Vegas scored a last minute winner through man of the match Harry Pedersen in an action packed game in the Islington Midweek Football League this week.
What turned out to be a thrilling scoreline was overshadowed by some dark arts on show in a game the Vegas boys will be pleased to have behind them.
Vegas started the game in confident fashion. They lined up with a new 3-4-1-2 formation that was designed to make them a more potent attacking force and the plan worked - to an extent.
After a quick 15 minutes that Vegas largely dominated, Aaron Pedro broke up play and delivered a great pass for Ricardo Beckford to race on to and he crisply stroked the ball into the opposite corner from the left side of the penalty area.
Shane McNamara and Pedersen were offering good attacking outlets for Vegas but when a long pass over the right defensive area caught Vegas out, a square pass was too quick for Rob Webber to sort his feet out. He inadvertently diverted the ball into his own net to make it 1-1.
Vegas should undoubtedly should have been playing against 10 men moments later when Mark Maher, playing in a more advanced role, rolled his marker and slipped a great pass for Erol Resat to run on to. He took it round the goalie before being scythed down by the onrushing goalie before he could pass into the open net. Inexplicably the referee only gave a yellow card with Vegas missing the resulting free-kick.
However, when Maher (again) was running onto a lose pass minutes later a dangerous swinging kick caught him near the knee that prompted a angry reaction from the Vegas player. He was booked but the Arya attacker got his marching orders, rightfully so, and so did the Arya FC manager for his angry reaction. The game descended into a bitty, broken up flow with Resat rattling the bar after more good passing. The game had its third goal when left-wing back McNamara crossed left footed deep into the penalty area where opposite wing-back Pedersen nodded the ball in to make it 2-1.
Frequent free-kicks were awarded and Arya began play acting to win them. One of which was delivered into the Vegas box and somehow nodded in for an equaliser without any real pressure from 2 yards out.
Vegas came in at the break unsure how they managed to be drawing a game after a whirlwind 45minutes. The game continued in much the same fashion 2nd half but with Arya dropping deeper and deeper as Vegas pressed them back into their half.
There was a big blow for Vegas around the 55minute mark when Maher had a clumsy defender land on his knee in what looks like a season ending injury. Steven Bruce replaced him to make a 3 pronged attacked that encouraged the side to pile forward. Chances came and went but when substitute Paul Reid won a free-kick on the edge of the box, he fired in a flat effort that caught the opposition goalie off-guard and crept in at the near post to give them a deserved lead.
A third comical Arya goal followed 15 minutes from time. The striker clearly brought a long-pass down with his left arm, was tackled 3 times and somehow had the rebound fall at his feet which he miss-kicked into the opposite corner to make it 3-3!
Vegas pressed and pressed and just when it looked like it was not going to be their day, Pedersen rose highest onto a McNamara long throw with a bullet header to win the game one of the last touches.
Lets hope their next game in 2 weeks time against Hilltop is a little more controlled after a game the Vegas boys won't be forgetting anytime soon.
