Triumph and tribulations on the road for United
Gippsland United travelled to the city for a fierce and fiery battle against Malvern City in round 11 of the Men's State League 1.
The senior match ended in heartbreak for United, with a late goal giving Malvern a 2-1 win.
Coming into the weekend, Malvern sat only one point above Gippsland on the ladder.
Malvern started the game with intent down the wings, with top goal scorer Mathul Kuei and former Melbourne Victory man Jai Ingham showing their pedigree and being the main threats early.
United soaked up lots of early pressure and were doing it to perfection until Kuei beat his man and found himself challenged inside the penalty area by Riley Dastey.
Dastey was deemed to have used excessive force by the referee who pointed to the spot, awarding Malvern a penalty.
Star man Ingham took the ball and the responsibility of trying to beat Gippsland number one Aidan Riley. As the ball was struck, Riley dived low to his bottom left and, with an outstretched arm, denied Ingham the opener. The score remained 0-0 in a joyous moment for all involved in the red and black.
Things seemed on the up for United as Riley's save livened up the boys. Speedster Oscar Sheehan saw more of the ball and caused headaches for the defence of Malvern.
Set pieces would be key in the game with the height and presence of league top goal scorer and always dangerous Rory Wagner lurking in the box.
As skipper Nathan Lugton whipped one into the box, Wagner looked to get his head onto a teasing ball and felt hands in his back. He went down and appealed to the referee who obliged, awarding a fourth penalty of the day.
It was Wagner who stepped up and his penalty was unbelievably expertly saved by the Malvern keeper.
With the swing of the game going back and fourth like a see-saw, it would be a question of which team could capitalise first and score the opening goal.
That question was answered when an attack down the Malvern left-hand side, led to a dangerous ball into the box which Gippsland couldn't deal with. The ball found its way into the back of the net in an unfortunate own goal off Bryson Tanti his first goal involvement back from injury, but not the way he would've wanted.
Down but never out, Gippsland came out of the half-time break with a mission to get back into the game.
They did that when defender Myles Luders popped up with a rare goal.
Playing the ball into the path of Wagner, whose attempt at the ball deceived the keeper but didn't actually touch the ball, Luders got his first of the year to top off what was a standout performance from the young fullback.
The game stayed scrappy, with both teams jostling for position. Wing play looked to be the main attacking threat for both sides, with United midfielders Lugton and Ashley Ross playing vital anchoring roles. This allowed Baley Row to venture forwards.
Bryson Tanti, picking himself up from the unfortunate scoring in his own net, looked to make up for the error by gliding through the Malvern defence like a hot knife through butter. However, he was unable to put the final touch and get the ball in the back of the net.
United continued to control the game and created various half chances, but nothing clear cut.
Malvern felt their way back into the game when Ingham whipped a gorgeous ball into the box, finding the head of Max Mcarthur, who slotted home to give Malvern a 2-1 lead and ultimately all three points.
It was heartbreak for United who felt a little unjust leaving Kooyong Reserve without anything to show for it.
Reserves
Having conceded two painful losses to Malvern in the reverse fixture back in round one, United knew a win would help them leapfrog up the table and into the top four.
United started off strong, taking the game to their opposition with young talents Brody Demagistris and Julian Colontuono causing problems with their pace and trickery.
However, it was Malvern who forced the first big chances of the game with a flurry of attacks. They were ultimately unable to beat Gippsland's keeper Cooper Kelly-Williams.
Both teams were knocking on the door feeling they would be first to score but lacking that cutting edge. That was until Gippsland defender Harry Tosch took matters into his own hands, going on a marauding run from the back.
Tosch found himself in the Malvern penalty area where he earned his team a penalty kick after an excessive challenge from the opposition.
Last season's top goal scorer and experienced head Daniel Edey stepped up and coolly slotting away the spot kick to give Gippsland a well-fought lead.
Knowing their capitulation in the previous encounter with Malvern, United were keen to add to their advantage and not give away another lead.
Malvern's failed attempts to build from the back were pounced upon when Julian Colontuono nicked the ball from the Malvern fullback and slotted the ball in the top corner. It went past the keeper who was caught in no man's land, sending United into the half-time break up 2-0 and bossing proceedings.
Malvern came out of the break the more fired up of the two sides, showing they wouldn't go down quietly.
When Malvern's attack broke into the box and was taken down illegally by defender Solomon Nash, the Malvern striker stepped up and slotted past keeper Cooper Kelly-Williams.
Matters got worse when Nash was left in pain from a challenge, suffering a broken arm. Adding insult to injury, Malvern equalised with a tidy finish into the top left corner in the minutes after he left the field.
The referee was showing no signs of sympathy, sending Gippsland striker come makeshift centre back Paul Cooper for an early shower after a high challenge on the Malvern winger.
This saw Gippsland down to 10 men and the momentum against the side. United knew there would be a mountain to climb to walk away with the points.
Up stepped new signing and super sub Cooper Coleman. He rose like a gazelle and got his head onto captain Cooper Farr's pinpoint cross to beat the Malvern keeper and give Gippsland a heroic 3-2 win in more than tough conditions.
Gippsland United will need to switch back on quickly from the highs and lows of the Malvern trip when they return home to Baxter Park in Warragul next Saturday to take on the Eltham Redbacks.
The senior game starts at 3pm, following the reserves kicking off at 12.45pm.