By Shaun Moran @moranshaun

A second-half goal has earned Hume City a share of the points in its Round 9 encounter with Port Melbourne at JL Murphy Reserve on Friday night.

Both sides were in form in the lead-up to this contest – each was on a run of two consecutive wins – and cancelled each other out with a goal on either side of the interval.

It was the home side Port Melbourne which struck first thanks to an outstanding assist and finish.

Kevin Braniff trapped the ball with his back to goal before he managed to spot out Lambros Honos in the corner of his eye. The Irishman’s splitting ball allowed Honos to get in behind the Hume defence and lash the ball home into the roof of the net with a telling left-foot strike.

Hume City exposed Port’s recent vulnerability at set plays and found its equaliser midway through the second stanza.

Richie Cardozo’s pinpoint delivery from a set piece on the periphery of the 18-yard-box flicked off the head of Shane Rexhepi and into the corner of the net to guarantee that Lou Acevski’s side would not leave without a point.

Port fired the first shot in anger in what was nothing short of an end-to-end encounter throughout the game’s infancy. It was Kamal Ibrahim who let fly before Johnny Buceto did much the same at the other end to no avail.

Both teams favoured the flanks and opted to bring their wide men in on every possible occasion, which made for a very open encounter.

The goal buoyed the hosts going into the halftime break, but a rejuvenated and inspired Hume came out and demonstrated what it could do even without injured captain Nick Hegarty.

Baki Efe popped up at the back post to power a header towards goal, which would have found its way in but for a sea of bodies on the line.

Braniff went close at the other end soon after from a free kick that fizzled past Chris Oldfield’s right post.

Hume continued to press and was left dismayed when Kliment Taseski drove his shot onto the underside of the cross bar. Buceto went close minutes after prior to Hume finding its leveller.

Hume’s reprieve sparked Port Melbourne into action and the latter reacted immediately.

Its possession and forward pressing looked as if it would unravel the visitors, but it was Hume which in fact had the best chance to sneak the points at the death.

Samed Altundag’s initial shot was saved by Adam Hrehoresin before Aaron Turner hit the rebound on the volley just over the bar in what was to be the last of the action.

Port coach Eric Vassiliadis was pleased with having taken a point against his very competent opponents.

“I think that the immediate feeling is one of satisfaction,” Vassiliadis said.

“In many ways, this is the sort of game that the NPL should be synonymous with.

“A couple of aggressive teams looking to win the games. It could’ve been about 10-9 in the end.”

Port Melbourne will be seeking to return to winning ways when it travels to face Melbourne Knights on Sunday afternoon, while Hume returns home to take on Green Gully on the same day.

MATCH DETAILS

Port Melbourne 1 (Honos 39’) drew with Hume City 1 (Rexhepi 64’) at JL Murphy Reserve [HT: 1-0]

Port Melbourne: 1. Adam HREHORESIN, 7. Amadu KOROMA, 3. James RICCOBENE, 5. Nick TZOULIS (Lisandro PAZ 67’), 27. Andrew MILICEVIC, 4. John LAZARIDIS, 18. Milos RIDESIC (23. Connor REDDEN 86’), 9. Kevin BRANIFF, 14. Kamal IBRAHIM, 26. Lambros HONOS (10. Luka PRELEVIC 66’), 11. Nicholas KROUSORATIS.

Unused subs: 22. Alex CONNELL, 12. Anthony IANCHELLO.

Yellow Cards: Nil

Red Cards: Nil

Hume City: 1. Chris OLDFIELD, 5. Petar FRANJIC, 10. Richie CARDOZO (22. Kaan KORKMAZ 74’), 17. Aaron TURNER, 13. Shane REXHEPI, 14. Baki EFE, 11. Kliment TASESKI, 34. Johnny BUCETO, 24. Anthony PROIA (Samed ALTUNDAG 67’), 23. Christopher CRISTALDO (8. Jose GUERRERO 83’), 12. Johnny STOJCEVSKI.

Unused subs: 28. Matthew HENNESSEY, 20. Evan ALEXANDROW-RIDLEY

Yellow Cards: Stojcevski (28’)

Red cards:  Nil