Round
15 saw Altona City travel to Corio in what would be a physical test
of mind and strength on a day which didn't get warmer than 11
degrees and rained consistently throughout the day. It was crucial
Altona come away from this challenge with points as the last stretch
of the season approaches and all games become vital clashes. Picking
the starting line-up this week was again like picking the numbers in
Lotto, as the main omission early on was Adrian Denys, who pulled up
sore after the running session on Thursday night. His groin injury
would pave the way for Adam Cimino, as he was nearly a certainty to
start on the bench, as Jimmy Gorevski also made a surprise starting
position in at right back.The pitch was relatively playable despite the downpour and the reserve match previously, but as has been the story all year, the City boys started off sluggishly in the wet conditions as the home side came out firing on all sides, including the aggressiveness of the tackles. The City boys looked a little out of their league early on, chasing the game and not leading from the front. After 25 minutes, Corio had their opener, after a lofted ball was placed into the box, Phil could not avert the danger, as an incoming Corio player got to the ball before him, which fell invitingly for an unmarked player to tap in from 4 yards out. Altona could have been down two goals minutes later as Ivan cleared a ball in another dangerous area. Despite being down a goal, Altona started to get back into the game, and went agonisingly close from numerous corners, but failed to latch onto any, as the ball slid across goal face and out of play. The best chances of the first half were yet to come as Marijan Cvitkovic went one on one after being played through by Danny Benac but his shot was parried away by the Corio keeper, and Chris Cullen’s one on one missed the target from inside the penalty box.
The halftime whistle blew as players tried to squeeze water out of their strips and keep warm at the break for the final 45 minutes. Charlie Egan wanted more pressure from his troops, as Altona came out firing in the second half and pegged Corio deep in their half. But luck was not going to be with them, when after 15 minutes, a one-two in the middle of the park broke down when Adam Cimino’s pass to Danny Benac just stopped in sludge, the incoming Corio player took a shot at Phil, but again his shot just stopped in the mud, with the keeper and defenders out of place, and fell invitingly for the Corio player to again tap into an unguarded net. It seemed Altona would not find its way back from this but got a lifeline when a cross from Zak Tountas was punched out by the Corio keeper under pressure from Chris Cullen. The ball spilled to Adam Cimino about 25 metres out, and noticing the keeper was off his line, attempted to chip the keeper. With mud covering his eyes, Adam latched onto the ball and found itself in the back of the net to the joy of the travelling supporters. The momentum was now with Altona, as Feta Memshi and Marijan Cvitkovic started to cause headaches down the right hand side and from one cross, the ball slipped past a sea of players and found its way to Adam Cimino on the edge of the box. A sidestep to beat one player and shot, beat the keeper to level the game at 2-2. The travelling fans were thinking deja vu Lalor a few weeks back, and when John Little’s illegally turned the ball into the back of the net to make it 3-2 to Altona, everyone's heart beat raced when the referee bought it back for handball just prior.
However, this was not to be Altona's day as a break from the home side resulted in a shot by a Corio player, being spilled by Phil, and after some indecision by the keeper and stopper, another Corio striker decided to steal the ball and push it into an empty net. With 7 minutes remaining, Altona tried to push the game for the last equaliser, but the referee blew the final whistle and a loss ensured Altona dropped to second on the ladder.