Samuel Catherine’s South Springvale turned its season around on Saturday with a 3-2 win over the Comets. It’s the fist time Aris has won back-to-back matches since May.
By Gavin Staindl
WHO needs 11 men, when 10 will do?
Division 1 side the Southern Stars had to play out the last 70 minutes of their match against the Fawkner Blue with 10 men after Stars defender Kieran Fitzgerald was sent from the pitch for a second booking.
Not that it mattered for the Stars, who despite giving up a 1-0 lead in the opening seven minutes, managed to reel off three goals to walk away with the three points.
Colin Quirk bagged all three goals in 20 minutes, while goal-keeper Robert Acs saved a penalty late in the match to ensure that the Stars remainedhalf a game inside the promotion zone.
SOUTH Springvale erased any relegation concerns with an inspiring 3-2 win over Casey Comets at Comets Stadium.
The end-to-end Division 2 match appeared headed for a draw when opposing captain Tony Saunders levelled the scores late in the match.
But never write off Aris striker Ken Athiu, who muscled his way into the box moments later to header his second goal, and, more importantly, the winning one for South Springvale.
Athiu, who made his first start in over a month after returning from injury, looked slightly underdone, but nonetheless dangerous when the ball went forward.
Along with an attractive brand of counter-attack soccer, any small concerns South Springvale had of returning to Division 3 vanished after 90 minutes.
DANDENONG City’s run of 11 undefeated matches came to an end on Saturday at the hands of the team that ended its streak earlier in the year.
With a 2-0 win, Box Hill United became the first team to beat Dandenong since, well, Box Hill.
But such is Dandenong’s domination this year that they would have to lose their three remaining matches to lose top pegging.
HEATHERTON United also went down 2-0 to Diamond Valley at Bosnia and Herzegovina Soccer Centre, while NOBLE PARK was beaten 4-1 by Knox City at Egan Lee Reserve.
