Sydney United too strong for Berries

It was Ante Milicic and Mitchell Thompson who kick-started proceedings for the home-side, threatening the Berries goal on several occasions in the opening exchanges without any success.
Thompson?s efforts didn?t go unrewarded for too much longer though, playing an important role in the Reds? first goal of the match.
A lovely chip over the Berries defence from Thompson allowed Luka Glavas with the opportunity to slot his shot past the advancing Hamish McClean, but a deflection saw the ball fall in the path of the unmarked David Zdrilic; the former Socceroo made no mistake guiding his shot into an empty goal, giving United a 1-0 advantage after just 15? minutes.
Chris Gaitatzis tried to get the visitors back into the match when he turned Joe Vrkic inside-out, but unfortunately for the Berries his shot did not beat the reliable Vedran Janjetovic between the sticks.
West Sydney had another chance to draw level from a Ryan Jones free-kick and this time it was Dimitri Zakilas who went agonisingly close to his side?s first, lunging for the ball at the far post.
The fast flowing match saw tempers flare on the stroke of half-time when Janjetovic reacted to a rather late challenge from Zakilas.
But Ante Milicic?s early replacement Davor Bajsic was focused on playing football and showed off his ability with an accurate through ball in the direction of Luka Glavas, but the number 11 found himself in an offside position and was unable to capitalise.
The Berries were quick out of the blocks in the second-half and almost scored within the first 10?? seconds, but Janjetovic was again the man to deny Zakilas the opportunity to latch on to a cross from Aheleas Kotsopoulos.
Roger Galayini did well to regain the ascendancy for Sydney United, beating two Berries defenders to force a corner.
From the ensuing play Damon Collina was looking for his second goal in as many weeks, but the defender was left to watch his header ricochet off the far post and cleared from danger.
Despite trailing on the scoreboard, the Berries weren?t too far off the pace on the field, matching it with their higher placed rivals across the paddock for most of the match.
Kotsopoulos did well to beat Sam Munro down the touchline, supplying Liam Austin with a clear shot on goal, but Austin?s right-footed effort sailed wide of the post yet again.
Midway through the second-half it was Sydney United who decided to put their foot on the accelerator to take control of the match.
United pocket-rocket Elsid Barkhousir almost doubled his side?s lead when Daniel Clifford made a meal of a back pass, but McClean did enough to deny Barkhousir on that occasion.
Barkhousir found himself in open space yet again moments later, this time making a run down the left-flank to find an unmarked Andrija Petkovic on the edge of the box.
But Petkovic paid the price for holding on to the ball for too long, as the Berries defenders scrambled well to deny him in the 82? minute.
Barkhousir was in the thick of the action again soon after, brought down in the box by Kotsopoulos, earning his side a penalty despite the protests of the Berries defenders.
Captain Joe Vrkic stepped up to the mark and sent the keeper the other way, guiding his shot into the bottom left-hand corner for a 2-0 lead in the 86? minute.
The decision didn?t impress the visitors and resulted in a few heated incidents between he players before referee Khodr Yaghi finally blew full-time after an intense 90? minutes.
The experienced David Zdrilic believes United are hitting their straps at the right time of the season:
?We had a little spell mid-season where we dropped a few points,? Zdrilic said.
?We lost a few players like myself and Teza [Milicic] and we had a few players out with injury.
?Now we?re getting a few guys back on board so hopefully we can make a good run into the finals and have a good squad ready for it.?
Despite the two-goal victory, the striker believes his side should have been in front by a bigger margin:
?We had a couple of chances but we didn?t kill it off until late in the game,? he said.
?But in saying that we?re happy with the result.?
However, Berries assistant coach Matthew Ribarovski wasn?t too happy with the result:
?I was disappointed about the first-half because I think we came out a bit flat,? Ribarovski said.
?We came out extremely flat in the first-half and turned over the ball far too many times.?
Despite his side?s defeat, there were some positives to take out of the match:
?I thought the boys tried very hard out there on a sub-standard pitch.
?I was happy with their efforts, especially in the second-half.?
Sydney United and West Sydney fought out a 2-2 draw in the Grade 20 match earlier in the afternoon.
Match Stats
Sydney United 2 (David Zdrilic 15?, Joe Vrkic 86? (penalty))
West Sydney Berries 0
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Sydney United Sports Centre, Edensor Park.
Referee: Khodr Yaghi
Assistant Referees: Scott Edeling and Brett Woodford
Fourth Official: Matthew Samson
Sydney United: 1.Vedran Janjetovic; 5.Damon Collina, 6.Joe Vrkic, 19.Mitchell Thompson, 45.Sam Munro, 26.Karl Dodd, 3.Roger Galayini, 9.David Zdrilic (24.Andrija Petkovic 75?), 7.Todd Brodie, 10.Ante Milicic (12.Davor Bajsic 31?), 11.Luka Glavas (16.Elsid Barkhousir 54?)
Substitutes Not Used: 18.Glen Trifiro, 20.Michael Frost
Yellow Cards: Sam Munro 80?
Red Cards: Nil
West Sydney Berries: 1.Hamish McClean; 3.Omar Saadi (12.Stefan Donevski 75?), 8.Johnny Fotiadis, 7.Peter Peralta, 11.Aheleas Kotsopoulos, 16.Kosta Lagoudakis, 17.Chris Gaitatzis (10.John Tsironis 66?), 19.Dimitri Zakilas, 14.Liam Austin (20.Marjan Pavlovic 85?), 5.Daniel Clifford, 15.Ryan Jones
Substitutes Not Used: 22.Trinity Allen, 4.Adam Wither
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
-By Michael Chammas