By Ahmed Yussuf (@ahmedyussuf10) 

Avondale Heights played out a physical 2-2 draw against St Albans Saints at Doyle St Reserve on Saturday afternoon.  

The game sprung into action when Avondale found an early lead courtesy of star attacker Andrew Le Page. 

But Avondale’s advantage was taken away when young Brodie Paterson curled in a gorgeous strike from inside the area.  

And not long after the Saints took the lead through the determination of Barry Devlin, whose scrappy effort bundled over the line and into the back of the net. 

But the Saints were pegged back in the second half when LePage got his second from the spot. 

Two minutes into the first interval Le Page utilisted the space inside the box to header on goal. 

Saints custodian Stuart Webster denied Avondale’s number 7, and only on the third attempt did Le Page force the ball past the veteran shot-stopper.

Poor pitch conditions meant the game suffered. 

Physicality dominated with challenges coming from both sides. 

But on an St Albans breakaway Paterson benefited when Dean Campelj headed a cross right into his path.  

The young attacker - with a few swivel of the hips - curled a lovely strike into the right-hand top corner of the goal.

Eight minutes later, Adam Nakic’s long-range strike forced an impressive save out of John Scollo, but the rebound spell right into Devlin’s path. 

He scrappily found the net to put the Saints into the lead.

And in no time Saints shot-stopper was put to work after mini-Avondale barrage. 

Webster pulled off a wonderful save denying an equaliser minutes after St Albans took the lead.  

The second half began with St Albans shooting from range. 

Paterson, attempting to repeat his first half exploits, let rip from distance only to have his shot deflected. 

Devlin followed up on the rebound but caught Avondale custodian Scollo in the process. 

More the game went on, the more fiery it became with challenges flying and yellow cards being show. 

Less than 15 minutes into the second interval the referee saw fit to award a penalty to Avondale.  

Le Page stepped up to take it, having scored earlier in the first half, and hit his penalty into the top corner of the goalmouth, levelling the scores.

The attacker then tried to emphasise his stranglehold on the game with a run into the box shooting toward sea of legs and just missing the target ever so narrowly.

Campelj almost made up for his first half error as he headed over the crossbar in the dying embers of the game.

Avondale Heights coach Anthony Barbieri was unimpressed with St Albans’ physicality and felt his side deserved all three points.

“One team tried to play football another was here for a physical battle,” Barbieri said.

“In hindsight should’ve won, but still very pleased with character and resolve of the boys.”

St Albans Saints coach Toby Paterson says he side was cheated against Avondale.

“I thought we [St Albans] were cheated. We did enough to win the game,” Paterson said.

“I actually put up on the board before the game on the tactics and what the referee will do to go against us.

“We were absolutely cheated in this game. I think the referee gave everything to Avondale Heights.”

MATCH DETAILS: 

Avondale Heights 2 (Andrew LEPAGE 2’, 57’) drew against St Albans Saints 2 (Brodie PATERSON 24’, Barry DEVLIN 32’) 

Avondale Heights: 20. John SCOLLO (GK), 33. Dean CAMPELJ, 6. Anthony STRAND, 19. Jason PRINCIPATO (14. Daniel SLOVALEK), 15. Zoran PAJIC, 31. Michele CRAZIA, 8. Bosin GEORGEVSKI (3. Christopher GALEA, 76’), 11. Arturo YMERI, 24. Resit CULCULOGLU, 34. Oleksiy KHRAPKO, 7. Andrew LE PAGE  

Unused Subs: 1. Anthony SARIC, 5. Andrew SACCHETTA, 9. Anthony FALLONE

Yellow Card(s): 34. Oleksiy KHRAPKO 35’

Red card(s): Nil 

St Albans Saints: 1. Stuart WEBSTER (GK), 2. Ryan MCGUFFIE, 4. Barry DEVLIN, 5. Felix ROSMAN, 8. Ross HARVEY, 17. Adam NAKIC, 10. Brodie PATERSON, 11. Yusuf YUSUF (9. Sean MCILROY, 65’, 16. Ajak PANEK 73’), 14. Christopher ROSS,18. Tedros YABIO

Unused sub(s): 3. Georgi NICESKI, 12. Chol NYOK, 15. Konrad DOBRASZKIEWICZ, 21. Tonio BARESIC

Yellow card(s): 5. Felix ROSMAN 90’, 17. Adam NAKIC 87’, 8. Ross HARVEY 68’

Red card(s): Nil

Image credit: Mark Avelino