By RUSSELL BENNETT
NEW Doveton coach Julian Costin’s second game in charge yielded a 3-0 win against Malvern city to lift the Doves out of the men’s State League 2 South-East soccer relegation zone.
Costin used his Premier League contacts to lure ex-Dandenong Thunder, Oakleigh and Bentleigh Greens goalkeeper Stuart Webster to Doveton and the impact was immediate – with the Doves keeping their first clean sheet for 2013.
First-half goals from Farai ‘Barnsey’ Murwira, Nick Robinson and Jack Dover clinched the victory.
The Doves will make the short drive to the Frank Holohan Soccer Complex in Endeavour Hills on Saturday afternoon to take on their third-placed neighbours, Dandenong City.
Noble Park remains in eighth place on the ladder, despite a thrilling 3-2 triumph over local rivals, the Springvale White Eagles.
In State League 3 action on Saturday (a shortened Round 14), Beaumaris secured the points over Berwick City with a 1-0 away win at Jack Thomas Reserve.
City remains in fifth place with the result – 11 points adrift of local rivals, the Casey Comets in second.
The two local sides will square off this Friday night under lights at Comets Stadium in Cranbourne in what promises to be a mouth-watering battle.
A win for Casey would see the side stay within reach of the competition-leading Doncaster Rovers, who head the ladder on 36 points – five ahead of the Comets.
Finally, in State League 4 South, Round 14 was truly one to forget for local sides with the lowly Skye United securing a surprisingly dominant 3-0 away win over Keysborough and the Hampton Park United Sparrows going down 5-2 to South Yarra at the State Football Centre. Those results leave Keysborough sitting in seventh place on the standings and the Sparrows anchored to the bottom of the ladder.
The Comets will face off with Berwick City this Friday night from 8.30pm at Comets Stadium on O’Tooles Road in Cranbourne.
