By Alen Delic (@AlenDelic)

Whittlesea Ranges has upset PlayStation 4 NPL 1 East ladder leaders Eastern Lions with a 3-1 win at Epping Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The hosts went into the half a goal down after Chris Page put Eastern ahead after half an hour.

But the advantage didn’t last as Whittlesea got the equaliser through Atila Ofli on the hour mark, the go-ahead goal through Mario Pirania after 71 minutes, and a Matthew Kundevski goal in injury time to seal the result.

Whittlesea had the better of the play early on and almost went ahead after seven minutes when Matthew Cundari curled a shot from the edge of the box that looked destined for the top corner, but it was saved well by Rob Havercroft, catching the ball at full stretch.

Both sides had their chances in a free-flowing game, but it was Eastern Lions to strike first.

Chris Page was first to pounce on a dropped cross by Whittlesea goalkeeper Gian Tapia, toe poking it into an empty net.

Eastern almost doubled its lead just before the half through a magnificent 30-yard strike by Shaun Kenny, but Tapia redeemed himself with a diving save at full-stretch.

Whittlesea came out in the second half looking like a completely different side, forcing Havercroft into two saves within the first five minutes.

Soon after, the reward came.

Ofli picked up the ball on edge of the area, made space while taking on two defenders, and duly slotted it into the near bottom corner to level up the scores at 1-1.

Eastern Lions had a chance to stop Whittlesea in its tracks almost immediately after the goal as a quick free kick went out to the right wing, and a deep cross found Munyaradzi Nyadzayo who lashed a fierce volley just wide of the post and into the side netting.

The Lions would rue that miss as Whittlesea took the lead just minutes later.

A deep free kick wasn’t dealt with by the Lions’ defence, before the ball fell to Mario Pirania, who toe poked it past a helpless Havercroft to make it 2-1.

The visitors began to look desperate as they threw everything they had in search of an equaliser in the last 20 minutes, but it was not to be.

Whittlesea sealed the result in the first minute of injury time.

A quick counter found substitute Daniel Peluso with the ball on the edge of the area, before selflessly squaring it to a free Matthew Kundevski inside, who slotted it past Havercroft to seal the win for Whittlesea.

 

MATCH DETAILS

Whittlesea Ranges 3 (Ofli 61’, Pirania 71’, Kundevski 90+1’) defeated Eastern Lions 1 (Pace 27’) at Epping Stadium, Epping

Whittlesea Ranges: 1. Gian TAPIA, 2. Pavle DURKIC, 4. Mario PIRANIA, 6. Andrew TAYLOR, 7. Matthew CUNDARI, 10. Matthew IULIANO (9. Daniel PELUSO 67’), 17. Stefan BARICEVIC, 19. Adem MUSTEDANAGIC, 20. Tobias HAEGELE, 23. Giosue TOLOMEO (14. Rami MUSTAFOSKI 90+3’), 15. Atilla OFLI (15. Matthew KUNDEVSKI 81’)

Unused substitutes: 18. Daniel GICEVSKI, 27. Jarrod HILL

Yellow card(s): 34’ DURKIC, 63’ CUNDARI, 74’ PIRANIA

Red card(s): None

 

Eastern Lions: 1. Robert HAVERCROFT, 2. William ELLIS (12. David McKESSY 88’), 3. Matthew PARRY, 4. Chris PACE, 5. Thomas FALCONER, 6. Andrew WILLIAMS (13. Jarrah CLEAR 25’), 7. Ziggy RAZUKI, 8. Mitch BEAMISH (15. Yianni TOUMANIDIS 72’), 10. Philip AJAO, 11. Munyaradzi NYADZAYO, 17. Shaun KENNY

Unused substitutes: 21. Andrew LIGHTFOOT, 9. Daniel RODRIGUES

Yellow card(s): 69’ KENNY, 71’ Beamish, 88’ Ellis