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Melbourne Knights has recorded its first win of the 2016 calendar year, with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over sister club St Albans Saints on Friday night.
Fielding a much more experienced side this week, Andrew Marth welcomed back Ben Surey, James McGarry and Marijan Cvitkovic into the starting eleven, while new signing Tim Purcell featured for the first time in Knights colours.
An ambitious overhead attempt from Cvitkovic was the first opportunity of the contest, as both sides kicked off with an attacking intent.
Purcell came close to opening the scoring in the 10th minute, with his low shot rebounding off the ‘keeper and the post before going out for a corner. While at the other end, Josh Knight had the visitors’ first attempt on target, driving a low shot straight at Chalmers.
In the 20th minute, it was the visitors who opened the scoring with a neat finish from close range from former Knights boy Joey Monek.
Striving for a quick equalizer, the Knights continued to push forward in numbers with Andrijasevic steering his header wide of the post, before Purcell fired wide from a free-kick.
Monek could have doubled his side advantage in the 34th minute, however found Chalmers equal to the task in a one-on-one situation. The next passage of play saw Jacob Colosimo through on goal, who also found the visitor’s keeper in fine form.
The equalizer did come just before the half-time break through Joshua Brekalo. The right back found the back of the net with a quality finish across goal from a tight angle, after being played in by Ben Surey.
In the second half, the Knights continued their attacking intent and began to take a stranglehold on the game. Early chances fell to Colosimo who headed wide, while Cvitkovic tested his luck from distance and forcing a decent save from the Saints keeper.
Rewards for their efforts were paid off in the 54th minute, as a quick free-kick from McGarry found an unmarked Andrijasevic who made no mistake with his header.
The Knights had numerous opportunities to seal the match, with Andrijasevic having his free-kick well saved, Colosimo driving a shot straight at the keeper, and Grgic heading over from close range.
It was almost all thrown away late on, as a defensive lapse in concentration allowed the visitors an opportunity at an open goal, only for their effort to be cleared off the line.
Don’t forget the Knights kick off their 2016 NPLV Season at home to Green Gully on the 19th February. Memberships available online at melbourneknights.com.au or at the club.
MATCH STATS
SHOTS: MK 18 SS 7
ON TARGET: MK 8 SS 4
CORNERS: MK 9 SS 3.
Melbourne Knights Squad from: Andrijasevic, Batur, Brekalo, Cali, Campelj, Chalmers (GK), Colosimo, Cvitkovic, Dezic, Glavan, Grgic, Jurcic, Jurkovic, Katiforis, McGarry, Mikulic, Purcell, Surey, Talajic.
