Sunday 4^th October 1992,

North Crinigan Reserve, Morwell.

The Latrobe Valley club had been hurriedly admitted to the NSL following the demise of APIA Leichhardt, which had gone into provisional liquidation.

The Falcons had already been written off by the soccer media as no-hopers who were unlikely to even win a game and were certain to finish last. Branches of the press, particularly some Sydney-based soccer journalists, have sadly never changed that view despite the club having repeatedly defied the odds during the past seven years.

A crowd of almost 4000 packed into the ground to watch Bobby McLachlan’s hastily assembled side take on one of the NSL’s glamour clubs. And, in atrocious weather conditions, they were treated to a stirring performance by the NSL debutantes.

The rain never let up as the local team entertained the crowd from the outset, and they only had to wait until the 10^th minute for the club’s first ever NSL goal.

New Zealand international, Billy Wright contested a cross with Olympic goalkeeper, Clint Gosling, and it was the Falcons’ striker who came out on top, nodding the home side into a deserved lead.

The visitors immediately went on the offensive and it was the turn of the home defence, which included the experienced Andy Thorpe and Paul Harris, to shine for the NSL newcomers.

The Falcons, however, brought the house down when 20-year-old right back Zoran Markovski doubled the lead in the 25^th minute. Markovski had been a last minute inclusion in the side, having been signed on loan from Albion just prior to the game, and he ensured it was a dream debut when he blasted into the visitors’ net following a John Waddell corner.

The Falcons’ defence again had to be at its best during the second half as Olympic took the game to them, but they found Robert Tombolato and Paul Della Rocca in great form.

The best chances of the half fell to Billy Wright for the home side, who shot wide; and to Olympic’s Pablo Cardozo who managed to fire over the bar from close in.

The Falcons’ import from Stockport County in England, Andy Thorpe, earned a red card following a second caution. But this turned out to be the team’s only black mark, as the ‘no-hopers’ from the Latrobe Valley held on to win the historic match.

The home supporters who braved the conditions had been soaked through but many of them still managed to celebrate long into the night.

The large vocal crowd certainly played its part in achieving that magnificent victory, and it remains an important ingredient of a successful team at Mobil Park. So make sure you get right behind your team tonight as it strives to emulate the efforts of the 1992 heroes, and ensure that the Falcons’ unbeaten home record against Olympic remains intact.

Controversy surrounding Archie Thompson’s impending transfer from Gippsland to Carlton had marred the lead up to the match. That, and a particularly vocal crowd, assured that Thompson’s last game for the club would be played in a great atmosphere.

Carlton, grand finalists in the previous season, made most of the early running, although Gippsland also had its chances to open the scoring. That honour, though, fell to Carlton’s Alex Moreira in the 23^rd minute, who broke free from his marker, Claudio Canosa, to latch onto a through ball from Lapsansky to slot the ball past Bojo Jevdjevic.

At the other end, Thompson was causing his soon-to-be new teammates all sorts of problems and was determined to provide his admirers at Gippsland with a performance to remember. But the score remained 1-0 at half time.

The second period began as the first had ended – at breakneck pace – and it seemed only a matter of time before the match would explode. The first fireworks went off in the 63^rd minute when former Falcon, Sean Douglas was shown a second yellow card and sent off for bringing down a goalbound Archie Thompson. And just three minutes later Archie brought the house down with a bullet-like near post header following a corner on the left that flew into the net for a deserved equaliser.

The home side was now well on top and the vocal crowd urged the team on in search a famous victory. And they didn’t have to wait long, as Brian MacNicol was on hand in the 74^th minute to score from close in just one minute after coming off the bench.

The fireworks were not yet over, however, as shortly after what was to be the winning goal, Carlton’s Simon Colosimo joined his captain, Douglas, for an early shower following a bad tackle on a Falcons player.

So Archie Thompson’s last game for the Falcons was a memorable one, and Coach Stuart Munro substituted him with a few minutes remaining to allow him to receive an ovation from a very appreciative crowd. It was also Gippsland’s first NSL victory over Carlton in what has become a fierce rivalry.

The club had reached the Finals in 1994/95 in only its third year in the NSL, and in spite of going down to South Melbourne there was a feeling of optimism for the new campaign.

And that feeling was heightened following a sparkling display in Round 1 of 1995/96, when Wollongong were soundly beaten by Harry Bingham’s team. Most of the damage was done by striker Warren Spink, who claimed a hat-trick as the Falcons went straight to the top of the NSL ladder, a position they were to occupy for a number of weeks during the early weeks of the season.

Former Socceroo Spink opened the scoring in just the 8^th minute with a delightful chip over the advancing goalkeeper following some good lead up play from defence by Claudio Canosa, Scott Miller and Sonny Sevin. And then in 31 minutes, new signing Michael Reda scored on his NSL debut for the club, latching onto a pass from Ernie Tapai.

Spink scored again in 42 minutes to provide an emphatic 3-0 scoreline at the half time break, and he completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 59^th minute – remarkably, the last time a penalty was awarded to the Falcons at Mobil Park.

Wolves replied with a consolation goal from Tony Perinich in 63 minutes, but the Falcons cruised in the end to an easy victory.

Unfortunately the Falcons’ early season form could not be maintained, and the club’s challenge for back-to-back finals appearances was over long before the season’s end.