Bentleigh Greens beat Heidelberg United by two goals to one in the opening match in Round 13 on Friday at Kingston Heath. The Greens had the upper hand for most of a closely fought game and scored through Nick Pappas and Marco Maisano. Jerry Coccosis replied for the Bergers. Andrew Charalambous and young keeper Anthony Thasouliotis were the tops for the home team.
The Victorian Institute of Sport jumped back to the top of the league on Saturday with a ten-two mauling of Springvale City's young team. Grgo Saric put the VIS ahead after six minutes and his team never dropped its pace thereafter despite the 33 degree heat. Patrick Arcuri from Wangaratta scored a hat-trick on debut for the VIS, Billy Petrovski banged in two, and hit the bar and the Springie keeper denied him several times. Singles followed from Laz Zaekis and Brandon Vassallo as well as the two substitutes Franc Bazzano and Adrian Cuzzupe. Springie kept plugging away and was rewarded with two good goals by Ronald Navarro and Hassan Sulemani.
Altona Magic had an excellent three-nil win against the Melbourne Knights Colts at Paisley Park on Saturday with goals by Pece Siveski, Jovanco Novacevski and Darko Todevski, who kept up his goal a game run of recent weeks. The first half was even and goal-less, but when Siveski broke through after 47 minutes, the Magic got on top. But it was very late before it could think it was safe with the other two goals coming in 86 and 90 minutes.
In a fiercely fought match in 40 degree heat, Collingwood Warriors downed South Melbourne at Bob Jane Stadium in the match of the round on Sunday. The Warriors coach Dusan Brnovic had to draft in midfielder Peter Groidis as keeper in the absence of the regular custodian, and Groidis pulled off three brilliant saves to prevent goals to Souths. The first came in 22 minutes when George Tzirtis got to the bye line and cut the ball back to Alfonso Opazo only five metres from goal. Groidis threw himself sideways and one handed the ball to safety, where it was transferred down the right wing by Bill Papadimitriou, who galloped the length of the pitch and crossed to the far post. Peter Di Iorio headed the ball back and Jeff Stefanidis knocked it over the line for the Warriors. What a passage of play! The Warriors extended the lead in 52 mintues after Con Karasividis's corner kick flew through a forest of legs to Mile Medjedovic who tapped it over the line. Ten minutes later Opazo took advantage of a gap in the Warriors' defence and ran through to score, but thereafter the Warriors locked up the match to win comfortably in the end to the delight of a large band of supporters.
Melbourne Knights hammered a depleted Box Hill by thirteen goals to nil at Knights' stadium. Branko Bacak was the main assassin with seven goals, while Mario Medugorac scored a hat-trick. The rest came in singles to Festim Zekiri, Tom Gavran and a late one to Martin Raspudic. Box Hill was so short of numbers that its coach had to take the field.
Green Gully drew one-all with Gippsland Falcons at home. Daniel Moore put Gully ahead in 57 minutes, but within three more the Falcons were level from the penalty spot. John Hutchinson scored coolly. Leo Galea was a star in goal for the Falcons, keeping his team on terms in face of attacks led by Adam Cimino and David Maglovsky. Gully's other top player was Duan Robertson who fought hard to contain Manoa and Esala Masi in midfield.
The match between Thomastown Zebras and Sunshine Georgies was not played because of the extreme heat.