The Kingborough Lions and Riverside Olympic were forced to settle for a point apiece as they played out a pulsating 3-3 draw at Lightwood Park on Saturday afternoon. Riverside looked as if they had done enough to pinch the see-sawing contest when Nil Sanz fired in his second goal of the game to restore his side's lead on 84 minutes, before Adam Mckeown salvaged a point for a 10 man Kingborough Lions side just two minutes later with his back post header.
As they did a week prior, the Kingborough Lions made a positive start and took the lead early on. A quick counter attack down the right wing from Davis Bryan saw him putting one on a platter for Jack Gates who was left unmarked in the middle to tap home a simple goal.
Ceding such a simple goal would have been maddening for coach Alex Gaetaini, but he would've been happy with the response his side showed as their Spainard soon conjured up a moment of pure magic.
In a game featuring arguably the league's best dead ball specialist in Chris Downes, Nil Sanz showed his own set piece prowess as he bent in a stunning free kick from 25 yards that left the keeper stranded and leveled the game up at 1-1.
Another set piece just minutes later then handed Riverside the lead, as youngsters Fletcher Fulton and Liam Gilmore combined. Gilmore's curling free kick to the back post found the head of Fulton and the second gamer found the back of the net with a well placed finish.
Olympic then felt they should've had a penalty for a handball in the box in the lead up to half time, but their appeals were waved away and it remained 2-1 at the break.
Not to be outdone in the set piece stakes, Chris Downes then stepped up and made it 2 goals in 2 weeks as he punched a low flat one through a sea of bodies and into the back of the net on 55 minutes to square the game back up at 2-2.
Both sides then traded chances as they pushed for the go ahead goal, but it was advantage Riverside in that endeavour when Davis Bryan was shown a second yellow card for his late and somewhat reckless challenge.
It gave Riverside the opening and they took full advantage too, as a lightning fast counter attack saw substitute Jhostan Padron cleverly cut the ball back for Nil Sanz who was arriving in the box and he made no mistake finding the back of the net to hand his side what at that stage looked like the match winning goal.
Alas there was one final twist left in the tale, as the 10 man Lions proved undeterred by going behind for a second time, quickly responding.
An attack down the right wing saw Phil Kantzos work in a looping cross to the back post. Despite the presence of Jarrod Hill and two Riverside defenders, the veteran Adam Mckeown somehow managed to get on the end of it, judging the flight better and sneaking a header in at the back stick to secure a share of the spoils for his side.
That was how it ended, finishing 3-3 in an absolute cracker of a game that will be hard to be topped this year in terms of sheer entertainment value.
Next week the Lions head over to Wentworth Park to take on the Clarence Zebras, whilst Riverside will prepare for the Derby against Launceston City.
https://youtu.be/EbdUlMb_4eQ
Both sides then traded chances as they pushed for the go ahead goal, but it was advantage Riverside in that endeavour when Davis Bryan was shown a second yellow card for his late and somewhat reckless challenge.
It gave Riverside the opening and they took full advantage too, as a lightning fast counter attack saw substitute Jhostan Padron cleverly cut the ball back for Nil Sanz who was arriving in the box and he made no mistake finding the back of the net to hand his side what at that stage looked like the match winning goal.
Alas there was one final twist left in the tale, as the 10 man Lions proved undeterred by going behind for a second time, quickly responding.
An attack down the right wing saw Phil Kantzos work in a looping cross to the back post. Despite the presence of Jarrod Hill and two Riverside defenders, the veteran Adam Mckeown somehow managed to get on the end of it, judging the flight better and sneaking a header in at the back stick to secure a share of the spoils for his side.
That was how it ended, finishing 3-3 in an absolute cracker of a game that will be hard to be topped this year in terms of sheer entertainment value.
Next week the Lions head over to Wentworth Park to take on the Clarence Zebras, whilst Riverside will prepare for the Derby against Launceston City.
https://youtu.be/EbdUlMb_4eQ