In an enthralling FFA Cup encounter, NPL2 West side North Geelong Warriors prevailed over State League 1 outfit Clifton Hill 5-2, in yet another goal fest at Kevin Bartlett Reserve.
The ground has enjoyed its fair share of goals so far in 2016, and it was no different on Wednesday night, as Clifton Hill twice led, first through Christopher Davies and then through the highly-impressive Daniel Thomas.
But North Geelong’s quality eventually shone through, as a hat-trick to American Kene Eze and singles to Michael Anderson and man-of-the-match Rudi Saglam sealed the result.
The Warriors fired a couple of warning shots early through Vito Cichello and Anderson, who both went wide from range.
On eight minutes, Nicholas Jurcic floored Clifton Hill’s Christopher Davies on the edge of the box, gifting the State League outfit a golden chance to take the lead.
They obliged as Thomas supplied a flat free-kick perfectly into the path of Davies to bravely head home, leaping through the air to meet the cross.
Just two minutes later saw the North Geelong response, as Saglam and Eze combined for the first of three goals they supplied, Eze applying a low, placed finish to the former’s cross from the left flank.
The reply from Clifton Hill was equally as swift; the impressive Thomas struck the pick of the goals with an outside of the boot finish from 25 yards, which looped over Warriors’ number one Daniel Zilic and into the back of the net.
Anderson was somehow unable to convert a would be equaliser from five-yards, hitting the crossbar on the turn following Eze’s flick on.
Saglam spared the blushes of his teammate on 25 minutes as he finished powerfully from just inside the area, Jurcic’s cross was inexplicably allowed to run though the box to pick out the winger.
Eze continued to terrorise the opposition defence, striking the upright after a darting run into the box.
He got reward for effort on 32 minutes by grabbing his second goal with a header from Saglam’s ball stuck up to the far post.
The last real chance of the half fell to Christopher Davies who whistled a vicious effort just over the crossbar for Clifton Hill.
He was spotted on the right wing after successive wonder balls from Ben Cullen and Fasile Aden to open up the space.
The game saw a sixth goal just moments after play resumed for the second half as Saglam grabbed a hat-trick of assists, slipping through Anderson to curl past Anthony Casset in goals.
The keeper won out with the next shot that came his way, his outstretched palms denying a curling Cichello effort from 20 yards.
Anderson should have had a second after barging into the Clifton Hill box with a surging run, his eventual shot hitting the side netting.
Thomas continued to create for Clifton Hill, supplying a ball for Davies in the box, who flicked an audacious effort towards goal which sailed just wide of the post.
Saglam had a chance for his second but cannoned his left footed effort into the post, having cut in from the right wing.
He did find the net on 74 minutes with a quickly taken free-kick, but the referee denied it as he’d not given permission for the shot to be taken.
Instead, Saglam forced a save from the keeper with his second attempt – the free-kick bouncing just in front go Casset on his competitive debut for the club.
Cichello then lined up three attempts from long range, which all failed to hit the target, before Nathan Long’s cross for Eze in the 90th minute helped seal a big win for the visitors.
Match Details
FC Clifton Hill 2 (Davies 8’, Thomas 16’) defeated by North Geelong Warriors 5 (Saglam 25’, Eze 10’ 32’ 90+2’, Anderson 48’)
FC Clifton Hill: 22. Anthony CASSET, 15. Johnny SOFRONIDIS, 23. Piraino GENNARO, 3. Ben CULLEN, 17. George FAKOS, 5. Jan POSCH, 6. Stefan CAIFANO, 4. Daniel THOMAS, 10. Fasile ADEN, 11. Christopher DAVIES, 12. Taylan AKSOYOGLOU
Substitutes: 7. Oliver BOWEN, 18. Christopher Pascal-Thermos, 6. Christian CORTESE, 1. Mason INTERLANDI, 2. Ritchie FERGUSON
North Geelong Warriors: 1. Daniel ZILIC, 2. Darren LEWIS, 3. Matt TOWNY, 99. Nathan LONG, 6. Josh PUGH, 4. Michael SIMMS, 8. Vito CICHELLO, 10. Rudi SAGLAM, 17. Nicholas JURCIC, 23. Michael ANDERSON, 11. Kene EZE
Substitutes: 5. Anthony BANOVAC, 12. Billy ARGYROS, 7. Alessandro STEFANO, 31. Hamish FLAVELL