Oakleigh Cannons were on fire on Friday night, putting in a truly stellar effort that saw them secure a 5-0 victory against Altona Magic.
It only took four minutes for Chris Taylor’s well-oiled football machine to open the scoring, with none other than Alex Salmon taking advantage of a shaky defensive effort to score from close range.
Salmon was in the mood, scoring a hat-trick that sealed a dream qualification for the home team, while Joe Guest also got on the scoreboard, taking off the creator’s hat and putting on the scorer’s with a double effort to make it 4-0.
The second half saw the hosts slow down, no doubt thinking of their upcoming battle against South Melbourne, but Salmon was not done yet, scoring his fourth goal of the night to bring the final score to 5-0.
This was a hugely impressive performance from Oakleigh Cannons, who now have the opportunity to retain their title of champions for another season.
Melbourne Knights – Port Melbourne
Port Melbourne’s journey in this season’s NPL finals sadly came to a halt as they were defeated by the Knights at the Croatian’s field.
Despite their valiant effort, the visitors demonstrated an inability to circulate the ball effectively in the final third, giving confidence and assurance to the hosts.
This was exemplified in the 47th minute when Michael Hore found himself in front of the goal and opened the scoring with a close-range shot.
With the score against them, the Port Melbourne players were forced to give space to their opponents, resulting in a penalty kick from Gian Albano in the 65th minute, which sealed the deal for the Knights.
Despite having a relatively good year, the Melbourne Harbor team will sadly end it with a bitter taste in their mouths, as the “Croatians” are a formidable opponent and Port Melbourne failed to display their characteristic attacking football on the Knights Field.
The State Leagues
Saturday afternoon saw a classic showdown between Banyule City and Yarraville, with the ‘Greek’ team managing to pull off a miraculous come-back, equalizing the score and leaving Banyule with just one point – enough to cement Doxa’s place in the first division of the State Leagues.
Malvern also had something to cheer about, as the ‘blue and white’ club emerged victorious against Cobras with a score of 2-1, much to the delight of their loyal fans.
The match between Aris from Springvale and Eltham ended in a draw, with the two teams going head-to-head until the final whistle, only to be tied at 2-2.
It’s been a positive year for the ‘blue and white’ clubs of the State League, and here’s hoping for even more success from the ‘Greek’ clubs in the upcoming season!
NPL MEN – RESULTS
Melbourne Knights – Port Melbourne Sharks 2 – 0 (47′ Mitchell Hore, 65′ G. Albano [P])
Oakleigh Cannons – Altona Magic 5 – 0 (4′ A. Salmon, 15′ A. Salmon, 22′ A. Salmon, 26′ J. Guest, 55′ A. Salmon)
