Patience, resilience, and ruthlessness are all superlatives which could be slapped across Goulburn Valley Suns’ 2-1 away win over Boroondara-Carey Eagles on Saturday.
Playing on a tricky and cramped Wilcox Field complex, the Suns expressed a level of fortitude which allowed them to break out of the Eagles’ trap and storm to third on the National Premier League Three ladder courtesy of a strong second half.
Jamie England and Brandon Giaccherini hit the back of the net for the visitors, while a late penalty was but a consolation for Boroondara.
The win was the Suns’ second on the road, leaving coach Craig Carley largely impressed with the nature of victory.
“It was a tough place to go; it was probably the smallest pitch I’ve ever seen played on both width and length-wise,” he said.
“They really did compact that central area, but the boys were phenomenal and ground out that result, and it’s just a compliment to them, the culture and the environment that’s currently being put in place.
“They are absolute flying at the moment.”
Stacked against a seventh-ranked Eagles, the Suns started brightly, but lost hard-running midfielder Harun Aktas 14 minutes in due to injury as he was replaced by green talent Cailyn Trask.
The teams traded blows throughout the first half, but the score remained at a stalemate going into the break, though it wouldn’t take long after the restart for the Suns to grab a lead.
A one-two between Trask and Matt Lelliott found Adam Gatcum in space out wide, and when his cross wasn’t cleared, Trask squared to England who fired home from outside the box in the 49th minute.
While the veteran’s goal was nothing to be sneezed at, he’d soon be outdone by his teammate in a big way.
Defender Tutu Taya encroached into Boroondara’s half and played the ball out to Giaccherini on the right, who dribbled it 25 yards, cut inside and unleashed a sledgehammer which pinged in off the far post for 2-0.
Yuma Hiroki converted from the spot for the host in the 91st minute, but the Suns’ patience, resilience, and ruthlessness was key in seeing out the game for a massive three points.
“The way the boys have performed this year, they’re a special group of players and they know how to win games now which is something that we lost in last year ― grinding out results when games aren’t pretty,” Carley said.
“We knew what Boroondara were going to try and do to us, and the boys stood up when they needed to stand up.
“We made a couple of changes on the weekend as well and it just shows the strength and depth that we’ve got in the squad too at the moment, we can rely on absolutely anyone to come in and do a job which is fantastic.”