Every game between South Melbourne and Carlton since Carlton's arrival on the national stage three years ago, has been a cracker. The deferred Round 14 contest between these two ambitious Melbourne sides was no exception, South perhaps fortunate to run out 1-0 winners in an evenly-poised and open game.
The solitary goal which separated the teams was scored, fittingly, by South Melbourne captain and - following his start in this game - the club's longest-serving player, Paul Trimboli, just before the half-hour.
Played in front of a smaller crowd that would otherwise have been expected but for the intrusive Grand-Prix infrastructure, it deserved to have more watching the suspenseful unfolding of events. The game had been deferred due to South Melbourne's Brazilian adventure at the turn of the year, but why it was played in the month where Bob Jane Stadium's surrounds are a no-go area is a mystery and did a disservice to what is a Melbourne football highlight.
These games deserve capacity attendance, and the unavailability of parking anywhere near the ground meant that fewer watched what more should have seen.
The peculiar draw in this year's NSL season meant that these two teams were to meet four times in the league, so perhaps those for whom the difficulties proved too great consoled themselves with the thought that they could catch one of the other two fixtures still remaining.
Trimboli's match-winning goal came after 29 minutes and was set up by Andy Vlahos, playing against his old club. Vlahos was fed a through ball and took it to the bye-line where he feinted a square pass, completely wrongfooting two shadowing defenders Mark Atkinson and Archie Thompson. Vlahos instead played a ball back to the penalty-spot from where Trimboli rifled a low shot low to Dean Anastasiadis' right and into the net.
"It was close - pretty typical of a derby game. With the position both sides were in, I don't think (either side) was going to lay down and die today," said South Melbourne coach Ange Postecoglou after the game. "From our point of view, to come out victors with the three points was very pleasing."
South Melbourne fielded a slight variation to its normal formation with Trimboli pushed up as one of the striking pair, rather than sitting in behind as has been usual for a while.
"(Trimboli was played up front as it) was a big day for Trimmers and I knew he'd play well," said Postecoglou. "He always does on the big occasions, and I thought we'd look for something extra. I thought we'd get him into the box and something might happen, and it did."
Another variation in the South line-up was the playing of defender Steve Iosifides on the right, marking lively Carlton winger Stuart Slater. For this, Postecoglou gave credit to his coaching partner Carl Harford.
"Carl suggested that it might be a good to stick Iosifides out there and stop Slater, who is probably Carlton's most dangerous player. I thought it was a good idea, and would allow Goran Lozanovski to push forward a bit and give Lozanovski a bit more freedom. It suited the game today, but whether we'll persevere with it, we'll see how things go."
The Slater/Lozanovski duel was explosive last time these two teams met with Slater getting the better of the South wing-back, and eventually resulted in Lozanovski fouling Slater, being booked, then being sent off for dissent.
These two extraordinarily talented players were tonight not to be in direct competition, and each allowed a more free-flowing attacking role.
Carlton could justly have been aggrieved at South taking the lead, as on two earlier occasions it seemed that it would be they, rather then South, which would score first.
Midway through the first half, Alex Moreira had collected a pass, and cleverly played a square ball to Olyroo Thompson in a dangerous position. Thompson's first-time shot beat Chris Jones, but cannoned off the foot of the post.
Five minutes later, it was Moreira himself who was to squander an opportunity at least as promising. Slater fed a ball to the Brazilian who beat the offside trap and burst through a square South backline. Facing only Jones, Moreira shot wide.
Just before the half ended, Carlton's grievances were compounded as it seemed referee Jeremy Blaney failed to see what every Carlton supporter saw, and most neutral observers did also. Mike Conroy won a ball at the bye-line, and held the ball up cleverly until he saw support from Thompson behind and up the Grandstand line. Thompson crossed early to the edge of the six-yard box where Carlton's lionheart captain Andrew Marth and South's Olyroo defender Con Blatsis contested the ball as it dropped. Blatsis appeared to get an arm in the way of the ball, but referee Blaney waved play on.
And just after the restart, Carlton rued Jones' saving ability after a corner was played to Marth, headed on to Steve Horvath who seemed certain to score from point-blank range but for Jones' stop.
Jones again saved South skins just after the hour from a John Markovski thunderbolt free-kick which he blocked and it was scrambled clear.
"It was a terrific save," said Postecoglou. "He's getting used to the fact that he's the number one keeper at South. He'll grow into that role, and I thought he was very good tonight."
Postecoglou was happy with his defence generally, as it was they who collectively kept South's lead when Carlton's constant pressure seemed certain to tell. "Robert Liparoti was outstanding, (Con) Blastsis and Nick Orlic were solid, and Steve Iosifides did a good job on Stuart Slater who is a good player and obviously a danger."
Carlton coach Stuart Munro was also upbeat, despite the result. "I was looking for a performance out of the players to try to turn the season around," said Munro. "As much as I really wanted to win this game tonight, the performance was probably more important. I knew that us playing badly, but winning one-nil, might not have been enough for us to turn the season.
"We put in a performance that we haven't in the past four or five weeks, probably we created more opportunities tonight than we did in the last few weeks.
"The performance and the commitment that the players showed tonight is an indication that they can go on and win the vast majority of the games left this season. There's still a long way to go this season, there's a lot to be played for and a lot of points to be got."