HOPPERS Crossing retained its eight-point buffer at the top of the Football Federation Victoria men’s provisional league 2 north-west, but had to do it the hard way.
The Reds had to come from a goal down at half-time to snatch a 3-2 win over a plucky Northern Roosters away at Gibb Reserve on Saturday.
Reds coach Joey Vella was not happy with the intensity his defenders showed in the first half. They seemed to go through the motions and at he break were told to shape up.
“We had to get our back four organised,” he said. “Our two full-backs were too slow shuffling across.”
Once the defensive structure was put into place, the Reds took command.
They added to Alister Smart’s first-half goal with an equaliser just four minutes into the second half from a Drew Gilmore tap in.
The winning goal came from the penalty spot after winger Zia Sherzai was taken down in one of his marauding runs.
Spot-kick specialist Gus Dos Santos stepped up to fire home straight down the middle.
Vella admitted to feeling a hint of relief with the 76th-minute goal.
The Reds led the chooks a merry dance in the midfield, even without first-team regulars Kevin Smart and Khalil Assaad.
Tom Orndahl, Joe Nave and Brett Gilmore were in total control of the flow of the game.
“We pretty much dominate the midfield,” Vella said. “Their combination was quite good.”
The Reds will host the under-performing Western Eagles at Grange Reserve on Saturday.
Werribee City has moved into the men’s state league 1 top-five after a 2-0 win over Dandenong City at the Frank Holohan Soccer Complex on Saturday.
The Bees are just seven points out of the promotion places after starting the season staring down the barrel of relegation.
SCORES
SL1: Dandenong City 0 Werribee City 2
PL2: Northern Roosters 2 Hoppers Crossing 3
MML: Greenvale United 10 Truganina 2
