Though they share a similar title, there’s a stark difference between Wembley Stadium and Wembley Park ― just ask the Goulburn Valley Suns after their 1-1 draw away to Box Hill United.
The former is football’s Mecca, and the latter is a ground the Suns have struggled with taking maximum points from in recent years as Saturday’s conditions made it difficult for the Orangemen to play their signature brand of the game.
With chances few and far between, the Suns were forced to share the points after Russell Currie’s headed effort was cancelled out by a Box Hill reply minutes later.
Suns coach Craig Carley had hopes of three points approaching the clash, but admitted it was a case of one point gained rather than two points dropped when taking the pitch into effect.
“It was probably a fair result; it was quite a difficult pitch to play on to be honest,” he said.
“The grass was pretty long and it was quite soft under foot, and I think on a different playing surface we certainly would have got the win.
“Before the game I’d have said those are certainly the games we need to be winning ― teams like Box Hill ― but the conditions played a major factor and they certainly suited them more than they suited us.”
Heading into their second away trip of the season, what would be colloquially described as a ‘green monster’ in cricketing terms awaited the Suns.
Thick grass made it tough to play champagne football on the deck and, though Carley’s men had it uncorked at times, it was an aerial effort to break the deadlock 24 minutes into the contest.
Adam Gatcum’s elegant free kick whipped in from the right hand side was met by the head of Currie, who arched the neck muscles to pelt the ball off the cross bar and in for his seventh goal in six games.
The lead would last three minutes, as a searching ball from Box Hill’s full back looped over the Suns’ defence, with striker Nikita Varelas making it to the ball before the Suns’ keeper and prodding it home.
Chances came and went in the second half, but the Suns couldn’t convert and rounded out the 90 minutes on level pegging.
Carley said the draw meant his side couldn’t afford any complacency with a tough run of fixtures looming.
“It wasn’t a game of many opportunities; Russell (Currie) had a one-on-one early in the game and then we had two really good opportunities in the second half,” he said.
“Harun (Aktas) had a header and Elijah (Brooker) had a one-on-one, so you put one of those away and all of a sudden it’s a lot different ― in saying that, a lot of other results went our way and we’ve climbed to fourth.
“We’ve got a massive run of games coming up now; five really difficult games that we really need to pick up points in.
“I think if we can, it will stand us in good stead heading into the second half of the season.”
– The Suns’ next Australia Cup opponent has also been announced, with the side set to face State League Two outfit Lalor United on May 2 at BT Connor Reserve.
Lalor currently sits eighth in its division, two steps below the Suns on the Victorian football pyramid.