Lifespan Osteopathy Match Report: Royals go down against Suns in NPL3 clash
The Essendon Royals narrowly fell to the Goulburn Valley Suns 2-1 on Saturday evening at Cross Keys Reserve in a match that had it all – including red cards, hard-fought battles, and a late goal that sealed the deal for the Suns.
The match started with a bang as both teams were reduced to ten men in a controversial turn of events. The Royals’ Graham Kelly and the Suns’ Geordie Lelliot were shown red cards, altering the dynamics of the match right from the outset.
Despite the early setback, the Royals showed resilience and created opportunities. Anthony Ramzy had the first shot on target for the Royals after some good work from Julian Napoletano, while the Suns had their first big chance go wide.
However, it was the Suns who found the back of the net first. Decland Kinnane managed to tap in at the back post to give his side the lead.
The Royals kept pressing, with Ramzy having a great chance saved, and a big penalty shout was waved away by the referee after Clarke was bundled over in the box. Despite their efforts and another solid save from McDowell, the Royals went into halftime down by a goal.
The second half saw an immediate substitution for the Royals, with Ramzy making way for Ferri. The change seemed to invigorate the team, with Ferri narrowly missing a massive chance in the 48th minute.
As the match progressed, the Royals continued to create chances with good work from Clarke and Nobuyuki Usui, but the Suns’ defence stood firm. The Suns then had a goal ruled out for a foul on the keeper in the 67th minute, adding to the match’s drama.
In the 76th minute, GV Suns were further reduced to ten men after their Kinnane was shown a second yellow card for kicking the ball away. Despite being a man up, the Royals struggled to find the equaliser, with Walker just missing the target from a corner and Usui blasting over from a half-volley.
The Suns Russell Currie struck again in the 90th minute, hitting the Royals on the break to double their lead. The Royals managed to pull one back immediately in the 92nd minute,, with Clarke bundling the ball into the back of the net to make it 2-1.
In the dying moments of the match, a scramble in the box almost led to an equalizer for the Royals, but the Suns’ keeper pounced on it, securing the win for the visitors.
In the earlier kick-off the Royals ran out 6-0 winners, in a fantastic showing.