Recap
The third game of the night saw second placed Balwyn take on the ever improving Fitzroy in what was shaping up to be a top quality match. Balwyn needed a win to stay in contention with Pascoe Vale at the top of the table, while a win for Fitzroy would take them one point off the top three. Fitzroy got off to the best possible start, when Leonardo Correa struck an effort from range that Omin Abdollahi couldn’t quite keep out. The game settled after this early flourish but Balwyn would soon hit back as Oscar Magrina’s effort would find the bottom left corner. Just before half time Camilo Marin was found for an easy tap in from a free kick, which put Balwyn a goal to the good going into the break.
The second half was a very tense affair as neither side wanted to give the other an inch. Both teams set up well at the back and made it hard for them to be broken down. Oscar Magrina eventually broke through with Magrina picking up his second of the match with a well placed effort from the left side. With a two goal advantage, Balwyn looked to sit back and hit on the counter, and this invited Fitzroy to come at them hard. Fitzroy well and truly dominated the last 10 minutes of the match, and Scott Rogan eventually pegged one back for the Roys, as he blasted his shot past Abdollahi from the edge of the area. Fitzroy had mulitple chances before the final whistle to equalise but couldn’t find the back of the net, and Balwyn held out to pick up a crucial win.
Man of the Match: Oscar Magrina (FC Balwyn)