Late Magic Leaves Gully Broken-Hearted
Football can thrill, delight, and occasionally break hearts. For Green Gully, Friday night at Green Gully Reserve had a cruel twist, as Altona Magic snatched a 3-2 victory deep into stoppage time, leaving the home crowd stunned into silence.
The Cavaliers came out flying, taking the early advantage through a chaotic goalmouth scramble. An inswinging corner from the ever-dangerous Aamir Abdallah sparked confusion, allowing Ryan Inman to poke home and ignite the Gully faithful after just 11 minutes.
Magic refused to wilt, though, and hit back midway through the first half when Owen Sheppard reacted quickest amidst another penalty-area frenzy, restoring parity at 1-1.
Gully’s response was swift. Just six minutes later, a darting run down the right flank from Scott Lochhead set up a picture-perfect cross for Josh Hope, who calmly tapped in at the back post to restore the Cavaliers’ lead.
However, momentum swung dramatically before halftime. A defensive error left goalkeeper Brandon Cuminao exposed, and in a desperate rush from his area, he felled the Magic attacker and saw red – reducing Gully to ten and shifting the balance of the game.
Altona wasted little time capitalising after the break. A precise cross from Hiyori Kawaguchi found its way to Anthony Frangie at the back post, who levelled proceedings at 2-2, setting up a nerve-wracking finale.
Both sides had opportunities as the clock ticked down, with Abdallah drawing a brilliant double save from substitute keeper Christian Rossi, leaving Gully fans wondering if it just wasn’t their night.
Then, deep into the seventh minute of added time, came the decisive blow. After a desperate scramble in the box – with Matthew Crooks heroically clearing off the line once – it was Alexander Gust who ultimately bundled the ball home with the game’s last kick, snatching all three points for Magic and leaving Green Gully shattered.
A night that began with promise and early celebration ended in cruel disappointment.
For Gully, now eighth on the ladder, the loss stings – both in the manner of defeat and the missed opportunity to move closer to finals contention.
