Melbourne Victory’s pre-season continued in fine style in Ballarat on Tuesday night, with the club recording a big 10-0 win over NPL side Ballarat Red Devils.
Youngster Connor Pain netted a hat-trick, Kosta Barbarouses bagged a brace, while skipper Mark Milligan, Gui Finkler, Andrew Nabbout, Archie Thompson and Scott Galloway all scored one goal each at Ballarat’s Morshead Park.
Kevin Muscat’s men, returning to the pitch just six days after its 2-0 win in the FFA Cup Round of 32 in Perth, were impressive from the outset.
Press play on the video below to watch all the goals and highlights from a big night out in Ballarat
It only took two minutes for Connor Pain to net Victory’s first of the night, when the speedy winger pounced on a loose ball in midfield and did it all on his own.
Pain was again involved in the second, after a storming run down the left side of attack allowed him to whip in a cross for Finkler to neatly curl in to the top corner.
It was Pain and Besart Berisha who were to thank for the third, with some superb build up play allowing Pain to set up Nabbout for Victory’s third in just the 30th minute.
Minutes later a Berisha shot could only be parried away and found its way into Pain’s lap, the youngster going on to knock in his second, sending Victory up 4-0 as it went in to the half-time break well on top.
The domination continued in the second half and it only took Pain three minutes to secure his hat-trick and he had Galloway to thank, after a terrific long ball from the Young Socceroo on the halfway line. That ball found Nabbout who cooly set up Pain for Victory’s fifth.
Galloway then got amongst the goalscoring himself, with some impressive transition football that allowed Nabbout a second assist for Galloway to blast home.Milligan made it 7-0 with some smart finishing, before Barbarouses put away his first of the evening after 70 minutes seeing Victory’s goal tally rise to 8.
The ninth came soon after, as Thompson netted a smart goal on a fast counter attack.
Barbarouses put away Victory’s 10th and his second in the 89th minute in a dramatic goalfest for the boys in blue.
Melbourne Victory 10 (Pain 2’, 37’, 48’, Finkler 26’, Nabbout 30’, Galloway 56’, Milligan 68’, Barbarouses 70’, 89’, Thompson 83’)
Ballarat Red Devils 0
