Para Hills snatched their first win of the season with a thrilling 4-3 win over Raiders in round four of the South Australian Playstation4 National Premier League. 

Joseph Tripodi broke the deadlock for the home side from the first shot of the game inside the opening five minutes, when he got on the end of a low driven cross by Jacob Williams who had gone on a solo run down the right wing. 

Jordan O’Doherty spurned a golden chance to immediately tie up the scores when he was sent through on goals with a well weighted chip, but he managed to pull his shot just wide of the post.  

Ben De Bono headed home for his third goal of the season and extend the lead for Para Hills shortly after when he met a cross from Todd Leahy who outpaced Raiders left back. 

The Para Hills back four stood tall heading into half time, despite dealing with wave after wave of Raiders attack. 

Raiders Captain Nathan Fleetwood pegged one back for the visitors shortly after the half time interval with a volley that resembled the infamous ‘crane kick’ from the Karate Kid. Elvis Kamsoba tied the scores up barely a minute later after his powerful shot was carried over the line by Para Hills keeper Tim Ramsey. 

Raiders began pressing hard for the go-ahead, but continued to waste chance after chance. 

Sherwin Emmanuel got his third in as many games with a header from a free kick, but Kamsoba immediately responded with his second of the game to keep the scores tied up at three apiece. 

Substitute Frank Marafioti wrapped up the three points for the home side in the dying minutes of the game, after he was sent through one on one with keeper Deale Chamberlain by fellow substitute Steven Ward. 

Marafioti rounded Chamberlain and calmly finished into the open goal, which sent the home crowd into frenzied celebrations. 

Para Hills coach Simon Catanzaro was somewhat relieved to get his first win of the season, but was still unhappy with the team not being able to protect a lead for the third week in a row. 

“The three points is what we needed to kick our season off,” he said. 

“But we are still giving away cheap goals. 

“We are playing the way I want to play going forward, but we are just giving away cheap goals and we are going to have to keep working on that. 

He added, ‘”going 2-0 up heading into half time and giving away a lead like that really cheaply is something that is unacceptable in my book.” 

For Fleetwood, a slow start and an inability to put away clear cut chances was the difference maker in the contest. 

“We started very slowly, gave them a two goal lead and were fighting back from there,” he said. 

“We did well to fight back and control the game at times. 

“At the end of the game we walked away feeling like we should’ve won, we had a few chances we should have put away,  

“But credit to Para Hills, they continued to work hard and they got us at the end.” 

The win sees Para Hills pulled off the bottom of the table ahead of their round 5 clash with Adelaide City, while Raiders host Metrostars at the Croatian Sports Centre.   

Article by Brendan Simpkins