Berwick draws top spot

By Stuart Teather
BERWICK City clung on to top spot on the State League Three South East ladder with a 1-1 draw with third-placed Noble Park United on Saturday.
City maintained its two-point buffer over second-placed Southern Suburbs, with Noble Park a further point back in third.
There was little to separate the two teams on Saturday as City and United matched each other in the first half and went into half-time locked at 0-0.
Noble Park snatched the lead after the break, with Matthew Durand scoring despite off-side protests from City’s defence.
City, hungry to secure at least a point from the match, found the equaliser late through Daniel Walsh, who converted after a free-kick near goals ricocheted in his direction.
City coach Joe Carrol was relieved to get a point from the match.
“A point is a point against them – they’ve scored 40 goals this year, but they only average one against us,” he said.
“It was a good defensive job.”
Reflecting on his side’s position three games from the end of the season, Carrol said the promotion spot was Berwick’s to lose.
“It’s going to be close, at least we’ve got a couple of points breathing space. It’s up to us to slip up and we’ve got to slip up for other teams to catch us.”
Elsewhere, the Casey Comets went one step closer to avoiding relegation from State League Two South East with a 0-0 draw with Knox.
Casey holds a four-point buffer over relegation candidate South Springvale and with three rounds remaining is edging ever closer to securing its place in the division for next season.
Meanwhile in Provisional League One South East, Endeavour United kept the battle to avoid relegation interesting with a 2-0 win against Mooroolbark.
United and fellow local team Doveton that drew 1-1 with Old Melburnians on Saturday is fighting to avoid the relegation zone with one of the teams destined for Provisional League two next season.
The State Leagues will play their third last game for the season this weekend, with Berwick City taking on Springvale City, Doveton hosting Fitzroy City, Endeavour United heading away to Monbulk and the Comets playing Morwell Pegasus at Comets Stadium.