Green Gully’s VPL title defence has taken a hit after going down 2-0 to the Oakleigh Cannons on Sunday. 79413_03 Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT
By ADEM SARICAOGLU
THE Green Gully Cavaliers will face Northcote City this Sunday for a spot in the Victorian Premier League preliminary final after losing 2-0 to the Oakleigh Cannons over the weekend.
Oakleigh went into Sunday’s qualifying final at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex slight favourites having finished the regular season one spot above the Cavaliers, and with two goals either side of halftime booked their place in next weekend’s other semi for a spot in the grand final.
Green Gully came out firing and dominated the first half hour for no reward.
Despite the Cavaliers’ run of play it was Oakleigh’s Rasmus Festersen who opened the scoring in the 32nd minute.
It then took just four minutes into the second half for the Cannons to double their lead when Hayden Doyle’s free kick deflected into the back of the net.
Green Gully fought hard to get back into the match but it was Oakleigh who looked more dangerous up front.
Festersen had the only other significant scoring chance for the rest of the game when his shot sailed wide in the 75th minute, but it mattered little as the Cannons cruised into Friday night’s semi with the Dandenong Thunder.
After the match Green Gully club manager Raymond Mamo told Star his team’s effort was promising despite the disappointing result.
“The intensity was good,” Mamo said.
“Oakleigh are a very good side and I thought that there really wasn’t that much in it, to be honest.
“I thought we really played well, too.”
Mamo said Green Gully’s ball use let them down throughout the match.
“I thought our distribution could’ve been a bit better on the ball,” he said.
“We seemed to have lost possession of the ball on a number of occasions and we had a few turnovers so I think had we not have turned the ball over as often it would have been a closer game.
“It was a close contest but if had have maintained possession of the ball we probably could have had a chance of maybe drawing it at the end of the 90 minutes.”
Injuries have ravaged Green Gully’s line-up throughout the season but they came out of Sunday’s match without incident.
When asked if the club’s confidence had taken a hit, Mamo said the experience of seasons past will hold the Cavaliers in good stead against Northcote City.
“The boys have played a lot of finals football but our only concern is injuries and being able to field 11 players from week to week,” Mamo said.
“The guys that are in there are experienced and they’ve played finals football a number of seasons now, so that’s our only issue.”
Sunday’s match kicks off at 3pm at Green Gully Reserve.
