Melbourne Heart enjoyed a 4-1 win over a Peninsula XI outfit at Frankston Park on Sunday afternoon, in the Club’s final hit out of the pre-season.
Melbourne Heart FC enjoyed a 4-1 win over a Peninsula XI outfit at Frankston Park on Sunday afternoon, in the Club-s final hit out of the pre-season.
An early goal from Ersin Kaya and a first-half double from Paul Retre gave the Red and White a 3-0 half-time lead, before John Bounis scored the side-s fourth in the 50th minute.
The Peninsula XI side netted a consolation through Geordie Scott in the 68th minute in a match played in warm conditions in front of a healthy crowd of over 2000.
Melbourne Heart fielded a team made up predominately of youth players and triallists, with three senior contracted players – goalkeeper Tando Velaphi, Jeremy Walker and Sam Mitchinson – in the starting eleven.
The Red and White opened the scoring early with the first chance of the game – a neat move involving Alex Dao and Phil Petreski, which Kaya finished cleverly after breaching the last line of defence.
Retre doubled Melbourne Heart-s lead in the 13th minute, finishing another slick move as Mitchinson-s patient approach play released Kaya down the left and Kaya turned provider for Retre to tuck home a low cross at the back post.
Velaphi was forced to parry the Peninsula side-s first real effort in the 22nd minute, but it was 3-0 to Heart in the 40th when Hernan Espindola – who was sent through on goal by Petreski – was brought down in the box after a clumsy challenge.
Melbourne were awarded a penalty and Retre grabbed his second, sending the Peninsula ‘keeper the wrong way.
The effective Retre was removed in the second half for Joseph Katebian and it was the later-s through-ball that led to the team-s fourth, five minutes into the second period.
Katebian released Kaya who advanced before crossing to the back post, where Espindola squared with his head to Bounis for a simple header into an empty net.
Peninsula pulled a goal back through a great strike from Scott in the 68th minute, but it proved merely a consolation for the Peninsula outfit.
Melbourne Heart Head Coach John Aloisi said he was pleased with the hit out.
“It was good for the youth team boys that played – they haven-t had a lot of time with our youth team with Joe Palatsides so it was good for them to get a game in,” Aloisi said.
“It was also good for some of the senior contracted players like Jeremy Walker, Sam Mitchinson and Tando [Velaphi] to get another 90 minutes into their legs.
“It was a good hit-out – the game became a bit stretched in the second half – but there were some nice goals and there was a good turnout here today.
“It-s good to get out into the community and there-s a lot of Heart supporters down here in Frankston.”
Melbourne Heart opens its Hyundai A-League season with a Round One clash against Melbourne Victory on October 12.
Match Details
Peninsula XI 1 (Geordie Scott 68-)
Melbourne Heart FC 4 (Ersin Kaya 6-, Paul Retre 13-, 40-, Bounis 50-)
Frankston Park, Frankston
Melbourne Heart FC Starting Line-Up: 1. Tando Velaphi, 2. Jeremy Walker, 11. Paul Retre (17. Joseph Katebian 46-), 14. Andrew Mullet (9. Baki Efe 82-), 18. Ross Archibald, 19. Sam Mitchinson, 22. Alex Dao (10. Tyler James 71-), 23. Phil Petreski, 26. Ersin Kaya, 32. Hernan Espindola (3. Stefan Zinni 66-) 36. John Bounis
Substitute not used: 20. Andrew Redmayne.
