Doveton in soccer jam

By Gavin Staindl
DOVETON coach Daniel McMinimee is acutely aware his team is in a vulnerable place on the ladder after experiencing relegation from a similar position in 2008.
The hotly contested Provisional One league is experiencing a jam in the middle of the table with seven teams, including Doveton, within two points of each other – almost mirroring the situation Doveton was in two years ago.
After experiencing their third draw for the season, Doveton’s 0-0 tie against Old Camberwell Grammar has left them in ninth position, but only a win away from third.
The young Doveton side controlled play for most of the match, but lacked the finishing touches to produce a score.
After exhausting all three substitutions, Doveton had to resort to defence when they were reduced to ten men in the 80th minute because of an injury to midfielder Leon Buhit.
Fortunately for the locals they were able to hold on and cling to a championship point, but McMinimee is worried that his team may face the fate of 2008.
“It is a bit of a worry. We have a young side and we’re not consistent enough,” he said.
“We probably should have won 4-2 because we were all over them for the first 80 minutes. We keep getting ourselves into opportunities (to score) but we’re just not clinical enough to finish.
“We’re working hard and it is a good learning curve for most of the team who are playing their first year in the seniors.”
Doveton will be looking to create a two-game buffer between them and their nearest rivals Monbulk when they take on the Rangers next round.
“It is a big game and the key will be to score first. We tend to settle down then, but we’re on tenterhooks when we’re trying so score,” McMinimee said.
A hat-trick to Giovane Dos Santos gave Provisional Two side Endeavour United a 4-3 win over Old Brighton Grammarians at Dendy Park.
While Berwick Kings lost to Lyndale 2-1 at Lyndale Secondary College.
In the higher leagues of Division soccer both Casey Comets and Berwick City had losses in Division Two.
The Comets were outclassed 2-1 to Morwell Pegasus at Comets Stadium, while Berwick were again ousted at home, going down to Doncaster Rovers 3-1.