Although we arrived at the game early, I couldn’t help but feel that parking was easier to find than last time. This confirmed what we all knew, the Easter Saturday afternoon fixture was certainly going to bring less people than last year. The time didn’t just line up with Orthodox holidays, but also with many State League games, but it turns out the fixture was decided in line with a new Football Victoria policy. FV now want all ‘high risk’ games to be played during the day. Look, a lot of people complained about this but there were no incidents so I guess that’s a win.

Before the game, Preston announced that they had come to an agreement with their active fans, the Preston Boys. The group had been banned this year, however the new agreement would see them return to the terraces. Thankfully, again, there were no incidents, but shockingly – both from my perspective at the game and then rewatching the reply online – the returning group was silent for pretty much the whole game.

Anyway, when I got to the game, I joined the segregated South fans behind the goals.  I handed out about 100 copies of the fanzine and was introduced to members of the South board who complimented me on the work, which was appreciated. I settled on the hill with my friends near Clarendon Corner, who brought an always appreciated drum and we got to work… chanting from kick-off until the final whistle.

Considering the weather and the fixture timing the crowd and atmosphere was great. It turns out over 4,000 people were in attendance, and they got to enjoy pouring rain, searing sun and muddy hills as we watched South field essentially a full side. Only Painter-Andrews and Swibel were missing from the squad, having been sent to Fiji with a largely reserves side for our Sunday OPL fixture.

We started well, but Preston got the better of us as the first half continued, with the Lions carving out a couple of good chances including a botched one on one. Overall though the first half was cagey with neither team wanting to slip up in the derby, and the wild weather also disrupting any sort of slick play.

In the second half though things picked up. South came out of the gates firing and Preston struggled to contain us. Following on from a protracted forward movement the ball found its way to Dovison in space. The young forward then tapped the ball away from the oncoming Preston defender and brilliantly shot and curved the ball into the bottom left corner from outside the box. It was an incredible goal from the young gun and sent the South fans crazy!

From there it was pretty much one way traffic. The Avondale Reds sat back to try stabilise things but only invited more South pressure with Hellas piling on shot after shot, corner after corner when eventually Mikkola (in great form by the way) shot at goal and just barely beat the keeper to see it trickle in and double South’s lead.

Clarendon erupted and stayed at top volume for the rest of the game. The sun was out by now and the result now seemed inevitable. Finally, cruelly, late in the game South scored again, after a brilliant run from the midfield a low cross came off a Preston defender for an own goal. The poor Preston defender had copped in all game from South fans after mouthing off early in the game and sunk to the ground defeated – genuinely felt sorry for the guy.

But that was it. South 3, Avondale Reds 0. Great day out. Minor thing though – Preston surely could have offers a vegitarian option at the South end canteen. With many fans fasting it was disappointing to not even have the option some hot chips. Nothing a maccas run couldn’t fix.

Go South! Made it look easy against a Preston who looked like cents on the dollars rumoured to have been spent on their squad this year…