Following a week off to contest the State Knockout Cup, the Victorian Premier League returns this week.
On Friday night, two Greek derbies were played, with Bentleigh Greens hosting Oakleigh Cannons, and Vasiliadis’ Sharks welcoming Northcote City at Port Melbourne.
From the four rounds of the 2013 VPL season, Northcote City has four wins, and came out as a winner from the Knockout Cup’s encounter with Moreland Zebras last weekend (2-1).
Port Melbourne returned to the VPL season in big style, with two wins and a draw; while last weekend they failed to lower league opponents, losing at home against Box Hill United (2-3).
Oakleigh Cannons have started the 2013 season with only one win and one draw, while the Bentleigh Greens have written down three wins in four rounds and are second on the ladder. Last weekend, in round four of the State Knockout Cup, Bentleigh Greens carved out the victory against Springvale White Eagles (2-1).
South Melbourne will battle Richmond Eagles at Lakeside stadium this Sunday, after suffering their first loss of the season in round four to Dandenong Thunder.
For Peter Tsolakis’ team it will be a great opportunity to recover from the three points loss, and it shouldn’t be a hard one, as they face an outfit who have yet to register a point and are last on the ladder.
Richmond themselves however won’t let go. The team will be enthusiastic to enter the game with new coach Grant Brebner on the bench, who will try to get some results on the board in the first game.
The former Melbourne Victory star was employed following the resignation of Jean-Marc Imbert during the week. Imbert resigned after failing to record a point in any of the four opening matches, and following last weekend’s 7-2 loss at home to Hercules’ boys from Northcote City.
Sunday afternoon’s game will be the first home match this season for South Melbourne. General Manager Peter Kokotis told Neos Kosmos the South Melbourne boys are expected to be on top of their game after a disappointing performance against Dandenong Thunder in round four.
“This will be our first game at home. We are very keen to make Lakeside, our home, a fortress, and we have to be wary of Richmond. Obviously with the new coach they are going to be keen to impress. New coaches tend to get good results when they start, so we’ll have to make sure we bring our own game to the match,” Kokotis told Neos Kosmos.
For a 35-year-old Grant Brebner, who was described in the club’s press release as a “young, enthusiastic, experienced and capable individual to lead the coaching of the senior squad”, it is his first role as a coach.
“He was a very good player, a championship player, he has been playing for Victory, and has a great pedigree from England. It will be interesting to see what sort of team he brings on Sunday.”
The home game for South Melbourne comes after a week off from playing commitments, after last weekend’s State Knockout Cup game with Oakleigh Cannons was cancelled.
“The boys had two weeks to lick their wounds from a very poor performance, so they will be motivated to get a great result at home, in front of the supporters,” Peter Kokotis said, inviting South Melbourne supporters to get behind the team and come to the ground, in their first home game this season.
Round Five games:
Dandenong Thunder v Hume City
Sat 3.00 pm, George Andrews Reserve
7th v 6th
Green Gully Cavaliers v Melbourne Knights
Sat 3.00 pm, Green Gully Reserve
9th v 5th
Southern Stars v Pascoe Vale
Sat 6.00 pm, Kingston Heath Soccer Complex
South Melbourne v Richmond
Sun 5.00 pm, Lakeside Stadium