Nine other clubs had tried and failed miserably to conquer fortress Jack. Then came Hume City.
A backs-to-the-wall City became the first team this season to extract three points from Oakleigh Cannons at the intimidating Jack Edwards Reserve in the National Premier League on Friday night.
All factors considered, this 2-1 victory was one of the shocks of the season.
The Cannons’ home record was close to impeccable with eight wins and a draw leading into the game and with an imposing 31 goals scored and only five conceded.
They had thrashed Green Gully 5-1 away a round earlier and remain the only side to beat runaway ladder leader South Melbourne.
And is if the Cannons weren’t enough of a hindrance, injuries, suspensions and overseas absentees were supposed to leave the cupboard too bare for City to compete. But someone forgot to tell the reinforcements.
City powered to one of its best wins in coach Louie Acevski’s tenure at the club.
“Considering we have eight or nine first-team starters out at the moment – either suspended, injured or overseas – to give these young boys a go, it was definitely one of the biggest wins for us this year,” Acevski told Star Weekly.
“It was a collective effort.
“There wasn’t one boy who really stood out and there wasn’t one who was ordinary on the day, either.”
City never went to Oakleigh with the intention of parking the bus in front of the home team’s goal.
It got on the front foot early and made some minor incisions in the first half to plant seeds of doubt in the Cannons’ defence.
Belief grew that not only could City snare a point but perhaps take all three, when Chris Cristaldo’s misdirected cross in the 68th minute somehow found its way into the back of the Oakleigh net for an unlikely lead.
“We told the boys that if we go there with the right frame of mind, meaning if we keep our shape and keep our structure we could definitely hurt them if we get the opportunity,” Acevski said.
City needed an insurance goal and it got it through Anthony Proia two minutes from time.
Proia pounced on a defensive error to make it 2-0, a critical goal with what was to transpire in the dying minutes.
Oakleigh pulled a goal back just a minute later through Dusan Bosnjak and an edge-of- your-seat stoppage time followed.
But City held on for a memorable win.
“There were a couple of nervous minutes as expected, but the boys held their own,” Acevski said.
“We basically controlled the second half and looked a lot more dangerous than the opposition going forward.
“I thought it was a very well-deserved win for the boys.”
City faces another stern test on the road against Heidelberg United at 5pm on Sunday.
