Rockdale City Suns shine in first win at new home
The home side were out of the blocks first when showing plenty of flair in coming close twice in the early minutes when Musumeci had his low right-foot shot saved well down to the right by Bankstown ?keeper Zlatko Joseski.
Moments later Askin Oygur had his header find the side netting before Bankstown began to mount a challenge as Almir Dizdaric set off on a run and sent over a cross for Robbie Mileski to slip Hussein Salameh away on the left in a sweeping move.
Peter Tsekenis?s squad came close again ten minutes later and were unfortunate to see the corner of Shannon Burgin slip agonisingly past the angle of the upright directly and when Mileski and Scott Thomas battled to win the ball inside the Suns penalty area, it was the latter who sent over a curling left foot centre but no-one was following in and the chance went begging as the visitors began to take control slowly but surely.
Musumeci had a chance toward the end of the half to open the scoring when connecting with a cross from the right but mistimed the effort for Joseski to save comfortably.
Bankstown went straight up on the counter attack but Salameh couldn?t get the ball from under his feet but still made Suns keeper Ben McNamara work pulling off a good save.
Mileski was again a constant threat after more clever play down the flank saw his effort curl wide of the keepers left-hand upright as the half finished scoreless and beautifully poised for the second 45-minutes but needed to do it without their influential playmaker George Nohra who was replaced at half-time due to injury.
Salameh started as he finished the first-half making a run through the middle of defence but not finding the finishing touch and in true end-to-end football Rockdale counter-attacked but still were unable to find the opening strike.
Musumeci was the next to show for the home side when slipping through Paul Dee but a scuffed shot saw another opportunity come to nothing with alarming regularity and Scott Thomas was forced into a last ditch goal-line tackle to prevent Musumeci sliding home from a Pece Apolevski centre without either goal being troubled.
The Suns then brought on new recruit Steve Bozinovski in the 60th minute to pepper things up in attack as the former Bonnyrigg White Eagles attacker got straight into it involving himself in a flurry of attacks by the home side.
Musumeci finally ended the drought in the 67th minute when lobbing over Joseski smartly in the Bankstown net to give Rockdale their first goal at their new home, something that can never be repeated.
The former Sydney Olympic midfielder put himself in a great position and was cool and calm as he saw his effort hit the net much to the delight of the parochial home fans.
Bankstown thought good luck deserted them when striking the post but the assistant referee flagged for offside as they battled to get back on level terms and would have found themselves further behind but for an excellent stop by McNamara after Sam Awad shrugged off one tackle to put substitute Mark Bariamis clean through.
Suad Ameti took a free-kick from just outside the box when Apoleski was adjudged to have handled in the final minute of regulation time but he was another who left his shooting boots at home when the effort sailed harmlessly over the bar as try as they might the ball just wouldn?t go in for the visitors.
Referee Peter Vrtkovski who had a solid game blew full time as the game ended 1-0 to Rockdale to give them the lift they needed in their first home match at their new ground.
History was certainly made at Bicentennial Park as the home side celebrated its first historic win in the 2010 NSW Premier League campaign with the hope of many more to come.
Suns coach Mile Todorski was ecstatic with the result and the discipline his side showed against a gritty Bankstown outfit.
?I?m happy with the result and we played well at times but I am very pleased with the discipline we showed in what was a very close game.
?We can look forward to our next game which will be a tough one away to Blacktown City next Sunday but we can only get better as the games roll on,? he said defiantly.
Tsekenis was not best pleased with his side?s showing and stated that it was one of the poorest he has seen since he came on board with the club six seasons ago.
?All I can say is that that was the worst performance I have ever experienced as coach of Bankstown.
?I?m embarrassed but I assure you things will change.?
In the earlier match in the Grade 20?s it was Rockdale who triumphed 2-1 over Bankstown City in a keenly contested game.
Match Stats
Rockdale City Suns 1 (Marino Musumeci 67′)
Bankstown City FC 0
Venue: Bicentennial Park South
Attendance: 1520
Referee: Peter Vrtkovski
Assistant Referees: Christian Mehl, David Lockridge
4th Official: Miles Allen-Scott
Rockdale City Suns: 1 Ben McNamara, 2 Paul Dee, 6 Ian King, 7 Pece Apolevski, 11 Adem Kir, 12 Stefan Donevski (15 Daniel Pejovski 62), 13 Baturay Akin (16 Steven Bozinovski 60), 18 Robert DiMeglio (3 Mark Bariamis 77), 19 Marino Musumeci, 21 Sam Awad, 23 Askin Oygur
Subs Not Used: 17 George Lagoudakis, 22 Chad Taylor
Yellow Cards: A Oygur 83
Red Cards: Nil
Bankstown City FC: 1 Zlatko Joseski, 7 Stefanos Liavas (21 George Issa 79), 8 George Nohra (14 Suad Ameti 46), 2 Scott Thomas, 10 Robbie Mileski, 5 Richard Luksic, 6 Peter Tsekenis, 3 Shannon Burgin, 11 Almir Dizdaric (99 Chris Godoy-Bascur 74), 20 Hussein Salameh, 4 Brett Studman
Subs Not Used: 22 Robert Napoleone, 23 Tallan Martin
Yellow Cards: B Studman 88
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings
3 ? Marino Musumeci (RCS)
2 ? Pece Apolevski (RCS)
1 ? Scott Thomas (BC)
-By Micky Brock
