Youthful Murray earns draw against Brunswick
By Billy Higgins (@BillyTheKid217)
Murray United and Brunswick City shared the points on Saturday evening at La Trobe University as the sides couldn’t be separated after two second half goals.
Brunswick captain James Neighbour had the visitors on the brink of its first victory of the season, but Murray hitman Zac Walker equalised just minutes after.
Few chances were created in the first half.
Brunswick had more possession, but was only able to test goalkeeper Ben Russell with speculative shots from distance.
Russell was called into more difficult action in the 29th minute.
Hussein Ntakirutimana was dispossessed by Anthony Ianchello, who found Juan Portillo in the area, but his shot was saved well by Russell down low.
Portillo tested Russell again five minutes later. Some neat interplay from Brunswick found Portillo one-on-one with Russell, but the keeper managed to thwart him with his feet.
Murray coach Mark Richards pushed Kade Rixon further forward to support Walker at the interval.
The move nearly proved a masterstroke in the 47th minute, when Rixon crossed from the right for Walker, but Brunswick goalkeeper Alex Hards collected after a goalmouth scramble.
Brunswick came close to capitalising in the 58th minute when Yach Bol’s cross found Fasile Aden unmarked. But the striker, caught unawares, couldn’t turn the ball into the vacant far post.
Reha Kurul had a chance in a near identical position in the 62nd minute. He rose highest to meet a corner but Russell managed an excellent reflex save to deny the defender.
But Brunswick would have its lead just two minutes later, when Neighbour used his height to great effect and powerfully headed home a right wing cross from 6 yards.
The lead was short-lived.
In the 72nd minute, Murray substitute Tom Morrison played a long ball for Adam Waters, who skipped away from James Duvcevski and played a low cross for Walker to finish a true poacher’s goal at the back post.
Walker nearly put Murray in front in the 76th minute when James Coutts played in Rixon, whose flick on fell kindly for Walker, but his volley flew just wide of the top left corner.
It was the closest either side came to snatching a victory in the latter stages of the match.
Defeat would have been cruel on either side; a draw just reward for their endeavour.
MATCH DETAILS
Murray United 1 (Walker 72’) drew with Brunswick City 1 (Neighbour 64’) at La Trobe University, Wodonga
Murray United XI: 21. Ben RUSSELL, 17. Melkie WOLDEMICHAEL, 16. Sean PYE, 23. Ben CHAFFEY, 30. Angus KELLY, 29. Darcy PAWLIK, 4. Hussein NTAKIRUTIMANA, 8. James COUTTS, 14. Adam WATERS, 7. Zac WALKER, 10. Kade RIXON
Substitutes: 19. Tom MORRISON, 34. Daniel MILLYNN, 13. Joshua O’BRIEN, 5. Daniel CISNEROS, 1. Tyler SCOTT
Brunswick City XI: 34. Alex HARDS, 29. Lucas AOUN, 52. Reha KURUL, 23. Cameron WILLIAMS, 39. James NEIGHBOUR, 30. Yach BOL, 35. Anthony IANCHELLO, 3. Michael VARKOPOULOS, 28. Fasile ADEN, 10. Juan PORTILLO, 17. James DUVCEVSKI
Substitutes: Jack CREA, 4. Yasin ABDULAHI, 8. George MARKELIS, 27. Abdiqafar URUSHE, 31. Jack CAMINITI
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