A last-gasp winner from O’Connor Knights defender James Driscoll secured a massive three points for the League Champions, who ended the match with ten-men, and settled a five-goal thriller in their favour against Tigers FC on a cool winter’s evening at the Australian Institute of Sport.
Driscoll struck in the fifth minute of time added on, cutting inside and placing a firm finish across the face of Jakob Cole and into the far former of the net to send the depleted Knights, and their supporters, into delirium.
O’Connor found themselves in that situation, having to take the lead for the third time in the contest in the rearranged Round 1 National Premier League fixture, after Tigers full-back Michael Southam had levelled matters just sixty seconds earlier, the defender striking from outside the area past stand-in ‘keeper Lachlan Campbell to make it 2-2.
It was Southam’s first ever NPL goal and seemed assured of earning the visitors a share of the spoils in an epic match that appeared to have spun out of Knights control as young Nick Hardiman, playing his first NPL match in the absence of regular custodian Seb Arranz, on trial in the A-League, was sent-off for barrelling into Nikos Kalfas late on.
The decision, whilst correct, was harsh on young Hardiman who had shone on debut particularly when making a superb one-on-one save to deny Tomohiro Ogawa in the first-half, a forty-five-minute frenzy that began with Knights being gifted a third minute advantage.
A sloppy pass from Josh Milicevic was gratefully accepted by Aisosa Ihegie who in turn teed up Patrick O’Rourke to score. The Tigers response was excellent and was prompted by the guile of Milicevic and the approach work of Hristjan Tanoski. The wriggling run of the latter, and fierce cross-shot, was palmed away by Hardiman only for Kalfas to crash a volley through the crowded area and in.
That was it as far as goals were concerned in the first-half, but chances were spurned at both ends, Angus Bailey guilty of a bad miss for the Tigers when volleying wide of goal when wonderfully placed after an expert ghost into the area.
It took Knights until just past the hour to go back in front. Ihegie showing characteristic strength to hold off a challenge in the area, spin and thump home a blinding finish, which set the scene for the remarkable conclusion and a goal from Driscoll that may prove to be as important as his 2023 title-clincher at the same venue.
RESULTS
ROUND 1
Wednesday 10 July
O’Connor Knights 3 (O’Rourke 3’, Ihegie 62’, Driscoll 90+5’) Tigers FC 2 (Kalfas 38’, Southam 90+4’)
TABLE
P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
1 | Gungahlin United* | 13 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 37 | 15 | +22 | 28 |
2 | Canberra Croatia | 13 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 33 | 18 | +15 | 26 |
3 | O’Connor Knights | 13 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 26 | 19 | +7 | 26 |
4 | Tigers FC** | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 31 | 14 | +17 | 24 |
5 | Monaro Panthers | 13 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 21 | 14 | +7 | 21 |
6 | Tuggeranong United | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 21 | 23 | -2 | 18 |
7 | Canberra Olympic | 13 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 20 | 39 | -19 | 6 |
8 | Yoogali SC | 13 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 7 | 53 | -46 | 0 |
TOP SCORERS
15: Lukman AHMED-SHAIBU (Gungahlin United)
8: Atiya WARAGA (Canberra Croatia)
6: Daniel BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Nick PRATEZINA (Canberra Croatia), Roko STRIKA (Monaro Panthers), Own GOALS
5: Augustine BANGURA (Gungahlin United), Luca FLOREZ (Canberra Olympic), Aisosa IHEGIE (O’Connor Knights), Michael KATSOULIS (Gungahlin United), Archie MCGREGOR (Tigers FC)
4: Micheal ADAMS (O’Connor Knights), Ben BASSER-SILK (Monaro Panthers), Jenno CERUTI (Monaro Panthers), Stephen DOMENICI (Canberra Olympic), Nikos KALFAS (Tigers FC), Steve NEALON (Tuggeranong United), Davaadelger OKTYABRI (Tuggeranong United), Jackson PAESLER (O’Connor Knights), Shandon WHITEHEAD (Gungahlin United)
3: Jeremy HABTEMARIAM (Gungahlin United), Alen JAMES (Canberra Olympic/O’Connor Knights), Amilio KISTA (Tigers FC), Niko KRESIC (O’Connor Knights), Tomohiro OGAWA (Tigers FC), Daniel SPARROW (Canberra Croatia), Nik TANESKI (Tigers FC), Keegan VUCETIC (Canberra Croatia), Sam WALKER (Tuggeranong United)
2: Joshua DE ROSSI (Yoogali SC), Nic EMANUEL (Tuggeranong United), Michael JOHN (Canberra Olympic), Tyson LIVERMORE (Monaro Panthers), Joshua MILICEVIC (Tigers FC), Daniel OLAOYE (Gungahlin United), Patrick O’ROURKE (O’Connor Knights), Joshua PEDERSEN (Tuggeranong United), Niko PERINOVIC (O’Connor Knights), Michael PICCOLO (Canberra Croatia), Jordan REZEK (Tuggeranong United), ROMEO (Gungahlin United), Daniel SUBASIC (Canberra Croatia), Harry TRUMAN (Canberra Olympic)
1: Angus BAILEY (Tigers FC), Jack BITANI (Tigers FC), Samson CARR (Tigers FC), Izach CLEMENTS (Canberra Olympic), Elie DARWICH (Canberra Olympic), Adam DE FRANCESCHI (Monaro Panthers), James DRISCOLL (O’Connor Knights), Lachlan FIELDS (O’Connor Knights), Bevan FOXALL (Tuggeranong United), Axel GARBIN (Yoogali SC), Jack GREEN (Gungahlin United), Marley JACKSON (Tigers FC), Thomas JAMES (Canberra Croatia), Christopher JOHN (Yoogali SC), Chirstian KRESKAS (Monaro Panthers), Jack LEVERETT (Tuggeranong United), Santiago LUPINO (Monaro Panthers), Zac MCLAREN (Monaro Panthers), Marko MILUTINOVIC (Tigers FC), Shinzaburo NAKAYAMA (Canberra Olympic), Alessandro PENA (Tigers FC), Euan PETERKIN (Tuggeranong United), Sam ROESTBAKKEN (Canberra Olympic), David SESELJA (Canberra Croatia), Patrick SHORE (Canberra Olympic), Julian SMITH (Gungahlin United), Michael SOUTHAM (Tigers FC), Tony SPASESKI (Canberra Croatia), Luke STEVENS (Tuggeranong United), Antoni TIMOTHOEU (Gungahlin United), Kristian TOKIC (O’Connor Knights), Sam WHITHEAR (Tigers FC), Ryan ZANATTA (Yoogali SC)
*Gungahlin United deducted three points for field an ineligible player in the 3-0 win against Tigers FC
**Tigers FC awarded a 3-0 win, and three points, for Gungahlin United fielding an ineligible player