By Bill Kyriakopoulos
GREEN Gully downed Heidelberg United in a nine-goal thriller on Sunday as the Cavaliers put a mediocre season behind them in one of the most entertaining games of the year.
Gully came from behind three times to record an inspired victory, featuring a well-taken hat-trick from Joel Nikolic.
Both teams launched into attack at the offset with Nikolic smashing a header against the crossbar after four minutes before a Nick Sabljak cross was put away by Heidelberg’s Daniel Jones for a 1-0 lead.
Nikolic’s first, a header, came after 14 minutes and only moments later Brandon Vassallo volleyed home to put Gully 2-1 up.
There was a flood of goals in the last 10 minutes of the half when Heidelberg earned and then scored a penalty through captain Eric Vassiliadis and then quickly took the lead through a diving header from Tony Ouliaris.
Two minutes later, well into stoppage time, it was 3-3 through another Nikolic goal.
It was more of the same in the second half with the two goals coming in the first 15 minutes. The Bergers struck first with Sebastian Petrovic in the 57th minute.
On the hour Nikolic completed his hat-trick to set up a grandstand finish.
With about 10 minutes remaining Nikolic was surprisingly substituted, but this proved to be a masterstroke from coach Andrew Marth as Nikolic’s replacement, Matthew Sanders, fired home with his first touch of the ball after a corner kick to put the score at 5-4.
Heidelberg bravely tried to equalise in the final moments of the game with substitute Joe Tricarico going close after being put through. He also had a good claim for a penalty turned down in stoppage time.
It was the Cavaliers’ sixth straight win over Heidelberg, including last season’s Premier League grand final.
Despite the victory, Green Gully remains in second-last place on the Vodafone Cup ladder and faces a tricky trip to Epping Stadium to meet Fawkner-Whittlesea on Monday night.
