Caretaker coach James Coutts has broken his duck in NPL1 senior soccer when Murray United kept its first clean sheet of its brief NPL1 history in a 4-0 win over Nunawading City at La Trobe on Saturday.
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English midfield pairing Ash Dunn and Coutts controlled proceedings for much of the day – their vision and passing prising open City’s defence from the opening whistle.
Chief beneficiary was winger Melkie Woldemichael who’s pace and crosses also proved a constant threat.
But it was captain Ryan Giles who delivered the first salvo for the homeside when a short corner to Coutts gave him the time to pick out the unmarked midfielder for a free header and a 1-0 lead after just four minutes.
The first half ended it as it began with chances to Dunn and Zac Walker unrewarded, one shot from the striker finding its way between the keepers legs but unable to cross the line.
It was Dunn who turned provider after five minutes of the start of the second half, his ball to Woldemichael leaving him with just the keeper to beat and it was 2-0.
When Walker was brought down in the box seven minutes later, it was the Murray United striker’s turn to add to the scoreline and make it 3-0.
Coutts could have produced the goal of the season when his ambitious shot from halfway cleared keeper Keegan Coulter only to be denied by the cross bar on 70 minutes.
But it was man of the match Woldemichael again just 8 minutes later, a pin-point cross finding substitute Hussein Ntakirutmana at the near post and a bullet header gave Coulter no chance and United its 4-0 scoreline.
Coutts said it was a team performance inspired by Woldemichael.
“If I was a scout he would be an automatic choice – Melkie’s work ethic, speed and determination is the benchmark not only for the senior side but this entire club,” he said.
“I really just don’t know how he does it physically he just keeps going all day.
“He and Dunn were superb.
“Dunn is everything you want out of a visa player – he’s skillful, tough and inspires his team-mates.
“We changed our game plan for this week and worked on it at training and I couldn’t fault from 1 to 11 – they all played their part.
“And the back four deserved a clean sheet, they have been so good for so long and that was an outstanding performance again today.
“We brought Jayson Ferguson into defence today to let Melkie go forward and he is the only real defender among them – Sean Pye, Michael Jessup and Ben Chaffey are midfielders who have risen to the challenge of shoring up the back. ”