By Lance Jenkinson
St Albans Saints coach Kruni Razov was asking the referees “where did the mystery two minutes of stoppage time come from?”
The Saints were leading Werribee City by a goal in a tightly contested National Premier League 2 west game at Galvin Park on Saturday when the assistant referee put four minutes up on the board for second half stoppage time.
Play went for an extra two minutes on top of the allotted four and it allowed Werribee City to find an equalising goal to make it a 1-1 game.
Razov conceded the top-of-the-ladder game deserved to be a draw, but he felt his side was hard done by with the extra two minutes added.
“It was a fair result,” Razov said.
“It’s just a little bit heart wrenching when you score in the 89th minute and you concede in the 96th.
“When four minutes comes up on the board, it’s supposed to be four minutes.
“Someone went down for about 20 or 30 seconds in that extra time, so even with the extra 30 seconds, it shouldn’t have gone close to 96 minutes.
“It’s a lottery, but what can you do?”
With both sides sharing the spoils, there is no change at the top of the table. Werribee City is in first place on goal difference.
Razov was content to return home with a point in the bag.
“I wouldn’t say it was a dull affair, but no one wanted to give anyone a bit of leeway,” he said.
“We both tried to play, we both had real good chances, so, in the end, a point, we’ll take it.”
The St Albans players were not as calm about the result as Razov.
Razov said they were “a little bit annoyed with themselves”.
PHOTO GALLERY: St Albans vs Werribee City
Adam Hodor, who put the Saints ahead late in regulation time with a superb left-foot strike from outside the box, took the draw the hardest.
His own brother Shaun, who plays for Werribee City, cancelled out his goal and rescued a point for the home side with a similarly impressive strike.
“Adam just kept saying ‘my brother hasn’t scored a goal in three years’,” Razov said.
“He wasn’t happy about it.”
St Albans is the top-ranked attacking team in the competition with 24 goals after nine rounds, but the defence earned them a point at Werribee City.
The Saints backs of Jordan Wilkes, Anthony Katiforis, Ben Shaper and David Simms were rock solid most of the game.
Razov praised the work of Saints goalkeeper Rob Santilli, along with Werribee City custodian Christian Rossi at the other end.
“They pulled off two or three really good saves each and kept their sides in the game,” Razov said.
St Albans will face an enormous task in the fourth round of the FFA Cup when they face top-tier NPL side Port Melbourne Sharks on J.L. Murphy Reserve on Saturday night.
In the NPL, Melbourne Knights shone brightest under the Friday night lights with a come-from-behind 3-1 win over Pascoe Vale at C.B. Smith Reserve.
The Knights trailed for 58 minutes after Nicholas Georgopoulos put the Vales in front, but found three goals in 22 minutes through Hamish Watson, Atilla Ofli and Gian Albano.
The Knights are back in action on Wednesday, taking on Mooroolbark in the FFA Cup at Knights Stadium.
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