United rues missed opportunity

By Paul Pickering
ENDEAVOUR United is languishing at the bottom of the table in Football Federation Victoria’s State League Division Three South-East after surrendering 2-0 to ladder-leader Springvale City on Saturday.
United launched an early assault on City’s goal in the first 15 minutes at Reema Reserve, but the home side squandered a handful of scoring opportunities as the Vales retreated onto the back foot.
Almost inevitably, the tide turned and the Vales swiftly capitalised on their first legitimate chance, with Adis Lolic heading in Ali Osmani’s cross at the back post.
As the scoreboard pressure mounted on United, the Vales began to assert their ascendancy across the ground.
Midway through the second half, Lolic and Osmani combined again to put the game beyond United’s reach.
In a reversal of their earlier link-up, Lolic delivered the inviting aerial ball for Osmani to dispatch into the back of the net.
United coach Carlos Retre was left ruing a familiar succession of missed opportunities.
“In the first half I thought we outplayed them,” Retre reflected. But I think the boys lost a bit of confidence with that (first) goal, and we didn’t deserve any points from the way we played in the last third of the game. In the second half they sat back and hit us on the counter, and we ran out of ideas to break them down.”
After finishing fifth in an improved showing last season, United has lacked the polish to convert its opportunities in 2008.
“We’re in a hole at the moment and they’re just not going in,” Retre lamented. But it’s still early days and we have to be patient.”
Elsewhere in Division Three, Doveton lost 4-2 at Morwell despite a first-up goal from Liberian recruit Stephen Weah.
The Doves went into halftime at 2-2 on goals from Weah and Bryan McNicoll, but a supreme hat-trick from Morwell’s Clayton Bell guided the Pegasus home.
Meanwhile, in-form Berwick City lost 2-1 at Boroondara, with Eagles gun Clayton Bell netting two second-half goals to deny City its third-consecutive win.
In Division Two South-East, the Casey Comets surrendered a halftime lead to lose 2-1 at Knox City.
Round Six match-ups: Division Two South-East: Waverley Wanderers at Casey Comets. Division Three South-East: Croydon City at Berwick City, Brandon Park at Doveton, Endeavour United at North Caulfield.