Reds put foot to four

May 6 2008

Shepparton News

Shepparton cast aside any doubt about its defensive strength with an emphatic 4-0 win against Shepparton South in North Eastern Soccer League at Mercury Dve on Sunday.

The win sees Shepparton edge out South on goal difference for second place, both on 12 points behind Cobram Victory on 15.

Key Shepparton defender Johnny Davkovski missed the match after getting married on Saturday, but his absence was not felt as Johnny Radevski, Carl Triglia and Troy Kennedy stood firm at the back.

South captain Luke Nardella was left to rue a missed penalty early in the match as Shepparton goalkeeper Jarrod Moore saw off the Southerners' best efforts in the second half.

Shepparton led 1-0 from an early Mitchell Anderson goal inside the opening 10 minutes of the match, but the young striker found himself in strife at the other end after being called for a hand-ball on the goal line.

Anderson was shown a yellow card for the indiscretion, but Nardella sent the resulting penalty wide of the post low to the left side.

Shepparton led 2-0 by half-time when Mohamed Al-Fatelawi rounded South goalkeeper Zac Chapman and finished coolly.

South fought back in the second half, but couldn't find a way past Moore.

Rossi Lagana headed straight into Moore's hands midway through the second half, while Nardella nearly atoned his penalty miss with a free kick which the Reds' stopper saved.

Having absorbed the pressure from South's attempt to find a way back into the game, Michael Gasparroni closed the door at 3-0 with a left-footed strike late in the match.

Anderson then rubbed salt into South's wounds after heading in an Andy Ingham cross in the dying moments for 4-0.