Devonport City and Tilford Zebras in action today. Picture: Geoff Robson.
Devonport City has stunned Tilford Zebras in the opening round of the inaugural Victory League coming back twice to win 5-2.
Zebras went ahead in the first two minutes at Mitsubishi Park after striker Alex Leszcynski's cross went directly in at the back post. Zebras had plenty of good chances to extend its lead in the first half but failed to do so.
Devonport began to work its way back into the game in the second half and equalised when Brayden Mann pinched the ball from a defender and rounded the `keeper to score into an empty net.
Zebras, however, retook the lead five minutes later when Leszcynski attempted another cross from the touchline and scored at the front post.
Bobby Eaves shot from the top of the box into the bottom corner to make it 2-2 before Devonport took the lead through Mann, who again stripped a defender and scored one-on-one with the `keeper.
Zebras began pushing players forward but it was the Strikers who hurt them on the counter and Mann's square ball found Daniel McGinn in front of an open net to make it 4-2.
A long run from centre back Kieran Mulraney, who played the ball wide to Bobby Eaves, then met Eaves' cross with a diving header, secured the 5-2 win.
Coach Chris McKenna said his side had probably surprised a few teams in the league by beating one of the favourites for the second time in two weeks.
``Most people probably thought Zebras would have got the win and looking at the first half, they'd be right,'' he said. ``But we're a pretty good team and if we play to our best, we can beat anyone.''