Whittlesea Ranges pipped at the postSoccer 9 Oct 12 @ 08:00am by Patrick Lane
WHITTLESEA Ranges will stay in State League 2 after falling to Box Hill United.

The bigger-bodied United was too strong at Kingston Heath on Saturday, winning the all-on-the-line playoff match, 2-1.

It means Box Hill United will to Division 1, snatching the Ranges' position in the state's second highest flight.

The Ranges led early when Daniel Giogha pounced on a Box Hill error in the 26th minute, but an own goal on the hour mark levelled things.

In the end it fell to the referee's whistle, and it chirped to the horror of Whittlesea fans as Box Hill was awarded a late penalty.

Petr Kratky went to the spot and made no mistake, cannoning the ball home to the bottom corner as Ranges' hearts sunk.

Whittlesea was up against it from the start, it must be said, with a raft of first team regulars unavailable.

Robert Dolevski was missing, Chris Lee has osetitis pubis, Simon Lamanda has an ankle complaint and even captain Adam Garristo was ruled out, with gastro.

"The boys did really well. We went in with a really inexperienced squad of young, talented boys from the area," director Serge Costanzo said. "It is what it is. At the end of the day we are very proud of the boys we had on the park."

Costanzo said while the group was inconsolable after the match, the club was keen to laud the players' efforts under duress.

"From a club's perspective. We were overawed. The boys on the ground really did the club proud."