State League Division One Round 16 Review
Match of the Round ? Mounties Continue Resurgence
BALMAIN SC (0) 0
MOUNTIES WANDERERS (0) 2 (Romero 73?, Lloyd 75?)
Lambert Park played host on Saturday night to a match between two teams working their way up the ladder of late, both holding confident hopes of sneaking into the top five and holding that spot before the season?s out.
Balmain didn?t play last weekend, but then defeated Camden Tigers 2-0 on Thursday in one of their rescheduled matches. Robbie Bruno and Lorenzo Merlino grabbed the goals in a much needed win, and both were amongst a side needing to back up again 48 hours later in this match up.
Mounties Wanderers have quietly been going about their business of late, with 2 wins and 2 draws from their last four matches, including a 4-0 drubbing of Hurstville ZFC on Tuesday night in one of their rescheduled matches.
Goals by Frank Romeo, Daniel McCann, Mark D?Alessandro and Joe Bruni gave the Mounties a comprehensive victory on the night and had put them on the brink of a top five spot leading into this match.
The playing surface of Lambert Park left a lot to be desired, the lack of grass giving the chilled air a dusty appearance, and not conducive to free flowing football.
Nevertheless, both teams went about their business eager to take what was on offer, and both traded punches early on to try and break their opponent down.
Willoughby sent a warning sign to the home side on 14 minutes, the Mounties striker swiveling and cracking a shot from 25 yards that went inches wide of the Balmain goal.
Willoughby can, in fact, count himself fortunate to be still on the park, given a caution in just the 5th minute for retaliating to a foul committed by a Balmain defender.
Only a couple of minutes later and it was Mounties attacker, Romero, who blasted over after a corner was cleared to the edge of the box.
The home side were struggling to make an impact in the final third, partly due to the resolute Mounties defence, and partly due to some really poor crosses, usually finding their way high over the opposing goal.
Umlil had their first real shot at goal, a dipping diagonal volley in the 23rd minute from the corner of the box just dropping over the cross bar, after a long free kick from McPartline had made it?s way to him.
A counter attack in the 31st minute by the Mounties then saw the ball reach left back, Tim Salvaggio, near the left touchline in the middle of the Balmain half. He had one thing on his mind, and duly cut inside to crack a vicious 30 yard shot that was tipped over by Balmain?s custodian, Conway.
Referee, Mr James Barnes, then called time to give all and sundry a deserved rest after a tense opening 45 minutes.
There?s a lot of fuss made about players having to back up with rescheduled matches, and needing rest, how about trying Mr Barnes? schedule on for size!
The veteran referee had had a busy week indeed, already controlling matches on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday evenings, and with one on Sunday following this game, it meant he would complete the remarkable total of five matches in six days – you wouldn?t know it based on his movement around Lambert Park.
A major turning point arrived on 56 minutes, when Balmain conjured up a great opportunity to take an unlikely lead.
Lorenzo Merlino had spent the night being shackled by Mark D?Alessandro, but turned away from the big defender and played a delightful through ball behind the square defence to Johhny Buonavoglia.
?Jockey? zipped onto it in a flash, but clipped the ball over the onrushing Mounties keeper, Jamieson, and past the upright in a chance he would normally have for breakfast.
Mounties coach, Anthony Crea, then introduced tall striker, Lloyd, into the fray on the hour, and the striker made a real impact, throwing himself about into challenges, chasing down defenders and loose balls, and creating a real nuisance of himself.
Frank Romero, a pint sized right sided flanker for Mounties, finally broke the deadlock on 72 minutes.
Receiving the ball near the corner of the penalty area, Romero cut inside and waltzed past two committed challenges before hitting a low shot that hit a divot before bouncing over the hapless Balmain keeper, Conway.
Just three minutes later and Mounties put Balmain to the sword with as good a goal as you will see all season in Division One.
It was Romero again who initiated it, cutting inside before swiveling and playing a through ball to Willoughby on the right wing.
Willoughby took a touch before crossing long towards the far post. The experienced Joe Bruni met the ball on the volley, cutting it back across the face of goal for Lloyd to finish clinically.
Within 60 seconds it was almost three, Bruni?s cross deflected onto the cross bar by Balmain skipper, Anthony Trieste, after he was put through by Daniel McCann.
Mounties then strangled the life out of the remainder of the match, grabbing a vital three points that has put the Wanderers into the top five for the first time in many weeks.
Balmain skipper, Anthony Trieste, was disappointed post match.
?It was tough to back up for our second game in two days, and we battled hard, but a lapse in concentration cost us in the end,? said Trieste
He added, ?We?ve had a few of our starting eleven missing, but we are confident we can still achieve our aim, which has always been to make the top five.?
Best for the home side were; centre back, Harvey was strong in the air and effective in the tackle; Robbie Bruno worked tirelessly in the centre of midfield; keeper Conway was dominant in his penalty area, especially in the air, and could nothing about the two goals he conceded.
Mounties coach, Anthony Crea, was a satisfied man after the away victory from his side.
?We knew Balmain were going to be a good side, a tough team to overcome, but we persisted, and eventually wore them down,? said Crea.
?Our plan was to attack them down the flanks, which we did, and get some crosses in, and in the end it paid off.?
?We?ve still got Matty (Viera), Chris(tian Care), and Bivi (Steve Biviano) to come back, and if we continue our momentum, there?s no reason why we cannot snatch a top three spot,? predicted Crea.
Best for the visitors on a fruitful evening; the entire backline did the job to keep out the Balmain attack, spearheaded by both Mark D?Alessandro, a big, uncompromising centre back who did not lose a challenge all night, either in the air or on the ground; left back, Tim Salvaggio, who was effective up and down the left flank in both attack and defence; pint sized Frankie Romeo, who was a constant thorn for Balmain each time he had the ball, swift with his movement, effective with his dribbling, and was rewarded with the opening goal ; substitute Lloyd, who made a real impact after his introduction just before the hour mark – a tall, strong striker who threw himself about, worked hard to chase the Balmain defence and win possession, and had a few digs at the goal before finishing clinically for Mounties second.
Saturday, July 3, at Lambert Park, Leichhardt
Referee ? Mr James Barnes
Assistant Referee ? Mr Steve Ellesmore
BALMAIN SC ;
1.D.Conway, 2. D.McPartline, 3.T.Sowden, 4.A.Trieste (capt), 5.A.Harvey, 6.R.Bruno, 7.A.Eddaoudi (12.C.Townley-Jones 75?), 8.L.Merlino, 9.J.Boutkabout, 10.J.Buonavoglia, 11.F.Umlil.
Subs not used- 13.V.Leto, 14.J.Abrilla,23.H.Fujiwara.
Yellow Cards- 6.R.Bruno 64?
Red Cards-NIL.
MOUNTIES WANDERERS ;
1.G.Jamieson, 3.T.Salvaggio, 16.S.Goodwin, 18.M.D?Alessandro, 35.C.Rogers, 17.D.McCann (capt), 7.P.Crisp, 10.D.Willoughby (29.J.Jones 90?), 2.F.Romeo, 11.J.Bruni, 42.D.Petrovic (9.S.Lloyd 58?).
Subs not used ? 19.J.Ciampa, 38.G.Opacic, RGK.C.McMahon.
Yellow Cards-10.D.Willoughby 5?
Red Cards-NIL.
FAIRFIELD CITY LIONS ? SCHOFIELDS SCORPIONS 3-2
Sunday, July 4 @ Norford Park
Fairfield City refused to buckle at Norford Park on Sunday, overcoming Schofields Scorpions 3-2 in a cracker of an encounter.
Chris Theodosiou put the Lions in front as early as the 2nd minute, scoring against the club he started the 2010 season with.
Young Ben Cronk made it 2-0 on 34 minutes with his 7th goal of the season, and it stayed that way until well after the break.
The Scorpions came back into the match when Lam pulled a goal back on 56 minutes, and equalized with Boyd?s strike in the 71st.
But Yavos Ekinci grabbed the winner for Fairfield in the 73rd minute, and the three points has seen them move to 32, seven in front of 4th placed Mounties.
INTER LIONS ? STANMORE HAWKS 2-2
Sunday, July 4 @ Crest Complex
All the goals arrived in a frenzied first half as Inter Lions and Stanmore Hawks played out an exciting 2-2 draw at the Crest Complex.
Peter Polistina and Dom Dimento gave Inter a handy lead when they scored within sixty seconds of each other in the 22nd and 23rd minutes.
But they then went to sleep just before the break, and Stanmore themselves scored twice within a minute of each other, deadly duo Squillacioti (37th) and Hijazi (39th) continuing their form of late.
The draw and subsequent point did neither team any favours, with Stanmore dropping out of the five despite moving to 24 points, and Inter remaining 7th on 21 points.
HURSTVILLE ZFC ? UNSW 2-2
Sunday, July 4 @ Hurstville Oval
The battle at the basement proved an exciting duel, with UNSW grabbing a late equalizer to share the spoils with Hurstville ZFC.
Stiven Kostanic opened the scoring for the home side in just the 8th minute, but Lee Davelaar restored parity for the ?students? on 33 minutes.
Vlado Zoric gave Hurstville the lead within a minute, but Charlie Claridge equalized for UNSW in the 75th minute, the resultant draw keeping them off the bottom, a position occupied by their opponents.
GLADESVILLE RYDE MAGIC ? HILLS BRUMBIES 0-2
Sunday, July 4 @ Magdala Reserve
Hills Brumbies made it 12 wins from 15 matches with a workmanlike 2-0 victory against Gladesville Ryde Magic.
Goal in either half by captain, Terry Pannowitz, in the 35th minute, and Brendan Mitrovich on 83 minutes, gave the league leaders another three points to take them to 38, five ahead of Blacktown Spartans, and with a game in hand.
CAMDEN TIGERS ? BLACKTOWN SPARTANS 0-1
Sunday, July 4 @ Ron Dine Reserve
A goal by Macrae on 43 minutes gave Blacktown Spartans their second successive 1-0 victory following their 1-0 win midweek over UNSW via a Canessa goal.
The six points have been most valuable for the Spartans, seeing them climb to second on the ladder on 33 points, and they would also be buoyed by two clean sheets as they consolidate their spot in the top three.
