State League Two Round Two Review
Goals aplenty in round two of 2010 State League division two
Hurstville and Springwood leapt to the top of the State League division two leaderboard following their second straight victories of the season on the weekend.
The Minotaurs beat the Bulls 3-1 and Springwood downed Belmore two-zip to spring an early jump on Prospect and Lansvale, who beat Hakoah 2-1 and Bathurst 4-1 respectively. Hawkesbury and Wanderers fought out a dramatic 3-3 draw, while Roosters smashed Luddenham 6-2 in a great round of action. In all, 28 goals were scored in six fixtures ? a feast for football spectators.
Hawkesbury snatch late draw against Wanderers
It was a cracker of a game at Benson Lane Field on Saturday evening as a chaotic Hawkesbury City goal in injury time secured a dramatic 3-3 draw with title-holders Wanderers. It takes the tally to 11 goals produced between these two teams at this ground following a 3-2 win to Hawkesbury in the first round last year. Both teams had their noses in front during the rollercoaster ride, with City?s Kelston George first on the scoreboard after his right foot blast found the back of the net in the 10th minute of the game.
Wanderers responded with two great goals of their own, Elias Navarrete equalising on 22-minutes and Mauricio Sanchez bending a free kick two minutes later that swerved more times than big business at tax time. But that man Kelston stepped up again 10 minutes before the break, benefiting from a deft through ball from Dane Smith to send a left-footer into overdrive and into the goal for a 2-2 scoreline at halftime.
The second half tightened up a little, with Wanderers enjoying the bulk of possession but Hawkesbury creating some good chances of their own and, as time dwindled away, it was the visitors who went ahead again as Ian Teti capitalised on some good lead up play from the Wanderers to head home a cross and take a 3-2 advantage into the final quarter-hour.
But cramps were starting to take their toll and the Wanderers were forced into a couple of substitutions that changed the game?s perplexion. Hawkesbury saw the opening and piled on the pressure, and deep in injury time it was Kelston George who again sent the home crowd into raptures. When a Keiran Kerr header from 35m out clipped the bar and bounced back into the play, Kelston was first to the ball and nudged it in to complete his goalscoring trifecta (one with the left boot, one with the right and one with the head). Some fans behind the goal believed Kerr?s freakish attempt had actually crossed the goal-line, but George?s follow-up made sure City shared the competition points.
Wanderers did have the final opportunity, but were left pondering what could have been after Jonathon Hurtado?s clever effort rebounded off the far post and into the hands of the Hawkesbury goalkeeper. Wanderers coach Walter Alvarez had mixed impressions of the result. ?It?s a bit disappointing for us [the late goal], but that?s football,? he said.
?Every time you go for something you think life is harder to get it. All respect to Hawkesbury, but we went there to win and get the three points. I thought we did play well and controlled most of the game, but you have to put your chances away. I?m happy with the team; they give it 100 per cent, and if we keep like that the results will come. The game was good for the fans as there were plenty of goal scoring situations.?
It was a particularly sweet result for George, who has come back well from a knee reconstruction, and Hawkesbury coach Gary Lewis applauded the adventurous play of both teams. ?It was a very exciting game, and it was exciting to watch some open football,? he said. ?They probably had the majority of possession, but we had the better of the scoring chances. Their goalkeeper really kept them in the game. I felt a draw was a fair result. We fought back twice and there were six great goals. The George brothers [Ed and Kelston] caused havoc up front, and Kelston could have scored five or six goals.?
Hawkesbury City 3 (Kelston George 10/35/90m) Wanderers 3 (Elias Navarrete 22m Mauricio Sanchez 24m Ian Teti 80m)
Grade 20: Hawkesbury City 2 Wanderers 3
Lansvale bury Bathurst
Gazy Lansvale travel returned from Alec Lamberton Field triumphant in a 4-1 demolition of Bathurst ?75 on Saturday night. But they didn?t have it their own way as a young Bathurst side showed glimpses of what they will be capable of this year. A string of blown chances from the home side in the opening 10 minutes created the opening Gazy needed, as goals to Joliyan Berkho and Eddie Yokhanna gave them a 2-0 break at half-time. Yokhanna extended the lead a minute after the restart before Bathurst finally got on the scoreboard through a Jarred Portegies strike with 20 minutes remaining.
The home side continued to pile on the pressure, and hit the post on one of their attacking forays, but it was Lansvale?s Michael Amed who settled the game with a well taken chance inside the final quarter-hour. Gazy coach Phil Pavela was back on the sidelines and was impressed with what he saw.
?I?m happy with the boys, the way they?re going at the moment,? he said. ?To win on the road, especially at Bathurst! It?s not often teams go there and win. But we only played in patches. There were times where we didn?t play well, but when they [the players] settled down they scored. And the goals came from one-touch football and running off the ball. We had some good trial results and they seem to be continuing.?
Bathurst coach Mark Rooke said the match was closer than the scoreline indicated. ?It didn?t reflect the closeness,? he said. ?They punished our mistakes. It was certainly disappointing. We could have been 2-0 up after 10 minutes, but we weren?t. There are plenty of things to work on, but at least now we can see what we need to fix up. They?re a young side, so you?re going to get a bit of inconsistency. We should come out stronger in our next match.?
Bathurst ?75 1 (J Portegies 70m) Gazy Lansvale 4 (Joliyan Berkho 23m Eddie Yokhanna 32/46m Michael Amed 76m)
Grade 20: Bathurst ?75 0 Gazy Lansvale 1
Springwood dismantle Belmore
It was a clinical display from Springwood United as they delivered a 2-0 win over Belmore Hercules at Summerhayes Park on Saturday night. With both teams locked in a first-half arm-wrestle, it was Springwood who showed the most patience and Peter Henderson and Michael Haberman pounced on defensive errors to establish a two goal lead inside the final half-hour. Belmore couldn?t recover and Springwood moved to the top of the table.
Springwood coach Errol Warwick Day took the comprehensive win in his stride. ?I am pretty happy,? he stated simply. ?There?s no such thing as an easy game. It was 0-0 at halftime and patience and discipline were a big part of our halftime talk. We stuck to our game plan and were confident of achieving the result. After two rounds it?s been good.?
Springwood United 2 (Peter Henderson 60m Michael Haberman 64m) Belmore Hercules 0
Grade 20: Springwood United 0 Belmore Hercules 1
Hurstville cage Fairfield
Hurstville City proved too good for Fairfield Bulls in a 3-1 victory at Belmore Sports Ground on Sunday afternoon. Minotaurs dynamo Michael DiMeglio made the most of a clumsy defensive error from the Bulls to establish a 1-0 lead early on, which E Papageorgiou doubled a minute into the second half by heading home a corner kick. Papageorgio scored Hurstville?s third on the counter attack before Khaled Elkerhani pegged one back for Fairfield inside the final 10 minutes.
Bulls coach Michael Mamoo was to the point. ?If I was to analyse our squad?s performance, I think we played only 20 minutes of soccer and 70 minutes of ordinary soccer,? he said. ?Not taking anything away from Hurstville, we just weren?t creative enough. Our best period of the game was with 15 minutes to go. We were trying to create a bit more when we got the goal. But we were our own worst enemy today. I will be making some changes for Hawkesbury [in the third round].
Hurstville City Minotaurs 3 (Michael DiMeglio 18m, E Papageorgiou 47/62m) Fairfield Bulls 1 (Khaled Elkerhani 82m)
Grade 20: Hurstville City Minotaurs 2 Fairfield Bulls 3
Roosters smash Luddenham
If a late switch of grounds and an even later change in starting times was an unsettling scenario, it didn?t show on the Roosters, who undressed Luddenham United 6-2 at Lidcombe Oval on Sunday night. The match didn?t finish until after 9pm after a scheduling shuffle, but the shift unsettled Luddenham more as the Roosters ran riot.
United?s A Martino slotted home a fifth-minute penalty before the Roosters went on a scoring blitz, notching up four goals by halftime. They added another couple after the rest period before Martino converted his second penalty goal of the match with 15 minutes to go. But, at 6-2 down, it was never going to be a miracle comeback.
Roosters coach Juan Ortiz would have been over the moon with his side?s performance, while United coach Andrew Montgomery said there were going to be some sore bodies at training during the week.
Roosters FC 6 (E Topal 18m O Gogebakan 20/38m G Girgin 32m A Elveren 55m O Omari 70m) Luddenham United 2 (A Martino 5m pen/74m pen)
Grade 20: Roosters FC 2 Luddenham United 1
Prospect defeat Hakoah
Prospect United showed their experience in a 2-1 win against a young Hakoah side at Wentworth Park on Sunday afternoon. Both sides struggled to score a lackluster first half, but Prospect seemed the more settled after the break and goals to P Curjak and R Portelli helped the visitors to a comfortable lead by the 70-minute mark. Josh Morgenstem scored for Hakoah in the dying moments but it wasn?t enough for a comeback and the fulltime whistle blew with the score unchanged.
Hakoah coach Paul Watkins Hakoah was able to take plenty of information away from the game. ?We did okay in the first half. We were down four players from our full-strength 11 and it showed a bit in the end. Prospect really got on top of us after the break, and the game slipped away from us. There?s still more positives than negatives to take from the game. We?re a young squad on the park and I think that was the main difference between the two teams. We were a little na?ve, as simple as that.?
Hakoah FC 1 (Josh Morgenstern 84m) Prospect United 2 (P Curjak 48m R Portelli 67m)
Grade 20: Hakoah FC 2 Prospect United 3
Round 2 results
FIRST GRADE
Hawkesbury City 3 (Kelston George 10/35/90m) Wanderers 3 (Elias Durrette 22m Mauricio Sanchez 24m Ian Teti 80m)
Bathurst ?75 1 (J Portegies 70m) Gazy Lansvale 4 (Joliyan Berkho 23m Eddie Yokhanna 32/46m Michael Amed 76m)
Springwood United 2 (Peter Henderson 60m Michael Haberman 64m) Belmore Hercules 0
Hurstville City Minotaurs 3 (Michael DiMeglio 18m, E Papageorgiou 47/62m) Fairfield Bulls 1 (Khaled Elkerhani 82m)
Roosters FC 6 (E Topal 18m O Gogebakan 20/38m G Girgin 32m A Elveren 55m O Omari 70m) Luddenham United 2 (A Martino 5m pen/74m pen)
Hakoah FC 1 (Josh Morgenstern 84m) Prospect United 2 (P Curjak 48m R Portelli 67m)
GRADE 20
Hawkesbury City 2 Wanderers 3
Bathurst ?75 0 Gazy Lansvale 1
Springwood United 0 Belmore Hercules 1
Hurstville City Minotaurs 2 Fairfield Bulls 3
Roosters FC 2 Luddenham United 1
Hakoah FC 2 Prospect United 3
Next week?s games
Round three of the State League division two sees Saturday match-ups between Prospect and Belmore at William Lawson Reserve (5pm kickoff), Bathurst and Hakoah at Alec Lamberton Field (7pm), and Springwood and Roosters at Summerhayes Park (7pm). On Sunday, Hurstville play Luddenham at Belmore Sports Ground, Wanderers take on Lansvale at Knight Park and Fairfield face Hawkesbury also at Knight Park, all matches start at 3pm.
-By Daniel De Nardi
