MELTON has made a flawless start to its FFV state league 5 west season after a 5-0 win at MacPherson Park on Saturday, the club’s second in a row to start the campaign.
And this was no beat-down against a team promoted from the metro leagues after the FFV divisional restructure. Instead it was last year’s provisional 3 rival Melbourne Tornado on the receiving end.
Melton has 10 goals, none conceded, and is one of four teams to win its opening two matches in the 16-team competition. Jason Moody and Chris Briggs scored doubles for the Phoenix on Saturday, with Carlos Velasquez the fifth.
Moody got the scoring started in the fifth minute and Briggs doubled the advantage before half-time.
The match could have panned out very differently had Tornado converted a penalty at 2-0 down, saved by Phoenix goalkeeper Nick Fuller.
The Flemington-based outfit also put the ball in the net only for an offside call to deny them the goal.
A Tornado sending-off then opened the floodgates for Melton to press home its advantage.
Melton coach Theo Karapanagiotidis said while the scoring power was a good early sign, a better one for the long haul was consecutive clean sheets.
“They were in our league last year and were a big threat to the division,” Karapanagiotidis said.
“It’s always a battle, but when we scored the third they lost their way for a bit.
“We’ve got attacking options, but to go a long way through this season it’s the clean sheets that are important.”
The day was important for the club, with players wearing black armbands and observing a minute’s silence in remembrance of Harold Parkinson, who died recently.
Parkinson was the Melton Soccer Club’s founder and first club president.
“His family was there, and the players marked the occasion with a really good performance,” Karapanagiotidis said.
“The crowd was unbelievable. It’s amazing what a bit of success does.”
Melton plays Keilor Wolves at Green Gully Reserve this Saturday from 3pm.
