Four wins from five. Hit the bar three times and still walked away with a clean sheet. If the Western United result felt like a statement, it was one backed by numbers rather than noise.
Eltham sit fourth on the VPL1 ladder after five rounds. Ten points. Plus-five goal difference. Three wins, a draw, and a single defeat. The only loss came in Round 1 at Melbourne Victory, where the Redbacks were competitive throughout. Since then, the trajectory has been clear. Brunswick Juventus handled at home. Bulleen put away on the road. A hard-fought draw against Brunswick City. And last Sunday, a composed 2-0 win at Ironbark Fields where Marcus Day struck inside three minutes and Josh Millar doubled the lead before the quarter-hour mark. The coaching staff said it could have been four or five. On another day, with those crossbar rattles finding the net, it would have been.
Langwarrin make the trip north sitting 11th on four points. One win from five rounds, a goal difference of minus-five, and results away from Lawton Park that have been poor. Their solitary victory came in Round 2, a 3-1 home win over FC Melbourne Srbija where Charlie Fry headed in from an Alun Webb corner. Either side of that, the results tell a tougher story. A Round 1 loss to North Sunshine despite Sayed Fatemi putting them ahead. A 1-3 defeat to league leaders Northcote. A 4-0 loss at Manningham. And a defeat at Port Melbourne in Round 5.
Jamie Skelly’s side invested in attack over the off-season. Webb, Fatemi, Alex Kubenko and Zac Bates all arrived with pedigree in the final third. Six goals in five rounds shows they carry threat, particularly from set pieces. But 11 conceded points to a defensive vulnerability that sharper sides have exploited consistently.
Eltham’s home record is the foundation. Unbeaten at The Web this season, and the synthetic surface remains a tactical advantage against visiting sides unfamiliar with the bounce and pace of the pitch. The travel from the Mornington Peninsula to Eltham North is not a short run.
If the Redbacks bring the same defensive discipline that has conceded just five goals in five matches, and the same attacking incision that dismantled Western United, the platform is there to push further up the table.
Round 6. The Web. Friday night under lights.
Time to make home advantage count.
Up the ‘Backs.
Round 6 | Friday 20 March 2026 | Eltham North Reserve, The Web (Home)