Melbourne Knights hunt for finals football continues when they travel to face Hume City in NPL Victoria Round 24 action on Saturday evening.
Three points at Hume City Stadium on Saturday could see Knights lock in a first finals appearance since 2015 if Green Gully fail to beat Dandenong Thunder.
Ben Cahn’s side currently sit in fourth position on 41 points, four clear of seventh placed Gully, who handed them their first defeat in four league outings last weekend.
Hume, who defeated Bentleigh 2-0 last weekend occupy ninth position on the league table with 24 points to their name and are out of contention for finals football.
Knights and Hume played out a 1-1 draw when they met in the reverse fixture at Knights Stadium in April.
A first half Luka Kolic strike had Knights in front before the visitors stole a share of the spoils late on courtesy of an own goal.
Hume, who are now coached by Cameron Watson have made a number changes since the sides last met with four players arriving at Hume City Stadium in the June transfer window with several more departing the club as well.
In total Knights and Hume have met 19 times in NPL Victoria action with Knights winning six, Hume eight and there having been five draws between the pair.
As well as finals football a club goals record is also in Knights sights with their return of 43 so far this season only two shy of a club record tally of 45 scored in 2018.
Melbourne Knights Head Coach, Ben Cahn said his side are raring to get out there and return to winning ways at Hume City Stadium on Saturday evening.
“It’s been a tough couple of months for us, we’ve had up to five more games in that period than most of the teams around us and it’s obviously taken it’s toll,” Cahn said.
“But the boys have been outstanding in training this week, they’ve showed a lot of hunger to keep improving and to bounce back.
“The quality of training has been exceptionally high, the belief in the group is high and we’ll be ready to give everything to get three points at Hume on Saturday.”
Saturday’s match at Hume City Stadium kicks off at 6:30pm and will be live streamed on NPL.TV.
MATCH DETAILS
NPL Victoria 2023 – Round 24: Hume City v Melbourne Knights
Hume City Stadium, Broadmeadows
Saturday, July 29 (6:30pm KO)