DUCKS HUNTING MAJOR SCALP —
Deakin must defeat leader or drop out of top-two reckoning
DEAKIN Ducks will go into tomorrow night’s blockbuster State League 5 showdown with top team Spring Hills FC knowing their season is on the line.
Trailing the competition leader by five points — coupled with the fact that secondplaced Laverton Park is only two points behind Spring Hills, but with a game in hand — the Waurn Ponds-based Ducks will need nothing less than a victory at Springside Recreation Reserve.
Last week, the Ducks snapped a four-game winless streak after smashing bottom side Kyneton District from home.
Having recorded three losses and a draw — to fellow Geelong side Lara United — in their previous four outings, the victory over the cellar dwellers from the country was a welcome result for Deakin coach Colin Raj.
“We had a good win, but the 7-1 away “The secret of our success is that we’re very constant,” he said. “We never stop believing in ourselves and we want to do everything we can to win.” reality is we need to be winning against the teams around us if we want to strive for the top two spots,” Raj said.
The last time the Ducks came up against this weekend’s opponent was back in Round 3 at their magnificent Deakin University complex when the two combatants could not be separated after 90 minutes.
Abdullah Wahidi was the lone scorer for Deakin in the 1-1 draw.
“Spring Hills are the team to beat and we know from last time they are a really well drilled team,” Raj said.
“We’ve got good players all over the park but we need to perform better than we have been over the last month if we’re going to get the three points on Saturday.”
Deakin will be looking at two of its more senior players to inspire their charges in the battle against the Hills.
Striker Jack Van Wren has been an outstanding target man, having scored 11 goals so far this season at an incredible average of a goal per game.
Captain Troy Harrison is another inspirational player that Raj will be looking to step up against Spring Hills. Harrison has taken part in all 13 league games thus far — the only Duck to have done so this season.
Tomorrow’s clash kicks off at the later time of 7pm. NORTH GEELONG v Heidelberg United (Saturday, Elcho Park, 3pm) GALAXY UNITED v South Melbourne (Saturday, Banyul Warri Res, 4pm) Westgate v GEELONG (Saturday, Castley Reserve, 3pm) Altona City v CORIO (Saturday, Kim Reserve, 7pm) Diamond Valley v GEELONG RANGERS (Saturday, Partingtons Flat, 3pm) GOLDEN PLAINS v Sebastopol Vikings (Saturday, Bannockburn Recreation Precinct, 7pm) BELL PARK v Newmarket Phoenix (Saturday, Bell Park Sports Centre, 3pm) Altona North v SURF COAST (Saturday, Duane Res, 3pm) Keilor Wolves v LARA UNITED (Saturday,Green Gully Res, 3pm) Spring Hills v DEAKIN DUCKS (Saturday, Springside Recreational Reserve, 7pm) Ballarat Eureka Strikers v LARA UNITED (Sunday, Morshead Park Stadium, 3pm)