By Daniel Campos (@francisfields)

Sunshine George Cross and St Albans Saints have played out an entertaining 1-1 draw on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Chaplin Reserve, Sunshine.

The two sides from the west couldn’t be separated after a penalty by Christopher Dib, and a header from St Albans’ Barry Devlin.

It took just under 10 minutes for the game to see its first action.

Some creativity in the midfield between Damien Rastocic and Slaven Vranesevic allowed the latter to find some space to launch a fierce long-range effort just over the St Albans crossbar.

A few minutes later, St Albans came up with its own effort via Daniel Sweeney, hitting a volley that went just high.

The hosts began to find their feet, and began to commit men forward. After 23 minutes, it paid off down the left wing when Adrian Logozzo combined with Adamson Ajayi, only to be fouled in the box.

Sunshine defender Christopher Dib stepped up to take the resulting penalty and duly converted, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead.

Tempers flared early in the second half with Sunshine’s players taken exception to a late challenge from St Albans forward Barry Devlin. After the handbags settled, Devlin found himself with a yellow card to his name.

After 71 minutes, Sunshine almost doubled its lead through a superb free kick by Vranesevic.

His effort skidded across the ground, only to be saved expertly by St Albans keeper Stuart Webster.

That save gave the visitors the momentum they needed to kick on, as they looking to push forward from midfield.

And it paid off just a minute later when Barry Devlin put a header past Robert Santilli in the Sunshine goal.

The equaliser lifted St Albans as they pursued the win.

Devlin’s header didn’t stay in Santilli’s memory for long, with the keeper pulling off a miraculous reaction save with his feet shortly after, flicking a driven shot over his crossbar for a corner.

Sunshine had a late penalty shout denied when Anthony Cassar went down after fending off his marker. But the referee wasn’t calling it, much to the disdain of the home support.

Cassar had his own chance shortly after, but he was denied by some great work by captain Ryan McGuffie in the Saints’ backline.

In the end, the sides couldn’t be separated and walked away with a point apiece.

 

MATCH DETAILS

Sunshine George Cross 1 (Dib 23’) drew with St Albans Saints 1 (Devlin 72’) at Chaplin Reserve

Sunshine George Cross: 1. Robert SANTILLI, 2. Eddie CETKIN, 3. Martin MASON, 4. Brandon SCERRI, 5. Christopher DIB, 15. Nemanja LOJANICA, 8. Slaven VRANESEVIC, 6.Damien RASTOCIC (11. Anthony CASSAR 80’), 10. Adrian LOGOZZO (9. Bozidar LOJANICA 87’) 13. Chris ANTONIADIS (14. Anthony SIEH), 19. Adamson AJAYI

Unused Subs: 21. Jonathon HARBOGLOU, 12. Matthew OGHANNA

Yellow Cards: Nil.

Red Cards: Nil.

St Albans Saints: 1. Stuart WEBSTER, 2. Ryan MCGUFFIE, 3. Nana Yaw OTUO-ACHEAMPONG, 4. Nicholas SARBIN, 5. Tedros YABIO, 7. Trent WATERSON, 9. Barry DEVLIN, 11. Nicholas SCERRI, 12. Damien PETERS, (17.Michael PAUL 81’) 18. Ben SHAPER, 23. Daniel SWEENEY (20. Ante KUZOL 87’)

Unused Subs: 13. Anthony BORAS, 19. George NICESKI, 21. John SCOLLO

Yellow Cards: Sarbin 41’, Devlin 54’, Peters 60’, Shaper ’68

Red Cards: Nil