Old rivals go head to head

By Gavin Staindl
IT is one of the most anticipated opening rounds in years as old rivals Berwick and Doveton are set to resume hostilities on Saturday at Jack Thomas Reserve.
The last time these two sides met was June, 2008, when Doveton upset Berwick 2-1 in the battlefield of Division Three soccer.
Since then, both teams have fluctuated through different divisions, trying to establish themselves in one league.
Doveton is Football Victoria’s jack-in-the-box.
In 2007, the Doves were four points away from promotion to Division Two. In 2009, they found themselves needing to win the final game of the year to avoid relegation to Provisional Two.
Now they have popped up again, appearing in Division Three for the first time since 2008.
Meanwhile, Berwick enjoyed a brief one-year stint in Division Two last season, before being relegated a division for 2011.
With the City of Casey giving the Fox Road ground the “all-clear”, expectations in both camps are high and Doveton coach Tony Saunders admits he doesn’t know what will eventuate.
“It is pretty hard to say what will happen,” Saunders said.
“It is going to be a tough league with a lot of rivalry games … it is really hard to say what we’ll be but the main thing is to be competitive.”
In other matches, Division Two side Casey Comets will seek the promotion that eluded it last year when it kicks off its season against Morwell Pegasus at Comets Stadium.
In Provisional Two, Endeavour United and Casey Kings also begin their season on Saturday.
Formerly known as the Berwick Kings, the newly named Casey will play an away match against Ashburton while Endeavour will play at home at Reema Reserve against Riversdale.