By David Manuca (@davidmanuca)

Chaplin Reserve was host to an eight-goal thriller on Saturday afternoon with Kingston City defeating Sunshine George Cross 5-3.

The away side took the lead after just 90 seconds thanks to a Max Etheridge bullet, before George Cross equalised through a spot kick on 11 minutes.

Two more goals for Kingston - one from Tas Agapitos and another from John Maclean - saw it lead 3-1 at the break before an early free kick in the second half by Velibor Mitrovic saw it go 4-1 up.

Chris Oghanna pulled one back for Sunshine shortly after before Mitrovic restored Kingston’s three-goal lead via the penalty spot.

Anthony Cassar scored late to make it 3-5, but Kingston held out to secure the three points.

The home support was stunned when Etheridge put Kingston into the lead just moments after the referee blew the whistle to start the game.

An error in defence was pounced on by Etheridge and he let loose with a thunderbolt past Sunshine goalkeeper Nabi Tuna and in to the top corner of the goal.

It was not long before Sunshine found itself level though, with the referee pointing to the spot after Chris Oghanna was fouled in the box.

Sunshine centre-back Christopher Dib took responsibility and coolly slammed the ball in to the back of the net for the equaliser.

Five minutes later Kingston was incredibly unlucky to not have re-taken the lead after Tuna directed an Etheridge shot on to the post, before a Mitrovic header smashed off the crossbar just seconds later.

Sunshine could consider itself lucky to still be level, but that luck was short-lived as Kingston eventually did re-take the lead three minutes later.

Jacob Attard was guilty of giving away possession and Mitrovic made him pay by setting up Agapitos for a header inside the box, which the midfielder expertly converted.

The next 20 minutes failed to live up to the excitement of the first 20, with both sides deciding defending might be a good idea.

With Sunshine seemingly getting back in to the game towards the end of the first half, Maclean’s goal was the perfect definition of a sucker-punch.

Etheridge put Tuna under pressure with a shot on target and the best the Sunshine goalkeeper could do was parry the ball in to the path of Maclean, who tapped it in to the empty net.

Things got worse for Sunshine at the start of the second half when Kingston was awarded a free kick in a dangerous area.

Mitrovic lined up the shot and curled the ball in to the bottom corner of the goal.

The goals continued to flow as Sunshine pulled it back to 2-4 just three minutes later through Chris Oghanna.

A mistake from Nicholaus Woolward in Kingston goals allowed Oghanna through and the midfielder converted off the post from a tight angle.

It was not long before Kingston added another goal, this time through a spot-kick. Tuna fouled Agapitos in the box and Mitrovic converted to score his second goal of the game.

Sunshine was not done yet and a goal by Cassar directly from a corner set up an entertaining last 15 minutes. George Cross continued to attack heavily and created a number of chances.

An incredible save from Woolward denied Cassar a brace just three minutes later which would have put Sunshine back to within one goal.

Half-time substitute Samuel Antoniadis was one of the home side’s best performers in the second half and the young midfielder had a couple of shots on goal spectacularly saved by Woolward.

Cassar could not have come closer in injury time when his strike from outside the box smashed off the top of the crossbar, a goal that would have been up there as Sunshine’s best of the season.

In the end Kingston City proved too strong, running out a 5-3 winner before its clash with Avondale Heights with next week, which could shape as a title decider for the latter.

MATCH DETAILS

Sunshine George Cross 3 (Dib 11’, C. Oghanna 52’, Cassar 77’) lost to
Kingston City 5 (Etheridge 2’, Agapitos 20’, Maclean 42’, Mitrovic 49’ 59’) at
Chaplin Reserve [HT: 1-2]

Sunshine George Cross: 1. Nabi TUNA (GK), 17. Jacob ATTARD (15. Jamie MAGRO 40’), 5. Christopher DIB, 19. Manuell SADIK (16. Samuel ANTONIADIS 46’), 12. Matthew OGHANNA (9. Bozidar LOJANICA 74’), 4. Tom REILLY, 8. Chris OGHANNA, 14. Anthony CASSAR, 7. Brandon ZAFFINA, 13. Koho BROWN, 6. Damian RASTOCIC.

Unused substitutes: Nil

Yellow cards: Nil

Red cards: Nil

Kingston City: 13. Nicholaus WOOLWARD (GK), 2. Peter LORD, 4. James KARVELIS, 5. Kemal CURAN, 8. Michael HORVATINOVIC (20. Cameron IRONSIDE 89’), 16. Nick STAMATIOU, 7. Velibor MITROVIC, 10. John MACLEAN (15. Gino DEFEO 83’), 12. Stelios KONSTANTINIDIS, 9. Max ETHERIDGE, 18. Tas AGAPITOS.

Unused substitutes: 1. Peter KOUNDANIS, 14. Arthur PAPADOPOULOS, 11. George STAVRIDIS.

Yellow cards: Nil

Red cards: Nil