By JARROD POTTER
IN WITH a big shot of advancing to the FFA Cup Round of 32 again, South Springvale has one last opponent to overcome.
After knocking over its second NPL side in as many rounds last Sunday evening, besting North Geelong Warriors 2-1, Aris is set to battle a third with big stakes on the line on Wednesday night.
Warner Reserve is set to host the battle between South Springvale and NPL heavyweight Oakleigh Cannons in Round 7 of the FFA Cup Victorian Preliminaries.
South Springvale coach Bill Lambropoulos said even against the hardest opposition left in the Cup campaign, Aris’ next opponent didn’t matter as his charges can take it up to anyone.
“We’re still in it and we’re going to continue to think positive and do our best,” Lambropoulos said.
“There are some big teams left in this competition – we’ll take it game by game as it comes and do our best that’s all we can do.”
South Springvale flew into the Victorian final eight for the second year in a row after knocking over North Geelong by a goal.
Aris found the back of the net through Dionysios Liosatos before a header from defender Tommy Brooks put the match beyond doubt.
After a back-and-forth start to the clash – with neither side particularly capitalising on any forward attack – the ball came out to Aris’ recruit Liosatos.
Played in from outside the box, Liosatos expertly chipped it over the keeper and began the celebrations as South Springvale pulled ahead in the 22nd minute.
Future chances would go untaken for South Springvale throughout the next 40 minutes of match-play as Aris struggled to seize another goal.
It took the efforts of Brooks to break the stranglehold thwarting Aris.
Forming the fortress-like back tandem with captain Ari Drakos, Brooks showed he belonged in the yellow-and-black stripes after a strange season so far for the central defender.
Brooks’ off-season journey is one for the record books as he played against South Springvale in an earlier preliminary round for Casey Comets.
But as they say, if you can’t beat them, join them… again.
He was welcomed back by coach Bill Lambropoulos and the defender relished his time on the big stage Sunday as he was impeccable defensively.
Clearing countless Warriors’ long passes, Brooks held down the back end before sneaking forward and capping off his return with a bang.
Brooks smashed in a free-header off a well-weighted corner in the 60th minute and the home-crowd went ballistic.
“Tommy told me he was going to go overseas this year and wasn’t going to be a permanent fixture, so I said if you’re going to travel it is best that you don’t see the year out with me,” Lambropoulos said.
“After our home game with Casey, he told me he wasn’t going overseas anymore and he was more than welcome to come back.
“He’s done his job tonight (last Sunday) – he’s as tough as they come and what he’s got he’ll give with all his heart.”
The Warriors fought back in the dying minutes and earned an 87-minute penalty off a handball in the box. Matt Townley finished the job expertly, making the only successful shot for the night to go past Aris goalkeeper George Malliaras.
Lambropoulos believes the side has been taking each match as it comes without focusing on getting back to the Cup finals.
“I think they know from last year what it means to the club, to the supporters and to themselves to be on the big arena,” Lambropoulos said.
“And this year we’ve included some new boys into the squad that can obviously help us with our journey.
“The onus hasn’t been on the cup – that was never put on them as pressure.”
Aris needs only one more win in the regional qualifiers to book its place in the FFA Cup – returning to the competition after a stellar 2014 run where South Springvale was eliminated at the top-16 stage.
South Springvale famously made a run into the inaugural FFA Cup’s Round of 16 in 2014 before elimination by Palm Beach Sharks. The side also finished second overall in the Dockerty Cup – conceding a solitary goal against Melbourne Knights with seconds left in a second overtime.
