Mindil Aces overturn a three-goal deficit to beat Hellenic in Norzone Men’s Premier League

MINDIL Aces staged an extraordinary comeback to beat Hellenic in a seven-goal Men’s Premier League thriller

Imogene Briston gets a defensive header away for the NT Yappas. Picture: LOU REEVE

MINDIL Aces staged an extraordinary comeback to beat Hellenic in a seven-goal Men’s Premier League thriller at Darwin Football Stadium on Friday night.

The Aces were three goals down after 13 minutes before scoring the next four, including Thiago Araujo’s 78th-minute long-range winner, to win the delayed second-round fixture 4-3.

Hellenic opened the game in a blaze of scoring, Munyaradzi Ruparanganda’s fourth-minute strike opening the door for two more from Dan Bulman and Warren Barry.

But the Aces, beaten grand finalists last season, scored through Charles Eriku after 28 minutes to give them a glimmer of hope.

Three second-half goals by Tayvian Ludvigsen, Taiki Kudo and Araujo completed the turnaround.

Mindil coach Daniel McCormick was always confident his players could turn the game around despite Hellenic’s early goal blitz.

“We’ve been doing simulated come-from-behind play in the pre-season and fortunately it helped us out this time,’’ he said.

“Thiago’s winner was from the top shelf.”

In the women’s league, reigning champions Hellenic beat a brave NT Yappas side 4-1 on the back of a Rhiarna Myatt hat-trick.

Hellenic’s coach Georgia Hajdic was full of praise for Myatt, who she described as a passionate, hardworking player.

“They (Yappas) made us work, we got a little bit complacent after scoring the first goal and they took advantage,” Hajdic said.

“I told the girls at halftime to keep our defence tight and put them on the back foot by pressuring them and the goals came.’’