Men’s Match Report: Essendon Royals triumph in Doveton
In a fierce battle for their first victory of the season, the Essendon Royals displayed remarkable resilience to edge out Doveton in a nail-biting 2-1 finish at Waratah Reserve. Graham Kelly scored the dramatic winner, after Theofanis Tzelepis had put the Royals 1-0 up.
The win ensured the Royals left Waratah Reserve with all six points on offer, with the Under-23s winning the earlier kick-off 3-2.
The match, earmarked for its intensity, lived up to expectations with the Royals showcasing their character, especially after their hard-fought 1-1 draw in the scorching Shepparton heat against Goulburn Valley Suns. Without the suspended Jordan Adeyemi, the Royals were in need of heroes to step up—and step up they did.
Doveton were the quicker side out the blocks, putting the Royals defence under immediate pressure, but they were well marshalled by the central defensive unit of Phil Riccobene and Yusuke Nishiyama. Will Thomason and Brad Norton were once again solid defensively in the full-back positions.
Davey Van’t Schip made his first start of the season and was the first to hit the target for the Royals. The forward was flanked ably by Tzelepis and teenager Julian Guzzardi, the latter of which would set up the former for a good headed chance in the 26th minute, however, Tzelepis couldn’t get his header on target.
The first stanza finished with the scores locked at 0-0 with the Royals seeking improvement in the second half.
The improvement was instant after kick-off and Kelly had a golden chance to make it 1-0 when he found himself racing through one-on-one with Thomas Avdoulas in the Doveton goal. The keeper won the duel, rushing off his line and coming up with a good save to deny Kelly the opener.
The Royals would not be denied a second time, though, with Tzelepis scoring his first goal in Royals red, driving home into the far bottom corner from the right side of the box, following some wonderful individual play from Kelly, before a smart one-two with young midfielder Ethan Georgopoulos opened up the space for Kelly to slip the winger in.
The twist and turns of the game saw Doveton equalize late on via Jason Quinian, but in a remarkable show of footballing drama, Kelly cut in from the left to strike a decisive blow that ricocheted off the post and into Doveton’s net for what proved to be the winner.
Royals goalkeeper Andre Russo was on hand to make a number of crucial saves in the dying stages, ensuring every player on the park played a crucial role in securing the points.
As the final whistle signaled a hard-earned victory for the Royals, there was a collective sigh of relief coupled with elation. This triumph wasn’t just about the points secured; it was a testament to the team’s unyielding spirit.
In the earlier kickoff, the Under-23s picked up an important 3-2 win – also their first of the season.
Jakob Haskel, Mas Fischera and Marcus Kotronis scored the all-important goals.
Both sides now prepare for Round 3 where Box Hill United awaits on Friday night.