St Albans records come-from-behind win over Melbourne City
By MATTHEW McNAMARA
St Albans has pulled off a thrilling late comeback to record a 2-1 win over Melbourne City at Churchill Reserve on Sunday afternoon.
Stefan Zinni had given City the lead, his effort deflecting over Stuart Webster in the 55th minute. But St albans captain Ryan McGuffie leveled things up from the penalty spot after Nick Scerri was fouled in the area, before Barry Devlin powered home a header to secure all three points.
Melbourne City took charge of the opening period, with 17-year-old Ali Eyigun dominating proceedings in the middle of the park.
The former Pascoe Vale midfielder was influential early when his whipped free kick was met by City captain Wade Dekker but he couldn’t direct his strike goalward.
Saints keeper Webster denied Eyigun what would have been a cracking goal, the Scotsman getting down low to his right to keep out Eyigun’s 30 yard screamer.
Webster has been a pillar of strength for St. Albans so far this year, and again his team relied on his heroics to keep things level when Anthony Rizk’s free kick was somehow plucked from the top corner by Webster.
City looked to have broken the deadlock in the moments before half time when again Eyigun turned creator; this time a superb ball to Mehdi Sarwari, but his strike hammered into the side netting.
The dominance of City was rewarded in the 55th minute when Zinni broke free down the left hand side before dispatching of the ball over Webster, with the help of a fortunate deflection.
St Albans should have been level just after the hour mark when Trent Waterson found himself free at the back post but somehow dragged his strike wide.
But they did find themselves level on 72 minutes after McGuffie calmly disposed of a penalty, sending Sozer the wrong way.
Moments later they had the lead, when Devlin was left free to head home from only six yards out, his header rifling into the roof of the net.
St Albans should have extended its lead late on when Waterson broke free down the right before his pin point ball was headed at goal by Ross Harvey but Sozer made a tremendous save to deny the midfielder as the hosts hung on for a come from behind 2-1 victory over their youthful opponents.
Match details:
Melbourne City FC 1 (Stefan ZINNI 55’) lost to St Albans Saints 2 (Ryan McGUFFIE 72’ pen, Barry DEVLIN 77’)
Melbourne City: 1. Yaren SOZER (GK), 4. Jordon HALL, 5. Leo ATHANASIOU, 9. Wade DEKKER, 11. Stefan ZINNI, 12. Anthony RIZK (Ratip CILELI 81’), 14. Baki EFE, 15. Luke GALLO, 16. Matthew MILLAR, 21. Ali EIYGUN (Tom BARFOROSH 90’), 22. Mehdi SARWARI (Anthony TARANTO 81’)
Unused Subs: 17. Joseph MONEK, 20. Yianni SKLIROS.
Yellow cards: Nil
St Albans Saints: 1. Stuart WEBSTER (GK), 2. Ryan McGUFFIE, 3. Nana-Yew OTUOACHEAMPONG, 4. Nicholas SARBIN, 5. Tedros YABIO (Konrad DOBRASZKEIWICZ 74’), 7. Trent WATERSON, 8. Ross HARVEY, 9. Barry DEVLIN, 10. Tomislav TEBUHOVIC, 11. Nick SCERRI (Daniel SWEENEY 75’), 18. Ben SHAPER (Anthony BORAS 77’)
Unused Subs: 17. Matko BUDMIR, 21. John SCOLLO
Yellow cards: Sarbin 14’, Otuoachempong 36’, Tebuhovic 61’, Scerri 73', Dobraszkeiwicz 85’
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