Way, Ibrahim net late winners as Hume hold off Bulleen

NPL

by Mark Gojszyk March 26, 2017 7:55 pm0

Image: Heidelberg United

Reuben Way and Kamal Ibrahim were the late goalscoring heroes for Heidelberg United and Avondale FC on Saturday, while Liam Boland’s 33rd minute strike was enough for Hume City to claim a 1-0 win over Bulleen Lions.

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When there’s a will there’s a Reuben Way for Heidelberg as the Bergers turned around a 0-2 deficit into a 3-2 win in remarkable circumstances.

The hosts enjoyed the ascendancy early as Jack Petrie was forced off early while Wade Dekker had the hosts 1-0 up in the 22nd minute.

That was score at half time with Kenny Athiu in particular spurning an opportunity to equalise, and the mountain looked much bigger to climb when George Lambadaridis added another just after the break.

It was 2-0 and approaching the 85th minute – a point when most would have thought the hosts were in for the three points.

But the visitors had other ideas at Gully Reserve. Athiu, having missed some chances earlier, got one in the back on the net to reduce the deficit and make the finish nervous for Gully.

A long ball looking for the tall figure of Athiu was partially controlled by him before Adrian Zahra snatched possession, burst into the box and chipped past an onrushing Rani Dowisha, before wheeling away in celebration after his first goal for the club.

The celebrations didn’t end there as another moment of inspiration, this time from Way, saw him pounce of a headed clearance, take a couple of touches into space before unleashing a long-distace stunner.

The rest, as they say, is history.

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Kamal Ibrahim was another player to net a winner but in different circumstances as Avondale had to earn back a late lead on the road at Elcho Park.

Following a fairly low-key first half, the hosts had a gilt-edged chance to go ahead when Josh Pugh’s cross spilled but Michael Anderson’s shot was sliced away.

At the other end, Massimo Murdocca burst into the box and put in a cross, but Phil Riccobene’s header bounced off the crossbar.

Avondale had their first goal in the 60th minute when Kaine Sheppard’s ball through to Yitay Towns led to the midfielder being brought down by Daniel Zilic. Jonatan Germano made no mistake from the spot.

It should have been 2-0 when once again Sheppard had Towns through on goal, but the former Tasmanian’s shot skimmed off the crossbar.

With time ticking away North Geelong pushed for an equaliser and it came via a set piece when Matthew Thorne’s free kick rippled the back of the net.

Unfortunately for North Geelong they couldn’t hold on for a vital league point as Sheppard whipped in a cross which met Ibrahim’s head, with Zilic beaten for the winner.

The 2-1 result preserves Avondale’s lead at the top, sitting on 14 points, while Bentleigh follow on 13, Pascoe Vale on 12, and the Knights and Heidelberg on 10 – though the latter have a game in hand.

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Hume City also moved their way up the ladder, up to seventh with a narrow 1-0 win over Bulleen Lions.

One of the early chances fell to the visitors when Christian McKenna played Jordan Templin in on goal, but Michael Weier was up to the task.

Daniel Prasad at the other end had a couple of opportunities to open the scoring to no avail – one shot in particular whistled just wide of the upright.

The opener however came in the 33rd minute when Nick Hegarty notched up another assist for the season when his cross met the head of Liam Boland, who won out against keeper Wyatt Chant.

From then Weier had to be at his best to deny Bulleen the equaliser and preserve his clean sheet.

Eli Luttmer was one player who forced the keeper into a fingertip save before the break, and Oliver White also had a late golden opportunity spurned by the custodian.

Hume also nearly doubled their lead in the second half when Daniel Clark’s long-range strike hit the woodwork

In the end the contest remained 1-0 with the sometimes-inconsistent Hume City earning a hard-earned three points.

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