By Bill Roumeliotis
Without nine key players and with an emergency squad, as nine players from the Under-23 team were called up, South Melbourne FC defeated the in-form St. Albans on Sunday, August 18.
Their win completes a triumph of 26 rounds at the top of the National Premier League Victoria standings with 60 points (19 wins, 3 draws, 4 losses).
During the match, attended by about 500 spectators at Lakeside Stadium, St Albans opened the scoring in the 26th minute with Brian Summerskill.  Â
South Melbourne equalised in the 30th minute with a goal from Robert Harding, and in the 67th minute, Mac Hilson scored the final goal to make it 2-1.Â
After the match, a representative from Football Victoria presented the Dockerty Cup and the 2024 Championship to the South Melbourne players.