Knights suffer loss to Bentleigh

The Melbourne Knights have suffered a huge blow in the NPL Victoria season, succumbing to a 5-1 loss to the Bentleigh Greens in a night they want to quickly forget.

Melbourne Knights Starting XI:

Thomas Manos (GK), Jack Marth, Nikola Jurkovic, Ayden Brice (C), James McGarry, Gian Albano, Daniel Petrov, Trevor Zwetsloot, Felipe Sanchez, Trevor Ssemakula, Dor Jok

Melbourne Knights Substitutes:

Harry Cakarun (GK), Caleb Mikulic, Oliver Cakarun, Mohammed Sumaoro, Joseph Colina

The Knights welcomed captain Ayden Brice back to the squad after missing last weeks Derby, while Dor Jok retained his place in the starting eleven after scoring the winner against South.

The Knights endured one of their worst start to the season, conceding the opener in the first 15 minutes. Moments later, Dor Jok tried a moment of brilliance, bending the ball goal-wise but sending it past the far post out of any real danger.

Oliver Cakarun, brother to keeper Harry, made his senior debut for the club– coming on for Jack Marth after 23 minutes, after Marth was unable to play the remained of the match.

Bentleigh

The Knights’ high work rate went unrewarded for much of the first half. Bentleigh were able to pick apart the Knights defence and found goals to in the 38th and 45th minutes, which unfortunately left the Knights with a 3-nil deficit at the break.

At the beginning of the second half, the Knights made their second personnel change, bringing on Mohammed Sumaoro as a replacement for Felipe Sanchez. Moments later the Knights opted for their final change – Caleb Mikulic replacing last week’s match-winner, Dor Jok.

In a forgettable night on the park for the club, the Knights’ major highlight of the night came from Gian Albano salvo. After a defensive clearance, Caleb Mikulic was able to play it on through to an advancing Albano, who then found himself one-on-one with the Diaz in goal. Albano neatly placed it past Diaz into the back of the net and gave the Knights their only goal of the match.

Like earlier in the match, the Greens fired back in quick succession. Bentleigh found the back of the net twice more, in the 72nd and 87th minutes, with the match ending bitterly 5-1 against the Knights.

With the top six so closely placed points wise, wins are a must to keep with the pack. The Melbourne Knights return home next weekend against the struggling Eastern Lions, in hopes of bouncing back and returning to the winner’s list and gaining much needed points.

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