Two of the biggest upsets in FFA history have occurred in the space of 24 hours after reigning A-League Champions Adelaide United were dusted by Queensland amateur outfit Redlands United and the Central Coast Mariners A-League outfit were topped by the semi-professional Green Gully from St Albans, Victoria.
The FFA Cup is Australia's version of the UK's FA Cup, which famously pits working-class park footballers against the powerhouses of the English Premier League. In front of a crowd of 876 fans on a freezing, wet night at Green Gully reserve, the locals played out of their skins to keep pace with the Central Coast Mariners. Down an early goal, the Gully outfit drew level back through captain Daniel Jones six minutes from time. The goal looked to be a classic home ground decision from the ref after the ball appeared to take a clear deflection off Green Gully striker, Tom Boland, who was in an offside position. Gully capitalised on the momentum swing, putting the Mariners under pressure before Boland again played a decisive hand, this time with a 40 meter wonder strike to find Mariners keeper, Ivan Necevski, off his line, and knock the Mariners out. The victory for Green Gully was only the second time a state league outfit triumphed over an A-League side. Central Coast are now out of the competition.
Adelaide United was next to feel the sting of defeat next at the hands of a team of working-class landscapers, engineers and uni students. The current A-League champions turned out on a pockmarked, wobbly Perry Park pitch where they struggled for any cohesion against the Redlands United club from Brisbane. Adelaide still managed to go one up on the hour mark before Socceroos keeper, Ante Galekovich produced one of the great howlers in his career, serving it up on a platter for Redlands Michael Lee to dribble the ball into an open net with the last kick of regular time. Utter delirium broke loose when Paul O'Brien rammed home the winner from inside the box eight minutes into extra time eliminating the A-League champions from the FFA cup in the round of 32.