Image: Whittlesea Ranges
Northcote City channelled their inner Manchester United to escape with three points against Brunswick City, while there’s a three-way tie between the two Morelands and Sunshine George Cross below Northcote after all three won, and Whittlesea picked up their first points of the campaign against Werribee City.
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Whittlesea may have won by a narrow 1-0 margin but it’s a win and a clean sheet nonetheless for Vinko Buljubasic’s side to kickstart their 2017 campaign finally, while on the other hand Werribee’s start is showing similar signs to their early 2016 struggles.
Ross Frame scored the eventual winner but was also heavily involved throughout the 90 as he had two first half goals chalked out by the officials.
Werribee had chances too to the likes of Brad Murray and Domenico Marafioti either side of half time but couldn’t make it count on the scoresheet.
The winning goal came in the 73rd minute when substitute Matt Conversano won a penalty; Ross Frame’s initial effort was saved by Luke Gavalas but he followed in the strike the ball into the back of the net.
That was the final goalscoring moment of the contest despite the best efforts of both sides.
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Moreland City fought back against Melbourne Victory to record their second consecutive win, while Victory still seek their first win of the campaign.
Victory had the opener in the 25th minute when Nicholas Sette was on hand to put away a chance when Christian Theoharous hit the crossbar.
But the visitors levelled just five minutes later through Apai Ukuno, the striker finding the bottom corner in a one-on-one with Lucas Spinella via Corey Thomas’ flick on.
Moreland then took a 70th minute lead via an own goal when Callum Hope headed a Jordan Seeto corner into his own net, and then substitute Trent Rixon scored from the penalty spot to extend the lead to 3-1.
Theoharous ended a solo run with a well-taken goal, but it acted as consolation only for his side. His reward, despite the defeat, came via good news midweek when he was offered a scholarship spot into Victory’s senior side
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Brunswick City were minutes away from condemning Northcote City to their first dropped points of the campaign, and joining the other trio on eight points, before a late flurry ensured the hosts maintained their perfect start to the season.
Brunswick’s goal came in fortuitous circumstances when confusion at the back led to a cross being spilled to Ali Turgut, who was in the right place at the right time to tap in his first of the season with some quarter of an hour remaining.
Northcote pressed and it was a moment of brilliance on the wing when a pinpoint cross in extra time from Anthony Ramzy found substitute James Papadimitriou for the headed equaliser.
And straight from kick-off it was Papadimitriou who pounced on a loose ball and teed up Alec Goodwin, whose low strike from an angle found its was into the far left corner and send the home side at John Cain Memorial Reserve into raptures.
It was reminiscent of Nou Camp in 1999 as injury-time goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer helped Manchester United to late Champions League glory over Bayern Munich.
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Sunshine added more salt to the wound of table proppers Bendigo City after a 3-0 win at Chaplin Reserve.
A pinpoint pass from Teddy Yabio picked out an unmarked Jagjeet Srestha, who scored his second goal in two weeks.
Yabio then turned goalscorer after a Dominic Falla free-kick found him onrushing onto goal, his diving header beating Donte Thomas to give Sunshine a two-goal lead.
An early injury to Jon Brooks saw ex-Bendigo man David Younan make his first appearance against his former club.
At the break, Sunshine were two goals to the good and came out with intentions to continue their performance in the second half. A deep defensive line from Bendigo made it hard for Sunshine to extend the lead.
With half an hour to spare, captain Robert Santilli was replaced by Matthew Jones.
Yabio locked up the game in the last five minutes when linking again with Shrestha, who played the ball into his path, making no mistake by tucking the ball away to hand Georgies another three points at Chaplin Reserve – the location that is making a John Farnham-esque comeback tour in 2017 after a supposed relocation was on the cards after 2016.
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Danny Gnjidic came up against his old side Moreland Zebras, now coached by Fausto De Amicis, for the first time since making his regional move to City.
And in the early minutes Ballarat started positively and it was Dom Swinton who pounced and slid the the ball into an empty net for the lead.
That’s as good as it got for the home side as just in the 20th minute Amir Osmancevic tapped in to equalise. An own goal at the near post then caught Josh Dorron to make it 2-1 to the visitors after 26 minutes.
Josh Romein was then adjudged to have given away penalty with Nejc Kolman stepping up to put it away and give the visitors a 3-1 lead at the break.
In the 65th minute the Zebras piled on more misery as youngster and substitute Mohamed Habib scored again to make it 4-1
Matters got worse when Shaun Romein was shown a red, then coach Danny Gnjidic was also dismissed for remonstrating with the officials.
Despite being a player and a coach down, Josh Romein made amends with a header to make it 2-4.
Another sub in Vani Shamoon sealed proceedings in added time to make it 5-2, which sees the Zebras now sit in second spot on goal difference.
