By David Manuca (@davidmanuca)

A goal from former A-League player Rodrigo Vargas gifted Green Gully a 1-0 win over the struggling Melbourne Knights at Green Gully Reserve on Saturday afternoon.

Vargas scored the only goal of the game on 55 minutes after tapping home a low cross from his brother and Gully captain, Andy Vargas.

It was the Knights who got off to the better start, with Shayan Alinejad causing trouble for the Green Gully defence early on.

While all of the ball was with the Knights at the start, Ratip Cileli’s dangerous cutback fell to Mathew Sanders, who almost put Gully into a surprise lead.

Mitchell Bissinger then went closer for Gully, with his header from Andy Vargas’ cross saved by Melbourne Knights goalkeeper Christopher May.

Bissinger was then lucky on two occasions to not concede a penalty with the ball appearing to strike his arm.

On the first occasion the referee waved away the Knights’ protests, before calling a second handball right on the corner of the by-line and 18-yard box.

The rest of the first half failed to live up to the opening stages, with the next best opportunity in the game resulting in the only goal.

After the halftime break it appeared only Green Gully had rocked up to play, dominating almost all of the play.

Green Gully was rewarded for its efforts when Sean Harding’s different approach to a set-piece saw Andy Vargas provide the assist for his brother Rodrigo Vargas.

Harding then went close himself to getting on the scoresheet with a powerful strike from a free-kick that was well saved by May.

That was the story of the rest of the second half, with May popping up on a number of occasions to keep the score-line a respectable 1-0.

Roddy Vargas almost bagged a rare brace on 72 minutes but was denied by May after getting a head on Harding’s cross.

Bissinger and Sanders went close shortly after, one from distance and one a one-on-one chance, with May pulling off great saves on both occasions.

Vargas went close again to scoring a second, with May denying him before tipping Osagie Ederaro’s powerful shot from the rebound onto the post and out for a corner kick.

“It’s disappointing because in the first half we were by far the better team and it was a case of not putting our chances away,” May said following the defeat.

“Second half they deserved to get the three points because we didn’t perform. It’s just how it’s going at the moment I suppose.”

Green Gully coach Bob Stojcevski put the result down to his side’s resilience and their discipline in carrying out his game plan.

“Tactically it was always going to be about being resolute and holding our shape and too many times in the previous games we were trying to win the game in the first half and leaving ourselves open,” Stojcevski said.

“We stood resolute and we blocked everything we needed to block and our passing game was fantastic, meaning they (Knights) were always going to drop off in their intensity.”

The two sides will meet again on Tuesday night at Knights Stadium in Round 6 of the Dockerty Cup.

Match Details

Green Gully 1 (Rodrigo Vargas 55’) defeated Melbourne Knights 0 at Green Gully Reserve [HT: 0-0]

Green Gully: 1. Kieran GONZALEZ, 2. Daniel JONES, 4. Mitch BISSINGER, 5. Rodrigo VARGAS, 7. Jeffrey FLEMING, 10. Ratip CILELI (21. Brian VANEGA 83’), 11. Jem BERKANT (8. Jason HAYNE 73’), 12. Mathew SANDERS, 16. Sean HARDING, 17. Andy VARGAS, 20. Osagie EDERARO (22. Peter MODAFFERI 90’).

Unused substitutes: 23. Dilen IBRAHIM, 37. Mathew REID

Yellow cards: Nil

Red cards: Nil

Melbourne Knights: 1. Christopher MAY, 2. Michael SIMMS, 4. Ben SUREY (17. Luke JURCIC 87’), 5. Milan BATUR, 6. Tomislav USKOK, 8. Leo ATHANASIOU (18. Anthony DUZEL 63’), 11. Anthony COLOSIMO (3. Sam TORRENS 70’), 12. Ivan GRGIC, 13. Antun KOVACIC, 16. Nikola SRBINOVSKI, 19. Shayan ALINEJAD.

Unused substitutes: 23. Michael O’FARRELL, 14. Michael CATAFORIS

Yellow cards: Antun Kovacic 63’

Red cards: Nil

Pictured: Green Gully goalscorer Rodrigo Vargas (Image credit: Graeme Furlong)