By Alen Delic (@AlenDelic)

It took seven rounds, almost two months and a coaching change, but Goulburn Valley Suns finally has its first three points in the NPL.

A Ben Clarke goal in the second half was proved the difference as the Suns edged out Werribee City 2-1 on a rainy afternoon at Galvin Park.

It started off as an even affair, with both teams having two half-chances within the first five minutes.

But it was Robbie Naumoski of Werribee who was the first to almost get his name on the scoresheet after just eight minutes.

The midfielder picked up the ball on the edge of the 18-yard-box, turned it onto his left foot and almost curled it over a helpless Phil Petrovski in goal.

From that point on, it looked like the Bees were in control of the match. They were controlling the ball, favouring a slow and orderly build-up over the Suns’ almost frantic style.

As the heavens opened up in the half hour mark, so did the game. The rain favoured the Suns’ style of play.

A through ball by player-coach Frankie Lagana – he filled in for absent player-coach Naum Sekulovski - put Suns attacker Clarke through to the edge of the six-yard box when he was hacked down by a careless challenge from Oliver Rowland.

It was Craig Carley who stepped up to take the penalty. His effort to the bottom left was heroically parried by the outstretched hand of Tommy Dunn, but only back into his path as he capitalised on the rebound and put the Suns ahead.

Halftime came and went with both sides again having their opportunities.

A red-mist moment from Werribee defender Rowland at the hour mark was to be the talking point of the game, with the big defender taking offence to a challenge with Lagana.

Rowland’s reaction was enough to earn a red card, and after an unsuccessful protest, he was given his marching orders.

The red card was the turning point, but not for the Suns. The send-off lit a fire in the Bees and they made the decision to push another man forward.

It paid off in the 70th minute when an errant long ball forward wasn’t dealt with by Petrovski.

The Suns keeper came to punch but a mix-up with his defender meant the clearance only fell as far as Simon Zappia at 20 yards, and for the second week in a row he made no mistake, levelling the score.

But it wasn’t to be for Werribee, with the Suns adamant to not leave without the three points.

Just two minutes later, a quick counter saw substitute Hernan Espindola pick the ball up on the left wing, bring it forward and hold on to it for just long enough to release Clarke, who made no mistake in putting it past Dunn.

At 2-1 and with less than 10 minutes to go, Lagana made the executive decision to drop another man to midfield and play a 4-5-1.

It paid off, as while Werribee had the lion’s share of the possession, it lacked the final ball to penetrate the back four and take away the elation of the Shepparton side’s first three points of the season.

Lagana said he was over the moon with his team’s performance and in securing their first win.

“It’s huge to get your first win on the board,” Lagana said.

“I think we sung the song six times when we were in the changerooms, and we don’t even have a team song.”

Lagana said going to a stacked midfield was the tactical move that separated the two sides at full time.

“I think there was seven minutes left on the clock when we did it,” he said.

“But those seven minutes felt like 30 minutes being out there.”

Werribee City assistant coach Agim Sherifovski said his team needed to make the most of their limited chances, especially when a team was defending deep.

“We pushed more targets up front, gave more options on how to play the ball, especially when they have two blocks of defence trying to protect it,” Sherifovski said.

“We kept it simple at the back, pushed another guy up front and tried to move the ball around quicker and penetrate their lines.”

“But they held well, they fought really hard, and we just couldn’t get one.”

MATCH DETAILS

Werribee City 1 (Zappia 70’) defeated by Goulburn Valley Suns 2 (Carley 33’, Clarke 72’) at Galvin Park [HT: 0-1]

Werribee City: 1. Tommy DUNN 2. Oliver ROWLAND 4. Ryan FILIPOVIC 7. Simon ZAPPIA 9. Zois GALANOPOULOS (33. Joshua GROENEWALD 58’) 13. Milan SAVIC 14. Bobby VIDANOSKI (42. Domenico MARATIOTI 81’) 19 Robbie NAUMOSKI 20. Daniel PETROV 5. Nemanja GOVEDARICA (17. Matthew CUNDARI 53’) 43. Steven CUDRIG

Unused sub: 12. Roderick YOUSEF

Yellow cards: 14. Bobby VIDANOSKI 23’, 20. Daniel PETROV 86’, 43. Steven CUDRIG 90’

Red cards: 2. Oliver ROWLAND ‘61

Goulburn Valley Suns: 1. Phillip PETROVSKI 2. Cody SELLWOOD 5. Thomas LANGMAN 4. Stipo ANDRIJASEVIC 10. Ridvan SAGLAM (17. Rossi LAGANA 89’) 8. Daniel CHAABANI 6. Fahed ALGHAZALY (15. Hernan ESPINDOLA 74’) 16. Frankie LAGANA 9. Craig CARLEY 21. Kristian SARKIES (13. Zackery PARASKEVAS 90+3’) 7. Benjamin CLARKE

Unused subs: 15. Anthony CALANDRO, Jake KEATING (reserve keeper)

Yellow cards: 16. Frankie LAGANA 61’

Red cards: None

Image credit: Live Pixel