Melbourne Victory has signed former Brisbane Roar goalkeeper Matt Acton as a replacement for the injured Alastair Bray.
Bray has been placed on the long-term injury list after undergoing a shoulder reconstruction this week.
Acton, an Australia under-20 international, trialled with Victory in the lead-up to the Hyundai A-League 2016/17 season.
“We had an opportunity to see Matt first hand at training earlier this year, and it confirmed to us he has the ability to hold his own in the A-League, ” Victory head coach Kevin Muscat said.
“He has experience playing both domestically and abroad, and we are confident he will be able to step in a do a good job for Melbourne Victory if he is given the opportunity.
“It’s disappointing for Alastair to suffer a long-term injury so early in the season, and we wish him well in his recovery.”
Acton is a product of the Roar’s youth system, where he began as a teenager after graduating from the Queensland Academy of Sport.
He made his Hyundai A-League debut during the 2013/14 season, making two appearances in place of the injured Michael Theo.
Brisbane won both of those games and conceded just one goal, while Acton impressed with some world-class saves.
After a stint with Yangon United in Myanmar in 2014, he returned to Roar for the second half of the 2014/15 season, before joining Queensland’s Olympic FC.
He then signed with Kaya FC in the Filipino top division, where he played for the duration of the 2016 season.
Acton has been added to an extended squad for Victory’s match against Newcastle Jets at AAMI Park on Saturday, replacing Lucas Spinella. Tickets are available here.
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Hyundai A-League 2016/17 Round 8
Melbourne Victory v Newcastle Jets
Saturday, November 26, 5.35pm AEDT
AAMI Park, Melbourne
TV:Â Live on Fox Sports 505 from 5.00pm AEDT
Radio: ABC Grandstand Digital, A-League Live via the ABC Radio app, EON Sports Radio, SEN 1116
Online: Join the conversation on social media using #MVCvNEW
Melbourne Victory squad (two to be omitted): 2.Jason GERIA, 4.Nick ANSELL, 6.Leigh BROXHAM, 7.Marco ROJAS, 8.Besart BERISHA, 9.Max BEISTER, 10.James TROISI, 11.Mitch AUSTIN, 13.Oliver BOZANIC, 14.Fahid BEN KHALFALLAH, 15.Alan BARO, 16.Rashid MAHAZI, 17.James DONACHIE, 20.Lawrence THOMAS (gk), 21.Carl VALERI (c), 22.Stefan NIGRO, 23.Jai INGHAM, 40.Matt ACTON (gk)
Ins: 7.Marco ROJAS (returns from international duty), 22.Stefan NIGRO (promoted), 40.Matt ACTON (gk) (new signing)
Outs: 27.Alastair BRAY (gk) (shoulder – 4-5 months)
Unavailable: 5.Daniel GEORGIEVSKI (collarbone – 1 week)
