Oakleigh Havoc battled Brothers United on Thursday night in an end-to-end match filled with rapid attacking and desperate defending. Both sides continuously contested the lead and were on level terms for the majority of the game. The tight contest, however, was decided by an extremely late goal for Havoc who defended extremely well against a resilient United side.
The game started positively for Oakleigh. Two goals from Jake Winn established a comfortable lead mid-way through the first half and helped settle some nerves within the team. Despite missing a number of attacking chances in the first period, Brothers United eventually found their feet and levelled the score before the break.
Having conceded two goals in final minutes of the first half, Havoc found themselves on the backfoot in the second period. Their opponents had momentum behind them and were rewarded early in the half for their attacking efforts. A thumping long-range effort found the top corner of Oakleigh's goal to give them a 3-2 lead.
Their advantage didn't last long though. A quick passing move between Jonah Caruana and George Bezas from the resulting kick-off was finished by Jake Winn to complete a hat-trick on his first game of the season. His efforts, this time, equalized the score and brought Oakleigh Havoc back into the match.
With scores locked at 3-3, the final five minutes of the game became an intense battle between the two sides, each looking to take the lead once again. United took the majority of possession in the last minutes but were unable to convert, hitting the post in one instance.
Oakleigh Havoc, however, took advantage of a set-piece opportunity in the final seconds. A quick corner from Bezas found J. Caruana at the far post to score Havoc's fourth of the night and secure another three points for the club.
Despite grabbing a win, Oakleigh drop down to second place with current league champions, 1966, having a superior goal difference. Havoc's next match will be against Santos who currently sit in 6th place.