By David Manuca (@davidmanuca)

A late goal from Manuell Sadik has seen Sunshine George Cross snatch all three points against Box Hill United at Chaplin Reserve on Saturday.

In a game that was largely dominated by Box Hill, it appeared to be heading for a 0-0 draw until Sadik popped up on 82 minutes to tap home the winning goal.

The away side had been denied by the crossbar on three occasions, twice by the assistant referee and once by a George Cross defender on the line and knew it just was not their day.

Box Hill’s first opportunity came on nine minutes when Alex Schroen’s saved shot fell to Chris Irwin, but the forward’s strike was cleared off the line by George Cross defender Eddie Cetkin.

Three minutes later Box Hill came close again when Kenny Athiu laid the ball off with his head for Sam Catherine, but his strike cannoned off the crossbar.

Sunshine’s first and only shot of the first half came after 18 minutes when Sadik had a hit from outside the box, but it posed no danger to Box Hill goalkeeper Alex Pavlidis.

Athiu was played in one-on-one on 36 minutes and rounded Sunshine goalkeeper Nabi Tuna, but his shot was hit on to the crossbar and out by Sami Nour.

The sides went in to the break at 0-0 but six minutes into the second half Box Hill thought it had taken the lead.

A brilliant run from Christian Lar was rewarded with a corner, and the halftime substitute whipped in a perfect ball for Catherine to head home. But the assistant referee spotted an infringement and flagged for a foul against Box Hill.

The assistant referee was the centre of attention again a few minutes later when he flagged Schroen offside, before the midfielder had put the ball in the back of the net.

Sunshine’s second chance of the game came on 67 minutes when Delfin Mosibe forced Pavlidis into his first save after getting a touch on a dangerous free-kick.

That moment onwards saw the momentum shift firmly towards the home side and a few minutes later they had the ball in the back of the net.

Sami Nour was played in one-one-one and the forward rounded the keeper before passing it into an empty goal but was flagged for offside.

But Sunshine finally broke the deadlock on 82 minutes when Sadik tapped the ball home from close range.

Box Hill almost got an equaliser, first through Anthony Ramzy who hit a shot wide of the post, then with Lar whose cross came off the crossbar.

After four minutes of injury time the referee blew the full-time whistle with Sunshine securing its sixth win of the season and jumping Box Hill on the table in the process.

“We predicted the result at half-time,” Box Hill United coach Arthur Georgiou said after the game.

“It’s the nature of the game that we love and hate that if you don’t take your chances they come back to bite you. And that’s what happened.

“Credit to the opposition, they kept believing in their philosophy and what they needed to do and that was sit behind the ball and catch us on the counter attack.”

Sunshine George Cross coach Tony Ciantar was pleased with the way his side responded after mustering just one shot on goal in the first half of the encounter.

“First half they (Box Hill) probably should have taken a deserved lead but that’s football,” Ciantar said.

“They had some momentum in the first half and they weren’t rewarded.

“We were patient and in the second half we changed our game to suit their game and they started going long, and the minute they started going long the roles were reversed.

“If we were clinical we could have easily had two or three goals in the second-half.”

MATCH DETAILS

Sunshine George Cross 1 (Sadik 82’) defeated Box Hill United 0 at Chaplin Reserve [HT: 0-0]

Sunshine George Cross: 21. Nabi TUNA, 17. Jacob ATTARD, 2. Eddie CETKIN, 5. Christopher DIB, 3. Nejdet SAHIN, 15. Mohamed AHMED (18. Shannon LEWIS 77’), 10. Adrian LOGOZZO (16. Andrew TAYLOR 94’), 8. Delfin MOSIBE, 11. Muhamad CHAWK (14. Anthony CASSAR 30’), 19. Manuell SADIK, 13. Sami NOUR.

Unused substitutes: 1. Dean HILI, 12. Mohamed MOHAMED

Yellow cards: Christopher DIB 20’

Red cards: Nil

Box Hill United: 35.Alexander PAVLIDIS, 23. Josh VALADON, 22. Nick KOKOLAKIS, 20. Josh BUSCH, 5. Alex SCHROEN (18. Anthony RAMZY 74’), 3. Matt COLLIER (10. Christopher LAR 45’), 14. Kenjok ATHIU, 12. Adrian DEL MONACO, 16. Rinor MURIQI, 8. Sam CATHERINE, 4. Chris IRWIN (7. Damien PETERS 57’).

Unused substitutes: 21. Christian PAVLIDIS, 26. Aaron PORCARO

Yellow cards: Nil

Red cards: Nil

Image credit: Mark Avellino