By Adem Barolli (@adembarolli)

A ten-men Goulburn Valley Suns managed to gather its second win of the season on Saturday night after defeating a fast-finishing Green Gully 3-2, at McEwen Reserve in Shepparton. 

A three-goal first half helped ensure that GV Suns would register its first home win of the season by breaking an 11 game winless streak. 

Although the job was to be made more difficult in the second half after striker Craig Carley was sent off for a stray elbow on Adam Petko. 

The first of the GV Suns three opening-half goals came from midfielder Frank Lagana on seven minutes. 

Lagana managed to head home from close range after finding himself unmarked at the back post following some pretty poor ‘Gully defending. 

One then soon became two for the GV Suns as it scored again from a corner just four minutes later.

Although Craig Carley was the recipient on this occasion, delivering with a beautifully taken header at the near post. 

Contrasting from its two prior goals the GV Suns third was converted on the end of some great teamwork.  

The Suns were able to widen the pitch and the Gully defence allowing Brian Vanega to volley home against his old club just minutes before the half-time interval.  

Although at McEwen Reserve it was truly a tale of two halves. 

Green Gully seemed to be a different outfit in the second half, its ball movement was far more superior and its work rate had simply lifted. 

Moments after the Suns had fallen a man behind, Gully captain Andy Vargas toe-poked home to restore confidence for the travelling contingent.

Much like the first half, one goal soon became two, although this time it was Green Gully and Ratip Cileli who benefited as they quickly honed in on the home side’s three goal advantage. 

The travelling side were unlucky not get a point in the end as Phillip Petrovski denied Jason Hayne a certain goal after prevailing in a one-on-one standoff between ‘keeper and striker.

As the game wore on, it was real heart-in-mouth stuff for the GV Suns fans as it continued to sit deep, inviting Green Gully to push on. 

Gully threw everything bar the kitchen sink at the GV Suns in the second half and the visitors were to be denied the draw by the upright in the end. 

In the last minute of regulation time, Cileli saw his strike deflect off the post and away from goal, leaving Petrovski stranded in what would have been a remarkable comeback. 

Now only two games into his managerial career at the GV Suns, David Davkovski was relatively happy with his side’s performance and stated he was nervous at half time.

“I told them I’m nervous and I’m really scared at this point, I’ve only been out of the game two years and I know what happens, one goal, two goals and then all of a sudden you’re defensive,” Davkovski 

“But we won, so we’ll let it go.”

On the other hand Roddy Vargas was relatively disappointed with how Green Gully performed. 

“It was obviously a pretty slow start, we copped two goals in a matter of minutes and that put us on the back foot pretty early,” Vargas said. 

Then they scored just before half time, so to go into the shed at halftime three nil down was pretty disappointing.”

The GV Suns will be hoping to make it two wins on the trot next week as they host Melbourne Knights while Green Gully travel to Port Melbourne.

MATCH DETAILS

Goulburn Valley Suns 3 (Lagana 7’, Carley 11’, Vanega 44’) defeated Green Gully 2 (A. Vargas 56’, Cileli 65’) at McEwen Reserve (HT: 3-0)

Goulburn Valley Suns: 1. Phillip PETROVSKI (GK), 2. Riley HAMILTON (13. Zackery PARASKEVAS), 3. Naum SEKULOVSKI, 4. Simon COLOSIMO, 7. Ben CLARKE, 8. Danny CHAABANI, 9. Craig CARLEY, 10. Brian VANEGA, 15. Antonio BARBARO, 16. Frank LAGANA, Zachary FOXHOVEN

Unused subs: 11. Ardian VUNIQI, 12. Joey HOGARTY, 19. Tom LANGMAN, 21. Jake KEATING

Yellow cards: PETROVSKI 90+4 

Red cards: CARLEY 51’

Green Gully: 1. Kieran GONZALEZ (GK), 4. Matthew REID (19. Peter DENG 46’), 5. Andy VARGAS (9. Brent FISHER 28’), 7. Jeffery FLEMMING, 8. Jason HAYNE, 10 Ratip CILELI, 11 Jem BERKANT, 12. Mathew SAUNDERS, 16. Thomas DENG, 17. Andy VARGAS, 21. Adam PETKO 

Unused subs: 23. Christopher AILAKIS, 6. Stephen DOWNES, 22. Habib FLEIFEL 

Yellow cards: A. VARGAS 71’

Red cards: none