Danny Allsopp has paid tribute to his team-mates after his brace helped Melbourne to its first win of the season in a six-goal thriller against Wellington on Sunday.
Danny Allsopp has paid tribute to his team-mates after his brace helped Melbourne to its first win of the season in a six-goal thriller against Wellington on Sunday.
Allsopp put it a standout performance, scoring the first two goals and setting up the third in the 4-2 win which puts his side on top of the ladder, earning him praise from coach Ernie Merrick.
“Dan was outstanding. He had two goals and was really unlucky not to get a third, and he set up Fabiano. Dan had a major part in today’s game and it was great to see both the performance and the result,” Merrick said.
But despite his heavy influence on the outcome of the match, Allsopp said that it was his team-mates who had got him into the game.
“The guys gave me good service tonight, which makes my life a lot easier,” he said. “I was able to get into good positions because of the quality of ball I received. It allowed me time and space in their third.”
Merrick concurred that the Victory support cast was excellent, especially Carlos Hernandez, Jose Luis Lopez and Ney Fabiano, who scored his first goal for the club.
“I thought the South American boys played well. They created the space for Danny (Allsopp) to cause trouble,” he said.
Melbourne drew its first five games last year, a string of one-pointers which cost it later in the season when it was challenging for the finals. Merrick was rapt to have got off the mark in the second game this campaign and hopes the win will build on the momentum.
“Life’s much easier if you pick up points early on. There’s a good feel around the team … and picking up points is just vital all the way through,” he said. “We’re not going to win every week, but it certainly helps.”
