By Danny Campos (@francisfields)

Hume City has missed its chance to go top of the table after a 1-1 draw against Werribee City at Galvin Park.

Issy Erdogan's opener for Hume was cancelled out by a second-half penalty by Werribee's Chris Cristaldo.

It only took nine minutes for the opening goal as Jai Ingham's quick burst down the left foudn him in space to put in a low cross that left Werribee's defence stumped, as Isyan Erdogan pounced on the chance to score the opening goal.

He had time and space inside the box, and made no mistake as he finished past Werribee goalkeeper Frano Saric.

The opener woke the hosts up and began to show a lot more character, especially with the physicality at display by Hume City.

Erdogan was a noticeable presence in midfield, trying to carve out chances to test Werribee keeper Saric from distance.

Werribee was shy in front of goal.

A sole long range shot from 25 yards by Cristaldo was the only effort to put goalkeeper Chris Oldfield to work approaching the half-hour mark.

Just before half time, Hume City's Ivan Pavlak was caught napping on the left where Anthony Ragusa fended off another marker, and getting his shot off, only for it to hit the side netting.

It saw the local crowd with a far more hopeful approach for the remainder of the afternoon.

Just minutes into the second half, the home side was rewarded with a penalty.

Cristaldo had no hesitations to step up and take the penalty.

He handled the pressure well, with a strong, firm finish low to the right sneaking past Oldfield to level up the scores at 1-1.

The penalty woke Hume up, and once again Saric found himself busy in the Werribee goals; he had two saves to make in a matter of minutes as he came out to punch a cross from Ingham, and then followed it up with a strong save from an Aguek shot to keep the home side in the game.

Aguek had a chacne to win in the game with ten mintues to go, bursting into space with his lightning pace and finding himself one-on-one with Saric.

But the Werribee keeper stood tall and shut down Aguek's attempt to go around him.

Saric was again the hero in the dying minutes of the match, making a brilliant save off of a cross which could have found Ingham and Shane Rexhepi lurking at the far post.

But it wasn't to be for the visitors, as Lou Acevski's men missed their chance to go top of the NPL.

Match Details

Werribee City 1 (52’ Chris CRISTALDO) drew Hume City 1 (8’ Issy ERDOGAN) at Galvin Park

WERRIBEE CITY: 1. Frank SARIC, 3. Ryan FILIPOVIC (11. Bobby VIDANOVSKI 75’), 23. Steve CUDRIG, 13. Milan SAVIC (C), 15. Nicola CARAFIGLIO (9. Evan BATSIS 82’), 8. Daniel CHAABANI, 6. Anthony RAGUSA, 19. Rob NAUMOVSKI, 10. Chris CRISTALDO, 7. Simon ZAPPIA, 14. Julien CASSANO (22. Joshua JOKIC 87’)

Unused Subs: 16. Angus MARTIN

Yellow Cards: 47’ Ryan FILIPOVIC, 68’ Milan SAVIC, 85’ Anthony RAGUSA

Red Cards. None.

HUME CITY: 1. Chris OLDFIELD, 2. Dean TOMESKI, 3. Shaun TIMMINS (19. Sam RENINATO 62’), 13. Shane REXHEPI (C),5. Petar FRANJIC, 4. Isyan ERDOGAN, 17. Marcus SHROEN (39. Nick HEGARTY 83’), 7. Jai INGHAM, 11. Ivan PAVLAK, 10. Joe FRANJIC, 8. Calvin MBENGA (9. Deang AGUEK 69’).

Unused Subs: 14. Aaron TURNER, 30. Aydin SAYAN.

Yellow Cards: 80’ Marcus SHROEN

Red Cards: None.

 

PHOTO: Tom Pollock / Hume City FC