Comeback Comets put fire in the tail

Djuro Mirkovic’s Berwick Kings had tosettle for a 1-1 draw against Bayside on Saturday. 50025
IN BASEBALL terms it is called a walk-off home run, but for the second time this month the Casey Comets have walked off with a win after scoring the game winner with seconds remaining.
In a topsy-turvy game at Bosnia and Herzegovina Soccer Centre, Casey took the lead then lost it but bounced back in spectacular fashion to claim a 5-4 win.
Casey held a 2-0 lead at half time but found itself trailing 4-3 when Heatherton scored five minutes before full-time.
But two goals in five minutes, including Paul Presti’s shot in the 94th minute, gave the visitors the most unlikely of comebacks.
The comeback Comets snatched a win from the Frankston Pines earlier this month after scoring three goals in the final 30 minutes to beat the Pines on their home turf 3-2.
According to Comets’ coach Doug Chisholm, this victory was even more special.
“It is definitely the most satisfying win I have been involved in as a coach,” Chisholm said.
“I got a call from captain Tony Saunders on Saturday night, and Tony is an experienced player, and he said that he can’t believe what is happening … we’ve just never been involved in anything quite like it,” Chisholm said.
The Comets went up 2-0 at half time but a 15-minute blitz gave Heatherton a 2-3 lead.
Brendan Elmazovski slammed home a 25-metre strike that brought Casey back to 3-3 but another long shot gave the home side the ascendancy.
Even Chisholm accepted the game at this stage appeared “dead and buried” but a Heatherton own goal and a six-metre tap-in by Presti after a failed attempt to clear the ball resulted in the unlikely win.
“It bobbled around in the box for a bit then the ball broke free and Paul Presti was there to put it in … the celebrations were unbelievable, he is an emotional guy and he just ran straight into the Cranbourne crowd,” Chisholm said.
The win is Casey’s fifth win in a row and has them perched in third position on the ladder, only two-and-a-half games behind the league leaders.
“There is a real buzz around the place from the committee down to the supporters … who knows, if one of the top teams above us make a mistake then we are right in with a chance (for promotion),” Chisholm said.
Berwick City could do with a bit of Casey’s luck after they lost their 13th game in a row.
Seeking to beat the Eastern Lions before heading into a difficult month of soccer, Berwick held out to half time but gave up two goals to Oran Harel in the second half to lose 2-0 at Jack Thomas Reserve.
A Marc Davidson goal was enough for Doveton to cause a 1-0 upset over Old Scotch at Smith Reserve to move within percentage of first place.
The top four teams in the tightly contested Provisional One league are equal on 25 points and only a goal difference of eight separates the fourth placed Doveton from leaders Old Scotch.
In Provisional One Endeavour United were trounced 5-0 to Riversdale at Reema Reserve while the Berwick Kings fought out a 1-1 draw with Bayside Argonauts at Shipston Reserve.