Round Five matches of the FFV Men’s State Knockout Cup will be played over the Queen’s Birthday weekend, with 16 teams remaining in Australia’s largest senior men’s knockout competition.
With most VPL clubs having managed to avoid each other in Round Five, the exception will be the blockbuster clash between fellow VPL sides, South Melbourne and Northcote City, to be played at the Lakeside Stadium next Monday.
Northcote City club president Peter Kotsiris is aware the game with third on the ladder host, South Melbourne, is a tough round. However, for the well performing Goran Lozanovski boys, the game will be one more way to keep momentum going.
“It’s a bit of a lottery really, because South Melbourne is a very strong team; as are we. So far, both sides have had good start of the season and we both have a lot of depth in our squads. It’s going to be an opportunity for both coaches to rest some players and give opportunity to those who haven’t played much. I think it’s going to be a challenging game with a lot of goals,” club president Peter Kotsiris told Neos Kosmos.
“We have a tough fixture but from our perspective it’s important that we keep playing, and keep playing well, so we are not complaining that we got a strong opponent. To be honest, we’d rather have an opponent like South Melbourne, than an opponent like St Kilda. Because of the fact we are doing well in the League, momentum is very important, and boys want to test themselves against the best opposition.”
“Playing a team in State League Four or Five, would mean a comfortable win for us, I suppose. But playing a stronger opponent is going to make it a better test for us, that won’t allow any complacency on our players’ behalf,” Kotsiris told Neos Kosmos.
In what was predicted to be the most entertaining round of the Victorian Premier League, last weekend’s round eight ended with undefeated Northcote City dropping its first points this season, after a draw in a top of the table clash with Bentleigh Greens on Sunday afternoon (1-1). Bentleigh Greens will travel to Sunshine George Cross today, in a round five of Knockout Cup.
Port Melbourne Sharks came out from their last weekend’s VPL match with Southern Stars with three points (4-2), continuing their strong start to 2013 season; although head coach Eric Vassiliadis wasn’t satisfied with team’s defensive display.
In round eight, Hume City registered their third consecutive win after defeating last year’s Grand Finalists Oakleigh Cannons, raising further concerns about the form of the squad from Oakleigh. With just over a third of the season completed and eight games played, the Cannons are two places away from the bottom of the ladder, just above winless Southern Stars and Richmond.
Alongside Port Melbourne Sharks, Oakleigh Cannons will wait a fortnight to compete in next VPL round, as they are competing in round five of State Knockout Cup.
The game between Richmond and Green Gully (1-2) was abandoned after 70 minutes due to poor pitch conditions last Friday night. In the round five of State Knockout Cup, Richmond played host to Box Hill United yesterday, Friday; while the Cavaliers travel to Keilor Park today, 2:00 pm.
Despite being reduced to ten men early in the game, Pascoe Vale kept South Melbourne’s many chances away from scoring in VPL round eight, on what was a goalless draw last Saturday evening. Pascoe Vale side will compete in the State Knockout Cup this weekend, when it hosts Werribee City at its Hosken Reserve.
Last weekend, Melbourne Knights stole all three points from the reigning Champions Dandenong Thunder (4-3) in a great match, that is most likely to go down as a match of the 2013 VPL season.
Dandenong will take on St Kilda in the State Knockout Cup on Saturday, while Melbourne Knights will wait to take on South Melbourne in the round nine of VPL next weekend.
Teams remaining in the State Knockout Cup competition currently span five of the six tiers in senior men’s metropolitan football: 7 Victorian Premier League, 3 State League One, 4 State League Two, 1 State League Four and 1 State League Five.
Round Four of Knockout cup, that was played on 4 and 5 May, provided some upsets with VPL sides Melbourne Knights, Southern Stars and Port Melbourne Sharks falling to lower league opponents.
State Knockout Cup Round Five fixtures:
South Melbourne (VPL) v Northcote City (VPL), Monday 10 June, 3:00 pm, at Lakeside Stadium
St Kilda (State League Five South) v Dandenong Thunder (VPL), Saturday 8 June, 2:00 pm, Elwood Park
Sunshine George Cross (State League One) v Bentleigh Greens (VPL), Saturday 8 June, 2:00 pm, Chaplin Reserve
Western Eagles (State League Four West) v Preston Lions (State League Two North West), Saturday 8 June, 2:00 pm, Polish Sports & Recreation Complex
Keilor Park (State League Two North West) v Green Gully Cavaliers (VPL), Saturday 8 June, 2:00 pm, Keilor Park Recreation Reserve
Pascoe Vale (VPL) v Werribee City (State League One), Saturday 8 June 2:00 pm, Hosken Reserve
Moreland City (State League Two North West) v FC Clifton Hill (State League Two South East), Saturday 8 June, 2:00 pm, Campbell Reserve
Richmond (VPL) v Box Hill United (State League One), Friday 7 June, 7:30 Friday, Kevin Bartlett Reserve
