Competition: NPL Victoria
Market: Avondale FC win & Both teams to score
Odds: 6/4 @ BetUS
Two sides who find themselves battling it out at opposite ends of the NPL Victoria table, Avondale will welcome St. Albans to Avenger Park on Saturday morning.
Starting with the hosts, while Avondale might have eventually settled for a silver medal finish last season, the Blues have come roaring back in a sensational fashion. Last seen clinching what was an action-packed 3-2 victory away at Melbourne Victory’s U21s, Zoran Markovski are leading the chase at the top of the NPL Victoria table and they will be looking to extend their buffer over the chasing pack here. Signing off May with a thumping 5-1 romp against the Melbourne Knights, Avondale have won their previous four straight appearances by an aggregate score of 12-3. Rightfully pencilled in as a landslide contender this weekend, Saturday’s hosts will also be excited by their continued dominance on home soil. Including consecutive 4-0 victories against South Melbourne and Altona Magic, Markovski’s side have won all of their eight showdowns at Avengers Park so far this calendar year – a run that has seen them register 29 goals.
As for the visitors, while Avondale might be enjoyed what has been a real purple patch, the same can’t be said for a struggling St. Albans. Playing out consecutive 2-2 stalemates against South Melbourne and Heidelberg on either side of opening June, Ian Culverhouse’s side are scrapping it out at the foot of the NPL Victoria table. Including a 3-1 defeat at home against Dandenong City last month, the Saints have recorded just three goals from any of their previous 10 straight appearances – a rut that stems all the way back to March 23rd. Already shipping 35 goals so far this season, Saturday’s guests will be bracing themselves for a stern examination here. Hit with a 4-1 drumming when they last met Avondale back on March 8th, they do hold a woeful record against the title contenders. Losing all of their previous six meetings by an aggregate score of 17-4, Culverhouse’s men couldn’t have asked for a tougher challenge.
Bet: Avondale FC to beat St. Albans City and both teams to score 6/4 for Saturday’s NPL Victoria matchup @ BetUS
Tom Dunstan
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