ANOTHER week, another tight loss for Sebastopol Vikings in the Football Federation Victoria state league four division.
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For the third time in as many weeks, the Vikings went down by the slimmest of margins, this time suffering a 1-0 loss at the hands of Bell Park.
The tight loss is the Vikings’ third in their 2014 campaign, all of which they have lost by just one goal.
In the latest instalment at Geelong’s Bell Park Sports Club, a contentious penalty proved the difference between the two sides.
With the opposing striker left one on one with Vikings keeper Matt Smith, the gloveman advanced to dive on the ball, taking out the striker in the process.
However, Smith did not receive a red or yellow card, despite it being a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
Vikings coach Michael Busija labelled it an unusual call for the referee to make, especially given his side felt Smith made solid contact with the ball.
The penalty was then conceded and from that point onwards, Sebastopol was never able to recover.
Matt Jamieson was especially prominent throughout the midfield, but his efforts went mainly unrewarded.
“We just haven’t quite got it together,” Busija said.
“With the high turnover of players, it is probably taking a bit of time to gel and we are probably missing a key striker.
“We’re not panicking yet though.
“We’re not a million miles away, we’ve only just gone down by one goal in each game.
The result means the Vikings are second last on the FFV state league four table, with just Brimbank Stallions sitting below them.
They now face the winless Maribyrnong Greens after the Easter break, in what Busija has labelled a “must-win” match.