By Lou Verga

Photo: Matt Johnson

Hume City stormed home in the second half to punish Werribee City 4-0 at ABD Stadium on Wednesday night. 

It took Hume almost an hour to open the scoring through Theo Markelis, but it was a one-sided affair from there on as Nick Hegarty, Jai Ingham and Markelis with his second goal notched a big win for the home side. 

Frano Saric was called into action right away in the Werribee goal, getting a solid hand to Petar Franjic’s header in the second minute. 

The Bees ‘keeper pulled off an even better save after five minutes as he tipped a low drive from Shaun Timmins around the post. 

Hume was looking most likely to open the scoring but it was the visitors who had the golden chance of the first half with 20 minutes on the clock. 

Festim Elmazi found space to shoot 15 yards from goal but rolled it painfully wide of the upright with Chris Oldfield rooted to the spot. 

Markelis fashioned an opportunity in the 38th minute, twisting one way then the other before releasing a shot that Saric spilled into the path of Hegarty, but the midfielder was flagged for offside. 

Werribee could have taken the lead shortly after play resumed for the second half but again saw a great chance go begging. 

Elmazi played a sumptuous through ball to Dean Tomeski who was one-on-one with Oldfield, but scuffed his effort well wide after trying to dink it over the keeper. 

It would prove costly as Markelis opened the scoring just before the hour mark. 

Having seen his header hit the upright minutes earlier, the energetic forward was at hand to tap in at the back post, after a cross from the right took a touch off Daniel Clark. 

Werribee were dealt an even bigger blow in the 73rd minute when they had Kobbie Boahene sent off for stopping Hegarty’s goal-bound strike with his hand, conceding a penalty in the process. 

Hume skipper Hegarty stepped up to slot his spot kick and make it 2-0, with Werribee in a precarious position. 

Ingham then added a third goal with a cracking strike from 20 yards that arrowed into the top corner with ten minutes remaining. 

Markelis scored his second goal in the 89th minute after substitute Ivan Pavlak had his shot saved, but straight into the path of the former Melbourne Victory player who knocked it home to round out a convincing result. 

Match details: Hume City 4 (Markelis 59’, 89’, Hegarty 74’, Ingham 79’) defeated Werribee City 0 at ABD Stadium 

Hume City: 1. Chris OLDFIELD, 2. Daniel CHAABANI, 3. Shaun TIMMINS, 4. Isyan ERDOGAN (15. Liam NEWMAN 75’), 5. Petar FRANJIC, 7. Jai INGHAM, 8. Theo MARKELIS, 12. Daniel Clark (21. Niko JACKSON 80’), 13. Shane REXHEPI, 17. Marcus SCHROEN, 39. Nick HEGARTY (11. Ivan PAVLAK 75’) 

Unused substitutes: 19. Sam BENINATO, 20. Tom BANFIELD 

Yellow card(s): Franjic 29’, Markelis 33’ 

Red card(s): None 

Werribee City: 1. Frano SARIC, 5. Dean TOMESKI, 6. Anthony RAGUSA, 7. Simon ZAPPIA (31. Lirim ELMAZI 75’), 8. Kobbie BOAHENE, 11. Bobby VIDANOSKI, 13. Milan SAVIC, 19. Robert NAUMOSKI, 20. Festim ELMAZI, 23. Steve CUDRIG, 30. Anil MUHAREMOVIC 

Unused substitutes: 9. Evan BATSIS, 12. Michael SIMMS, 18. Peter PAGANIS, 25. Jake LEVEA 

Yellow card(s): Naumoski 67’ 

Red card(s): Boahene 73’