NORTH Geelong Warriors enter the FFA CUP 4th Round this coming weekend against Shepparton South on Saturday.
There is little known about the side from the Goulburn Valley other than they have had a giant killing run in taking out State League teams Monash City and Booroondara in the process with nail-biting ends, scoring last minute goals to get themselves into Round 4 against the Warriors.
North Geelong will be buoyed after a convincing 4-0 win over Sunshine George Cross last weekend at Elcho Park.
The contest was a cagey affair with a few nervous moments for North Geelong including a lob that nearly cleared keeper Daniel Zilic.
However, the contest changed when Georgies keeper Rob Santilli came off second best in a one-on-one with Warriors midfielder Burakhan Koce and needed to be stretchered off.
Minutes later, some applied pressure from the Warriors led to a long throw from Matt Townley that was met by Matt Thorne whose looping header beat substitute keeper Jon Harboglou.
The Warriors then put the foot down and Michael Anderson had a crack at goal which was well saved by Harboglou but Rudi Saglam was quick to respond and slotted the ball in for 2-0 and his first in the Red, White and Blue.
Anderson turned scorer just before the break, receiving a through ball from Nicholas Jurcic he checked his sights and seeing the keeper off his line he released a pin point shot from 25 metres to notch up his third for the season to date.
The momentum continued in North Geelong’s favour after the break, but they were left to lament the chances that didn’t go in, with several whisking past the target including a series of shots that hit the post and crossbar somehow staying out of the goal.
As the match’s fizz began to dissipate, Jurcic went on one of his forays toward goal and was upended in the penalty area earning a spot kick, which Townley dispatched with usual aplomb.
Coach Micky Colina was delighted in the emphatic result, “I’m happy with the clean sheet and we could have scored, overall I’m pleased we set the tempo for the match”.
