Not Much Left To Say - Round 22, Port vs South, Finals Spot On The Line

So it all comes down to this. We're level on points with Green Gully, who beat Oakleigh 2-0 last night. We have a 1 goal better goal difference, which is effectively a 2 goal better goal difference, since we have scored more goals (seven of them) than Gully, and the advantage is given to teams that score more goals.

After all the mathematical gymnastics of the past few weeks, it's a pretty simple equation now.

• We win and we're in, to play either Port or Gully in an elimination final.
• If we draw, we need Gully to draw or lose.
• If we lose, we need Gully to lose, and hope the difference between our losses isn't more than two goals in their favour.

Of the little I've seen of Port - their home games against Dandenong Thunder and Bentleigh Greens, and the footage of their win against us smack bag in the middle of the South Crisis 2013 (a game I wasn't able to attend) - they have been ordinary. And yet they've kept racking up points, to the point where a draw will see them through to the finals.

Honestly, I'm bad at these previews at the best of times. With such a cut-throat one off game, I'm even more nervous, especially as we'll also be watching over our shoulder (and at our phones) for updates from the Gully-Thunder contest.

Perhaps the cruelest irony would be if we kept our first clean sheet in ages in a 0-0 draw, with Gully winning by any margin at all.

NPL Victoria - Mediate This!
A mediation session was held yesterday. Apparently it didn't go too well, and we'll be heading off to the courts on Monday.

There are rumours and innuendo circulating that the 'ethnic' and 'wog' angles were brought up by FFV person(s) during the meeting.

2013 & Ethnicity is still an issue in football. Mediation disgrace. Shame on you @footballvic Respect heritage of game @FFA @MickLynch_Age
— Nicholas Tsiaras (@nicholastsiaras) September 18, 2013

If true, that's not cool on its own terms, but it will also reinforce the animosity between the two sides.

There is also talk that the FFV is planning on using the Knox Regional Football Facility for one of its NPL franchises, which people are suggesting goes against an agreement they have with the Knox council.

The good news is, if you can call it that, that I have a day off on Monday, and will therefore endeavour to head out to the court to see what's going on.