Northcote City 1-1 Hume City: Northcote and Hume finish in stalemate

Northcote City
Photo: Northcote City 

Northcote City and Hume City have finished level at 1-1 at John Cain Memorial Park, on Saturday afternoon.

After Northcote bombarded the Hume box, the latter took the lead through Atilla Ofli with three minutes to go, but Northcote capitalised on a poor back pass to level in stoppage time through Milos Lujic.

Both sides would be disappointed to only take one point as Northcote controlled the game and created the majority of the chances. But after taking the lead late on, Hume would be just as disappointed not have held on.

Atilla Ofli
Photo: Hume City

The first-half started well for Northcote with James Kalifatidis and Lujic causing the Hume City defence some troubles, but Chris Oldfield in goals was able to do well to keep it scoreless.

Hume’s best chances came through Archie Tomic who had his clearance cleared by Kristian Konstandinitis, before Ofli headed over.

The rest of the half became scrappy with neither side creating much as miss-passes let both sides down.

However Johnathan Voulgaris did fire narrowly wide after some great work on the left from Parys Okai and Alex Rojas.

Northcote ‘keeper Chris Theodoridis was brought into the game just before the break when Nick Hegarty lofted a free-kick, before the deputy vice-captain tapped over.

Northcote started the second-half on the front foot with Voulgaris and Lujic but Oldfield continued his fine form to deny Voulgaris, before Lujic headed over.

The hosts could have had a penalty after Phil Riccobene looked to handle inside the box but referee Shaun Evans didn’t call it.

Okai and Lujic next went close but Okai’s poor cross narrowly missed the upright before Lujic headed well over.

Substitutes Wade Dekker and Dean Piemonte went close late on, but Isyan Erdogan did well to deny the later, after Dekker fired wide.

Hume thought they stole all three points on 87 minutes when Ofli was found outside of the box with Theodoridis rushing out, before the Hume forward lobbed the ‘keeper brilliantly with the outside of his foot, to give his side the lead.

Northcote pushed forward for a late equaliser and found it on the edge of stoppage-time, when Lujic intercepted a poor back pass before tucking away into an open net.  

Match Details:

Northcote City: 2. Adriano CHIAPPETTA, 3. Kristian KONSTANTINIDIS, 5. Bradley TRELOAR, 9. Milos LUJIC, 8. James KALIFATIDIS (23. Wade DEKKER 80’), 10. Alex ROJAS (18. Antoni JANKOVSKI 83’), 11. Jonathan VOULGARIS (7. Dean PIEMONTE 75’), 12. Hayden D’AGONSTINO, 16. Paul SAVIO, 20. Parys OKAI, 22. Chris THEODORIDIS (GK)

Unused Subs: 17. Ricardo GONZALEZ, 30. Darcy VICKERY (GK)

Goal: Lujic (90’)

Hume City: 1. Chris OLDFIELD (GK), 3. Ben HARRISON (12. Jarryd BARNES 70’), 4. Isyan ERDOGAN ©, 5. Steven PACE, 7. Atilla OFLI, 11. Nick HEGARTY, 15. Zoran PETREVSKI, 17. Phillip RICCOBENE, 20. Archie TOMIC (9. Pece SIVESKI 56’), 22. Howard FONDYKE, 32. Bobby VIDANOSKI (10. David CHICK 56’)

Unused Subs: 41. Cem CIL, 94. Jason KOUTSODONTIS (GK)

Goal: Ofli (87’)

Yellow Cards: Petrevski (43’), Erdogan (62’), Chick (71’)