Heart thump local opposition

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Melbourne Heart have continued their positive pre-season preparations with a 8-0 thumping of State League 1 side Port Melbourne Sharks.

Melbourne Heart have continued their positive pre-season preparations with a 8-0 thumping of State League 1 side Port Melbourne Sharks on Wednesday night at SS Anderson Reserve.

New striker Dylan Macallister scored four goals in the rout, bagging a hat-trick within half an hour of play before adding a fourth on the hour mark.

Second-half substitute Zac Walker scored two goals, with David Williams and an own-goal from Port Melbourne defender James Grech rounding out the scoring.

Heart coach John Aloisi elected to start with a slightly stronger line-up than the side that defeated a VCL XI last Friday in Geelong.

New arrivals Patrick Gerhardt and Macallister started once again with youth team prospects Stipo Andrijasevic and Josh Groenwald also given an opportunity to show their worth.

The more familiar faces in the squad were Simon Colosimo, Clint Bolton, Michael Marrone, Aziz Behich and Matt Thompson, with the latter given the captain's armband for the contest.

Triallists Andreas Govas, Josip Konyit and new signing David Vrankovic were also given a run in place of Jason Hoffman, Michael Marrone and Simon Colosimo.