In the biggest shock of the Latrobe Valley Soccer League season so far, 12th-placed Trafalgar Victory fought off third-placed Churchill United to record a crucial 1-0 victory.
The win was built on the back of a solid defensive effort, with the Rams denied goal-scoring opportunities by a disciplined defensive effort.
With five minutes remaining on the clock the home side produced the sucker punch.
Ben Rotherham volleyed home to send the home crowd into raptures and produced the biggest result since Trafalgar’s introduction into the senior competition.
Traralgon City and Monash shared the spoils 2-2 in a game where both sides were made to rue missed chances in round 14 of Latrobe Valley soccer.
Monash began well and had the lions’ share of possession, but City was untroubled in defence.
It was City who opened the scoring midway through the half when Monash gave up possession cheaply in the middle of the park and Matt Baker made no mistake to find the back of the net.
City doubled the lead 10 minutes into the second half when Baker got on to the end of substitute Jordan Walton’s cross to head home uncontested.
Traralgon should have killed the game off in the 65th minute when it was awarded a penalty, but Alex Leckey sent the ball into orbit.
The missed chance would come back to haunt the Roosters as Monash threw everything into attack and pulled a goal back on 73 minutes, with Ty Christy rising highest to head home a Brendan Ruddell cross to reduce the deficit.
With five minutes to play the constant pressure paid off with Christy rifling through a pack of bodies to pull his side level.
With nine minutes of added time played Monash was the one left to rue its profligacy in front of goal as it spurned a number of chances to take all three points as the final whistle eventually sounded.
In other games, league leaders Moe United dispatched cellar dwellers East Gippsland United 4-0, Newborough-Yallourn United defeated Fortuna ’60 3-0, Traralgon Olympians overcame Sale United 3-1 and Tyers Lightning won a high scoring encounter against Pegasus, 5-4.
Falcons 2000 had the bye.
Senior Mens ladder
1 Moe United 31
2 Falcons 2000 26
3 Churchill United 26
4 NYUSC 25
5 Monash Wolves 24
6 Traralgon City 21
7 Olympians 19
8 Fortuna ’60 18
9 Sale United 12
10 Morwell Pegasus 7
11 Tyers Lightning 6
12 Trafalgar Victory 4
13 EGUFC 3
Seniors round 14 matches, Sunday 3 July: 1st Moe United v 13th EGUFC, 12th Trafalgar Victory v 3rd Churchill United , 6th Traralgon City v 5th Monash Wolves, 11th Tyers Lightning v 10th Morwell Pegasus, 4th NYUSC v 8th Fortuna ’60, 9th Sale United v 7th Traralgon Olympians, 2nd Falcons 2000 – Bye.
Round 13 Goals
Senior: Falcons 2000 Jesse Kennedy 17, Monash Wolves Ty Christy 13, NYUSC Mark Fairbrother 13, Fortuna ’60 Luke Cheney 11, NYUSC Brandon Scott 11.
Reserves: Falcons 2000 Dj Matar 11.
Women: Tyers Lightning Stephanie Pridgeon 23.
2nd Division: Traralgon Olympians Bill Antonopolous 10.
Round 10 Goals
U16: Fortuna ’60 Kai Beamer 14.
U14: Sale United Green Sakhom Khamchom 27.
U13 Girls: Traralgon Olympians Tahlia Tappe 21.
Round 9 Goals
U12 Zone “A”: Traralgon City White Tanatswa Betera 25.
U12 Zone “B”: Falcons 2000 Moni Eliaser 23.
Round 13 Matches
Seniors Sunday 26 June: Moe United (4) Def Monash Wolves (0), NYUSC (6) Def Sale United (2), Trafalgar Victory (0) Def By Falcons 2000 (2), Traralgon City (4) Def Fortuna ’60 (0), Traralgon Olympians (3) Def Morwell Pegasus (0), Tyers Lightning (1) Def By Churchill United (9), EGUFC – Bye.
Reserves: Moe United (4) Def Monash Wolves (0), Nyusc (1) Def By Sale United (2), Trafalgar Victory (0) Def By Falcons 2000 (9), Traralgon City (6) Def Fortuna ’60 (0), Traralgon Olympians (4) Def Morwell Pegasus (0), Tyers Lightning (0) Def By Churchill United (3), EGUFC – Bye.
Women: Moe United (0) Def Monash Wolves (3), Nyusc (1) Drw. Sale United (1), Trafalgar Victory (1) Def By Falcons 2000 (3), Traralgon City (3) Drw. Fortuna ’60 (3), Traralgon Olympians (0) Def Morwell Pegasus (14), Tyers Lightning (27) Def By Churchill United (0), EGUFC – Bye.
2nd Division: Moe United (0) Def By Monash Wolves (3), Traralgon City (1) Drw. Sale United (1), Churchill United and Traralgon Olympians – Bye.
Round 10 Matches
Junior U12 Zone “A”: Fortuna Black (0) Def By Moe United (7), Monash Wolves (0) Def By Egufc Gold (2), Traralgon City White (6) Def Sale United Green (1), Morwell Pegasus (0) Forfeit To. Sale United Black (3), Churchill United – Bye.
Junior U13 Girls: Churchill United (1) Def By Morwell Pegasus (10), NYUSC (0) Def By Falcons 2000 (7), Traralgon City – Bye.
Junior U14: EGUFC Gold (1) Def By Nyusc (2), Moe United (2) Def By Sale United Green (9), Traralgon City Black (2) Def Fortuna ’60 (1), Traralgon City Gems (0) Def By Traralgon Olympians (11), Traralgon City White (1) Def By Monash Wolves (8), EGUFC Blue – Bye.
Junior U16: Falcons 2000 (8) Def Moe United (2), Fortuna ’60 (8) Def Trafalgar Victory (0), Traralgon City Black (1) Def By EGUFC (2), Traralgon City White (4) Def Sale United (1), Traralgon Olympians – Bye.
Round 7 Matches
Junior U12 Zone “B”: Traralgon City Black (1) Drw. NYUSC (1), Fortuna Orange (0) Def By Falcons 2000 (7), EGUFC Gold – Bye.
