Werribee City has produced a Houdini-like two weeks to leap out of the coffin and have a fighting chance of surviving in the NPL.
The Bees have picked up a maximum six points from their past two matches, beating Northcote City and Oakleigh Cannons to once again put their destiny in their own hands.
Now they face a do-or-die battle with North Geelong Warriors at Galvin Park on Sunday in their final game of the season last. The teams are level on points and any result other than a win for the second-from-bottom Bees will see them relegated to NPL1.
The Warriors, third-last on the ladder, arrive at Shaws Road knowing a draw will see them live to fight another day.
Should the Bees get all three points and avoid sudden death, they would meet the third-ranked NPL1 side in a September playoff to determine which side plays in the top-flight NPL next season.
Bees technical director Domenico Gangemi told
Star Weekly it had been a remarkable turnaround in the past fortnight.
“Three weeks ago, no one would back Werribee after we had 10 losses and a draw in a row,” he said.
“We have one more chance to stay in the NPL. This is a final and if we draw, North Geelong will stay up.
“We have to win.”
The Bees rode their luck in a 1-0 win over Oakleigh away at Jack Edwards Reserve on Friday night.
Simon Colosimo fired in a goal from the penalty spot in the second minute of second-half stoppage time to ensure the Bees left with all three points after a Cannons player handled in the box.
Gangemi conceded there was an element of luck to his side’s win but felt the team played well enough in the preceding 91 minutes to deserve the win.
“We got lucky to get a penalty but we did create three or four clear chances,” Gangemi said.
“We were fantastic in the first half and we managed the game in the second.
“Sometimes you have to have a bit of luck and everyone was so happy after the goal went in.”
