State League One Round 4 Review
Match of the Round
Camden Tigers v UNSW
The beauty of football is that when it comes to game day, data and history and form guide all go out the window, and the unexpected can easily become reality.
That?s exactly what happened on Saturday evening at Ron Dine Reserve when UNSW went home with all three points by upsetting home side, Camden Tigers, by 2-0.
Going into the match, Camden had yet to concede a goal in the first three rounds, and were sitting high up on the ladder in equal second spot.
UNSW on the other hand had leaked 15 goals in three matches, and were struggling to kick start their season.
On a crisp fresh evening, it seemed to be going to script somewhat on 9 minutes when Camden striker, Matthew Cross, swiveled on the edge of the box and hit a dipping volley that UNSW keeper, Duggan, did well to tip over the bar.
Within sixty seconds and Chris York?s speculator from the right caused Duggan a little more trouble, as the UNSW custodian needed a last ditch finger tip touch to stop the ball dropping over his head.
The ?students?, however, were slowly coming into the match courtesy of an increase in intensity in the middle of the park, and almost took the lead twice in the 21st minute.
UNSW?s pint sized Rocky Luca swung over a delightful cross which was thumped against the cross bar by Henry Kamleitner via his head.
The ball was only cleared towards the left flank and landed at the feet of Patrick Lloyd, who did ever so well to send the leather back over into the box, and this time Kamleitner?s brilliant far post header was cleared off the line, much to the angst of the traveling support.
Then on 28 minutes, UNSW skipper Andrew Harb, overlapped past Luca, receiving a fantastic ball into his path before snapping a low cross in front of the goal that eluded all, including friend and foe.
Camden weathered that brief storm, and went so close to grabbing the first goal of the evening just after the half hour mark.
UNSW failed to clear a corner, the ball falling to the feet of Adam Smutek, and the Camden number 9 proceeded to slam his point blank shot against the chest of UNSW keeper, Duggan, with the ball rebounding to safety.
The half time whistle finally came, with both sides in a real tug of war for the points on offer, and eager to take a quick rest and regroup before resuming their battle.
Camden were huffing and puffing, but failed to create any real clear cut opportunities.
This was mainly to the concentration of the UNSW players, defending as a unit, and seemingly building confidence with the passing of each minute.
Rocky Luca had a great opportunity to open the scoring for UNSW in the 54th minute, scuffing his shot wide after being put into a gap by Kamleitner?s effective headed flick on.
But the students were not to be denied, and eventually took the lead with a real opportunist goal on 72 minutes.
Andrew Harb?s cross field ball seemed a tad long and too close to the keeper, but Sebastian Bendall had other ideas, challenging Camden?s keeper, Michael Rutherford, for the cross, with his eventual stab trickling over the line from an acute angle.
Rutherford, who was injured in the collision and had to be substituted, must be congratulated on playing the first 352 minutes of the season without conceding a goal, and FNSW wishes him a speedy recovery from his mishap.
Camden introduced some fresh legs, and threw players forward in search of an equalizer, and inevitably, left some gaping holes at the back as they became vulnerable to the counter attack.
On 87 minutes, one such UNSW counter attack resulted in a Bendall flick on being retrieved by Luca, and he slipped a brilliant through ball to Kamleitner, who?s snap shot from less than ten yards was parried by substitute keeper, Johnston.
A minute into injury time and Luca spurned another great opportunity, electing to shoot across the face of the goal when he had a couple of team mates screaming for the ball and what would?ve been a tap in.
Camden kept at it, and were finally undone five minutes into injury time when UNSW broke away to score a text book goal.
A clearance from a Camden corner fell at the feet of Rocky Luca, in the middle of his own half, and he proceeded to beat two hasty Camden challenges with a couple of neat dribbles.
It was then three on one, and Luca put overlapping skipper, Andrew Harb, through into space down the right flank.
Harb squared to the unmarked Kamleitner, and the big striker got his just rewards for his efforts all evening by finishing clinically to give the ?students? the points.
Camden would no doubt be disappointed with the outcome, given their positive start to the season, and to this match.
Best for the Tigers in a luckless night were ; Chris York, at right back, and Jeff Forrest, at centre back, were intense in defending their goal, biting in the tackles and quick to snuff out any danger ; striker Matthew Cross was substituted just after the hour mark, but until that point looked most likely to be the one who would score for Camden on the back of his work rate and menacing presence in the attacking third.
UNSW were excellent in their approach, subdued initially, but then going all out for the points when they begin to smell the kill.
Best for the students on a successful evening ; Henry Kamleitner was a fantastic target man on the night, winning balls in the air, chasing loose balls in the attacking third, grabbing a well deserved goal in injury time and almost grabbing a couple of others ; Rocky Luca played a great partner-in-crime for Kamleitner, very intelligent on the ball, and often the creator of many of UNSW?s opportunities ; Patrick Lloyd had a whale of a game in central defence, strong in the tackle, forceful in the air, and his application to the job at hand snuffing out Camden?s efforts to get through down the middle.
Match Stats
CAMDEN TIGERS (0) 0
UNSW (0) 2 (Bendall 72?, Kamleitner 90? + 5)
Saturday, April 9, at Ron Dine Reserve, Camden
Referee ? Mr T Woodhew
Assistant Referees ? Mr D Ward & Mr Y Shamon
CAMDEN TIGERS: 1.M.Rutherford (20.M.Johnston 72?), 3.D.Mugridge, 4.C.York, 5.J.Forrest, 6.B.Fuller, 10.D.MacKechnie, 12.B.Green (capt) (14.M.Ashvin 74?), 13.M.Cross (8.G.King 61?), 15.G.Norton, 9.A.Smutek, 17.D.Morgan.
Subs not used- 16.JM.Milne,18.B.Bertolissio.
Yellow Cards ? 9. A.Smutek 87?.
Red Cards ? NIL.
UNSW : 1.J.Duggan, 6.A.Harb (capt) , 38.P.Lloyd, 24.J.Daniel (14.L.Davelaar 72?), 19.H.O?Kelly, 3.T.Pavlou, 13.M.Karagiannis (20.J.Bracewell 82?), 9.H.Kamleitner, 21.R.Luca, 7.A.Woodridge (16.M.Janov 67?), 12.S.Bendall.
Subs not used ? 18.D.Hardwick,11.G.Diakos.
Yellow Cards ? 3.T.Pavlou 47?,7.A.Woodridge 60?.
Red Cards ? NIL.
Division One Review ? Round Four
Schofield Scorpions ? Mounties Wanderers 1-2
7-00pm, Saturday, April 9 @ CSI Sport Ground
Mounties made it four wins from as many matches on Saturday night at CSI Sport Ground, accounting for Schofields Scorpions by 2-1.
But the league leaders were made to work for their win, coming from behind to snatch victory at the death.
Schofields? Justin Kirby put the Scorpions in front with a goal after just five minutes, and that?s the way the scored stayed until well into the second half.
The Wanderers eventually restored parity on the hour with a goal by skipper, Daniel McCann, and kept at it until Greg Baldock grabbed the winner in the final moments, his fifth goal of the campaign.
The victory puts Mounties on 12 points after four rounds, sitting comfortably atop of the competition and continuing their early season dominance.
Gladesville Ryde Magic ? Inter Lions 3-0
3-00pm, Sunday, April 10 @ Magdala Park
Gladesville Ryde Magic grabbed their first victory of the 2011 season on Sunday afternoon with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Inter Lions at Magdala Park.
Propping up the Division going into the Round 4 match, the pressure was on the Magic to produce in front of their home fans, and the win has now condemned the Lions to bottom spot.
Alistair McKie opened the scoring for the Magic with a goal just after the half hour mark, and Ahmed Kabbara doubled their advantage in the 58th minute.
Gladesville rounded off the day?s proceedings with the third and final goal in the 89th minute, and it just had to be former Inter Lions old boy, Dean Storey, who grabbed the goal to get one over his old club.
Hurstville ZFC ? Fairfield Bulls 1-1
3-00pm, Sunday, April 10@ Hurstville ZFC
Hurstville ZFC remain unbeaten after Round 4 of the competition, their 1-1 draw against Fairfield Bulls putting them in third spot on the ladder.
After a tight first half, Hurstville kept at it and final opened the scoring through Michael Posavac in the 68th minute.
But the Bulls are no pushovers, and they eventually equalized seven minutes from time via Niriam Kanoun, and the two clubs went home with a point apiece.
Fairfield City Lions ? Stanmore Hawks 5-3
3-00pm, Sunday, April 10 @ Norford Park No.2
Fairfield City Lions bounced back from their mauling last week against Mounties to beat Stanmore Hawks in an eight goal thriller at Norford Park on Sunday afternoon.
It was the visitors who stunned the home side, however, with the first two goals of the match, with Nick Paradisis (12?) and Costa Fiakos (24?) giving the Hawks a commanding 2-0 lead.
Mojtaba Mohebbee pulled one back for Fairfield after 33 minutes,and that?s the way it stayed until the break.
The Lions then came out roaring in the second half, as Yavuz Ekinci equalized in the 46th, before Hayashi put them in front a couple of minutes later to send the home side into raptures.
The see-sawing clash took another twist in the 54th minute, as Nick Paradisis continued his rich vein of recent form by restoring parity for Stanmore with his 7th goal of the campaign.
Fairfield were not about to let the match slip, and made sure of the points with two more goals late on.
Ekinci grabbed his second of the match in the 69th minute, before Mirwiss Amira rounded off the day?s events with his goal in the 86th minute.
Both teams are still well placed following this Round 4 thriller, with the victory putting Fairfield City second on the ladder, whilst Stanmore drop to fourth position.
Mt Druitt Town Rangers ? Balmain SC 4-2
3-00pm, Sunday, April 10 @ Popondetta Park
Mt Druitt Town Rangers had their maiden victory in Division One with a 4-2 home triumph against Balmain SC on Sunday afternoon.
Ryan O?Shea got the Rangers off to the best possible start by scoring in the opening minute, a lead they held for the first half hour until Uri Kaye equalized for Balmain.
Slaven Ljuboja made it 2-1 to the home side on 55 minutes, and Mt Druitt wrapped up the match with a double by Gonzalo Gody in the 68th and 78th minutes.
A late goal on 85 minutes by Johhny Buonavoglia was a mere consolation for Balmain.
-By Frank Speranza
