By JARROD POTTER
CAN the magic FFA Cup qualifying run continue for Endeavour Hills Fire SC?
The club is the low-man on the totem pole in the FFA Cup Victorian qualifiers’ fifth round – as the Fire remains the only side from FFV State League 4 South in the hunt for a ticket to the national phase of the competition.
The Fire has lit up Sebastopol Vikings, Lyndale United, Elwood City and in the fourth round – gunned over State League 2 South East side Sandringham SC 2-1.
Goals from Stefan Bontemps and Reha Ulusoy ensured the Fire would get a chance in the fifth round against NPL 2 East side Kingston City.
The side – based at Power Reserve, Doveton – has been the surprise packet of this year’s competition and president Chantal Moothoo puts it down to everything aligning over the past three seasons.
“We’ve always had a very good team at the club but the fact that we’re a smaller club – it’s not easy at the start of the season to play a big part of the FFA Cup,” Moothoo said.
“In the last three years, since 2013, our team has been coming stronger and stronger and this year we made a move and really appreciative of the run.”
The club was meant to have completed lights at Power Reserve’s soccer pitch, but City of Casey works have gone over schedule and forced the club to look for alternative venues for the clash, scheduled mid-week around 20 April.
The Fire continues to push through the ranks and the president believes that whatever happens next week, there’s plenty on the horizon for the up-and-coming side.
“All I say to the boys is to hang on for a draw – Kingston City is a good team – but we’ll let the penalty kicks do the job for us,” Moothoo said.
“We’ll see what happens, but the boys are very excited to be at this level and playing.
“The boys deserve to be there – they’ve put in a lot of hard work and, hopefully, we can go a little bit further and go into the 16.
“As much as we do want to go further up, I just wish the guys good luck for the next round.”
Also gunning for their spots in the sixth round are State League sides Doveton SC and former FFA Cup Round of 32 entrants South Springvale, alongside NPL 2 Victoria East tandem Dandenong Thunder and Dandenong City.
FFA CUP QUALIFIERS – ROUND 5 (LOCAL TEAMS)
Endeavour Hills Fire SC v Kingston City
FC Bulleen Lions v Doveton SC
Dandenong Thunder v Hume City
Mooroolbark v Dandenong City
Avondale FC v South Springvale
