Marconi Snatches Victory over Bankstown

It was an incredible result considering the football Bankstown played in the first-half. It was almost as if there was no pre-season at all for last season?s Premier League runner-up, as Bankstown played quick, flowing football and all Marconi could do was react to the onslaught rather than gain consistent possession.

Early on Stefce Soleski put the ball over the bar from a very good position, whilst former Blacktown City player Tayfun Devrimol just failed to convert successfully from a George Nohra free-kick.

In the 21?t minute a Marconi attack broke down and Devrimol ran through on to the ball.

The Stallions defence was able to compact and force Devrimol too close to keeper Cem Akilli, and rather than shoot, Devrimol had to lay the ball back to nobody in what was a great scoring opportunity.

In the 26? minute it looked like Ante Deur had given Marconi the lead.

The Stallions had caught Bankstown on the break and a quick transition saw Deur get on the end of a cross and put the ball away. However the assistant referee had his flag up for offside although it seemed this was for a player who was not involved in the play.

It was to be a warning shot across Bankstown?s bough.

At the half hour mark Nahual Arrarte proved he still has his touch when he played a magnificent, low, through ball to Stefan Donevski, but the striker was unable to get past the defence that had tracked back. 

Over the next ten minutes Bankstown was let down by not having someone in the box to convert the magnificent lead up work.

They were to pay in the 43? minute as Donevski played the ball to Matthew Gordon who rounded his marker and headed goal wards.

The defence managed to push him away from goal but his shot, despite being from the tightest of angles, ended up just inside the far post to give Marconi the lead at the break.

The Stallions managed to add a second before half-time, though Donevski was ruled offside after converting a Ben Gough cross.Bankstown?s play was much less efficient in the second-half and Marconi took advantage from the start.

In the 48? minute Gordon broke down the left, and with the defence sliding towards him, he chipped it over to Ante Deur who was free in the middle of the park to slide the ball home and double his side?s lead.

Five minutes later it looked as if Robert Mileski had put his team back in the match with a great run past Ben Gough and a shot into the back of the net.

However somehow in the play, there was a controversial offside call to deny the goal.

Ibrahim Haydar responded with a great run down the right but his cross could not find any of his Bankstown team-mates.

With substitutes now going on and off, the standard of the game fell away but Christopher Gomez almost scored, his shot going just high.Meanwhile Arrarte almost set up a great chance with a cross that was too good for everyone.

Following the match, Marconi Stallions coach David Barrett was pleased to have got a result but is still looking for improvement:
?It was nice to get a result but we lived dangerously at times. We need to be more mobile and look to improve on that performance because in parts it was not good enough. In the first half we seemed to be more reacting to what Bankstown were doing than creating our own play. However that is to be a little bit expected, they were grand finalists in the competition proper last season.?

Bankstown City assistant coach Peter Papoythis singled out the positives from his side?s performance:
?I?d be upset if we were not creating chances but we were, we played some nice football. We are not a 90 minute ready team at the moment but as the preseason goes on we are aiming at turning the 45 minutes of great football from today into a 90 minute effort.?

Match Stats
Marconi v Bankstown City John Creehan Park 5.30pm Saturday 26th January 2008.
Marconi Stallions 2 (Matthew Gordon 43?, Ante Deur 58?)
Bankstown City 0

Marconi Stallions: Cem Akilli, Wade Oostendorp, Vuko Tomasevic, Luke Casserly, Ben Gough, Ante Deur, Kain Rastall, Matthew Gordon, Stefan Donevski, Zac Cairncross, Nahual Arrarte
Subs: James Chronopoulos, Marijan Novotni, Dominic Arcella, Sean Mitchell, Chris Gomez
Yellow cards: Rastall 29 Tomasevic 41

Bankstown City: Zlatko Joseski, Ibrahim Haydar, Brett Studman, Richard Luksic, Peter Tsekenis, Stefanos Liavas, George Nohra, Robert Mileski, Philip Makrys, Stefce Soleski, Tyfun Devrimol
Subs: Daniel Slaveski, Richard Twuntekski, Jonathon Jackson, Omar Saadi, Ivo De Jesus
Yellow cards:  Studman 29 Soleski 63

Player Ratings
Matthew Gordon (Marconi Stallions) 3
George Nohra (Bankstown City) 2
Tayfun Devrimol (Bankstown City) 1