Box Hill gives up lead twice as Kingston earns point
By BILLY GREEN
Box Hill has played out a fiercely contested 2-2 draw against Kingston on Saturday at Wembley Park.
Goals to Chris Page and Michae Kariuki for Box Hill were cancelled out by a Sean McIlroy brace as the hosts took the lead twice, only to see it cancelled out by Kingston on both occassions.
At the 12-minute mark, Kingston’s Deniz Sabanovski put the ball past Box Hill’s captain Michael Godfrey and through to striker Stelios Konstantinidis who put his chance just wide to the left.
On 27 minutes, Box Hill broke through to take the lead when Godfrey crossed it to Chris Page inside the six-yard-box to slot it through.
Both Sean McIlroy and Konstantinidis missed shots on goal for Kingston, while Box Hill were denied another goal after a lunging save by defender Hamish Milar.
Just before the half-time break, Kingston’s Andrew Doig centred a beautifully placed ball onto the head of Sean McIlroy, sneaking it past the keeper for the equaliser.
On 51 minutes, Box Hill’s Michael Kariuki pounced on a poor mistake between the Kingston defence and goalkeeper, slotting an easy goal to the amusement of the home crowd and giving them a 2-1 lead.
Soon after, a big clash between Kingston substitute Nicholas Modaffari and Box Hill’s Chris Page resulted in Modaffari being subbed out as medicos attended to his knee.
Kingston was able to equalise on the 75th minute, when McIlroy again received a header deep in the goal square and put it through for his second.
As the game drew closer to full time, both teams desperation made for an enthralling game for the crowd.
Kingston’s Nicholas Teichmann put it onto the head of Benjamin Osei-Safo late in the half, but he missed to the right.
The high press of Box Hill prevented Kingston of finding any space in attack, while most of their own opportunities came through fast breaks out of defence.
In injury time, Osei-Safo crossed it into McIlroy, but it was just out of reach for the striker.
A moment later, Gino Defeo had a chance for Kingston from a free kick outside the square but put it onto the chest of the Box Hill goalkeeper.
Page had a similar opportunity for Box Hill but crossed it into the arms of the keeper.
The draw leaves Kingston in second place in the NPL 1 East, still chasing down break-away leaders Melbourne Victory.
Box Hill United 2 (Page 24’, Kariuki 51’) drew with Kingston City 2 (McIlroy 42’ 72’) at Wembley Park
Box Hill United: 1. Alex CONNELL, 2. Nikola SURDOSKI, 25. Michael GODFREY, 18. Joey CALDERONE, 30. Ollie PATERNO, 15. Chris PAGE, 8. Caleb LUDLOW, 11. Sebastian BARRERO, 19. Michael KARIUKI, 21. Travis CHALK-HATTON, 7. Patrick THIAKANE (23. Dillon YAKUDI 46’)
Unused Sub(s): 35. Christian PAVLIDIS, 12. Imran SANKOH, 16. Chris GEILS, 24. Shaun PETERSON
Yellow Card(s): Nil
Red Card(s): Nil
Kingston City: 1. Douglas LINDBERG, 2. George STAVRIDIS (6. Nicholas MODAFFARI 70’), 3. Jemal CLARKE, 4. James KARVELIS, 15. Hamish MILAR (5. Nicholas TEICHMANN 62’), 16. Nicholas STAMATIOU, 19. Andrew DOIS, 8. Deniz SABANOVSKI (18. Gino DEFEO 68’), 11. Stelios KONSTANTINIDIS, 7. Benjamin OSEI-SAFO, 9. Sean MCILROY
Unused Sub(s): 24. Peter KOUNDANIS, 20. Gianluca Pizzirani
Yellow Card(s): Clarke 50’
Red Card(s): Nil
Last Modified on 21/06/2015 12:22
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