Following a terrible start to the state league 1 soccer season, Westgate is scrambling hard to make the back end of 2015 a winner.
After round eight, the Brimbank-based club was languishing at the bottom of the ladder and under the relegation spotlight.
But a change of coach, with Stuart McCluskey coming on board, delivered just the kick the club required to get back on the winners’ list.
Westgate won two of its next five matches and clawed its way to 10th on the ladder.
Club president Steve Kunesevic is proud of the way his players fought through the tough start but says plenty of work remains.
“There has certainly been an improvement, but there’s a long way to go.
“We’re happy with some of the results.
“We still dropped a couple of games we felt we should have got something out of but, overall, we’re looking better.
“With Stuart coming on board, there’s a fresh approach and a new voice, which is working well.”
Westgate has also added some experience to its roster.
Former National Premier League and state league 1 player Nicholaus Woolward has joined the club to take on the starting goalkeeper
role, while former Preston player Stuart Nicholson has also signed
on.
On a congested state league 1 ladder, Westgate is just seven points behind seventh-placed Diamond Valley and nine from the top four.
Kunesevic is confident his side can progress even further up the table in coming weeks.
“We have set our sights on finishing in the top half of the table,” he said.
“It’s extremely tight from fourth to eighth so we just need a couple of results.
“Then we can put ourselves right up there again.”
