Suns and Sharks draw blanks in Rockdale
With clear-cut chances a rarity, the visitors perhaps would feel they lost two-points for the greater amount of possession maintained throughout the encounter. Despite the time in the Suns? half, Rockdale City ? led by captain Peter Apolevski who put together another fine performance for his team ? managed to grind out the result in the end.
Proceedings opened when Stefan Donevski showed some ?razzle dazzle? on 3? minutes, teasing his marker down the right-flank before crossing into the penalty-area. The Sharks defenders were ready and alert, clearing the ball to safety.
Sutherland?s first forward foray arrived on 6? minutes and was orchestrated by Blake Powell. The Sharks? striker cleverly brought the ball down on his right foot, though was brought to ground on the edge of the penalty-area; the referee had no doubts in allowing play to continue, despite the protests of the Sharks number 8.
Panni Nikas had the Suns trembling in the 13? minute as his low-driven effort from distance caused goalkeeper Ben McNamara some grief. The Suns shot-stopper got down well to parry at the second attempt, despite some insistent pressure from Powell on the follow-up.
The Sharks nearly found the break through moments later following a swift counter-attacking move. Started by Nick Stavroulakis, the Sharks spread the ball wide to Ben Spruce down the left-flank, before the left-sided midfielder picked out Powell at the back post. With only the goalkeeper ahead of him, Powell failed to get on-top of the bouncing ball in the penalty-area and blasted over the crossbar.
Rockdale City responded via an Adem Kir corner-kick from the left. The curling effort was only partially dealt with by the Sharks defence, before Michael Robinson anticipated a Suns player at the back post to deny Rockdale a certain goal.
At the other end, Nikas did exceptionally well to get in behind his marker to create a yard of space to run at goal. With some desperate defending by the Suns, the attacking midfielder?s effort on goal was diverted wide of goal for a corner.
The Sharks? Brad DiSalvo came to his side?s rescue with a fine goal-line clearance moments shy of the 40? minute mark. Kir?s curling free-kick, 10-metres in from the left-touchline, had goal written all over it before DiSalvo?s fine headed clearance.
The Sharks responded immediately via the boot of substitute Stephen McConologue ? the Scottish import replacing Neil Jablonski midway through the half due to injury. McConologue?s drive from the edge of the penalty-area packed a punch, though was too central as McNamara claimed the ball with ease to thwart the chance.
After the break, McConologue created a yard of space in the penalty-area to latch onto a floated cross from the right. Despite his good movement, McConologue could only divert the ball goalwards with his chest ? easy pickings in the end for McNamara in the Suns goal.
Stefan Donevski had the Suns faithful on their feet with an ambitious long-range volley moments later. The Suns? attacking midfielder saw his effort finish well-wide of Nathan Denham?s goal.
The Sharks went close again on the hour as Jim Bakis? floated free-kick from the right-flank picked out Nikas in the penalty-area. The attacking midfielder?s glancing header narrowly finished wide of the mark.
Despite the greater hold of possession by the Sharks in the Suns half, the home-side continued to pester the visitors with some swift counter-attacking play. Sam Awad showed the hunger his side possessed with a fine effort ? running down an almost hopeless cause to win his side a corner. The resulting corner though amounted to little.
Sutherland continued to press for a goal, and Ben Spruce nearly came up with the answer on two occasions in the space of 1? minute. The Sharks left-sided midfielder had his first effort diverted wide for a corner, before goalkeeper McNamara got down well to parry Spruce?s lunging header and keep the scores level.
At the other end, the Suns went close via a set-piece. Paul Dee snuck in at the back post to get a head onto a corner from the right, though the ball finished on the wrong side of the upright.
Both sides challenged for every ball in the closing stages, though the two defences stood strong to ensure a share of the spoils.
After the final whistle, Rockdale City coach Mile Todorovski expressed his content for the final result:
?I am happy with my players because we played against the champions and did not concede a goal,? Todorovski said.
?They are a good team, and dominated the possession today, so really, it is a good result in the end for us.
?I am happy because we kept a clean sheet, and also we didn?t really give them any clear chance to score ? even though they had a lot of possession.
?Defensively my team was good, though in attack was not so good. To win games you must score goals, and we were not good enough to do that today.?
Todorovski?s opposite number Robbie Stanton was not so pleased with the final outcome:
?On the whole, I am disappointed because we came here and created chances, dominated possession, yet failed to take home the points ? I think we really did lose two points today.
?Rockdale is a good side, and they are very well organised, though I discussed this point with my players before the game, yet we were still unable to find a way through and take the points.
?I am happy, considering we kept another clean sheet which is a huge positive,? ended Stanton.
In the Grade 20 division, Rockdale City Suns ran out convincing 4-2 winners to secure maximum points against Sutherland Sharks.
Match Stats
Rockdale City Suns 0
Sutherland Sharks 0
Sunday, 9th May, 2010
Bicentennial Park South, Rockdale
Referee: J. Gillet
Assistant Referees: Scott Edeling and Sarah Ho
Fourth Official: Leigh Pigram
Crowd: 750 Approx.
Rockdale City Suns: 1.Ben McNamara; 2.Paul Dee, 7.Peter Apolevski (C), 8.Dominic Hudap (5.Jeffrey Issa 51?) , 9.Pece Zaikovski (20.Andrija Petkovic 64?), 12.Stefan Donevski, 11.Adem Kir , 16. Steven Bozinovski, 17.George Lagoudakis (13.Baturay Akin 73?), 21.Sam Awad, 23.Askin Oygur
Substitutes Not Used: 14.Igor Kotevski, 22.Chad Taylor
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
Sutherland Sharks: 1.Nathan Denham; 2.George Souris (C), 4.Michael Robinson, 6.Chris Price, 7.Jim Bakis, 8.Blake Powell, 11.Ben Spruce (16.James Lawrence 77?), 12.Neil Jablonski (10.Stephen McConologue 25?) (31.Huseyin Jasli 86?), 14.Nick Stavroulakis, 23. Panni Nikas, 25.Brad DiSalvo
Substitutes Not Used: 30.Misha Hardwick, 24.Jack Duncan
Yellow Cards: Panni Nikas 44?, Chris Price 66?
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3 ? Peter Apolevski (RCS)
2 ? Panni Nikas (SS)
1 ? Jim Bakis (SS)
-By Joseph Carlucci
