Today’s Battle of the Greens promises an intriguing match-up between an in-form Green Gully, sitting fourth on the NPL1 table, and visiting reigning champion Bentleigh Greens, sitting in third spot on the ladder.
Gully boasts the best defensive record in the league based largely on its impressive home record, where it has kept five clean sheets in seven home matches this season. It has only faced one of the teams in the top three this season and if that encounter (a scoreless home draw against Heidelberg United) is anything to go by, expect Arthur Papas’s team to take few early risks and to keep things tight. Bentleigh, on the other hand, has numerous attacking options and if it scores early, it could make for an open attacking match.
Later in the evening, fans have the chance to take in a northern suburbs derby on the way to church. An out-of-sorts Hume City will try to halt visiting Heidelberg United’s remarkable run of eight wins from nine starts. If Hume’s veteran defenders Rexhepi and Tavsancioglu can put the brakes on the free scoring Kenny Athiu and co, the home team will fancy its chances.
One thing that’s certain from this game is that there won’t be a rush on the canteen from fasting visiting Bergers’ fans.
This Monday night provides plenty of action for fans looking for their football fix early in the week, with fifth-placed Oakleigh Cannons hosting a struggling Pascoe Vale, looking for its first win in eight matches. Can the Cannons recover from the disappointment of a last minute FFA Cup capitulation to Melbourne Knights mid-week?
On the same night, Port Melbourne Sharks head inland to the Veneto club to take on Bulleen Lions at a difficult away venue.
At the same time, in NPL 2 E action, second-placed Kingston City will be hoping for a quick recovery from its 2-1 home loss against Dandenong Thunder last Monday, which enabled Thunder to replace City at the top of the table. City hosts a winless Werribee City.
In other round 10 NPL 2 E matches, another of Thunder’s recent conquests, third-placed Brunswick City hosts struggling Bendigo City while Box Hill United hosts St Albans Saints in a mid-table clash. Both games are on today.
In State League 1 NW, round five action today, reigning champ Western Suburbs hosts early contender for its title, Altona Magic while SE 1 front-runner Malvern City hits the road to try and keep its perfect start to the season going when it travels to third-placed Warragul United.
Meanwhile, a winless South Springvale travels to Langwarrin in search of its first point of the campaign, while FC Clifton Hill travels to Mooroolbark.