By Lucas Pavlidis (@LucasPavlidis)

Richmond Soccer Club and FC Bendigo have played out an entertaining 3-3 draw at Kevin Bartlett Reserve on Sunday evening.

The first half saw five goals scored within a frantic 20-minute time period in which Bendigo lead 2-0 over their opponents, yet remarkably found themselves behind going into the half-time break.

Richmond controlled most of possession for the opening ten minutes, until the away side drew first blood on the counter attack. 

Daniel Purdy made no mistake with his deft chip over an oncoming Edward Chadwick, who reacted late to the through ball leading to the striker netting his side’s first on the twelve minute mark. 

Despite having another ten minute spell of good possession following the opening goal, Richmond found themselves 2-0 down after George Slefendorfas capitalised on a poor error from the home side, which gifted the striker the ball.

His run was unchecked into the box and with a cheeky feint to fool his oncoming defender, side-stepped the last man and left Chadwick with no chance after passing it into the bottom left-hand corner with a precise finish.

Richmond were stunned, but it didn’t take long until their captain Tom Cahill took it upon himself to restore parity with two goals in six minutes to level the game.

His first was a well hit drive from outside the box, after cutting inside from the right hand side and smashing it on his left foot, finding the bottom left corner past a hapless Christopher Xerri.

The second strike was an effort that was smacked home from close range after teammate Ryan Oppermann’s cross was deflected, finding Cahill unmarked.

Moments after the equaliser, Hamlet Armenian’s point-blank header from another Oppermann cross found the back of the net to the delight of the home fans.

Slefendorfas came close to equalising for the visitors before the break, with a thunderous strike that stung the palms of Chadwick who had to re-adjust to make the save.

A lofted ball from the striker also found the feet of Steve Martin, whose touch ultimately let him down as Bendigo showed some good football despite going down after leading 2-0. 

Oppermann nearly extended his side’s lead within the first minute of the second half.  

A good touch allowed him to round the goalkeeper, but with a defender on the front post and a tight angle, he could only manage a corner.

Bendigo looked content to sit back and soak up the oncoming pressure from the home side, but crucially, Richmond did not extend their lead any further. 

A scrappy second half didn’t prove as exciting as the first until the final moments.

Slefendorfas found the back of the net after he bundled home from a corner minutes before the final whistle.

Bendigo saved their energy and gave one final push that paid off as they earned a hard-fought point on the road.

Player-manager Steve Martin was happy with his side’s intensity in the first half, and the mentality to save a point at the death.

“To show the intensity and endeavor to go 2-0 up was really pleasing,” Martin said.

“Then to go into half time 3-2 down, I was still really happy with how we kept our shape and discipline within in our roles.”

Martin stressed the importance of his side’s mental toughness and the journey the club has so far been on this season.

“It’s really important. We’ve come a long way in the last 18 weeks as a whole club,” he said.

“It’s something that shows the boys that we’re continuing to improve, and that’s what we want to do as a club. Be the best we can.”

Richmond coach Rick Mensink was disappointed with his side, as had they captured all three points the hosts would have made up ground on a couple of teams in a tightly contested promotion push.

“Every time teams above us slip up a bit, we go and slip up some more,” Mensink said.

“When it’s ever in our own hands, our own destiny, we just don’t have the mental resilience to go on with it. That’s something we have to work out in the group.”

Mensink added that despite earning one point from the game, the result felt like a defeat.

“It totally feels like a loss. We went 2-0 down, then fairness to the boys, we had a good spell to get back into the game. We tried to work some things out at half time, but we gave the game away,” he said.

Match Details: 

Richmond SC (Cahill 21’, 28’, Armenian 31’) drew with FC Bendigo (Purdy 12’, Slefendorfas 21’, 85’) at Kevin Bartlett Reserve. [HT: 3-2]

Richmond SC: 1. Edward CHADWICK, 2. Andrew GOFF (17. Alex TABOR 89’), 4. Mitchell BISSENGER, 6. Vincent BONTEMPS, 5. Ryan SADLER, 14. Sebastian PETROVIC, 8. Joshua KNIGHT, 10. Tim PURCELL (3. Peter SAWAN 77’), 12. Ryan OPPERMANN, 7. Hamlet ARMENIAN, 9. Tom CAHILL

Unused subs: 13. Daniel MILBORROW, 15. Gideon SWEET, 18. Sam SHEPHERD

Yellow Cards: Petrovic 43’, Goff 65’, Knight 82’

FC Bendigo: 22. Christopher XERRI, 3. Ben SHARER, 5. Josh ROMEIN, 6. Alon BLUMGART (4. Aaron COHEN 73’), 7. Trent WATERSON, 8. Viktor RODRIGUEZ, 9. George SLEFENDORFAS, 14. Ryan DAVIDSON, 16. Steve MARTIN, 17. Jonothan RYAN (15. Zack KINSMAN 79’), 18. Daniel PURDY

Unused subs: 2. Tom SHARER, 13. Finn HUZZEY, 1. Gilardi STARES

Yellow Cards: Davidson 26’, Rodriguez 72’, Sharer 74’

Red Cards: None