State League Division Two Round 4 Review

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Match of the Round
Luddenham United v Camden Tigers 
Camden Tigers secured a well deserved 2-0 win against Luddenham United at Luddenham Oval on Sunday afternoon. The away side came out of the blocks early with some real quality possession and a sensational passing game.
The home side was missing up to four of their usual starters, crucial losses that saw their midfield and defence tormented by the Tigers early on. The home side did get the first shot away with L. Stinonski striking a volley only for it to sail right across from goal, they were finding it difficult to play their usual game and the away side could have made them pay in the 6? minute.
A Camden free-kick by T. Spain was well struck into the box however it just missed the head of high flying forward G. Hackechnie. Camden playmakers J. Cook and T. Spain were orchestrating the early attack however, despite the chances being there for the taking, the game was still deadlocked.
In the 16? minute G. Hackechnie should have opened the scoring for the away side when he had space to shoot outside the 18-yard box. His attempt just missed the right side of goal leaving Luddenham nervous again at the backline.
The home side?s defence worsened and in the 19? minute J. Cook could have made them pay from right in-front, but his shot was blasted way over the crossbar. The home side couldn?t hold any possession in the first-half, and in the 39? minute Camden once again should have scored.
A brilliant pin-point cross from M. Steck down the left side latched onto G. Hackechnie?s  volley however it went out to the right side of goal, Luddenham defenders ball watching on many occasions and were lucky to go to the half on level terms.
The second-half was a complete opposite start to that of the first, this time the home-side created most of the attacking options. L. Stinonski and C. Clarke were outstanding linking up on many occasions. In the 46? minute C. Clarke latched onto a high ball in the 18-yard box forcing the goalkeeper to make a mistake, but the downside was he was penalised for infringement. Luddenham United coach Andrew Montgomery would have sparked his side at the break because the performance in the second-half was a better display.
Camden Tigers rallied in the 64? minute and should have been one up when substitute A. Smutek had a free header five meters from goal only for it to sail over the cross-bar. That was followed by a sensational thunderbolt shot by B. Green in the 65? minute his effort just over the bar.

Luddenham without their usual starters were holding on in the late stages and were still attacking at pivotal moments. However, Camden again with the best chance a one-on-one with T. Spain trying to chip Luddenham keeper N. Serovski however the ball also chipped over the cross-bar.
In the 85? minute Luddenham could have but all secured the points in what would have been an amazing victory had P. Corso?s thunderbolt from outside the 18-yard box not gone over the crossbar. The game was heading for a goal-less draw until Camden struck in the 85? minute through a header by G. Hackechnie placing it in at the goalkeeper?s near post. The game was all but over and G. Hackechnie collected a double after a great individual shot from outside the 18-yard box beat the Luddenham goalkeeper on his left side giving Camden Tigers three crucial points away from home.
Match Stats
Luddenham United 0
Camden Tigers 2 (G. Hackechnie 85?, 90?)
Sunday 26th April 3.00pm
Luddenham Oval
Luddenham United: 1.N. Serovski; 2.S. Andrews, 3.B.Pettit, 4.R.Stjepic (12.K.Ciappa 45?), 5.P. Corso, 6.A. Chronopoulos, 7.D. Montgomery, 8.L. Stinonski, 9.A. Hartas, 10.C. Clarke (14.V. Munemo 65?), 11.D. Lownds (13.N. Verdos 68?)
Substitutes Not Used: 15.I. Kroon,
Yellow Cards: 13. N. Verdos 70?
Red Cards: Nil
Camden Tigers: 1.M. Johnson; 3. M.Steck, 4.C. York, 5.A. Judge, 6.T. Bazdark, 7.S. Southall (9.T. Spain 70?), 8.J.Cook (15.A. Smutek 62?), 14.T. Spain, 11.G. Hackechnie, 12.B. Green (2.L. Vanmierlo 88?), 10.M. Hill
Substitutes Not Used: Nil
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
Prospect United v Gladesville Magic
An epic battle took place at William Lawson Reserve on Saturday afternoon with Gladesville Magic recording a thrilling 4-3 win against Prospect United. The Game started well for Gladesville receiving a free-kick in the opening seconds which was whipped in to the far post, the Prospect defence looking for an off-side leaving four players unmarked and Alex Morris headed home to put Gladesville ahead within the first minute of the game.
This sparked the home side into action and they dominated the game for the remainder of the first-half, coming close on a number of occasions. Gladesville however were dangerous on the counterattack with Ahmed Kabara and A. Gatt proving a nuisance for the Prospect defence.

The home side was looking good in the attacking half with Justin McLeay making some menacing runs causing havoc around Gladesville?s defensive side.  

Though Prospect had most of the ball they could not penetrate the Gladesville defence through the air and when they played the ball around on the deck they looked promising with their sensational passing and control possession.

One of the turning points in the game came a couple of minutes before the break when Prospect Defender Stephan Puljic was sent off for swearing, leaving the home side with ten men and 1-0 down at half-time.  
The second-half began with Prospect United replacement Pasqualle Landrelli coming on for immediate impact. After some fine build up play by the Prospect side Landrelli scored with his first touch in the 49? minute levelling the game at one a piece. The game was going from end-to-end with both teams playing attacking football and because of the pace both teams were making continues errors on the ball.

It cost the home side in the 60? minute when a  mistake from the Prospect defence after a stray pass saw in-form striker A. Gatt put Gladesville into a 2-1  lead.
Prospect continued to push forward, though being a player down it was proving much a difficult task. It got worse for the home side in the 72? minute when an own goal saw Gladesville increase their lead to 3-1.

In the 75? minute Landrelli sparked the home side again into life by striking the ball in a scrambled 18-yard box to bring back the scores to 3-2. The home side regardless of the ten men they rallied again in the 79? minute Kamahl Gabara headed home from the far post of a well taken corner to lock the game at 3-3.

Both sides were playing end-to-end football but it was all ?dun and dusted? in the 89? minute when a turnover in the midfield from the home side saw Gladesville?s Johnny Martinez slot away for a 4-3 victory for the away side.
In what was an entertaining contest Brian Vella was very delighted with his side this week with the effort brought by his side with one player down:
?I was extremely happy with our effort especially the second half when were down to ten men. We showed real character and if we play like that for the rest of the season we will be very hard to beat.
?A draw would have been a fair result, but the way we play we play to win, the difference tonight is we didn’t put our chances away and Gladesville did.?
Gladesville coach George Ganiatsas said he was happy with the win but did say that they were not the better team but he will take the win:
?Some days you play good and not win and tonight it was the opposite.?
Round 4 Review
Penang FC and Roosters FC battled it out at Mount Penang Sports Complex on Saturday with the away side notching up 4-0 winners. The opening stage of the game was even with both sides sharing an equal amount of possession. The Roosters however were the most dangerous out of the two as they created chances on the attacking front. The away side struck first through H. Celik in the 31? minute to give his side the upper edge. The home side slumped into more trouble in the last quarter of the first half when G. Quattrome added a second in the 38? minute. Goals began to flurry for the away side when in the 41? minute they made it 3-0 going into the break. The home side struggled in the early stages of the second and the Roosters FC side made it 4-0 in the 50? minute from G Aslan. Penang FC coach Tony Gallagher said that due to a list of injuries, the team is suffering. The young boys today had much more pressure on them in this tough game:
?The young boys were unable to maintain the score line and Roosters hit home the first three goals before half-time. The second-half was much better from our team though the
Roosters managed another goal after the interval to finish winners on the day. We can only get better once we have everyone back on board but it?s not going to be easy after a bad start to the season.?
Bathurst recorded a sensational win at Alec Lamberton Field on Saturday defeating Springwood FC 2-1. The first-half saw both teams on the attack however neither side could break the deadlock leaving the scores level at the break. The second seemed to move in the same direction until the 70? minute when G. Dowling scored the opening goal of the game for the home side. Springwood responded six minutes later when R. Haberman found the net in the 76? minute. It was heading for a draw until seven minutes from time where G. Dowling struck the winner in the 83? minute to give his side the 2-1 home win and three very crucial points. 
White City recorded their first win of the season away at Benson Lane field on Sunday defeating the in-form Hawkesbury City 1-0 courtesy of a 51? minute goal by Z Alavanja.
The loss was Hawkesbury?s first at home for the 2009 season.
Colo Colo scored a well earned 1-0 win against Gazy Lansvale at Knight Park on Sunday. The game was played in gusty conditions with both sides having the capabilities to score. It was the home side that broke the deadlock in the 86? minute through in-form player Sanchez giving the Wanderers their second straight win and three valuable points.
Hurstville, who were missing eight first grade players in today?s game against Hakoah at E.S Marks Field managed to come back from two goals down to draw at 2-2. Coach Peter Sarikakis said that he had many injuries to deal with after his side played Roosters FC in the catch up game last Thursday: ?I had to use my reserve grade side due to the injury concerns but despite that we did very well and could have even won today in the later stages, the post coming to the rescue at the end.? 
Sydney Cedars have defeated the in-form Fairfield Bulls at Punchbowl Oval on Sunday afternoon. Bulls? player M. Abdal opened the scoring for the away side in the 24? minute. However, the second-half was a massive turn around for the home side scoring three goals in the second-half to claim all three points. S. Benegadi scored in the 48? minute along with A. Waeli?s double in the 78? and 90? minute to give his side maximum points in what is the Fairfield Bulls first loss of the season. 

-By Johnny Casni