Gully Fall to Ruthless Heidelberg in Round 9 Defeat
Green Gully’s unbeaten run came to a harsh halt on Friday night, as a clinical Heidelberg United side claimed a 4-1 win under the lights at Olympic Village.
The Cavaliers went toe-to-toe with the in-form Warriors for much of the contest, but key moments and second-half sharpness from the hosts proved the difference.
It was a nightmare start for Gully, who found themselves behind just four minutes in. A foul on Asahi Yokokawa just outside the area gave Heidelberg a dangerous free-kick, which was drilled low by Yokokawa and spilled by Liam Driscoll. Jamal Ali, ever alert, pounced on the rebound to make it 1-0.
Gully, to their credit, responded immediately. Just three minutes later, Kasper Hallam levelled the scores after Heidelberg keeper Yaren Sozer failed to hold onto a stinging effort. Hallam was first to react, finishing coolly to make it 1-1 and continue his recent purple patch in front of goal.
The remainder of the first half was a tense affair, with both sides trading half-chances. Driscoll’s stray pass in the 23rd minute nearly gifted Heidelberg a goal, while Gully had their own big opportunity just before the break, as a sweeping move saw a shot flash narrowly wide of the far post. At half-time, the scores remained locked.
But the second half belonged to the home side. In the 51st minute, Sebit James Ngor gave Heidelberg the lead once again, finishing sharply at the near post after a low cross from the right.
Just after the hour, a deflected effort from Anthony Lesiotis following a short corner beat everyone to extend the advantage to 3-1.
The Cavaliers tried to mount a response, with Gianluca Iannucci and Jalil Regague both going close. But Heidelberg struck the final blow from the penalty spot, as Yokokawa was brought down in the box and Peter Klaassen made no mistake from 12 yards.
While the result was a disappointing one, there were still moments of promise for Gully. Hallam’s continued scoring form, the glimpses of attacking intent, and the resilience to stay in the contest despite the scoreline all offer positives.
Green Gully will now look to regroup and bounce back in Round 10, as they aim to rediscover the momentum they had started to build prior to Friday night’s defeat.
