NPL clubs Oakleigh Cannons and South Melbourne are the two remaining Victorian Greek teams in the Dockerty Cup competition. Both are just one win away from qualifying for both the Dockerty Cup semi-finals and the national stage of the FFA Cup (Rd of 32), a major objective of many NPL clubs.
However both the Cannons and South face formidable obstacles after Monday’s quarter-final draw pitted them against top six NPL clubs Hume City and Melbourne Knights respectively. They’ll have to overcome these difficult opponents away from home at ABD stadium and Knights stadium.

Oakleigh’s opponent, Hume City has already had an impressive cup run this season eliminating NPL powerhouses Heidelberg United and Bentleigh Greens in their last two rounds. Hume City and Oakleigh Cannons have history in the FFA Cup with Hume City famously qualifying for the FFA Cup semi-finals in 2015 with a 3-2 win over Oakleigh Cannons in the quarter finals at ABD stadium. Current South Melbourne player Marcus Schroen scored a late winner for Hume that day. But the Cannons and Hume have even more recent history with the two teams meeting last Sunday at Jack Edwards stadium in a 1-1 draw.

Cannons coach Chris Taylor was impressed by Hume City’s performance, prompting him to comment on the Cannons’ Facebook page.

“Hume are probably the best side we’ve played this year,” Taylor wrote.

Commenting on the prospect of facing Hume in the Dockerty Cup quarter finals, Taylor said “there are no easy games”.

“If we play as well as we can we’re in with a shot. The hard thing will be balancing three games in a week … it’s not the physical side but the mental side which is important.”

The other quarter final features one of the great rivalries of Victorian football, the Melbourne Knights hosting South Melbourne.

The Knights famously eliminated NPL League leader Avondale in the last round of the cup in a thrilling match which went to extra time, proving that on their day they can match it with the best.

South fans on the other hand will be hoping that it’s a case of history repeating itself when they travel to Knights Stadium. Their last visit in Rd 8 resulted in an unexpected victory for the then struggling Lakesiders, who went into that game with newly appointed senior coach Esteban Quintas at the helm for his first game in charge. South won that game 1-0 thanks to a Brad Norton goal.