HAWKESBURY City drew with Granville Rage at the weekend in Football NSW’s NPL 3 competition.
The round 11 match finished with the scoreline at 1-1, although it was not without controversy according to City coach Dean Bertenshaw.
City was robbed, at least, according to the coach. Santiago Pallares booted the ball through the net, said Bertenshaw, only for the net to break and the ball find its way out the back.
Bertenshaw said the referee clearly missed the goal, and awarded a goal kick instead, after seeing the ball behind the net.
“We did play pretty well. We hit the bar a few times, but in a tight match it was pretty hard to get that call,” he said.
“I've never seen that before. I watched the ball go in the net.”
Controversy aside, Bertenshaw said it was a good game.
Pallares did put another one into the back of the net that was undisputed, bringing his season tally to 14 goals. Despite the draw, City is well placed on the ladder. The club is in seventh place, but sits only one point behind fifth and sixth place.
“This is the exact position we were hoping to be in by this time of the year,” he said.
“If we can keep in touch we are hoping to go on a bit of a run toward the end of the year and make the finals.”
Bertensahw said the club as a whole had plenty of its junior teams in or near the top five, and said it was pleasing to see.
In round 12, City will play SD Raiders at Ernie Smith Reserve on Saturday.