The Red Devils now find themselves only three points from the competition’s summit. After downing West Torrens Birkalla in the 90th minute the previous week, Alex Mullen popped up in the 86th minute at Karinya Reserve to coolly convert a Marco Marino cross, the midfielder’s shot possessing too much venom for James Klappers to keep out. The second half was a completely different story, the Red Devils ensuring the Lions could not place a shot on target throughout the second stanza of the game.ĭespite its defensive excellence, Campbelltown was finding it hard to breach Sturt’s net, before a familiar hero popped up at a familiar time. Tension seemed to be a league-wide theme in Round 17, and a tense first half saw the visitors start the better side before the hosts found some confidence, despite the fact they could not substantially trouble Alex Woodlands in the Campbelltown goals. Mullen Late AgainĪfter being on separate sides of late drama in Round 16, the Lions squandering a a two goal lead while Campbelltown recorded a late win, both sides entered Round 17 keen to strengthen their aspirations with three points.
DAMIEN MORI VS SYNDEY INOTED FREE
The indirect free kick was played back to Peter Mercurio whose low and hard shot made it through the sea of players Patrick Caraccia could have made Croydon’s win even sweeter in the dying minutes but blazed over the bar, wasting a numerically advantageous opportunity, but to no eventual harm, his side claiming the points seconds later. The trait continued in Round 17, with the two sides combining for just five shots on target on the day and the match being decided by a moment of madness.Įarly in the second half, Birks ‘keeper Nick Harpas picked up a contested ball that made its way back to him, but the referee adjudicated it as a pass back. Birks’ chase for points became even more urgent on Wednesday night when fellow strugglers Adelaide Olympic picked up a win, meanwhile Travis Dodd’s Croydon is desperate to accumulate enough points to return to finals football.īoth sides share the trait of finding scoring difficult, entering the match having scored 21 and 20 goals this season respectively. Can’t Buy LuckĪfter both West Torrens Birkalla and Croydon FC saw their respective games turn upside down for the worse in Round 16, the sides returned to their shared home ground of Jack Smith Park to battle for a valuable three points. The weeks count down and the tension is rising the race to the top is tight once again, while there is now daylight in the relegation battle.