National Premier League side Queanbeyan City came from a goal down twice to prevail in an epic Hahn Australia Cup clash against CPL side Belconnen United, winning 3-2 to move on Round Five of qualifying.

It was the underdogs that took the lead just under half-an-hour into the match, working their way up the right flank. With the initial shot parried away by Queanbeyan ‘keeper Nick Middleton, Jake Bishop ghosted in unmarked at the back post to hammer the ball home and give the Blue Devils the lead.

Queanbeyan went searching for a quick response, with chances of their own but were unable to find an equaliser in the first half I which the Blue Devils defended well, denying Nico Abot space in which to work.

An hour into the encounter and Queanbeyan had found their equaliser. A long ball from Marko Savkovic found Abot at the back post, with the Argentinian heading back across goal for Johnny Hajdu to tap home from close in.

With the game looking like it would need an extra thirty minutes to separate the sides, three goals in the last seven minutes of play set up a grandstand finish.

It was the CPL side that struck first. Getting on the end of a perfectly weighted through ball, Kye Smith charged towards goal, slotting the ball home to give Belconnen the lead and seemingly a place in the Quarter Final draw.

Queanbeyan’s response was instant, as substitute Sanuel Aba gave his side a fighting chance with five minutes left on the clock. Thomas Blazevski pounced on a loose ball, working his way through to get a shot off, with the rebounded save falling to Aba for the equaliser.

With only two minutes left of the regulation ninety minutes, up stepped Blazevski to find the winner. With the ball out wide, Blazevski lobbed the ‘keeper from range with a stunning strike, simultaneously breaking Blue Devils’ hearts and sending Queanbeyan into the next round

RESULT

AUSTRALIA CUP QUALIFYING ROUND 4

Belconnen United 2 (Bishop 27’, Smith 83’) Queanbeyan City 3 (Hajdu 59’, Aba 84’, Blazevski 88’)