Two players scored hat-tricks. Two teams came back from the brink

Two players scored hat-tricks, two teams emerged from the jaws of defeat and the NPL VIC title race took another twist.

Josh Bingham and Timothy Atherinos were the standout individual performers in Round 16, while Altona Magic and Caroline Springs George Cross produced remarkable late fightbacks to headline a dramatic weekend of action.

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Bingham continued his outstanding season with a hat-trick as high-flying Hume City dismantled struggling Bentleigh Greens 5-1 on Friday night. Fellow Golden Boot contender Adisu Bayew and Birkan Kirdar also found the net as Hume moved within a point of leaders Oakleigh Cannons.

Oakleigh remain top, but only just.

The Cannons were held to a 2-2 draw by St Albans Dinamo, who scored two spectacular goals to earn a valuable point on the road.

The second hat-trick belonged to Dandenong City's Timothy Atherinos.

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The attacker scored three times inside 43 minutes as City stunned reigning champions Heidelberg United 4-1. Jackson Lino was also on target in one of Dandenong's most impressive performances of the campaign.

But the stories of the round may have come from two incredible comebacks.

At Lakeside Stadium, South Melbourne appeared set to mark Sinisa Cohadzic's return with victory after racing into a 2-0 lead, highlighted by Jordan Swiebel's outrageous strike.

Then came Altona Magic's response.

Two goals in two minutes turned the contest on its head; John Mabok completed a famous 3-2 victory - Altona's first win over South Melbourne since 2021.

The result lifted the Magic above the relegation zone on goal difference while South slipped to seventh.

Not to be outdone, Caroline Springs George Cross authored a comeback of their own.

Trailing Dandenong Thunder 2-1 entering the 85th minute, George Cross looked destined for defeat. Daniel Cuttler levelled in the 86th minute before Otman Benhaddou struck a dramatic 90th-minute winner to seal a stunning 3-2 turnaround.

Elsewhere, Avondale FC strengthened their position in third with a 2-0 victory over winless Green Gully.