Kick-Off

The Green Gully Cavaliers have advanced to the 2010 Alanic VPL Grand Final to be played at Melbourne's new AAMI Park Stadium on Saturday September 11, 2010, 7pm.

With second half goals from Stevie Burton and Jason Hayne, Gully were able to overturn a one-nil deficit, after Richmond had scored via Michael Ferrante freekick.

In the first half, both teams played a very defensive game, and as a result, neither side had too many goalscoring chances to speak of. Matthew Sanders was called offside, after being put through by Brent Fisher, and Michael Ferrante fired a loose ball wide of the Gully goal, both events happening around the midway point of the half.

Hard-working Matthew Sanders

The match came to life in the second half. Richmond were increasing their chances of scoring with every set piece they were awarded just outside the Gully penalty area. Eventually Ferrante capitalised as what appeared to be a Gully mix-up, in putting a player on one of the posts, allowed the Richmond players to crowd the penalty area, and then Gully goalkeeper Nikola Roganovic had trouble seeing the ball in the crowd. Richmond 1-0.

The opening goal seemed to spur Green Gully into shape. Graham Hockless began firing in midfield along side Jeffrey Fleming and Jason Hayne. From a corner kick, Stevie Burton got a decisive header onto a goalmouth scramble to restore parity, before Jason Hayne tapped in from a second goalmouth scramble. Gully hung on for the final 20 minutes to return to their first VPL Grand Final since 2005.

After the match coach Paul Harris paid tribute to Technical Director Ian Dobson. "After 10 rounds, we were in turmoil, Dobbo came on board and set up a team structure and discipline to set us straight."

Fulltime

Richmond Eagles:
S.Gal, A.Viola, E.Karahan, D.Tsiaras, D.Visevic, M.Ferrante, A.Kovacic, M.Catalano, M.Milardovic, S.Topalovic.

Green Gully:
N.Roganovic, D.Jones, S.Burton, J.Fleming, J.Hayne(R.Ollerton), G.Hockless, M.Sanders(N.Robinson), M.Medjedovic, A.Vargas, B.Fisher, C.Drake.

Richmond 1: Michael Ferrante 55'min
Green Gully 2: Stevie Burton 60'min, Jason Hayne '65min

Photos By: Dianna Vella

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