Tara Murray
Winning momentum has been the key for the Westside Strikers in the FV state league 4 west season.
The Strikers have lost just one game in the first 10 rounds and have had the best defence in the competition, conceding just nine goals.
The side sits second on the table, two points behind Keilor Wolves. The closeness of the competition means the Strikers are only goal difference ahead of Gisborne and Laverton.
Strikers president Sam Raniolo said with the closeness of the competition, they have to just keep on winning.
“We’re happy at the moment,” he said. “There’s several teams on the same points, so it is very close.”
Raniolo said the team was building what they done in the last few years this season. He said they know that they can match it with the best sides in the competition.
“The squad we have is pretty much the same as last year,” he said. “We added a couple more players to strengthen it.
“Momentum is the key. We want to maintain that and keep going and keep training really strongly and hopefully keep winning.”
On Saturday, the Strikers faced Bell Park.
Despite coming home with a 3-0 win, Raniolo said it was far by easy.
“Bell Park was pretty good,” he said.
“We were 2-0 up at half time and they then really came at us. We sat back a bit and it made a difference to the game.
“We got the third goal and it made it a lot easier.”
Robert Chelchowski scored a double for the Strikers.
This week the Strikers face Gisborne, one of two teams they are yet to face.
With Gisborne one of the teams striving for a promotion spot, the match is massive in the context of the season.
“We’re at home to Gisborne,” Raniolo said.
“If we can knock them off it puts some distance between us and them.”
Meanwhile on Saturday night, Keilor Wolves beat Spring Hills 8-0.
The Stallions sit second bottom with just one win.
In state league 1 north-west, Caroline Springs George Cross continued its good run of form with a 2-0 win against Whittlesea United.
The Georgies are six points clear on top of the table, but have played an extra match than second and third.
In state league 5 west, Melton Phoenix beat Lara United 4-1. The Phoenix sit second on the ladder.
