The Cavaliers recorded a comfortable 5-0 win over Bentleigh and went from fourth to first, leapfrogging Hume City, Oakleigh and Heidelberg on Sunday.

Hume were in prime position to claim first place, but they fell to a fourth-straight loss.

A Kayne Vincent brace helped the Melbourne Knights record a 4-2 win over City.

Hume forward Richard Cardozo wrapped up the golden boot with a brace.

It left the door open for Oakleigh, who were at home to a Dandenong Thunder side already out of finals contention.

Striker Ricky Diaco had the Cannons ahead for all of one minute before Luke Sherbon equalised and Oakleigh finished second to Gully because of an inferior goal difference.

That gave Heidelberg the perfect opportunity to have the first weekend of the finals off, but they suffered a shock 3-1 loss to the relegated Springvale White Eagles.

Winger Osagie Ederaro had put them ahead before Goran Zoric, Zoran Vukas and Alp Camuzu saw the White Eagles to just their third win of the season.

A win would have seen Heidelberg finish top with a strong goal difference, if not having scored more goals than Green Gully.

It allowed an impressive Cavaliers outfit to take top spot as Andy Vargas, Mathew Sanders, Graham Hockless, Daniel Jones and Pasquale Vizzari netted in their thrashing of Bentleigh.

The clash for the last finals spot was arguably the most entertaining as South Melbourne clinched it courtesy of a 3-3 draw against Northcote City in Port Melbourne.

All six goals came in the first half with a point enough to see South secure a finals spot and move into fourth after Heidelberg's shock loss.

Striker Jesse Krncevic opened the scoring early on before a Trent Rixon brace and a Jonathan Voulgaris goal had Northcote 3-1 up.

But Krncevic and then Steven Weir saw the teams go into the break level before a tighter second half.

In the day's other game, Richmond and St Albans played out a 1-1 draw.

Week 1 Finals:
Week off: Green Gully
Sunday (3pm): Elimination Final - South Melbourne v Heidelberg United @ SS Anderson Reserve
Sunday (6.15pm): Qualifying Final - Oakleigh Cannons v Hume City @ Jack Edwards Reserve


Alanic Victorian Premier League 2011 – League Table

Team

P

W

D

L

F

A

GD

Pts

1

Green Gully Cavaliers

24

13

4

7

51

23

28

43

2

Oakleigh Cannons

24

13

4

7

41

29

12

43

3

Hume City

24

12

6

6

48

32

16

42

4

South Melbourne

24

12

5

7

39

33

6

41

5

Heidelberg United

24

12

7

5

53

26

27

40

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6

Northcote City

24

11

6

7

61

37

24

39

7

Richmond

24

11

4

9

34

38

-4

37

8

Bentleigh Greens

24

10

6

8

34

34

0

36

9

Dandenong Thunder

24

12

5

7

43

29

14

35

10

Melbourne Knights

24

8

7

9

39

33

6

31

11

Springvale White Eagles

24

3

6

15

24

62

-38

15

12

St Albans Saints

24

3

4

17

27

58

-31

13

 

Victorian Training Centre

24

4

0

20

25

85

-60

12

* Please note Victorian Training Centre games are for points but the team cannot play finals or be relegated.
* Round Three: Heidelberg United docked three points for incidents stemming from their clash with Hume City.
* Round Nine: Dandenong Thunder deducted six points for incidents stemming from their meeting with Bentleigh Greens.
* Round 19: South Melbourne stripped three points for allegedly playing an ineligible player, on-loan Melbourne Heart midfielder Kliment Taseski, against Richmond, after his deal had expired.
* Round 19: South Melbourne’s three points reinstated after the club had agreed to a loan extension with Kliment Taseski’s club, Melbourne Heart.

 

Alanic Victorian Premier League 2011 - Leading Goal-Scorers
19 - Richard CARDOZO (Hume City)

16 - Saso ALEXOVSKI (Heidelberg United), Trent RIXON (Northcote City)

13 - Luke SHERBON (Dandenong Thunder)

12 - Jason HAYNE (Green Gully Cavaliers), Osagie EDERARO (Heidelberg United)

11 - James KALIFATIDIS (Northcote City)

10 - Jesse KRNCEVIC (South Melbourne), Jacob COLOSIMO (Melbourne Knights), Mathew SANDERS (Green Gully Cavaliers)

9 - Steven WEIR (South Melbourne/Hume City)

8 - Michael FERRANTE (Richmond), Hayden DOYLE (Oakleigh Cannons/Bentleigh Greens), Sean McILROY (Heidelberg United/Bentleigh Greens), Goran ZORIC (Springvale White Eagles)

7 - Evan CHRISTODOULOU (Heidelberg United), Zoran PETREVSKI (Hume City), Ryan DE VRIES (Bentleigh Greens), Frankie LAGANA (Oakleigh Cannons), Ricky DIACO (Oakleigh Cannons), Graham HOCKLESS (Green Gully Cavaliers)

6 - Hamid BASMA (Green Gully Cavaliers), Daniel VISEVIC (St Albans Saints)

5 - Chris TAYLOR (Dandenong Thunder), Dane MILOVANOVIC (Oakleigh Cannons), Mathew THEODORE (Dandenong Thunder), Liam KEARNEY (Dandenong Thunder), Jason TRIFIRO (Northcote City), Matthew DEMO (St Albans Saints), Glen TRIFIRO (Northcote City), Zoran VUKAS (Springvale White Eagles), Michael CATALANO (Richmond), Kayne VINCENT (Melbourne Knights)