Doveton’s Veresa Toma leaps for the ball over Berwick City’s Fred Campos. 19977
By Stuart Teather
DOVETON held off an inspired Berwick City charge in the final minutes of their State League Division Three South East clash on Saturday to claim a 2-1 win.
Down to nine men in the last 20 minutes, the Doves flooded back to save the lead in the local derby.
Doveton coach Michael Kupinic said his team did well to hold on, given how depleted it was.
“In the second half they came at us at a 100 miles an hour,” he said.
“We made a tactical change at half-time – Tidd was carrying a bit of a hammy (hamstring injury), so I took him off and played young Sebastian (Cofae) in the midfield, but it didn’t work in the end because everyone had to play down back.
“I think the derbies are very competitive sorts of occasions and this was no different.”
Doveton took the lead early after a Leon Bulic shot hit the crossbar and landed within reach of Miles Tidd, who duly converted.
The Doves extended their lead after a brilliant solo effort from Veresa Toma saw him beat two defenders before threading the ball past the ’keeper.
Berwick City narrowed the gap in the second half as Marc Davidson put the ball in the bottom corner of the net on a half-turn from 20 metres out.
Kupinic said he was aware that Berwick City had been studying his side’s recent games, so he shook up his game plan to throw some confusion into the opposition’s ranks.
“We changed formation and the way we went about things and it sort of worked for us because we went two-up at half-time,” he said.
Berwick City coach Joe Carroll said he was very disappointed that his side was not able to take its chances.
“We were the superior side in terms of possession, we were the superior side in terms of the chances we had,” he said.
“They had a minimum of chances and they took them and we didn’t. At the end of the day, the statistics lied.”
The win gives Doveton a much-needed break on the ladder in sixth position as it moves one point clear of Berwick City that is tied at 17 points with Brandon Park and Booroondara.
Meanwhile, Endeavour United went down 2-0 to Booroondara Eagles at Reema Reserve.
Down by a goal at half-time, United was unable to pull back the lead and Chad Bullock sealed the game with the Eagles’ second.
In State League Division Two South East, the Casey Comets fought back from a one-goal half-time deficit to claim a draw against Diamond Valley United that leaves both sides on 18 points for the year.
