Oakleigh Cannons into Australia Cup quarter-final, Heidelberg United penalty pain
Oakleigh Cannons are through to the Australia Cup quarter-finals, while Heidelberg United tasted penalty shootout pain for the second time this week.
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The Home of the Matildas crossbar entered Oakleigh Cannons folklore on Wednesday night.
Twice it rang to the sound of a missed penalty to doom Heidelberg United and send the Cannons through to the Australia Cup quarter-finals for the second time in three years.
The penalty gods do not favour the Warriors as their season ended with a second shootout loss in the space of six days.
The Cannons, meanwhile, kept their composure from the spot and Noah Holmes sent the fans home happy with the winning kick.
The two NPL Victoria powers could not be separated after 120 minutes, locked 1-1 after a dramatic finish that saw Heidelberg, ironically, score an 87th minute equaliser from a penalty.
In the shootout, Alex Salmon gave Oakleigh the perfect start but Bergers centre-back Ben Collins smashed his shot into the crossbar.
Cam McGilp, Ajdin Fetahagic and Oliver Kubilay all converted before Josh Pin, the man who took down Central Coast Mariners, found the crossbar again leaving Holmes to finish the job.
Cannons coach Chris Taylor said it was a welcome reversal of fortune after losing the Dockerty Cup final on the same piece of grass.
“It’s great for the club, very pleased,” Taylor said.
“It’s a hard way (to win) and tough on Heidelberg to go out on penalties but we’ve experienced that this year with the Dockerty Cup final.
“It is a lottery, it’s just the way it goes, the boys who wanted to take (a kick) we told them to be confident in what you’re doing.”
Heidelberg had an early opportunity in the 11th minute but Jacob Tratt blocked an almost certain Josh Pin goal.
Oakleigh might have thought the penalty gods weren’t on their side when Joe Guest, shockingly, pulled his kick wide in the 39th minute.
Mo Aidara was adjudged to have handballed as he slid in to block a cross with the ball touching his trailing arm.
Jordan Hall finally opened the scoring in the 55th minute, johnny on the spot to punch in a rebound as Heidelberg failed to clear its lines.
Entering the final 10 minutes, Heidelberg laid siege to Nick Feely’s goal.
Kubilay cleared a goalbound ball off the line in the 80th minute but the Warriors were level not long after.
McGilp was whistled for handball challenging Pin and Sean Ellis, ironically from the penalty spot, stepped up to equalise in the 87th minute.
Stef Valentine had a late chance but headed over and Pin had a gilt-edged chance in the 93rd minute, miscuing his diving header from point-blank range.
Taylor was disappointed his side let Heidelberg back in late but was just pleased to progress.
“I felt we were a bit negative in the last 10 minutes, probably holding onto the lead rather than attacking,” he said.
“When we had the ball and went forward I thought we looked comfortable for most of the game.
“Noah (Holmes) was at Western United, he played in their NPL team.
“He’s had a bad run of injuries this year but he’s one for the future definitely.
“He’s a young lad we’ve been really happy with, so it’s great for him.”
Oakleigh will now turn it’s attention to a NPL semi-final against Avondale at Avengers Park on Saturday.
It will tackle A-League club Macarthur in the quarter-finals, the second top-flight opponent this year after already knocking Sydney FC out in the Round of 32.
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Taylor said it would be tough but was a position the club had thrived in previously.
“It’s tough this time of the year, we’re playing three games in a week,” he said.
“We obviously didn’t want it to go to extra-time but we’ll go in with confidence, it’s great for the players and club.
“We did it a couple of years ago and we won the grand final so there’s no reason we can’t do the same this year.”
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