Melbourne Knights FC Official Website Related Articles
The Melbourne Knights know they won’t be featuring in the finals this year, but the side will also travel to Green Gully Reserve just a 5km drive up Sunshine Avenue from Somers Street knowing that they are safe from relegation. The Knights are in ninth position on the table, on 23 points, three clear of the Bentleigh Greens.
The relegation battle is a three-way race, with the Bentleigh Greens (10th position, 20 points), Sunshine George Cross (11th position, 19 points) and Altona Magic (12th position, 17 points) all in danger of being one of the two teams to be demoted to State League One next year.
Northcote City’s Trent Rixon looks likely to be the 2010 Alanic VPL Top Goal Scorer, with two games for Northcote still to come. He currently has 16 goals, followed by Kevin Townson (Melbourne Knights) with 13 goals.
The Green Gully Cavaliers welcome the Melbourne Knights to Green Gully Reserve for the Knights final game of the season.
Green Gully’s coach, Paul Harris, said the Melbourne Knights are one of the most underrated teams in the competition.
“They’re a very very good side the Melbourne Knights, I think everybody that has played them is surprised where they’re at, but they’re safe and they can play with a free spirit, and they’re a very good footballing side,” Harris said.
Nick Robinson returns from suspension for Green Gully, but Josh Groenewald, Gary Wales, and Jonathan Munoz will all be missing again.
Last weekend the Knights gave club champion Danny Tiatto the perfect send off, defeating Northcote City 4-2. After ensuring the Knights would not be relegated next year, Tiatto retired after the match.
Knights coach Ivan Duzel called on Knights fans to support the side in the encounter against Gully, even though many consider it a dead rubber.
– We have had a disappointing year with some bad results where we were in control of the game and some individual mistakes or refereeing decisions cost us. But, we’re safe from relegation which was our primary goal and we have achieved that. As a club, we all hope to keep these players together, obviously there will be a few going to overseas clubs, and with quality replacements and strengthening our squad we can push for finals next year – this club is too big not to be playing finals and we will all work hard in the offseason to make sure we can be successful next year”, Duzel said.
The Knights coach then turned back to this season and the up and coming game against Green Gully: “I’d love to go down there and spoil their party. Matty Hrastov will start in goals after Loncaric got red carded last week which is a good opportunity for the keeper to show what he can do. We will be going out there with nothing to lose and playing freely which will certainly cause problems for Green Gully.
The Knights showdown against Green Gully on Sunday 15th August at 3pm at Green Gully Reserve.
The Melbourne Knights would also like to inform all fans, members and friends that regardless of the result, everyone is called back to the Melbourne Croatia Social Club after the game for a laid back end of season party with all the players and coaches in attendance.
