Nicholas James Lawyers Match Preview: Back to Keilor Park, Four Years On
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The last time Essendon Royals turned up to Keilor Park Recreation Reserve, they left with five goals and a finish line in sight. Saturday afternoon, 13 August 2022, second-last round of State League 1, a 5-0 result on the way to the promotion that came at the end of the run. William Abbott scored twice. Luca Santilli got the third. Nobuyuki Usui got the fourth. The fifth, on 80 minutes, came from a midfielder named Graham Kelly. Four years later, the Royals walk back through the gate. Kelly comes the other way to greet them, in a Keilor Park shirt.
A lot has happened in between. Keilor Park were relegated to State League 2 the year after that promotion afternoon, and the climb back has been a remarkable one. Back to back promotions. Now they sit in VPL 2 alongside the Royals, eighth on the table on thirteen points. Round 11 ended badly for them with a 4-0 defeat at Whittlesea, and Friday night at home will be a reset. All eyes will be on Kelly, who departed Cross Keys at the end of last season.
The Royals arrive in form Mick Ferrante has been quietly building all month. Six wins, no draws, five losses, eighteen points after eleven rounds. Fifth on the table, two points off Box Hill United Pythagoras, two points off Goulburn Valley Suns, two points off the conversation that decides who plays finals football and who watches it. Friday’s 2-1 over Eastern Lions at Cross Keys was the latest in a string of positive performances. Jordan Adeyemi opened on 37 minutes for his ninth of the league season, before Christian Pollifrone won it off the bench on 84 minutes with his first senior goal for the club. The winning run is now sits at four straight.
Around the rest of the grounds, the chasing pack is moving. Malvern City sit alone at the top on twenty-eight points and host Kingston City. Box Hill United Pythagoras travel to Nunawading. Bayside Argonauts head out to Goulburn Valley for the round’s biggest fixture. Any slip up there opens a door. A win for the Royals lifts them to twenty-one points and into the top-four race.
Ferrante’s line from a fortnight ago has held all month. “It’s not hit and miss. It’s been improving, improving, improving.” Adeyemi keeps scoring. Vince Lia keeps anchoring. The bench keeps changing games. Friday nights have become the nights this club shows up. The fifth is at Keilor Park Recreation Reserve, on a ground the Royals know well.
Forza Royals!