Chisholm United stun Brunswick City

When seeing Brunswick City out of the Australia Cup, many would predict it to come at the hands of a side such as NPL Victoria powerhouse Oakleigh Cannons.

Few would imagine the team to be Chisholm United FC, Oakleigh’s sister club residing in the Men’s Victorian State League 4 East that is beginning to buzz with more magnitude each campaign. 

But after the most heart-wrenching of 4-4 draws, followed by a heart-stopping penalty shootout, Chisholm had pulled off one of the great upsets of this season’s Australia Cup. 


The story of this formidable family club - despite its special story - begins only ten years ago with their sister side. 

“Back in mid-2013 when the NPL system was being formed up at the time, Oakleigh Cannons had decided they were going to put in a lodgement to become an NPL club,” cited Men’s First Team Manager Joseph Natoli. 

“Oakleigh has a big participation rate of juniors, and so Chisholm United was created to keep all the kids who are part of the Cannons but didn’t want to play in that top division.”

Put simply, Chisholm is a place where people can come and enjoy their football, which continued with the establishment of a senior men’s Chisholm side in 2016. 

They began in the Victorian State Five league, giving players, particularly ones transitioning in from Oakleigh’s youth system, the chance to continue on in some form with their junior club. 

Oakleigh itself was formed back in 1972, with a few young football fanatics funding the establishment of the club. 

It was a side of rich Greek heritage, something which has been proudly reflected in Chisholm, but the club is also diverse and multicultural, with lots of different nationalities forming up the squad.

“We do have a Greek background, however, we are very multicultural,” said Natoli. 

“In fact, we actually have quite a few players from Japan at the moment, who are starting university and playing with us. 

"Our team is extremely diverse, because, on one side, you’ve got that sort of Greek background, which we all love and is part of the identity of our club. 

“But then we’ve also got that diversity, so it’s really cool just to see the different nationalities and cultures.”

The club is rooted by the ‘Old Faithful’; a group of experienced fans who come to watch both Oakleigh seniors and Chisholm seniors. 


But the majority of support for Chisholm is friends and family, which provides consistent motivation in games at all levels - as shown on that historical Tuesday night, when Chisholm took the game to extra time with the last kick of the match and had to bounce back from the concession of leads on multiple occasions throughout the match. 

We kept attacking, attacking, attacking,” said Natoli on the last-minute equaliser. 

“And eventually we prevailed and scored a goal - you can imagine in the 94th minute everyone went crazy! 

“I’ll be honest, my heart was going 200 miles an hour. 

“I did a 100-metre dash to the changeroom to get the boys some more water while one of my friends went to get Gatorade and lollies.”

Chisholm was the side who netted first in extra time, continuing their competitiveness which had been convincingly demonstrated throughout the 90. 

“Going into the first half of extra time, we were like, ‘wow, we’ve come so far’,” exclaimed Natoli. 

“So we just threw the kitchen sink at it. 

“And after we scored the first goal, we were buzzing - from being behind to forcing extra time to scoring the first goal. 

“But we didn’t park the bus or change formation, we kept playing our game. 

“Brunswick did the same, and from a neutral perspective, it was a great game to watch.”

And, as one last treat for the neutral, and one final burst of nervousness for both sides, the match went to penalties to decide the winner.

“People are tired having just played 120 minutes of football, the boys were cramping up and injuries were starting to kick in; Something that’s not easy to do on a Tuesday night after working your normal job” remembered Natoli. 

“Before the penalty shootout, our coach Andy Barbieri pulled the boys in, congratulated on the game and how far they’ve come. 

“The players who were confident stepped up to take a penalty, and the rest was history.”

While Chisholm’s quality, attacking mindset and good coaching played a major role in the victory, as well as individual moments such as the two penalty saves from Rani Dowisha.

However, the win was underpinned by something more - a group of genuine mates who were willing to fight for each other until the very last whistle. 

“The club is a family club,” said Natoli, a frequent message of Chisholm. 

“Everyone there is friends - everyone who plays in that team all hang out on the weekend together, they all talk during the week. 

“It’s not just rock up to training and play on the weekend. 

“They go for coffee, they have a barbeque as a team. 

“For me, the Brunswick game really encapsulated that. 

“We’re not just a team of 11, we’re a team of 30 including staff and coaches, and our bench too.”

The mateship, as shown by Natoli’s comments, extends far beyond the players, and the Team Manager relished the emotion of watching some of his best friends go out together and beat an NPL 2 side. 

“On a personal level, for me it was really like who doesn’t want to see their friends go out on the pitch and beat an NPL club,” he happily stated. 

“These are my mates, so it was pretty emotional to see some of my best friends score goals. 

“And just everyone on the team does their part. 

“At full-time, when everyone’s sprinting and getting stuff and we’re helping each other with cramps, you just felt it. 

“And after the win, I don’t think I’ve ever in my life run that quick from the touchline to the boys to celebrate. 

“The boys dedicated the win to the club and to all the people, our supporters and staff members who make it possible for us to play as a team and get these kinds of things.”

Chisholm’s task doesn’t get easier from here, as they’ll next be facing North Geelong Warriors FC, who reside in the premier NPL Victoria league; a team that Oakleigh will play four days before their sister sides clash. 

But the community club isn’t planning on backing down anytime soon despite the division gap, and will be looking to leap high and take their attacking, passionate game to the top of Victoria. 

“It’s no longer about just being in the Cup and whatever happens happens. 

“We’re trying to show some appreciation and thanks to our club, committee, fans and to all the young kids who play at Chisholm and Oakleigh Cannons, you know, like ‘hey guys, this is what we can do, this is for you’. 

“I know when we go there the boys will be going out at probably 210% instead of 110% this time because it means so much to our communities, our fans and people involved in the club. 

“And that’s all I can say, is me as Team Manager, I’m so proud of my team. 

“So if I had to take anything away from the night, I went home smiling, knowing that this is what happens when you don’t give up, keep going and never say never.”

That’s what this Chisholm Cup run is. 

A group of genuine friends demonstrating the power of togetherness and belief, both inside the squad and throughout the collective club and community.

And that is the true Magic of the Cup.

Results:

Preliminary Round 2: Western Strikers Caroline Springs FC 0-2 Chisholm United FC
Preliminary Round 3: Chisholm United FC 8-5 Tatura SC
Preliminary Round 4: Brunswick City SC 4-4 (2-4 on penalties) Chisholm United FC

Next Match

Preliminary Round 5
Tuesday, 9 May
North Geelong Warriors FC v Chisholm United FC
Kick-off: 8.00pm
Elcho Park - Pitch 2, Gibbons Road, Lara, Victoria