Templestowe v Knox City

Templestowe 0 Knox City 2 (Half-time 0-1)

Knox City got back on to the winners list in a fairly ordinary game played on a very ordinary pitch. Hard, bumpy and largely devoid of grass, the surface was a test for both teams and flowing football was at a premium.

Knox City deserved their win but they were made to work hard by an industrious home side which was desperate for points to climb out of the relegation zone.

The visitors had much the better of the first half and their height posed a continual aerial threat to Templestowe, whether it was from set pieces or from long throw-ins.

Peter Veljovic had a couple of early efforts off target before Suat got on the end of a free kick from Nick Veljovic. He hooked the ball over the advancing keeper, Ozanovski but a covering defender was able to hook the ball off the goal line.

In the 19th minute, Knox took the lead when another free kick from Nick Veljovic found Edgar in the penalty area and his header gave Ozanovski no chance.

At this stage, Jorgensen in the Knox goal had been a virtual passenger but he was called on to get a fist to two successive crosses to avert any danger.

Saunders then broke free for Knox but his diagonal drive was saved by Ozanovski.

The first fifteen minutes of the second half was an arm wrestle, with neither side creating any clear chances as the ball bobbled and bounced all over the place.

The first effort of the half came when Cunningham was just over with a fierce 20 metre drive. Vittadello then made a good break down the left but his excellent cross just evaded the Templestowe forwards.

Knox’s best move of the half came in the 78th minute when Edgar, Saunders and Suat combined in a clever move which was thwarted by Santone conceding a corner.

Templestowe continued to huff and puff without looking too dangerous before the 87th minute when Jorgensen made a fantastic one handed save to deny Alexopoulos.

The resultant corner was not cleared initially by Knox and the ball was driven back into the area where the ball hit Perazic on the knee and then the arm from point blank range. With the home side appealing for a penalty, Edgar raced clear and carried the ball fully seventy metres from one penalty area to the other. There he released substitute Daniel Veljovic who drove the ball home from 15 metres to seal the win.

Templestowe: D. Ozanozski, M. De Filipo, A. Santone, R. Lorenzi, A. Cerentola (M. Forte – 40th), D. Marino (M. Corsi – 65th), M. Gasparroni, A. Vittadello, N. Cunningham (L. Pace – 90th), M. Gulino. Sub not used – F. D’Angelo.

Knox City: M. Jorgensen, D. Perazic, A. Edgar, M. Coates, N. Giannopoulos (H. Swami – 63rd), J. Hingert (E. Becirovic – 77th), L. Grubic, A. Saunders, N. Veljovic, P. Veljovic (D. Vejovic – 85th), K.Suat. Sub not used – K. McEvoy.