounter, Heatherton found itself on the wrong end of a 7-3 score line at Bosnia and Herzegovina Soccer Centre.
Division One side Springvale White Eagles are sweating in top spot after they dropped another three points in their 3-5 loss to Pascoe Vale at White Eagles Stadium.
The White Eagles are still five points ahead of any comers but after four losses from their last six games they are still no certainty of being promoted into the Premier League next year.
– Gavin Staindl
