By RUSSELL BENNETT and JARROD POTTER
TO the Comets, go the spoils. Casey recorded an emphatic 3-0 home win over local rivals Berwick City in men’s State League soccer action on Friday night – earning emphatic bragging rights as to just which of the two is the best local team in season 2013.
Jason Rand, Frank Gibson and Paul Presti all found the back of the net for Casey in a dominant display against their old foes. The result saw City drop to sixth on the ladder, while the Comets are a point clear of Warragul United in second and are still well-and-truly in the fight for promotion with State League 3 South-East leaders, the Doncaster Rovers.
The Comets will travel to seventh-placed Beaumaris this Saturday afternoon to take on the Sharks, while City is preparing to match up against Old Scotch.
In State League 2 South-East action, Dandenong City held on against a late-match Doveton barrage to claim a 1-0 victory and push into second place on the ladder.
City earned their lead from Kevin Townsend just before the half – slotting the only goal for the match following an excellent 22-yard free kick that flew past Doveton’s star recruit – last season’s Victorian Premier League goalkeeper of the year Stuart Webster.
From there the tussle went back-and-forth as neither team could claim another score – with Doveton peppering the Dandenong City goals in a thrilling last 25 minutes.
The Doveton attack only intensified after Dandenong City’s Jeremy Ortiz was red-carded, leaving City to defend their slender lead with 10 men.
The hard graft was done by City goalkeeper Damir Sazcin – who made a solid half-dozen saves in a crucial 15-minute period approaching the final whistle.
Doveton’s Simon Mur, Daniel Mota and Matt Evans had their chances to equalise in the dying minutes, but couldn’t pierce the defence as City claimed its eighth win of the season.
It remains a battle of the Dandenong area teams in State League 2 South-East, with Springvale White Eagles, Dandenong City and South Springvale all in the hunt for finals, the championship and most importantly – promotion.
Doveton played better than their last position 4-1-10 record would suggest and can hopefully turn their season around in the last six rounds of 2013. The Doves next face FC Clifton Hill at Waratah Reserve on Saturday from 3pm.
Finally, in State League 4 South, the third-placed Middle Park hammered the hapless Hampton Park United Sparrows 9-0, while Endeavour United and Keysborough both suffered 2-1 losses to Elwood City and the Bayside Argonauts, respectively.
