SUNSHINE GEORGE CROSS 0
WESTERN SUBURBS 0

Line Up:JOHN, AZZOPARDI, OPAZO, NAPOLI, ZILIC, KALMAR, TALEVSKI, TRPCEVSKI, MAGNACCA, SALLEY, DELIC (SIMSEK 77') SUBS NOT USED: IVKOVIC, CINI, SOARES, GAUCI-SEDDON

The Georgies form at home this season so far has not been ideal, having only won once, losing twice and dropping a further 6 points out of 9 with 3 frustrating draws following this draw with Suburbs.

Entering this game, the Suburbs team had registered two wins from the last two starts and maintained a clean sheet through 180 minutes of football.

On loan signing from Altona Magic Goarn Talevski was given a start on the right hand side of midfield, while Eddie Soares and Adam Gauci-Seddon made a return to the bench. Soares having been missing from the senior line up since round 2.

The first half featured chances at both ends, as a mix up between Stanko Zilic and keeper Martin John forced Zilic to clear the ball off the line in the 20th minute. The ball fell straight to the feet of a Suburbs player a matter of 2 yards out, however from point blank range his strike struck the upright and went wide.

It was on 35 minutes when the best chance came to the Cross, as Alfonso Opazo sent Talevski on-side through on goal into a one on one situation with the keeper, but the strike lacked variation and power as the less than ordinary strike found the ball in the arms of the Suburbs custodian.

The foul count was higher against the visitors than the home team as Suburbs played a game of intimidation and frustration to prevent any flow in the Georgies attacking game. The referee also decided to let the game flow all day, only pulling up the most blatant of fouls and keeping his cards in his pocket, which in turn gave licence to the Suburbs to exert more physical pressure on the likes of Anthony Magnacca, Talevski and Nick Kalmar.

In the second stanza, coach John Markovski decided to push an extra man, in Zilic, into the midfield to leave only 3 at the back in Jonas Salley, Colin Azzopardi and Ralph Napoli. However Suburbs reacted well to this formation, looking particularly dangerous on the counter-attack.

The second half, was as physical and scrappy as the first. The Cross won more than its fair share of set pieces around the Suburbs penalty area throughout the match, however it took some time to find the target as Kalmar's second half strike forced the Suburbs keeper into a stretching save.

With three minutes on the clocked a superbly floated ball by Talevski from the right hand side allowed Opazo a free header however it just floated on to the roof of the net. At the other end Suburbs could have stolen the match in stoppage time when ex-Georgie Terry Antoniadis blasted the ball over the bar from only 6 out when totally unmarked.

The day had the smell of a scoreless draw all over it throughout the match, or at best the difference of one goal to break the deadlock, but the goal never came and the match lacked any type of intensity or urgency.

The draw sees George Cross slip back into the relegation zone on goal difference, but with the table so tight near the half way stage of the season, there is no need for panic.

On the positive side, the Cross has kept a clean sheet for two consecutive matches which can be something to build on.