Faulty sprinklers cost Whittlesea Ranges a chance of a come-from-behind, first-up victory over Kingston City in the National Premier League Victoria on Friday night.
The Ranges had fought back from a 3-0 deficit to trail 3-2 and were on the attack when the pitch sprinklers at Epping Stadium came on in the 84th minute.
When they could not be turned off, the match was abandoned and awarded to Kingston.
The result will stand because the 80 per cent of the match required under league rules had been completed.
Whittlesea, a youthful team not short of spark but lacking in composure and experience, was jumped at the start of the game.
Velibor Mitrovic was the first to score for Kingston, getting past the keeper and hitting the back of the net.
Max Etheridge followed up shortly after with the game’s second goal, and on the strike of half-time Gino Defeo made it 3-0.
But the Ranges were primed for the second half and ready to make a game of their opening NPL1 fixture. Matthew Iuliano got the first one shortly after the players returned to the field, and at the 80-minute mark the deficit was cut to just one when Daniel Peluso scored Whittlesea’s second.
And then the drama stepped up another notch.
Kingston City’s George Stavridis was given a red card and the Ranges pushed hard for at least a draw, even perhaps a miraculous victory. But the sprinklers decided the match.
Whittlesea secretary Sergio Costanzo described it as a heartbreaking way to start the season.
“They couldn’t get the sprinklers off with 10 minutes to go. We’d just scored when they went off,” he said.
“I’m heartbroken, absolutely heartbroken. We came out all guns blazing in that second half and we were dominating.
“It’s such a big letdown for the boys, the first NPL season and the inaugural game . . . the players were devastated.
“It was really hard to go into the rooms and tell the boys that it is what it is.
“We’re a young side, and we let our guard down early, but we fought back really well and they’re great signs.”
