Mirabella Cup Fifth Round Draw

The FFV Mirabella Cup fifth round draw was held on Monday night throwing up some mouthwatering ties in what is the final round before Victorian heavy weights Melbourne Heart and Melbourne Victory enter the competition.

There are plenty of local derbies and a number of opportunities for some giant killing. Here is a look at the matches slated down.

Match One:
South Melbourne (VPL) vs Port Melbourne (State League Div 1)
My verdict: South Melbourne are leaking goals like the Exxon Valdez leaked oil. Port Melbourne have a large following and this game should be a cracker.

Match Two:
Springvale White Eagle (VPL) v Malvern City (SL Div2 Sth-East) OR Fortuna 60

Match Three:
FC Clifton Hill (SL Div2 Nth-West) v Cobram Victory (Goulburn North East FA)
My verdict: Both of these two teams will be delighted to have gotten this far and it is a toss of the coin match. If Cobram find the win and get to host Melbourne Victory in the next round it would be the biggest thing to happen to Cobram. Ever.

Match Four:
Ballarat Red Devils (SL Div2 Nth-West) v St Albans Saints (VPL)
My verdict: Devils vs Saints; the classic clash of good vs evil. With St Albans lingering at the foot of the VPL table the boys from Ballarat must think they are in with a huge chance.

Match Five:
FC Bulleen Lions (SL Div1) v Northcote City (VPL)
My verdict: The Veneto club will be rocking but Northcote are flying.

Match Six:
Melbourne Knights (VPL) v North Sunshine Eagles (Provisional League Div1 Nth-West)
My verdict: 2.8 km separate the teams geographically. Three divisions and 41 teams separate them in the FFV tables. Knights, easy.

Match Seven:
Dandenong City (SL Div2 Sth-East) v Dandenong Thunder (VPL)
My verdict: The battle of Stud Road should see the Thunder win comfortably.

Match Eight:
Preston Lions (SL Div1) v Heidelberg United (VPL)
My verdict: Preston is a former powerhouse of football in Victoria with a parochial following rivaling any team in the country. Heidelberg though are close to the best team outside the A-League and should win in front of a massive crowd.

Match Nine:
Southern Stars (SL Div1) v Bentleigh Greens (VPL)
My verdict: A potential banana skin for the Greens

Match Ten:
Hume City (VPL) v Moreland City (SL Div2 Nth-West)
My verdict: Another derby but I expect the quick trip up Pascoe Vale Rd might be a disappointing one for Moreland.

Match Eleven:
Oakleigh Cannons (VPL) v Pascoe Vale (SL Div1)
My verdict: Pascoe Vale held Melbourne Heart to a draw in a friendly earlier on this season but Oakleigh are top of the VPL and I can't see them losing this one.

Match Twelve:
Green Gully Cavaliers (VPL) v Sunshine George Cross (SL Div1)
My verdict: This was a glamour tie in the old NSL days and whilst the crowds might have dropped off the passion hasn't. It should be a belter.

The matches will be played between 31st May and 13th June, with all dates and times confirmed.

Keep updated by visiting the Mirabella Cup Facebook page or read up on Round Five of the Miraballa Cup insight by Football Federation Victoria.