Image: Mark Avellino
NPL2 West leaders Northcote City are through to Round 7 of the FFA Cup after a thrilling 3-2 penalty shootout victory over top-flight outfit Port Melbourne Sharks at JL Murphy Reserve last night.
Hercules gave up a 2-0 lead to tie 2-2 at the end of the 90 with neither team managing to find a breakthrough in extra time as Griffin McMaster saved two of Port’s three missed penalties.
The visitors took an early lead when Welsh defender Matthew Whatley continued his recent run of goalscoring form by heading the ball into the back of the net for the game’s opener.
The former Swansea City and Cardiff City youth product then nodded in a second nine minutes into the second half following a scuffed shot to give Zeljko Kuzman’s men a healthy advantage.
The Sharks halved the deficit 16 minutes from time when ex-Australian youth international Andreas Govas netted to give the home side hope of launching a comeback.
That hope turned into reality seven minutes later when Francesco Stella – once of Melbourne Victory and the Central Coast Mariners – equalised to set up a frantic finale.
Whatley was denied a hat-trick and probable winner when his header was cleared off the line as former Canberra Olympic forward Philippe Bernabo-Madrid missed a glorious chance to win it for Dominic Barba’s men in the last few minutes of normal time.
Extra time ensued and both sides exchanged opportunities on goal, with Stella and Northcote star man Josh Knight having the best two opportunities either side of the interval.
Nonetheless the duo could not be separated as penalties saw Stella and Knight score before McMaster saved Alex Khrapko’s effort only for Whatley to have his spot-kick saved by Sharks shot-stopper Brendan White.
Bernabo-Madrid and Nathan Cook both netted before former Redlands United centre-back Michael McGowan missed his attempt as former Sharks player Trent Manicas stepped up to give City the lead.
McMaster’s resulting save from Govas prompted joyous scenes for the 2013 VPL Champions who have now defeated two top flight teams in their journey to the last eight and become the third NPL2 outfit after Dandenong City and Moreland City to clinch a spot in the quarters of the state competition.
The victory would have held extra significance for City manager Kuzman, returning to the club where he had spent the latter half of 2016 as an assistant coach to Eric Vassiliadis before the Sharks appointed Barba following his departure.