Just when it seemed like the Goulburn Valley Suns were back on cloud nine following a pair of scintillating performances, Saturday dragged the team back down to earth with an almighty thud.
The Suns had seemingly left all tribulations behind them heading into the round nine Victorian Premier League Two bout with bottom-ranked Beaumaris, but the road to redemption had a pothole in store for Craig Carley’s men.
Approaching the game, though, there was little reason for concern for the Suns.
They’d just come off consecutive 3-0 victories against Doveton and Box Hill United and looked ripe to make it a trifecta against a winless Beaumaris.
However, the hosts took advantage of a cramped and ill-conditioned Beaumaris Reserve from the outset, with the Suns’ brand of free-flowing football restricted throughout periods of the first half.
Neither side gave an inch during the opening 45 minutes, leading to a stalemate at the break — but what followed busted the game at its seams.
Seven minutes into the second stanza, Beaumaris launched a free kick from just inside its own half into the 18-yard box, which defender Noah Cicoria half-cleared off his head.
The ball bobbled around the edge of the area before Beaumaris’ Tom Richards steamed in and fired a cannon strike that rattled off the underside of the crossbar and in.
Buoyed by the wonder goal and resultant 1-0 lead, Beaumaris stayed rigid at the back and fended off each of the Suns’ offensive barbs for the following 40 or so minutes to walk off the park with all three points.
It hasn’t shifted the Orangemen’s ladder position but has now condensed the pack among the relegation zone.
Beaumaris (11th) now lie just three points adrift of the Suns (10th), with the latter hoping to redirect themselves upwards when taking on Pascoe Vale (sixth) at CB Smith Reserve on Saturday.
The Suns under-23s are already on a northbound trajectory, now sitting in second after Saturday’s 6-2 demolition of Beaumaris.
Six separate Suns got on the scoresheet, with Hassan Alhilfi, Muhammad Ali Alizada, Alisina Alizada, Farid Azizi, Callum Horsman and Jake Rumble finding the back of the net during the rout.
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