By Tara Murray
If there are lessons to be taken from Hume City’s FFA Cup history, one of them is never count the side out of any game.
Hume has made a habit of winning cup games from unwinnable positions.
So it was not much of a surprise when the team came from behind three times against Heidelberg United to make it through to the final 16 of the Victorian stage of the tournament.
Hume eventually won 5-4 in extra time.
Hume City coach Nick Hegarty, who has played in some of Hume’s FFA Cup classics, said the team liked to make it hard for itself.
“For a neutral watching the game, it’s entertaining,” he said.
“It was a fantastic game with two good teams – you’ve got the weather conditions and the fact the cup is live.
“To come back and win a game like that is a true testament to the team.”
Heidelberg scored twice in the opening 15 minutes, before Marko Delic pulled one back for Hume.
Stevie Hewitt leveled the scores in the 26th minute.
Heidelberg was quick out of the blocks in the second half, scoring almost immediately.
Hewitt scored his second in the final stages of the half to again level the scores, with the game then going to extra time.
Heidelberg scored early in extra time, before Gidi Sweet levelled things back up again.
Scores remained at 4-4 halfway through extra time before Theo Markelis put Hume in front for the first time.
That goal was enough for Hume to get the win.
PHOTO GALLERY: Hume City vs Melbourne Knights
Hegarty said the side’s fitness and pace won out in the end. The further the game progressed, the more confident he was of getting the win.
While he would rather the match had not gone to extra time, he said was a good learning curve for the side.
“We’re still young and in the developing stage,” he said. “We need to get wins and results like this. It’s great for the boys and it brings them closer.”
With Hume having previously made it through to the last eight of the national stage, Hegarty said the side would love to continue on in the cup for as long as possible.
Hume didn’t have long to rest, as it backed up on Saturday night in a National Premier League match against Melbourne Knights.
The Knights scored the first goal, before Hume scored three for a 3-1 win.
James Brown scored twice, while Ersin Kaya scored the other goal.
Hegarty said it was disappointing to concede the first goal again, but he was happy with how the players responded.
“The game could have gone either way,” Hegarty said.
“We were able to take our chances and had some really good performers. It was touch and go for a while.
“Stevie Hewitt has had a great week of football – his best football since he’s come to the club. He was instrumental in all the goals.
“Brown has been massive in both matches for us this week. He’s scored 11 goals in 12 games … the others have done a good job getting it to him.”
The win has Hume in sixth in the NPL, having one loss in their last eight games across both competitions.
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