Truganina coach Sergio Lunedai was encouraged by his team’s valiant performance in a 3-1 local derby loss to Point Cook in the Football Federation Victoria men’s state league 4 west at Saltwater Reserve on Saturday.
The Hornets played with 10 men for the best part of 70 minutes after losing goalkeeper and captain Dylan Tiatto to a straight red card for a last man tackle.
Even with a man down and outfield regular Billy Trotman with the gloves in goal, the Hornets found a way to take a 1-0 lead into half-time and remain competitive for most of the game.
“The boys battled it out,” Lunedai said.
“We closed down the space pretty well and we hit them with counter attacks.
“I couldn’t fault anyone.
“It’s just unfortunate we didn’t have a back-up keeper to sub him in.”
There was no complaints from Truganina about the red card handed to Tiatto.
It was a clear-cut decision for the referee to give Tiatto his marching orders.
“There was a pass through the middle, it went behind the line of the defenders and the keeper came out sliding and hooked up with his foot,” Lunedai said. “He took him down out of the box as the last man.
“It was a clear straight red, so no complaining about that.
“It was a big loss because I didn’t have a spare goalkeeper because the reserves keeper got injured.”
It has been a luckless start to the season for Truganina.
Lunedai is adamant the players are working hard on the training track and in games, but not getting their just rewards.
The Hornets have just two draws from four outings.
“We’re not getting out what we’re putting in,” he said. “We’re playing really well, but we’re not getting points for it.”
Senanu Oforikumah scored Truganina’s only goal, while Point Cook’s goals came through Chris Sutera, Alex Sarris and Paul Tiktikakis.
Truganina will be looking for a breakthrough win against North Melbourne Athletics at Arndell Park on Saturday, while Point Cook will face Golden Plains on the road in a second-versus-fourth battle.
In state league 2, Hoppers Crossing was in cruise control in a 4-0 drubbing of Diamond Valley United at Partingtons Flat. Fabio Albuquerque Junior scored a hat-trick for the Reds with Kwaku Dade rounding out the scoring. The top-of-the-table Reds host Cairnlea at Grange Reserve on Saturday.
In the NPL2, Werribee City sunk to a 3-0 away defeat to Richmond at Kevin Bartlett Reserve on Friday night. The Bees losing streak extended to four games and they are goalless in that time.
Werribee City will return to Galvin Park on Sunday for a clash with Box Hill United.
In women’s state league 3, Hoppers Crossing made a perfect start to the season with a 3-0 win over St Albans Saints at Grange Reserve.
Point Cook made a hot start to the women’s state league 4 season, beating Maribyrnong Swifts 3-0.
