BIG TEST FOR EAGLES
Corio confident against competition ‘heavyweight’
Corio will be aiming to chalk up its third win of the season when it hosts Sydenham Park in round 7 of the Men’s State League 1 (NorthWest) later today.
The Eagles last week defeated FC Strathmore 2-0, courtesy of goals from Darcy Rapa and Mitchell Stosic, and in the process leapfrogged near neighbours Geelong into sixth spot on the standings. A win against Sydenham Park would see Corio jump into the top echelon of the State 1 competition, an incredible turnaround considering that in the last few years the Hume Reserve outfit has been constantly battling to stave off relegation.
“With the club being in relegation battles at the tail-end for the previous two seasons, the playing group, my assistant Miki Gelic and myself have really set a target that it would not be the case this season,” head coach Ivan Biscan, who took over from Robbie Noggler on the eve of the season, said this week. “I do believe the results, thus far, has proven that. The senior squad has really matured to State 1 football this season, and there is great competition for spots within the team.”
Last week, the Eagles were able to comfortably beat a team they’d been unable to take a point from last season.
This week, however, Biscan believes the clash with the ambitious third-placed visitors will pose much more of a problem. “This week’s task is a lot harder against one of the heavyweights of the competition, Sydenham Park, but we are confident going into the match that our strengths will get us a winning result,” he said. “That is where our focus has been all the week at training.”
In team news out of Hume Reserve, fullback Callum Ferguson will miss this weekend’s game against Sydenham Park, after sustaining a hamstring strain last week.
Meanwhile, following last week’s shock 2-0 loss at home to FC Clifton Hill, Geelong will be looking to get back onto the winners’ list when the Lions travel to Ralph Reserve to tackle fourth-placed Western Suburbs on Saturday.
Both games kick-off at 3pm.