Berries singing in the rain at Penrith
The visitors found themselves on the back foot in the opening exchanges as Penrith-Nepean showed some neat one-touch passing on a very slippery pitch as the rain tumbled down persistently with Greg Kondek slicing a chance in the opening minute.
The Berries were put under constant pressure as United mastered the conditions from the first whistle as the visitors struggled, though remained resolute at the back led ably by captain Jack Sobczyk.
Penrith-Nepean though was made to pay when the Berries took an unexpected lead after the ball fell to Chris Gaitatzis and buried the shot past Matthew Nash to put the visitors ahead almost certainly against the run of play.
The home-side?s evening took a further turn for the worse when the rain eased and Kosta Lagoudakis scored a second for the Berries with an unstoppable 35-yard shot that had Nash beaten all hands up.
In all honesty, the scoreline flattered the Berries who must have counted their lucky stars at the interval but they could look back on 45? minutes of stout defending that wasn?t found wanting in any department with Johnny Fotiadis playing his part.
West Sydney had a goal disallowed for offside in the 52? when Nash made a reaction save, and a third at this point would certainly have killed off any chance of a home team comeback.
Nash was once more called into action a minute later when tipping over a Dimitri Zakilas effort as the rain tumbled down again, spurring the Berries, finally, into the game as they produced a number of chances to threaten the Penrith-Nepean rearguard.
Whilst referee Andrew Best was cautioning Omar Saadi, Lagoudakis and Greg Kondek engaged in a little push and shove that saw the former follow his team-mate into the book.
Penrith was awarded a penalty in the 88? minute, taken by Mitchell Long who scored to set-up a grandstand finish, but it proved a hurdle too high in the final wash up.
Both teams showed plenty of endeavour on a rain sodden pitch that wasn?t conducive to playing attractive football but they managed exceptionally well, and on the balance of the second-half, with the Berries making the majority of the running they probably deserved the points.
Penrith-Nepean?s first-half offered much promise, and more of the same will be required from the remaining matches this season if the side is going to make a challenge for a finals series push.
Penrith-Nepean United coach Ian Gillan commented afterwards:
?With so many injuries it is a credit to the guys out there tonight to turn in such a good performance.
?I thought our play was exceptional at times, especially in the first-half, and with the weather playing its part this evening it was probably better than many would give us credit for but overall we went 2-0 down against the run of play but our heads didn?t drop and we were maybe unlucky not to grab a point in the end.?
West Sydney Berries coach John Calleja was visibly happy with the final result:
?Penrith played very well against us in the first-half,? stated Calleja.
?And we were fortunate to find ourselves up by two at the break and no team should really lose from that position.
?I thought we played far better in the second-half and on the balance of play we probably levelled things out but we came out switched on and perhaps should have added a third.
?I?m sure they feel they were unlucky tonight at the end but I?m just grateful for the three points.?
In the Grade-20 match, it finished all square at one-apiece.
Penrith-Nepean United 1 (Mitchell Long 88?pen)
West Sydney Berries 2 (Chris Gaitatzis 27?, Kosta Lagoudakis 39?)
Saturday, 30th of May, 2009
Cooks Park, St Marys
Referee: Andrew Best
Assistant Referees: Paul Faithful and Michael Collins
Fourth Official: Brendan Johanson
Penrith-Nepean United: 1.Matthew Nash; 2.Mark Bariamis, 3.David Comito (19.Mitchell Dowling 54?), 4.Evangelos Petratos, 5.David Gardiner, 9.Mitchell Long, 10.Ben Gough, 12.Michael McInerney, 14.Greg Kondek (43.Trent Barton 87?), 23.Devrim Huseyin, 35.Matthew Liddall
Substitutes Not Used: 8.Alex Mansueto, 21.Nik Jelic, 7.Robert Morrison
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
West Sydney Berries: 1.Hamish McLean; 2.Marjan Novotni (15.Ryan Jones 83?), 3.Omar Saadi, 5.Daniel Clifford, 6.Jack Sobczyk, 7.Peter Peralta, 8.John Fotiadis, 16.Kosta Lagoudakis, 17.Chris Gaitatzis, 14.Liam Austin (4.Adam Wither 90?), 19.Dimitri Zakilas
Substitutes Not Used: 22.Trinity Allen, 10.John Tsironis, 12.James Kovas
Yellow Cards: Omar Saadi 64?, Kosta Lagoudakis 65?
Red Cards: Nil
-By Micky Brock
