Blacktown and Manly finish level in Gabbie Stadium thriller
Both sides entered the contest without a number of key ?first-teamers?, though the talent on show certainly did entertain the small crowd present.
With the home-side cruising at 3-1 with under 30? minutes remaining, it seemed the points were in the bag for Ken Schembri?s side. Though, a late double to Giosue Sama allowed Manly United to take a point back to Cromer Park.
Blacktown City youngster Joel Chianese signalled the commencement of play with a mazy run down the right-flank in the opening exchanges. A rather fortuitous final touch allowed the midfielder to unleash a curling effort on goal, though Brad Swancott was alert to the danger and produced a confident save.
The visitors responded with a long-range Giosue Sama ?bomb? on 6? minutes from a central position. Demons? shot-stopper Michael Herbert was at full stretch to claim a firm hold of the ball.
Blacktown City should have taken the lead on 13? minutes when a swift counter-attack on the right-flank allowed Chris Bedzo the space to play Nick Sama in for a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper; Nick Sama?s cool shot past Herbert ricocheted off the upright, as Joel Chianese?s first-time effort was somehow kept out by the scrambling Manly United defence.
The home-side would not have to wait long for their next chance as captain Luke Casserley opted for some ?route one? football. The searching long-ball from deep in the Demons half caught the visitors defence napping, as the speedy Chris Bedzo got in behind his marker to loop the ball over Swancott for the opening goal.
Manly United?s best chances continued to arrive via the boot of Giosue Sama; the tall striker was again denied by Herbert with a fine save following the Manly number 10?s deflected free-kick.
The big striker would play a part in the visitors next forward foray; the striker?s presence in the penalty-area brought about their equaliser. A wicked swerving free-kick from the right-flank was headed back across the face of goal by Matthew Bingley into the path of his defensive partner Joel Grenell; the defender was left completely unmarked as he headed past a scrambling Herbert.
Manly United should have added a second on 32? minutes when some fine build-up play allowed Irishman Keith Shevlin to play an exquisite flick pass into the path of Ashley Ryan. Ryan, with only the goalkeeper to beat, hit a venomous effort from the edge of the penalty-area only to see his effort finish off the mark.
Ante Deur responded for the Demons via a set-piece effort of his own. Deur saw his first effort rebound off the wall before drilling a second effort on goal; Swancott got down well to thwart the danger.
Deur was called upon again within 60?? seconds as he latched onto a through ball behind the Manly United defence. With only Swancott to beat, from a slightly decentralised angle, Deur scuffed his effort wide of goal.
Manly United closed off the half with the final chance of note as Ashley Ryan picked up a loose ball on the edge of the penalty-area. The Manly United midfielder picked his spot and hit towards goal with power, though his effort lacked precision and finished well over the crossbar.
Following the break Luke Casserly fired the Demons ahead with an exceptionally well-placed free-kick one-metre outside the penalty-area. Casserly picked his spot and swerved the ball past the stunned Manly United wall; leaving Swancott routed to the spot.
Casserly was again involved for the Demons moments later as his looping cross from the right-flank found the head of Bedzo; the talented Demons? striker headed on goal from point-blank range, though Swancott somehow got a glove to the ball to divert away for a corner.
Despite Manly?s best efforts going forward Blacktown City found a third goal to take a commanding two-goal lead. Some fine ?hassle? by Nick Sama off the ball allowed Akwasi Agyei room to move inside the penalty-area. Agyei managed to get a touch of the ball into the path of Joel Chianese who hit a fine left-footed effort on the turn inside the near post, much to the delight of the home crowd.
To the visiting side?s credit, a goal was pulled back on 64? minutes to re-open the tie. Scott Thomas? composure on the ball provided the midfielder with the space to hit a low-drive on goal. Herbert was at full-stretch to parry, though only as far as Giosue Sama who was on hand to tap in from close-range.
Giosue Sama had the chance to claim bragging rights against his brother?s side when posed with an open goal following some slack goalkeeping by the Demons? shot-stopper. Herbert?s poorly timed venture off his goal-line allowed Sama a sight of goal, though the Manly United striker toe-poked his effort wide of an open goal.
To Herbert?s defence, a previous contrast with an opponent left the goalkeeper with an injury problem as coach Ken Schembri was left with no choice but to replace his shot-stopper with Brody Crane.
At the other end, Nick Sama did all but put the ball into the back of the net when he latched onto a loose ball on the left-flank. Sama took the ball to the byline and beat his marker, and with only the goalkeeper to beat from an acute angle, drove his effort against the oncoming Swancott.
Demons? midfielder Ante Deur missed a golden chance to put the game beyond Manly?s reach on 85? minutes when he perfectly timed his run at the back post to meet a delightful cross from the right. With only the goalkeeper ahead of him, Deur flashed his volley back across the face of goal, allowing Manly United to remain in the contest.
In actual fact, the missed attempt did bite the Demons in the final minute of normal time as Manly United substitute Michael Lloyd-Green delivered an inch-perfect cross into the path of Giosue Sama who converted with aplomb from close-range to salvage the visitors a point.
Demons coach Ken Schembri expressed his disappointment following the final whistle:
?This result is arguably one of the most disappointing in recent memory,? Schembri stated.
?We have lost matches previously by three goals, but to think that we were ahead tonight and had chances to go on with the job, only to squander a two-goal lead and draw, it is extremely disappointing.
?Tonight we managed to take the match to a team higher than us on the ladder, and even at 3-1 we should have scored again and really made them pay. Instead, conceding the soft goals we did ? and they were poor as we failed to clear the lines as we needed to ? we threw away the points.
?We did lose a number of players during the match due to injury. Michael Herbert (goalkeeper) had a problem, and we needed to use a substitution for the goalkeeper which didn?t help across the park. We simply ran out of legs tonight, and in that dressing room, there are some very disappointed players with the final outcome.
?We have also lost a good chance to keep up with the sides hovering around the top-five of the ladder; we?ll have to hope other results now keep us within a good distance for the next couple of weeks,? Schembri concluded.
Manly United FC boss Phil Moss was visibly relieved following the match, though admitted he wanted the win after his side?s second goal:
?We gave them too much of a start in this match and at 3-1 I really could only hope to get a draw out of the match; at 3-2 though, I wanted maximum points, and it was a great show of courage from the players to fight for a draw in the end,? commented Moss.
?We did have some big name players out, and I won?t use that as an excuse ? Blacktown too had some important players missing.
?Tonight though, we did give them too much of a start, and to concede a soft goal like their opening goal ? via a long ball ? is very frustrating as we had discussed their use of the long ball.
?We?ve had a busy couple of weeks, with the re-scheduled matches ? and of course the break over Easter didn?t help ? so I believe that we are on the way out of our slight drop of form.?
In the Grade 20 division, Blacktown City Demons continued their giant-killing form with an impressive 3-0 defeat of Manly United FC. The win secures a sole-hold of top-spot for another week, regardless of results from the remaining Round 9 fixtures.
Match Stats
Blacktown City Demons 3 (Chris Bedzo 14?, Luke Casserly 50?, Joel Chianese 55?)
Manly United FC 3 (Joel Grenell 24?, Giosue Sama 63?, 89?)
Saturday, 2nd May, 2009
Gabbie Stadium, Seven Hills
Referee: Kris Griffith-Jones
Crowd: 250
Blacktown City Demons: 1.Michael Herbert (40.Brody Crane 68?); 2.Tyler Simpson, 3.Paul Karbon, 6.Luke Casserly (C), 8.Chris Bedzo (12.Brendan Maroney 89?), 9.Kain Rastall, 11.Nick Sama, 19.Luka Dukic, 16.Ante Deur, 17.Joel Chianese, 18. Akwasi Agyei (15.Ray Miller 68?)
Substitutes Not Used: 14.Gavin Forbes, 10.Luke Austin
Yellow Cards: Kain Rastall 35?, Tyler Simpson 78?
Red Cards: Nil
Manly United FC: 1.Brad Swancott; 3.Andrew Mailer (8.Michael Lloyd-Green 80?), 5.Joel Grenell, 6.Scott Thomas, 7.Ashley Ryan, 9.Fabio Pena (24.Bradley Groves 56?), 10.Giosue Sama, 15.Keith Shevlin (35.Joseph Gibbs 73?), 16.Joey Schirripa (C), 17.Scott Wright, 20.Matthew Bingley
Not Used: 40.Rhyss Keane, 12.Jamie Garside, 24.Bradley Groves
Yellow Cards: Scott Thomas 4?, Brad Swancott 48?, Joel Grenell 58?
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3 ? Giosue Sama (MUFC)
2 ? Joel Chianese (BCD)
1 ? Chris Bedzo (BCD)
-By Joseph Carlucci
