Win eludes Casey

By Stuart Teather
CASEY Comets are still without a win in their 2009 State League Two South East campaign, but the signs are looking good for the club following a 2-2 draw with league heavyweight Port Melbourne on Friday night.
The Comets made the trek out to Port’s SS Anderson Reserve in good form following an impressive second-half effort against Dandenong City the week before, but found the going tough against a fired-up Port Melbourne outfit.
The home side was fierce on attack and Igor Khrapko quickly found the back of the net to give his side a 1-0 lead.
The Comets rallied and Paul Presti equalised, but Port struck back soon after through Antun Vulic to take a 2-1 lead into half-time.
The Comets went hard in the second half and pushed for another equaliser and Presti stepped up for his second of the match, beating the wall and ’keeper off a free kick to tie the game in the dying minutes.
The match seemed destined for a draw until Dean Schembri almost stole the match with a header in injury time, but the ball rebounded off the crossbar.
Casey coach Tony Saunders said his team got on top in the second half after holding back early on.
“It was pretty much an open game to be honest, we were showing them too much respect and didn’t get stuck in,” he said.
“Once we started doing that we got on top and disrupted their game plan.”
Saunders said it was the second week in a row his side had been outplayed in the first half.
“We started slow, we didn’t have too much of the ball, but we worked our way back into it just before half-time, although we were 2-1 down.
“For some reason we’ve got some slow starts; I don’t know why that is at the moment, but we’re working on it.”
In State League Three South East action, Berwick City went down 0-1 to Croydon City Arrows at Berwick’s Jack Thomas Reserve.
A second-half goal to Nicholas Gatzonis was enough to sink City’s hopes and the side now sits second-last with two draws and two losses from its four games.
The news was not much better in Provisional League One South East, with local hope Endeavour United receiving a 5-1 thumping at the hands of Old Scotch.
United sits on the bottom of the ladder and will look to get its first points of the season against Old Camberwell Grammar this week.
Doveton had a better result, tying 1-1 with Monbulk at Waratah Reserve.
The Doves are tracking well with one win and three draws so far and they face United’s conqueror, Old Scotch, on Saturday.
Casey Comets will face South Springvale at Comets Stadium and Berwick City has an away game against Boroondara Eagles.