THERE’S no shortage of confidence in the Melbourne Knights camp after two stirring victories to start the Victorian Premier League season.
The Knights backed up their miraculous eight-man one-goal job over Pascoe Vale in the season-opener with a 4-1 romp over the Richmond Eagles under lights at Kevin Bartlett Reserve on Friday.
“It was a good win, same as last week. Confidence is high with the boys,” Knights team manager Anthony Burin told the Weekly. “It’s just what we needed for the start of the season.”
The Knights settled the nerves with a second-minute goal from Jacob Colosimo.
He pounced on an erratic back pass from Eagles defender Gideon Sweet to dribble the ball past goalkeeper Rani Dowisha.
“Jacob was just lucky he was there at the right time. It went straight to his feet and he banged it straight into the back of the net,” Burin said. “It’s the best thing we could ask for.”
Marijan Cvitkovic doubled the Knights’ lead in the 28th minute. Cvitkovic, who finished with two goals and an assist for the game, was a terrier when not in possession and it rubbed off on his team-mates.
“He’s got that fighting spirit,” Burin said. “He’ll do anything for the team.”
The half-time break came at just the right time for the Eagles. They returned a different side after the break, dominating the opening 20 minutes of the second half.
The dividends for that dominance were there for the Eagles, but not totally maximised.
They halved the deficit through substitute Joshua Kweifio-Okai’s goal in the 62nd minute, but were denied from a penalty shot three minutes later.
Knights goalkeeper Christopher May, a new recruit from Heidelberg United, denied Hamlet Armenian’s spot kick.
“That was a big turning point in the game,” Burin said. “If it had’ve been 2-2, it might have ended differently.
“Our goalkeeper did very well to save that.”
The Knights had the three points in the bank when Shayan Alinejad and Cvitkovic scored twice in three minutes. Alinejad’s goal was a just reward for his constant terrorising of the Eagles defence.
“He’s very quick with the ball,” Burin said.
“As soon as he’s available and he’s free, he’s running with the ball and it’s very hard for people to stop him. He’s one of the quickest in the premier league.”
Knights captain Adam Zilic had a big say on the result.
Time and again, he shut the door on the Eagles with his calmness under pressure on the last line.
The Knights could not have asked for a hotter start to their 60th anniversary season.
They head to Northcote City on Sunday in search of a third consecutive win.
