Holiday Inn Match Preview: Royals seek back-to-back wins under Friday night lights against Doveton
Essendon Royals’ senior men’s side will look to make it back-to-back wins when they welcome Doveton to Cross Keys Reserve on Friday night.
Our weekly previews are brought to you by the Geelong Holiday Inn, as we look ahead to the upcoming rounds of action.
Royals ended their four game winless run in the league with a much-needed 3-1 victory over Goulburn Valley Suns last Saturday night, with Jordan Adeyemi firing home a brace and Graham Kelly scoring another to give Essendon all three points.
Catch up with the highlights from our 3-1 win over GV Suns below.
The win takes Essendon into fifth place on the ladder, eight points adrift of league leaders North Sunshine Eagles, along with second and third-placed FC Melbourne Serbija and Altona City, while Brunswick Juventus are five points ahead in fourth.
Royals’ next test comes against Doveton, who are fresh off a 6-0 defeat at the hands of North Sunshine last weekend.
Doveton are currently in a fight to preserve their place in VPL2, sitting in second-last on only six points for the year, two clear of bottom placed Beaumaris, but also two points adrift of Goulburn Valley.
However, heading into the clash against the Eagles, they had been in better form, winning two of their last three games against Beaumaris and Nunawading City, except they’re still yet to get a point away from home.
They will be without Luca Slavica after he was sent off on the weekend.
However, the Royals may be without a host of players due to injury, with Kelly hurting his hamstring immediately after scoring, while Dean Clarke suffered a head knock.
Adeyemi and Phil Riccobene also came from the field with niggles.
Essendon won the reverse fixture back in Round 2, with Theo Tzelepis and Kelly finding the net in a 2-1 win at Waratah Reserve.
Before the action gets underway at 8:30 PM, the Under 23s will take the field at 6:15 PM.
Royals’ Under 23s defeated the Suns 3-1 last week, and now sit in sixth on the ladder, while Doveton are in ninth after a 2-1 win over North Sunshine.