Slevin stunner helps Bendigo break drought against Kingston
By Jordan Lim (@JordanLim24)
A Karl Slevin stunner highlighted a modest game of football as Bendigo City upset Kingston City 2-0 at The Grange Reserve.
After Riley Dillon opened the scoring for Bendigo against the run of play in the first half, Slevin stepped up with a goal of the season contender to secure the win.
In spite of the score line, it was Kingston City who looked the most likely in the early stages, as a number of half-chances went begging for the hosts.
Despite his goal scoring exploits so far this season, Sean McIlroy was unable to test stopper Gianmarco D’oria early in the piece as he dragged an opening effort wide.
Gino Defeo was bright on the left flank in the first half, as he angled a myriad of quality crosses towards McIlroy who came close to connecting a number of times.
Bendigo had an early goal chalked off via George McHeileh who was, to the naked eye, comfortably offside.
The assistant referee agreed, raising his flag with little hesitation, but he decided to keep it down on the half hour mark as Dillon ghosted into the box.
The Bendigo man opened the scoring with a darting run into the area, timed to perfection to meet a quality ball in from the left flank, before finishing comfortably past Fraser Maclaren.
There was nothing comfortable about Karl Slevin’s finish soon after in the 32nd minute as he plundered a 40-yard half-volley to beat a scampering Maclaren, who couldn’t get a finger on the audacious effort.
Bendigo’s defence stood firm to enter half time with their two-goal lead intact, with Kingston perhaps guilty of trying to overuse the ball.
McHeileh tried his luck early in the second term with a powerful drive from distance, which failed to test the keeper.
Maclaren was however forced into action beyond the hour mark as he made a number of good saves, first off a Corey Slevin effort on the edge of the 18-yard-box, then off George Slefendorfas’ close range attempt.
Kingston enjoyed more of the ball as the second half wore on, and despite a spirited cameo from Stelios Konstantinidis off the bench, they never looked like a side that were capable of pulling back the deficit.
He did spurn the best chance of the night for Kingston in the 90th minute, blazing an effort over the crossbar from inside the area.
Kingston City 0 defeated by Bendigo City 2 (Dillon 29’, Karl Slevin 32’) at The Grange Reserve [HT: 0-2]
Kingston City: 1. Fraser MACLAREN (GK), 6. Nicholas MODAFFARI, 4. James KARVELIS (2. George STAVRIDIS 57’), 19. Andrew DOIG, 5. Nick TEICHMANN (22. Steve FERGADIOTIS 70’), 16. Nick STAMATIOU, 7. Ben OSEI-SAFO, 8. Deniz SABANOVSKI, 9. Sean McILROY, 14. Damian IACONIS, 18. Gino DEFEO (11. Stelios KONSTANTINIDIS 53’)
Unused Substitute(s): 13. Douglas LINDBERG, 3. Lucas MORREY
Yellow Card(s): Stavridis 69’
Red Card(s): Nil
Bendigo City: 1. Gianmarco D’ORIA (GK), 2. Riley DILLON, 3. Jordan SEETO, 4. Daniel REES, 5. Rylan SADLER, 6. Jason SHADE (13. Joe WILLIAMS 90’), 7. George McHEILEH (15.Godwill BASHA 78’), 8. Karl SLEVIN, 9. George SLEFENDORFAS, 11. Corey SLEVIN, 14. Keegan SMYTH
Unused Substitute(s): 18. Daniel PURDY, 19. Josh DWYER, 30. Stares GILARDI
Yellow Card(s): Shade 33’, Karl Slerin 50’
Red Card(s): Nil
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