Players see red in bruising and thrilling but controversial finale
ONE of the most dramatic and tense games of the football season was controversial, with two veteran leaders sent to the sin bin, two players shown red cards and question marks around the goal which forced extra time.
A non-call for a foul in the box on Edge Hill United striker Crios O’Hare would’ve handed the player-coach a chance to put his team ahead with a penalty.
Instead, it was play on, and after considerable back-andforth, O’Hare was eventually sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes at the 57-minute mark.
His troops held on to their 1-0 advantage, and even threatened to extend their lead, while O’Hare was off the field.
MA Olympic’s Kai Mittereger landed an 89th minute header to lock up the score and force extra time, but there was an argument from Edge Hill Utd’s players that goalkeeper Kev Ward was fouled in the lead-up.
“A bit of bias here, but I thought it was a foul on big Kevvie, but that’s football and you have to deal with what’s thrown at us,” captain Josh De Nittis said. “We dealt with it.”
The challenge of the No.7s was one to behold, with Edge Hill United’s Ryan Murray and MA Olympic’s Cade Colquhoun engaged in a thrilling battle throughout the night.
It came to a head in extra time when Colquhoun lashed out, taking the Englishman’s legs out from behind and copping a straight red card to leave his team short in extra time.
“I got a bit of a mouthful from a few of the fans, but that spurs me on,” Murray said. “If people want to say stuff, it spurs me on.
“I had a great battle with him, he’s a great player, but he’s lashed out. It wasn’t that bad, but he didn’t need to do it. It’s unfortunate the decision, I was enjoying my battle with him.”
MA Olympic was not helped when veteran Robin Edwards was sin binned for dissent at the same time, leaving his side two players short in the extra period and with no way back.
When Edwards returned, it was 3-1 and his team had run out of gas.
Edge Hill Utd midfielder Oscar Rodriguez Zeballos also saw red in the extra period.