By Ahmed Yussuf (@ahmedyussuf10)

Hume City’s clash against Northcote City has been abandoned in the 87th minute, after ABD Stadium’s sprinkler system abruptly turned on.

The home side was leading 5-0 in wet and rainy conditions before the Tuesday night fixture was called off, but the result will stand as more than 80 per cent of the game had been completed.

Braces from Marcus Schroen and captain Nick Hegarty, as well as a lone strike from Jai Ingham, saw off challengers Northcote City.

The early stages of the game saw both sides begin slowly, trying to find their feet on a cold Melbourne suburban night.

The first chance of the game came after a lung-busting run down the right side from Jai Ingham.

The former Brisbane Roar man rifled a cross into the danger area, but it just escaped Schroen, who was ghosting late into the box.

Not long after, Schroen would make up it with a scrappy finish past a sea of bodies inside the penalty box to open the scoring for Hume.

He’d get his brace, and double the lead, just moments later with a lovely cushioned pass from Calvin Mbarga to put the midfielder on goal, with Scroen finishing with aplomb.

Northcote’s best chance of the game came from a set play; midfielder Jonathan Bounas’ striking ball outside the penalty area ricocheted off the crossbar and out of play.

Evan Kounavellis was the most dangerous for Northcote.

The midfielder was found in the box after a ball from Aaron Ward but was unable to steer his shot past Hume goalkeeper Chris Oldfield.

In the second half, Hume reasserted its dominance on the game, finding a third no less than ten minutes from restart.

Hume captain Nick Hegarty found space inside the area to smash a shot into the bottom corner of the net.

Hegarty also doubled his lead soon after with a cool finish from the spot after a handball inside the area saw Hume awarded a penalty.

Ingham joined the Hume party with a dinked effort over the top of Northcote goalkeeper Chris Theodoridis.

But Hume wouldn’t get a chance to celebrate its win, with the game called off early due to the ground’s sprinkler system coming on in the 87^th minute.

 

MATCH DETAILS:

Hume City 5 (Schroen 18’ 23’, Hegarty 55’ 61’, Ingham 70’) defeated Northcote City 0 at ABD Stadium, Broadmeadows Valley Park

Hume City: 1 Chris OLDFIELD, 17 Marcus SCHROEN (19 Sam BENINATO 68’), 10 Joe FRANJIC (15 Liam NEWMAN 81’), 7 Jai INGHAM, 39 Nick HEGARTY, 4 Isyan ERDOGAN, 11 Ivan PAVLAK, 2 Dean TOMESKI, 8 Calvin MBARGA (9 Deang AGUEK 66’), 5 Petar FRANJIC, 13 Shane REXHEPI

Unused Sub(s): 16 Matt HENESSEY, 20 Tom BANFIELD

Yellow Card: 10 Joe FRANJIC 14’, Deang AGUEK 72’

Red Card: Nil

Northcote City: 22 Chris THEODORIDIS, 20 Nicholas KOKOLAKIS, 11 Evan KOUNAVELIS (9 William Webb 76’), 10 Marino GASPARIS (16 Mohamed ISMAEL 64’), 6 Aaron WARD, 5 Gregory LOMBARDO, 23 Jonathan BOUNAS (8 James KALAFATIDIS 75’), 3 Mitchell BISSINGER, 2 Hayden D’AGOSTINO (12 Jordan WILKES 56’), 7 Jason HAYNE, 4 Jacob ELIOPOULOS

Unused Sub(s): 1. Mason Interlandi

Yellow Card(s): 20 Nicholas KOKOLAKIS 60’

Red Card(s): Nil

PHOTO: Mark Avellino