BENDIGO City FC has begun its pre-season on a winning note with a round one win in the Dockerty Cup on Saturday.
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The Dockerty Cup features 135 clubs from across Victoria, with the first seven rounds of the competition also serving as preliminary rounds for the Australia Cup.
Bendigo City FC was pitted against fellow State League 5 West team Wyndham and emerged with a 2-1 away victory.
Scores had been locked together at 1-1 before a goal in the 92nd minute to Luke Burns capitalising on a play set-up by substitute Seth Repper and Connor Boxshall secured the victory for Bendigo City.
Earlier, debutant Winnie Boe scored midway through the first half to give Bendigo City the ascendancy, particularly with Wyndham down to 10 players after a red card about 15 minutes into the game.
"We went in at half-time 1-0 and to a degree were in control of the game," Bendigo City FC coach Sean Boxshall said.
"For the first 15 minutes of the second half we had control, but they looped the ball in and it wasn't dealt with and they equalised, which gave them a sniff and they just kept coming at us.
"As a unit we defended really well; it wasn't the prettiest style of football, but the boys all played for each other and it wasn't until the 92nd minute when we were able to score the winner.
"Connor Boxshall got the ball at centre-back and ran it up to about halfway, slotted it to Seth Repper who was out wide and the ball curled around to Luke Burns, who slotted the goal in the dying seconds of the game.
"That's the first time we've played 90 minutes in the pre-season... I'm glad it didn't go to extra time because I don't know if we would have had the legs to run out another 30 minutes.
"The boys were spent, but up and about to get a win first-up.
"It was good to come up against another State League 5 West team and see what Wyndham is going to be like when we play against them during the season."
Bendigo City FC's next game in the Dockerty Cup will be played on the weekend of February 24-25.
In other Dockerty Cup games over the weekend Spring Gully United beat FC Birrarung 1-0 at home, while Epsom defeated Maidstone United by forfeit.
