By Lance Jenkinson
Has Werribee City found the potion that will bring its National Premier League 2 west season back to life?
The Bees looked more like the team that stormed to the top of the ladder in the first half of the season than the one that has looked out of sorts in recent times in a 3-0 win over Melbourne Victory at Galvin Park on Sunday.
Bees coach Sergio Sabbadini said he felt his side has regained a bit of its lost form in a 2-1 defeat to Bulleen Lions last week and carried the positive form into the Victory game.
“We played the last two weeks pretty well,” Sabbadini said.
“We feel like we were a bit robbed against Bulleen when an offside call went against us, which was their equalising goal.
“We carried on with our form today and scored three goals, which was good.”
After picking up just one point in four games, Werribee City needed a spark to re-light the fire.
The Bees not only claimed all three points, scored three goals and kept a clean sheet, they were assertive in their play and took the game to the Victory.
“We went back to how we played in the first half of the year,” Sabbadini said.
“We had control of the game and control of the ball.
“The longer the game went, the better we sort of played.”
The first half was fairly tense.
The opening 20 minutes was an arm wrestle before Werribee City began to get on top.
A goal to Liam Brian just before the break loosened the shackles for the Bees.
The Bees came back out after half time and dominated the play.
Goals to attackers Lisandro Paz and Jake Butler ensured a much-needed win for Werribee City.
“It was pretty positive in the rooms before the game and after the game it was obviously great,” Sabbadini said.
“It gives them a bit of belief in themselves and what we’re trying to do.”
The big adjustment that Werribee City has made in recent weeks has been the move of Tyler James to the midfield.
James has been dominant at right back, but a move was needed freshen up the midfield.
“We played him in midfield last week against Bullen and he played the role really well, so we left him there this week,” Sabbadini said.
“He gives that extra bit of pace across the middle.”
Sabbadini was full of praise for his defence, including goalkeeper Nikola Kostandinoski and the back four of Julyan Collett, Shaun Hodor, Nick Bavcar and Sam McCall.
Werribee City is sitting in second spot on the ladder, three points back from top side Moreland Zebras. The Bees will travel to play the Whittlesea Ranges on Saturday at Epping Stadium, a venue they won at earlier in the season when they toppled Melbourne Victory first time around.
