By Chris Hearn 

Nunawading City has earned its first result of the season, holding Whittlesea Ranges to a 0-0 draw at Epping Stadium.

In what can only be described as one of the most wasteful attacking performances of the season, the hosts will be scratching their head as to how the game finished on level terms.

The busy and equally diminutive Nunawading midfielder, Samuel Antoniadis fired the first opportunity of the game over the crossbar from 10 yards following David Antequerra’s cut-back.

That effort brought Whittleesea into action, as Matthew Cundari stung the palms of goalkeeper Keegan Coulter from distance shortly after.

Atilla Ofli’s choice to shoot from the by-line rather than square for a host of options was poor, before the striker did excellently to break through the offside trap, only to fire at Coulter.

These two efforts told the tale of the striker’s, and indeed Whittlesea’s afternoon.

Wastefulness in attack prevented Whittlesea taking a lead into half time, with Giosue Tolomeo, Matthew Iuliano and Ofli struggling to combine in the space afforded to them.

Coulter made a trio of simple saves before the break, denying Iuliano, Kundevski and Ofli.

Nunawading pair Emile Damey and Daniel Patterson both tested Gian Tapia from the right side, but neither could open the scoring. 

Coulter was in inspired form, and it continued after the break.

Within 15 second half minutes, he denied Cundari, Kundevski and Ofli in stunning fashion.

Ranges defender Pavle Durkic played Tolomeo in on goal, but the winger chose to shoot with Ofli unmarked in the area.  

Damey created two snap-shots within a minute, before Ranges were back on the offensive.

Ofli hit the upright, before efforts to Cundari, Iuliano and Kundevski were saved.

The hosts were awarded a penalty in injury time, but it was disallowed after a consultation between the referee and his assistant for a previous offside.

Ofli had two more opportunities one-on-one with the goalkeeper before full-time, but wasted both with team-mates in better positions to score. 

Whittlesea face a stern test away to Bulleen Lions on Monday night, while Nunawading travel to face Murray United on Saturday.

MATCH DETAILS

Whittlesea Ranges 0 drew with Nunawading City 0 at Epping Stadium. [HT 0-0]

Whittlesea Ranges: 1. Gian TAPIA (GK), 19. Adem MUSTEDANAGIC, 2. Pavle DURKIC, 17. Stefan BARICEVIC, 4. Mario PIRAINO, 7.Matthew CUNDARI, 25. Attila OFLI, 10. Matthew IULIANO, 23. Giosue TOLOMEO, 13. Ilhan ALTUNAS (8. Andreas BACHOS 64’), 15. Matthew KUNDEVSKI (20. Marijan TOTIC 86’)

Unused substitutes: 27. Jarrod HILL, 21. Daniel SERAFINOVSKI, 18. Michael ZEIBEKKIS,

Yellow cards: Attila Ofli 62’, Adem Mustedanagic 78’

Red cards: None

Nunawading City: 1. Keegan COULTER (GK), 10. Ivan SKORICH, 9. David ANTEQUERRA (4. Ben-Harvey ROBINSON 68’), 44. Samuel ANTONIADIS, 21. Felix DIMITRAKIS, 5. Peter EVANGELAKOS, 41. Emile DAMEY, 31. Dylan FACCI, 7. Anthony GIANNOPOULOS, 11. Daniel PATTERSON, 20. Stefan PAPAGEORGIOU (45. Dimitrios KIOUSSIS 56’) – (17. David MOROVIC 83’),

Unused substitutes: 8. Ming En CUI

Yellow cards: Anthony Giannopoulos 62’

Red cards: None