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AFTER missing last week’s La Fiera Derby with illness, Matt Richardson more than made up for lost time scoring all six of Myrtleford’s goals in a stunning display against St Pat's.
Richardson would start his tally from a spot kick on the 28th minute before starting to get hot on either side of half-time, completing his hat-trick in the 48th minute.
It was then party time for the English-born striker who kicked his last two goals in the space of three minutes to see the match finish at 6-0.
Coach Jayden Vescio said it was great to see his top man up front reward himself with a big haul.
“To get back on the score sheet like that after missing last week was good for him,” he said.
“He knows where the goals are, sometimes he gets criticised for having so many chances but good strikers tend to generate those chances by getting in the right spot at the right time.”
Starting heavy favourites at Albury’s Ian Barker Fields, it wasn’t all easy going for Savoy in the first 30 minutes.
While only on two wins for the season, St Pat’s had been a somewhat difficult side to score against, conceding 18 goals prior to Sunday.
Vescio said the chemistry of his front three, headlined by Richardson, continued to build each week and was able to overwhelm the green and gold defence when it mattered most.
“I think the understanding of playing with a couple of new players, 10 rounds in everything is sort of gelling,” he said.
The relentless Savoy defence behind Matt Vaccaro and Tom Morrison racked up another clean sheet, only conceding one goal in league play for the month of May.
Heading into this weekend against the struggling Twin City Wanderers and the King’s Birthday bye around the corner, Vescio said he would look to continue to find more balance through the midfield which has been ravaged by injury so far this season.
“I feel like if we’re holding onto the ball and the other team doesn’t get looks at it, we’re a better team for it,” he said.
“We’ve got 14-17 ball-playing squad players who know how to play good football, but sometimes we panic a bit and play a game style the other team is playing.”
Aiding that midfield was Scott Peggle, who played his second game back from injury on the weekend while Brenton Cook came back from a hamstring injury.
Others including Connor Caponecchia, Tom La Spina and Nathan Gleeson will be eyeing a return following the bye week.
Vescio said the depth of the squad has shone through in recent weeks to levels above expectations at the start of the year.
“Jack White (17) has played two games back-to-back now, to be cracking a team that hasn’t lost in the league is a good sign for the depth that was there,” he said.
It was a widely successful day overall at Ian Barker Fields for Savoy claiming wins in the reserve men (7-0), reserves women (4-1), thirds (7-0) and under 14 boys (2-1).
The under 16 boys (5-0) and over 35s (4-0) were held to clean sheets in their losses.
The senior women had their first of four straight bye weeks while the under 15 girls will be back in action at Wodonga after having a rest over the weekend.





