By Lance Jenkinson
Green Gully Cavaliers have two weeks to re-group before their National Premier League future goes on the line.
As it stands, the Cavaliers would be headed for a play-off with an NPL 2 side for the right to stay in the NPL’s top flight.
It could be a tricky situation for the Cavs, who only mid-season had plans of a deep finals run and desperately want to avoid relegation.
The Cavaliers have some respite following Saturday’s harsh 4-1 loss to Heidelberg United at Olympic Village.
With the NPL scheduling a catch-up round this weekend, it will give new Cavaliers coach Stephen Downes more time to work with his group.
Green Gully fell to third-last on the ladder after the ugly Heidelberg defeat.
The Cavaliers were leap-frogged by Kingston City, who moved into 10th with a 4-1 thrashing of South Melbourne.
The good news for Green Gully is that only three points separates eighth to their spot in 12th with two games remaining.
The Cavaliers play two of those sides immediately above them on the ladder – Hume City, away on August 25, and Kingston City, home on September 2.
If Green Gully wants to snap its six-game losing streak, they will need to produce better football than they displayed at Heidelberg.
After George Lambadaridis put Green Gully in front in the 25th minute, Heidelberg reeled off four unanswered goals, including three in the second half.
Meanwhile, Melbourne Knights are knocking on the door of the NPL top six after a 3-2 win over Port Melbourne Sharks at Knights Stadium on Friday.
The Knights left it to the dying seconds of the match to find a match-winning goal through Kym Harris.
The Knights are just one point out of the top six with two games to play. Their next assignment will be against Bulleen Lions on August 27.
In NPL 2 west, St Albans Saints maintained its hold of second spot with a 1-0 win over Melbourne Victory at Churchill Reserve. Stefan Baricevic scored the crucial goal for the Saints.
Bottom side Sunshine George Cross refused to go down, beating second-last Ballarat City 2-1 after goals to Su-Beom An and Abdirahman Ahmed at Knights Stadium.
In NPL women’s, Calder United had a solid 3-0 win over Alamein.
