By Adem Barolli (@adembarolli)

Goulburn Valley Suns has shared the points with a 10-man Bentleigh Greens after fighting out a heated 1-1 draw at McEwen Reserve in Shepparton on Saturday night.  

After a rather dour first half, the game was brought into life when Greens goalkeeper Alistair Bray was sent off after his trip on Suns striker Craig Carley outside the box.

Although being a man down for a majority of the second half, Bentleigh was able score first through Brent McGrath who converted his penalty into the bottom-left corner.

Bentleigh was awarded the penalty in the 64th minute after Suns right-back Cody Sellwood brought down a Greens player inside the box.

Fortunately for the Suns, they only had to wait five minutes to score the equaliser in a similar fashion. Daniel Chaabani was also brought down inside the box after a great counter attack, forcing the referee to point to the spot.

Carley did what Carley does best as he converted the penalty; he’s fifth from the spot and eighth goal in as many games.

As the game wore on tempers began to flare from both sides, as several players were involved in multiple transgressions throughout the second half.  

The officiating referee dished out one red and three yellow cards in the second half in a bid to control the game.

Bentleigh manager John Anastasiadis wasn’t too happy with how the game panned out.

“It’s two points dropped, because were never satisfied with a draw. We felt that there were too many un-football like stuff happening on the field today that I wasn’t happy about,” Anastasiadis said.

“If that’s the way we play football then we’re in trouble, especially when the NPL is a brand new entity trying to promote good football. I just felt one team was trying to play and maybe another team wasn’t.”

Peter Zois managed to gather his first point as senior coach at Goulburn Valley and he spoke about the decision to award a penalty against his side.

“You’re always annoyed when you concede such a soft penalty, we can look at it many times over but we need to start asking questions,” Zois said.

“If these (penalties) are given it’s a little bit disappointing. The referees have jobs to do and they’re going to make mistakes and I think today there was not much consistency and not much control.”

Young Suns star Stipo Andrijasevic was a late withdrawal from the starting 11 after feeling some discomfort through his abductor in the warm-up.

The Greens haven’t won in four weeks and are back at home next week as they host Heidelberg, while the Suns travel to face Northcote City.

MATCH DETAILS

Goulburn Valley Suns 1 (Carley 69’ pen.) drew with Bentleigh Greens 1 (McGrath 64’ pen.) at McEwen Reserve (HT: 0-0)

Goulburn Valley Suns: 1. Phillip PETROVSKI (GK), 2. Cody SELLWOOD, 3. Naum SUKLOVSKI, 5. Nikolaos KALAFATIS, 6. Fahad ALGHAZALY, 7. Benjamin CLARKE, 8. Daniel CHAABANI, 9. Craig CARLEY (13. Zachary PARASKEVAS), 14. Rossi LAGANA, 16. Frankie LAGANA, 19. Hernan ESPINDOLA.

Unused subs: 10. Ridvan SAGLAM, 21. Stipo ANDRIJASEVIC, 4. Thomas LANGMAN, 22. Jake KEATING (GK)

Yellow cards: ALGHAZALY 42’, SELLWOOD 45’, PETROVSKI 65’

Red cards: None

Bentleigh Greens: 2. Thomas MATTHEWS, 3. James CUMMINGS, 5. Jack WEBSTER, 6. Ross ARCHIBALD, 9. Luke O’DEA, 10. David STIRTON (1. Stuart WEBSTER 53’), 11. Brent McGRATH, 17. Luc JEGGO (77. Stephen HATZIKOSTAS 90’), 19. Liam McCORMICK (8. Wayne WALLACE 77’), 21. Alistair BRAY (GK), 24. Luke PILKINGTON

Unused subs: 7. Jamie DE ABREU, 18. Perry LAMBROPOULOS

Yellow cards: ARCHIBALD 65’, PILKINGTON 68’

Red Cards: BRAY  52’