Soccer: Melville City falls to successive losses, beaten 2-1 by Curtin University

MELVILLE City Football Club fell to its second consecutive loss after a 2-1 defeat to Curtin University FC at Len Shearer Reserve.

The result leaves Melville sitting in eighth spot in State League Division Two after their first five games.

In a tight first half, neither side was able to conjure up any major chances, as both struggled to gain the upper hand.

Curtin’s Arijan Stovrag came closest to breaking the deadlock when he found space on the edge of the box, but his shot whistled wide.

After the arm wrestle of the first half, the second half started like a firecracker when Melville failed to clear its defensive lines and Kahled Salhah pounced to give the visitors the lead inside a minute.

However, City’s response was swift, as Mark Lucas whipped in a free kick and Cormack Abbott’s deft header evaded Jack Kenny in goals and drew them level.

The hosts were lucky not to fall behind once again when Mirko Grgurinovic upended Salhah in the box but the referee surprisingly waved away Curtin’s pleas for a penalty.

Melville pressed for a winner and almost took the lead when some great work by Louie Granich ended in Kenny denying Simon El Chami from point blank range.

Minutes later, the away side re-took the lead when Stovrag caught Grgurinovic off his line and chipped the ball into the net.

City threw men forward in search of a point, but their biggest chance came when Alastair Campbell’s header sailed over the bar and the full-time whistle sounded soon after.