By: MATTHEW CONVERSANO (@matthewconvers1)

Photo: NORTHCOTE CITY

A strong Northcote performance has proved too much for North Geelong Warriors, as the hosts ran out comfortable 2-0 winners at John Cain Memorial Reserve on Saturday afternoon.

Six minutes of dominance saw Northcote put away two goals, which was enough for the hosts to control the remainder of the match and hold on for a comfortable win.

A fairly end-to-end opening 15 minutes saw nothing more than a few half chances, the most notable being a long range volley from North Geelong's Vito Cichello that flew wide of the Northcote goal.

However it didn't take Northcote long to take control of the match.

On the 18 minutes, Northcote’s first real chance of the game was converted well by Aron Handakas as he rounded North Geelong custodian Daniel Zilic with ease, and slotted the ball into the empty net.

The goal served as a catalyst for Northcote's dominance as it looked dangerous with a goal seeming more and more likely with every attack

True to the flow of the match, Northcote converted again just six minutes after its first goal as a deflected shot from Handakas fell perfectly into the path of Evan Kounavelis, who headed home into an empty net from 6 yards.

Against the run of play, North Geelong pushed forward in the hope of halving the deficit as Nathan Long sent in a cross, which left Juso Julardzija with a header into an empty net.

His chance would’ve been converted if not for some brilliant last ditch defending from Northcote centre half Mitchell Bissinger.

The second half was very much one-way traffic from Northcote, who didn’t seem content with its half time lead.

Just after 51 minutes, after being put through on goal, Kounavelis’audacious chip attempt was simply palmed away by Zilic
After controlling the game for the entirety of the half, Northcote almost went three up when Handakas was on the receiving end of an early cross after 80 minutes, but his half volley was struck straight at the keeper.

North Geelong will look to get off the foot of the table as it plays Oakleigh next Saturday and Northcote will look to go back-to-back as it travels to Dandenong Thunder.

 

MATCH DETAILS

 

Northcote City 2 (Handakas 18’, Kounavelis 24’) defeated North Geelong Warriors 0 at John Cain Memorial Park, Thornbury.

Northcote: 22. Chris Theodoridis, 8. James Kalafatidis, 10. Marino Gasparis, 11. Evan

Kounavelis, 18. Aron Handakas (7. Jason Hayne 79’), 6. Aaron Ward (20. Nicholas

Kokolakis 30’), 23. Jonathan Bounas (14. Anthony Ramzy 65’), 4. Jacob Eliopoulos

5. Gregory Lombardo, 12. Jordan Wilkes, 3. Mitchell Bissinger.

 

Unused Subs: 1. Mason Interlandi, 19. Ryan Go

Yellow Cards: Aron Handakas 35’, Jonothan Bounas 51’, Marino Gasparis 83’

 

North Geelong Warriors: 1. Daniel Zilic, 99. Nathan Long, 16. Michael Grgic, 3. Matthew Townley, 2. Darren Lewis, 8. Vito Cichello, 4. Nikola Jurkovic (23. Michael Anderson 46’), 17. Nicholas Jurcic, 10. Robert Zadworny, 11. Juso Julardzija, 7. Reardo Luka (18. Stipe Trbuhovic 70’).

Yellow Cards: Reardo Luka 68’

Unused Subs: 6. Joshua Pugh, 14. Matija Dragovic, 31. Antonia Baresic