McIlroy double crowns Kingston victors over Whittlesea
By Matt McNamara
Two late goals to Sean McIlroy has seen Kingston City come from behind to defeat Whittlesea Ranges 3-2 at Epping Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Ranges had only themselves to blame after missing a host of opportunities throughout the match with Kingston pinching the game late on.
The home side opened the scoring early on through Gisue Tolomeo.
Tolomoe broke free after a mistake from James Karvelis before neatly tucking the ball past Fraser MacLaren in the Kingston City goal.
Daniel Peluso should have doubled the home side’s lead after he broke through and rounded MacLaren, only for Karvelis to somehow clear off the line to deny the former Melbourne City winger.
Peluso again broke free and rounded MacLaren a second time, but on this occasion, MacLaren was quick to get back to his feet to deny the nifty wingers efforts.
Ranges were left to rue that miss soon when Benjamin Osei-Safo hammered home for the visitors, with his effort bouncing in off the underside of the crossbar to level the scores at 1-1.
However Peluso was to make amends for his error, with his sublime cross expertly whipped in to Matthew Cundari who made no mistake to restore the home side’s advantage right before half time.
The second half was one of few chances, with a major battle through the middle of park.
But it was Kingston to strike lucky in the 82nd minute.
Scotsman Sean McIlroy created a chance out of nothing and hammered the ball into the bottom corner, his shot smashing against the post before going in to level it up.
McIlroy wasn’t done there; just minutes later the visitors took the lead for the first time in the match.
He found time and space at the back post before powering his header past Tapia to give his side the win.
Match Details
Whittlesea Ranges 2 (Tolomeo 22’, Cundari 44’) defeated by Kingston City 3 (Osei-Safo 39’, McIlroy 82’, 86’) at Epping Stadium
Whittlesea Ranges: 1. Gian Tapia, 3. Mohammed Mohammed, 6. Andrew Taylor, 20. Tobias Haegele, 19. Adem Mustadanagic, 4. Mario Piraino, 17. Stefan Baricevic (5. Daniel Sotiropoulos 76’), 7. Matthew Cundari, 9. Daniel Peluso, 8. Ridvan Saglam (10. Matthew Iuliano 10’), 23. Giosue Tolomeo (Sami Noor 66’)
Unused Subs: 26. James Rizzardo, 2. Pavle Durkic
Yellow Cards: Mustadanagic 26’, Piraino 45’
Kingston City: 1. Fraser MacLaren, 3. Kemal Curan, 4. James Karvelis, 5. Nicholas Tiechman, 6. Nicholas Modafferi (2. George Stavridis 76’), 16. Nicholas Stamatiou, 8. Deniz Sabanovski (15. Gino Defoe 73’), 22. Sean McIlroy, 14. Damian Iaconis, 11. Stelios Konstantinidis, 7. Benjamin Osei-Safo (19. Andrew Doig 62’)
Unused Subs: 13. Douglas Lindberg, 17. Laurent Coralie
Yellow Cards: Tiechman 18’, Sabanovski 54’, Stavridis 81’, Stamatiou 84’
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