Altona East Phoenix and Cairnlea played out an intoxicating 10-goal thriller in the Football Federation Victoria men’s state league 1 on Saturday.
The Phoenix came out on the wrong end of a 6-4 scoreline at Cairnlea Park, leaving them in the dreaded relegation mix.
It was clear at the break that it was not a day to be a defender as the sides went into the changerooms evenly splitting six goals.
After half time, the composure of top-of-the-ladder Cairnlea came to the fore, with the home side winning and the pressure staying on the Phoenix at the opposite end of the table.
Altona Magic, one spot below the Phoenix in second-last, failed to capitalise on its neighbour’s slip-up, losing 1-0 to Western Suburbs at Paisley Park on Saturday night.
The Magic had the chance to make up significant ground but failed to defend home turf.
In state league 2 north-west, Yarraville Glory missed a chance to close the gap on the top two, drawing 1-1 with second-placed Westvale.
Darcey Den Ouden fired in his seventh goal of the campaign to put the Glory in front at half time.
But Westvale found a second-half equaliser and the game finished all square.
FC Williamstown leapt off the bottom of the state league 3 north-west ladder with a confident 2-0 win over North City Wolves at Wallace Reserve.
The Blues remain stuck in the relegation zone, six points behind third-last Whittlesea United, but that’s not an insurmountable task with six games remaining.
Melbourne City dusted off the six-shooter to hammer Surf Coast 6-1 in state league 4 west.
Simba Said pulled the trigger on a double as City consolidated second spot on the ladder.
Maribyrnong Greens pulled off the biggest shock of the round, consigning table-topping Hoppers Crossing to its first defeat of the season in a 2-1 win at Skinner Reserve.
Altona North sunk to a 4-2 defeat at Point Cook, while Laverton Park lost 1-0 to Melton Phoenix.
