Hoppers Crossing is meticulously defending its seven-point lead at the top of the Football Federation Victoria men’s state league 3 north-west ladder.
The Reds have been in pole position with that large gap for a month now and showed no signs of subsiding in Saturday’s professional 2-0 win over Brunswick Zebras on the road at Sumner Park.
There seems to be a ruthlessness about the Reds that has carried over from its title-winning campaign in the division below a year ago.
“They’ve had a bit of a taste of success last year and they know what it feels like,” first-year Reds coach Steve Iosifidis told Star Weekly. “They won’t let it go so easily.”
Six rounds is all that stands between Hoppers Crossing and consecutive promotions.
The Reds remaining fixtures are a mixed bag with games top four outfits Williamstown and Upfield in the last two rounds, preceded by four games with sides sixth or below.
It is the games against the relegation-threatened teams, like North City Wolves at Grange Reserve this Saturday, that worries Iosifidis the most.
“I’m always nervous towards this time of the year,” he said. “The last two games are Williamstown and Upfield – they’ll be pretty tough – but I think those sorts of games you naturally mentally prepare for.
“It’s the games you think will be a shoo-in, you think it’s going to be an easy game, where complacency can creep in. I’m more nervous on those games than the one against the top teams.”
The Reds are proof that defence wins premierships.
They had the lowest goals against in the league last season, conceding a mere 0.77 goals per game.
That average is tracking even better this season at a tight 0.68 goals per game.
“Our defence has really stepped up,” Iosifidis said.
“I think they’ve conceded the least amount of goals in the whole of the state league, let alone state 3.”
Goalkeeper Kieron Sharratt’s clean sheet against the Zebras was his fifth in eight games.
His goals against average is a tiny 0.37, though he has been aided by a water-tight defence.
The Reds scooped all three points from the Zebras on the back of goals to John Little and Liam McDermott.
McDermott missed out on his chance for a double after having a shot saved from the penalty spot.
In state league 4, Truganina Hornets sunk deeper into the relegation quick sand with a 5-1 loss to Melton Phoenix at MacPherson Park, while Point Cook is slipping further away from the promotion places, remaining stranded on 26 points after a 1-0 loss to Keilor Wolves.
