By JARROD POTTER
VRL FIRST GRADE – ROUND 10
IN A Victorian Rugby League nail-biter the South Eastern Titans were just knocked over by regional rival Casey 36-42.
The Titans opened the account early through Fine Tuivai as Casey fumbled the first series of the high-calibre VRL bout.
Victorian representatives Paula and Melvin Fifita smashed through the Warriors’ backs and made a number of elite tackles while Alberto Aoese and Robert Tusani played their part in the rolling maul to halt Casey’s advance.
In the end Casey was able to eke out the slender six-point win and keep their minor premiership aspirations alive while the Titans men sit fourth on the ladder and travel on 11 July to face Northern Thunder.
NPL AND NPL1
CLOSE but no cigar for Dandenong Thunder conceding a 1-2 defeat to Melbourne Knights in a closely fought Saturday night battle. The Thunder was desperate for any points – in an attempt to move out of the relegation zone – but couldn’t stop the early advance of the Knights.
James McGarry (30’) headed in the Knights’ first and Stipo Andrijasevic (44’) cleanly hit his penalty to extend the margin to two by the half.
Brodie Paterson rattled off the shot of the night – cannoning a long-range shot through the Knights’ defence to halve the lead at the 51-minute mark. But there was nothing the Thunder could do to add the equaliser, despite solid shots from Brandon Elmazovski and Dandy speedster Yusuf Ahmed.
Thunder heads west on Friday night to face former skipper Shane Rexhepi and his FFA Cup-headed Hume City from 8.30pm.
Dandenong City competed one of the upsets of the season, knocking over ladder leaders Melbourne City 5-0. All the usual suspects – Keegan Ziada, Sean Seavill, Shaun Filipovic and Andy Jerez booted goals to turn Victory into defeat in one scintillating away display at JL Murphy Reserve.
Springvale White Eagles drew with Box Hill United 1-1.
City travels to face Melbourne City on Saturday while Springvale host Bendigo City.
