The Goulburn Valley Suns have picked up their first point since round one of the NPL2 season on Saturday, grinding out a vital 1-1 away draw with Brunswick City at Dunstan Reserve.
After a minor coaching reshuffle last week, Craig Carley returned to the Suns’ dugout this weekend to steer the side to a hard-fought draw.
“It’s a very good result. We definitely played better than we have done in previous weeks,” Carley said of the performance.
“We were well in the contest for the majority of the game and I think we were unlucky not to win it late.”
City captain Darby Dexter opened the scoring in the 31st minute from a set piece, curling the ball past the fingertips of keeper Lucas Enders.
It was a lead it maintained for much of the game, the Suns keeping the hosts at bay, but failing to even proceedings heading into the break.
Visa import Shogo Osawa stepped up in the 67th minute to draw his side level, opening his account after a goalless start to the season for the Suns’ striker.
The Suns’ brainstrust threw the kitchen sink at it with a number of late changes, but a stalemate would be the final result, with both sides sharing the points.
The draw keeps both struggling sides confined to the bottom two placings on the NPL2 ladder.
Carley was more than happy to take a point from the trip to Brunswick given the context of the season.
“It’s never easy going to Brunswick, the pitch was a bit heavy, so it’s a really good point for us at the end of the day,” he said.
“The next few games coming up will be really important for us, as a club we’ve had to sort out a few things, but we’re heading in the right direction.”