Cobram 0 Albury United 4: Champions knock their main rivals off top spot

The Greens travelled to Cobram trailing the Roar by two points at the top of the ladder and had to play three-quarters of the game with 10 men after Ryan Luty was shown a straight red card.

United had already lost captain Caleb Martin to a nasty-looking ankle injury but Matt Campbell's side showed exactly why they won the Treble last season by storming to a 4-0 victory.

That result leaves the Greens top and with their destiny in their own hands heading into the final five rounds of the home-and-away season.

"It was a gutsy effort," Campbell said.

"In the many years I've been around the firsts, a man down against a really strong opponent and to actually score four...

"We'd have been happy to creep away with a 1-0 win so I'm rapt for the boys, every one of them, and so proud of their effort.

"It was to a man, no-one was a passenger, and that's what you need.

"If you have a couple of guys that have off days or don't want to roll their sleeves up, you get found out, but everyone was there.

"Jordy (Hore) had to play a holding role in midfield, Melkie (Woldemichael) had three defenders on him, Sajan (Mahji) had to play a different role, Aaron Young stepped in and scored the second goal after playing half a game in ressies and had to mark Bill Puckett so that's an amazing effort by him.

"Jay (Barker) did a great job in goals again, Chops (Aidan Rees) played with an ear infection and couldn't hear out of both ears but put his hand up and desperately wanted to play - and did a really good job.

"It's good character and it's good for this team to get a win like that."

United were 1-0 up by the time they lost Martin and Luty, having taken a 13th-minute lead in unusual circumstances.

Referee Daniel Moore awarded an indirect free-kick inside the box for a high foot and Mahji teed up Woldemichael for a low shot which crashed through the Cobram wall.

Martin had to be carried off in the 21^st minute, medical assessments appearing to rule out a broken ankle, before Luty saw red - Moore initially pulled out the yellow card before changing his mind - for catching Anthony Corso with a knee-high challenge.

However, the double blow only served to galvanise United, who doubled their lead 10 minutes before half-time.

Rees crossed low from the left, the ball ran all the way to Young and he spanked a terrific low shot back across goalkeeper Tarkyn Hyde.

Barker pulled off a string of good saves just before half-time and it proved to be a vital passage of play.

The second half was just 41 seconds old when United made it 3-0 to effectively kill the game off.

Woldemichael was allowed to waltz to the byline and his cutback found Mahji, who turned and slammed the ball low into the net.

Anyone walking into the ground at this point would have thought it was Cobram playing with a numerical disadvantage as the Greens bossed proceedings.

Woldemichael ran from halfway and forced a smart save from Hyde, who was beaten for a fourth time moments later when substitute Ramesh Basnet latched onto Mahji's pass and lashed the ball home with his left foot.

Even a consolation goal eluded the frustrated hosts, Barker flying high to his right to keep out a well-struck Kieran O'Donnell free-kick before standing tall to deny the free-scoring Englishman again in the dying stages.

More to follow.

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