Altona Magic’s new look squad has passed its first test with flying colours, downing a strong Cairnlea 1-0 on the road in the FFV men’s state league 1 season opener at Cairnlea Park on Saturday.
The Magic’s smash-and-grab mission was complete when new recruit Marino Gasparis turned in the box and fired into the back of the net in the 61st minute, the only time either goalkeeper was breached during a hard fought contest.
Magic coach Vlado Tortevski told Star Weekly it was a win of real substance against a team he tips will be a tough nut to crack at home this season.
“Cairnlea is also a very good side so I’m happy with the result at the end,” he said. “They are one of the teams you have to beat if you want to be right on the top.
“A lot of the teams are going to have a hard time going there. It’s starting with a small ground and they’ve got a good coach, Andy O’Dell is there, and he brought in a couple of players and the team is a really good team.”
The Magic has been in irresistible form in the FFA Cup, where they have set-up a blockbuster fifth round home tie with NPL powerhouse South Melbourne.
That form has now carried into the season proper.
Tortevski praised his players for their hard work on the training track over the summer.
“This preseason started very early,” he said. “We have four or five new players, so we needed time to jell together to bond the players to really perform to their highest and I think we achieved that.
“We’ve got a good atmosphere at the club and players are putting in really good performances at the moment. The FFA Cup is one of the starting points and it gives us momentum for the rest of the season, I hope.”
The Magic had an even contribution across the board.
They were particularly tough defensively, allowing goalkeeper Ante Loncaric to keep a clean sheet.
The talk of the club was the addition of Gasparis, who will play a key role in the attack.
“He’s half midfielder, half striker, a special player,” Tortevski said. “He’s the link between the midfielders and the strikers, depending on the formation we play.”
The Magic will play its home opener against Diamond Valley United on Saturday.
Tortevski has urged the Magic fans to come out in full force.
“We need the people to come out,” he said. “If you want to be a big club, you need the big numbers of supporters, otherwise you can’t go to the next level up.
“We will give 100% and especially on our ground, it’s going to be a hard time for any team who comes down to the club.”
