Truganina’s on-field performance is starting to correlate with its ambitions off the pitch.
The Hornets have made no secret of their desire to be promoted from Football Federation Victoria’s State League 5 this season.
They are into their third year as a senior club and second as part of the state league system, and they’ve recruited strongly to increase their talent pool.
A split in the state soccer ranks, brought about by the FFV’s decision to introduce the National Premier League, led to the Hornets being placed in the lowly fifth tier of the state leagues.
Hornets president Sergio Lunedei understood the reasons behind his club featuring in the weakest division. But he doesn’t believe it’s where the club should stay any longer than this season.
“Last year wasn’t great, so we had to pay for it,” he said. “I think our team, along with Keilor Wolves and Spring Hills, are at least at state 4 [level].”
Those three teams and Kyneton District are battling for two promotion spots. Two points separate the four teams in a neck-and-neck promotion race.
The Hornets fired a salvo with a 3-2 win over previous ladder leader Spring Hills at Arndell Park Reserve on Saturday. They stung the visitors for three first-half goals from Chris Scavo, Anthony Calenda and Musa Kamara before holding on grimly for the three points to take an equal share of top spot on the ladder.
It was the best indication yet that the Hornets have the cattle to go on and win the title. “We’re aiming for that,” Lunedei said.
“We want to get out of state league 5. We started preseason concentrating on that, and if we don’t succeed it will be devastating.”
In the NPL, Werribee City suffered a 4-0 drubbing on the road to Bentleigh Greens on Friday night, leaving them third-last on the ladder. In state league 4, Hoppers Crossing – sparked by two goals to Liam McDermott – edged closer to the title with a 5-0 away win over Melton Phoenix at MacPherson Park.
