Green Gully 1-2 Oakleigh Cannons: Cannons snatch victory from Gully

Green Gully Reserve
Photo: Aus Stadiums

The Oakleigh Cannons have snatched all three points in a 2-1 victory from a solid Green Gully outfit on a bumpy pitch, at Green Gully Reserve on Saturday afternoon.

Gully defended very well until a ten minute period where they conceded twice from Jesse Krncevic.

Gully took the lead on 33 minutes through Osagie Ederaro, before Krncevic equalised from the spot on 77 minutes.

Krncevic stole all three points on 86 minutes to take all three points from the defending champions.

The 2011 VPL Grand Final replay started off slowly with the possession shared between the two sides.

Hamid Basma was found at the back post but headed wide, before Frankie Lagana fired wide with his left foot for the Cannons.

On 20 minutes Aristidis Drakos and Cannons’ ‘keeper Daniel Neesham almost conceded a horrendous goal, when the former passed back to the later and the ball bounced up off the pitch, but Ramazan Tavsancioglu cleared at the last moment.

Oakleigh struggled to build up chances in the first-half as Ricky Diaco wasn’t getting the service. However the burly striker made something out of nothing when he won the ball, before Zac Walker blasted over from the edge of the box.

After defending solidly, Green Gully took the lead through Osagie Ederaro.

Rodrigo Vargas was found at the back post but the former Melbourne Victory defender’s header hit the base of the post, before Osagie Ederaro subsequently followed up from a couple yards out, to give the hosts the lead.

Osagie Ederaro (front)
Photo: Green Gully

Gully continued to control possession and stand strong in defence, whilst applying the pressure in midfield to see out the first-half.

Five minutes into the second-half Ederaro continued to cause the Cannons defence some havoc. The Nigerian played a lovely chip, in which Jason Hayne ran onto, but Daniel Neesham got down to deny the New Zealander.

The early parts of the second-half became scrappy with some aggressive challenges from both sides, but in particular, Lagana who was booked inside the first-half.

Green Gully pushed for a second with Ederaro and Hayne causing problems. However Neesham denied Hayne’s low ball before Ederaro’s lobbed ball crept just wide.

Gully continued to dominate all over the park but on 76 minutes Daniel Jones bundled over Lagana inside the box to concede a penalty. Substitute Jesse Krncevic stepped up and slotted the ball into the bottom corner with Rhyss Keane at full reach.

Jesse Krncevic
Photo: Oakleigh Cannons

Only a couple minutes after conceding, second-half substitute Andy Vargas was denied at the last moment by a Drakos diving tackle.

Andy Vargas looked to liven up the Cavaliers and shot from distance on his left foot, but Neesham reached high to save brilliantly.

With four minutes to go Cannons snatched the lead. Krncevic ran onto a first-time thump on the counter-attack, before finishing past an onrushing Keane from outside of the box.

Green Gully will hope to get back on track when they hosts Moreland Zebras in a fortnight, after hosting St. Albans Saints in the FFV State Knockout Cup on April 28.

Oakleigh Cannons will hope to continue their great start to the season when they host Richmond next in a fortnight, after taking on Monbulk Rangers next week at Jack Edwards in the cup.