Image: Natasha Morello
Kingston City is beginning to garner a reputation in the top flight for being the comeback kings, making it three late equalisers in its first three games this season – just without going on to claim all three points.
The newly promoted side would be buoyed by sneaking points against tough opposition in Oakleigh Cannons and Green Gully but playing host to another newly promoted side in North Geelong Warriors presented an opportunity to notch up a first win of the season at The Grange Reserve on a picturesque Monday night.
The home side was not without its chances to gain an advantage in the first half as Erhan Yalaz was a livewire on left side but the final product was lacking with Velibor Mitrovic and Damian Iaconis misfiring on separate occasions.
Warriors had a chance of its own to break the deadlock in the 25th minute as an aerial ball in the middle of the ground from Andrew Doig exposed a gap in the Kingston defence leaving Bobby Vidanovski one-on-one with goalkeeper Kile Kennedy but Vidanovski’s left-footed effort was wide of the mark.
With either team unable to capitalise on its chances, both sides went into the break scoreless.
In the second half, Yalaz was once again causing headaches for North Geelong as he broke through into the box before going to ground after being pushed over. Appeals for a penalty followed but after some hesitation the referee waved for play on.
The referee did blow the whistle at the other end of the pitch minutes later, as Vito Cichello was brought down by Velibor Mitrovic just outside the box, making for a free-kick in a dangerous position.
Josh Pugh stepped up to take the set piece, firing past the wall and into the left side of the goal to beat Kile Kennedy and give Warriors the lead.
Marko Stevanja was making his debut in goals for North Geelong in place of long-time servant Daniel Zilic and he showed his worth as Chris Irwin found Mitrovic on the right side who squared a low cross to Iaconis who was denied by a superb reflex save as Stevanja pushed the shot wide for a corner.
The goalkeeper produced another fine effort to deny Kingston an equaliser as Mitrovic whipped in a free-kick from the left side to find Simo Jovanovic who volleyed his effort into the crossbar but Mouad Zwed’s effort on the rebound was on target until Stevanja recovered to tip the ball over the goal.
Zwed would get the better of Stevanja with his next effort however with just under 10 minutes remaining in regulation time. Yalaz broke into the area before laying off to Irwin whose effort was palmed away but Stelios Konstantinidis fired a pass across the face of goal to find Zwed who tapped in from close range.
Kingston pressed late for a winner and Konstantinidis looked to be the hero after finding space on the right wing before cutting inside and curling an effort from the top of the box only to be denied by the crossbar.
Ultimately the two sides had to settle for a goal and a point each in a frenetic 1-1 draw.
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Meanwhile at the Veneto Club, Alex Caniglia proved the difference with his second half goal as Green Gully claimed its first win of the season.
It was also Brian Vanega’s first match in charge of Green Gully following Arthur Papas’ departure to Saudi Arabia last week where he has taken on a role as assistant coach at Ettifaq FC.
Matthew Breeze produced the best chance at goal for either side in the first half as he rattled the crossbar with a curling free-kick from 20 metres out.
Jordan Templin had a similar chance just before half-time with a free-kick in a dangerous area. His effort took a slight deflection off the player in the wall forcing Rani Dowisha to readjust and push the ball wide.
The breakthrough came for Gully eight minutes into the second half as Wade Dekker, played through by Josh Brindell-South on the left, picked out Alex Caniglia with a low cross from the left flank. Bulleen goalkeeper Shane Viitakangas was quick off his line to smother Caniglia’s initial effort but the forward was quick to the loose ball and tapped into the empty net.
Breeze nearly doubled Gully’s lead late only to be denied by the crossbar for the second time in the match. Picking up the ball from Caniglia on the left wing, Breeze dribbled into the area before turning onto his right foot and trying an audacious effort from a tight angle but the shot but the woodwork got the better of the midfielder once again, leaving Green Gully to settle for a solitary goal in a 1-0 win.