By RUSSELL BENNETT
DOVETON crashed to its heaviest defeat of the season on Saturday going down at home to a rampant FC Clifton Hill outfit 5-2.
With goalkeeper Stuart Webster returning to Victorian Premier League side Bentleigh Greens, 2012 custodian Daniel Stuchbury was left to fill the void for the State League 2 South-East Doves.
He was in for a busy afternoon as, despite going ahead through Simon Mur’s 10th goal of the season, the Doves found themselves down 3-1 at half-time.
The visiting Clifton Hill side was making far better use of the heavy conditions.
New Doveton signing Fernando Perez-Martin scored on debut but he was a lone highlight in a second half that was desperately lacking in positives for the home side.
Only wayward finishing by the Clifton Hill front line prevented an even more one-sided score line.
The Doves now have just six games remaining to pull themselves out of the relegation zone, and will next travel to Parkfield Reserve to take on the eighth-placed Noble Park United this Saturday afternoon.
But the news was much better for Dandenong City, which disposed of Kingston City 3-1 and now looks to be on a collision-course with South Springvale in the battle for promotion.
In State League 3 South-East action, the Casey Comets continued their march to the top of the ladder with a 2-1 win away to Beaumaris.
The home side was first on the score sheet in the first half, before Paul Presti and Grant Lane found the back of the net to secure the win for Casey.
Berwick City had a much-needed return to form, cruising past Old Scotch 3-1 at HA Smith Reserve.
With the scores deadlocked at half time, City took complete control of the final 45 minutes.
Nassim Benazouz, Daniel Waddup and Orlando Mejias each found their way on to the scoresheet for Berwick.
The Comets, currently three points adrift of the league-leading Doncaster Rovers, will face Nunawading City at home this Friday night from 8.30pm. Berwick City, meanwhile, will travel to Ross Reserve in Noble Park to take on Springvale City this Saturday from 3pm.
Endeavour United had a field day against local rivals the Hampton Park United Sparrows in State League 4 South action, recording an emphatic 5-2 win.
Keysborough, sitting just above Endeavour United on the ladder, went down at home to Old Brighton Grammarians 3-1.
