Victorian Premier League Round 21 Review

VICTORIAN powerhouse the Melbourne Knights have secured their spot in next year's Alanic Premier League after a stunning 4-2 win over Northcote City in round 21.

After a rough campaign, a hat trick from Kevin Townson ensured the Knights would remain in the top flight next year.

Townson scored twice in as many minutes just before the half hour, first capitalizing on a pass from Jean-Charles Dubois and then putting away a header.

Northcote pulled one back before the break with James Kalifatidis scoring a header.

Townson completed his hat trick after the break and winger Adrian Zahra scored a fourth for the Knights to put the result beyond doubt.

City pulled one back thanks to a Nicholas Curtis penalty in stoppage time with Knights keeper Antony Loncaric sent off.

Knights captain Danny Tiatto announced his retirement after the win.

SOUTH Melbourne kept its slim finals hopes alive with a 1-0 win at Oakleigh on Friday night.

On the same day the club announced it would be taking legal action to retain the six points it was deducted earlier in the season, star front man Fernando De Moraes scored the only goal of the game to give South a vital three points.

De Moraes got on the end of a sweeping ball from Eddie Cetkin and applied a cool finish on the half hour.

RICHMOND inflicted another heavy blow on reigning champion Altona Magic's hopes of remaining in the top flight with a 4-2 defeat.

Magic made a bright start with Pece Siveski stepping up to convert a penalty inside five minutes.

But the Eagles hit back less than three minutes later with striker Jesse Krncevic poking home a ball from close range, leaving Magic keeper Tomislav Tomich flat-footed.

Fellow front man Daniel Visevic then swung in a free kick from the left for Steven Topalovic to give Richmond the lead midway through the first half.

The slim hopes Magic held were blown when George Papadopoulos was given his marching orders for a late challenge on Dimitri Tsiaras.

The Eagles opened a two-goal buffer through a penalty from Tomislav Milardovic after Krncevic was brought down in the area.

Altona hit back nine minutes into the second half as John Thornley got on the end of a free kick at the front post.

Richmond put the game beyond doubt on 72 minutes after Topalovic squared a ball for Davey van't Schip to apply a simple finish.

HEIDELBERG United ended Green Gully's long unbeaten run and moved back into the top five courtesy of a 2-1 win at Olympic Village.

The Bergers went ahead on 36 minutes when striker George Slefendorfas hit a cracking 25-yard strike in off the upright.

The lead was doubled midway through the second half as Steve Martin met a corner at the near post.

Cavaliers youngster Michael Anderson pulled one back at the death for his second of the season but it was too little too late.

SUNSHINE George Cross took another step towards avoiding relegation with a 1-1 draw at Dandenong Thunder.

Little speedster Leo Shin gave the Georgies the lead on eight minutes after calmly beating the advancing Stuart Webster.

The Thunder hit back after the interval through Scott Bulloch, who found the corner of the net from close range.

BENTLEIGH Greens held Hume City to a scoreless draw to keep its dream of staying in the top flight alive.

City defender Fabio Dilizia squandered three half-chances from corner kicks in the second half while young Greens striker Damir Lokvancic was denied in a one on one by Lupce Acevski.

Ladder (after 21 rounds)

1 - Richmond +7 39 pts

2 - Hume City +11 36 pts

3 - Green Gully Cavaliers +9 33 pts

4 - Oakleigh Cannons +1 30 pts

5 - Heidelberg United 0 30 pts

6 - Dandenong Thunder* -2 28 pts

7 - Northcote City** +10 27 pts

8 - South Melbourne +9 27 pts

9 - Melbourne Knights -2 23 pts

10 - Sunshine George Cross -17 19 pts

11 - Bentleigh Greens* -17 19 pts