That’s the thing about giantkilling. Goliath might be dead – and knocked out of the Australia Cup – but David still has to set the alarm for work the next morning.
The dust had barely settled on Oakleigh Cannons’ remarkable passage to the Cup semi-finals – leaving Sydney FC smarting from their eviction – but real life quickly intruded on the celebrations of Chris Taylor and his squad of semi-pro heroes.
Just hours after the club from the NPLM VIC conquered the five-times A-League Men champions at Jack Edwards Reserve on Wednesday night, adding another entry to Taylor’s impressive Victorian coaching resume, the man himself was back at a construction site in Melbourne.
By day, Taylor works as a project manager for SRG Global Facades – the biggest facade contractor in Australia. By night, he has masterminded Oakleigh’s fairytale run to the Australia Cup semi-finals.

“It’s quite funny because obviously after a game like that, I feel quite drained and exhausted,” Taylor – sitting down on a Zoom call with his hard hat on – told KEEPUP.
People think you’re going to jump up and down and I feel like I need to sit down and get some energy back.
“It does drain you, the emotion of the whole ride and everything.”
No wonder – only five days earlier, the Cannons had outlasted Heidelberg United in a taxing NPLM VIC elimination final. Oakleigh prevailed 3-1 on penalties after a wild 3-3 draw following extra time.
The Cannons were also were given emergency dispensation to sign Lewis Italiano – formerly of Newcastle Jets and Wellington Phoenix – as a goalkeeper for the Australia Cup tie on the day due to an injury to their number one – Nick Feely. That meant Oakleigh were sensationally forced to draft in Ymer Abili from the club’s Under-14 team as cover on the bench.

As for star-studded Sydney, they were showing off two of their new international imports – former Nottingham Forest attacker Joe Lolley and Slovakia international Robert Mak.
But Oakleigh had a different script in mind and former Melbourne City forward Wade Dekker and Chris Lucas led them to a shock upset.
This, despite juggling an NPL finals campaign. Oakleigh are on the cusp of a Grand Final appearance, with Port Melbourne standing in their way on Saturday night.



“That’s the beauty of football. A lower-ranked team can go out and beat the best team in the world, or in Europe or whoever the best team is in the competition,” UK native Taylor said.
“That’s pretty much what we’ve done. I think we underestimate the level we’re at. I think if we were training full time, we had the five visa players, never had the point restrictions and had a bigger squad, I think we’d have a better side.
We have boys who might be getting up at 6 in the morning laying bricks or sitting at an office desk for 10 hours a day and then have to play football at night against players that it’s their full-time occupation.
“That’s quite challenging. I think that’s where we’re having the ups and downs because if you play three games in a week, for me it’s not the physical aspect of it, it’s the mental aspect that is really difficult. Trying to get players up on a Friday, a Wednesday and then on a Saturday again. It’s quite a tall ask and it’s the mental side we struggle to deal with.”
Taylor is one of the most decorated coaches in Victorian football.
From the humble surrounds of Chaplin Reserve in Sunshine to Oakleigh, Taylor has tasted glory with South Melbourne and Dandenong Thunder, who he led to an unprecedented treble in 2012. He had Melbourne Knights within a penalty kick of a league title in 2008.
Taylor unearthed former Socceroo and A-Leagues full-back Ivan Franjic, handed his debut at the tender age of 17. Ex-Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City attacker Mate Dugandzic (Knights) and former Victory defender Steve Pantelidis (Altona East) were both provided with a platform to eventual A-League Men careers.
Now, with only two NPL Premierships to their name (in 2006 and 2021), Taylor is trying to lead Oakleigh to the club’s maiden Championship, with ex-Perth Glory midfielder Aryn Williams, former Western United centre-back Oskar Williams and ex-Gold Coast United forward Lucas in his squad.
“Being Oakleigh’s 50th year, they haven’t really won anything of note,” said Taylor.
So to go and turn over Sydney – the most successful side in the A-Leagues – in a big competition at a crucial stage, it’s something that will stick in the history books.
“But I’m a purist. I like to win leagues and what you set out to achieve in the season. I think we play 26 to 30 games and that’s what you really should be judged on. But we’re still in with a chance of that as well.
“This is a bit of icing on the cake but it also elevates the club too. People recognised the name Oakleigh now, whereas two weeks ago they were just a suburban club at a lower-ranked level. Now they will talk about the night they beat Sydney.”

It doesn’t get any easier for Taylor’s Cannons, with Macarthur FC set to visit the south-eastern suburbs for their semi-final showdown.
It will pit the Leicester-born coach against Aston Villa and Manchester United great Dwight Yorke, having already conquered ex-Foxes midfielder Corica in the quarters. Meanwhile, Brisbane Roar and NPLM NSW outfit Sydney United clash after Charlie Austin scored his first goal for the Roar.
“We’ve all grown up with the game and these are all legends of the game, playing for Manchester United and clubs like that,” said Taylor.
“It’s nice to be able to compete with people like that.”