Gully Held in Thrilling Derby Draw
In football, local derbies often deliver drama, goals, and a fair share of tension – and Friday night’s clash between Green Gully and St Albans Saints had all of that in spades. Ultimately, though, both sides had to settle for a 2-2 draw, a result that leaves Gully’s playoff hopes delicately poised with just three games remaining.
From the off, the Cavaliers looked intent on stamping their authority. Within the opening minutes, Aamir Abdallah burst through, narrowly sliding his effort wide – a warning shot for things to come.
Yet, against the run of play, St Albans drew first blood on the ten-minute mark. Joseph Monek collected the ball on the right, jinking past a defender before drilling a precise low strike into the corner to silence the home crowd.
Things went from bad to worse for Gully midway through the half. A series of defensive missteps following a long throw saw the ball kindly fall to Saints captain Joseph Colina, who calmly tucked home from close range to make it 2-0.
Facing adversity, the Cavaliers responded in style right before the break. A deep free-kick was only half-cleared by Saints, and Josh Heaton, stationed on the edge of the area, sent a thumping volley soaring into the top-left corner – a lifeline and contender for goal of the season wrapped into one.
In the second half, Gully pressed forward, eager for an equaliser. Just moments in, Abdallah came close again before eventually levelling proceedings after the hour mark. A swift counterattack released Abdallah, who coolly dispatched his chance, setting off jubilant scenes amongst the Green Gully faithful.
Tempers flared briefly as both sides battled fiercely, with yellow cards punctuating the growing tension. Opportunities came at both ends; Liam Driscoll produced a superb diving save to deny Saints’ Joshua Gulevski, while at the other end, Alec Mills heroically cleared Dor Jok’s goal-bound header off the line.
Despite frantic efforts late on, neither side could muster a winner. The final whistle brought a mix of relief and frustration – a fair reflection perhaps, but one that keeps Gully’s top-six aspirations hanging in the balance with three crucial matches left in the regular season.
