Tough win for Sharks against gritty Eagles
The Sharks needed to draw on all their reserves to win the match by a solitary goal scored in the 48? minute, when Matt Bailey reached a Jimmy Bakis cross from the right to poke home from almost the goal-line.
Indeed, it was the Sharks who started the brighter when a 3? minute Bakis free-kick was almost put into the net by new signing and former Gold Coast United player Matthew Osman, who only put pen to paper the previous evening along with ex-Newcastle Jets striker Brodie Mooy for Parramatta FC, when contesting a header with the powerful Sam Awad that skidded off the forehead and perilously close to the goalkeeper?s left-hand upright. The resultant corner however, amounted to little and the early pressure was averted.
Sutherland Sharks enjoyed a succession of corners but couldn?t force an opening as the visitors defended strongly and looked regimentally drilled as they defused everything thrown at them. The home side should have gone ahead in the 20? when a sweeping move saw Panni Nikas slide the ball out to the left wing with the outside of his right foot and into the path of Nick Tsattalios. The former Sydney FC player then slipped the ball into the path of Chris Price on the overlap and his cross was directed into the mixer, but with no-one attacking the box due to the pace of the move, it was left to goalkeeper Anthony Costa to sweep the ball into his arm.
The Eagles first real opportunity followed shortly after when Mooy wriggled free from a couple of challenges and lashed the ball forward with his left-foot that whistled narrowly wide, immediately followed by Tsattalios setting off on a weaving run from just inside the half that ended inside the Parramatta penalty-area where he was crowded out by three defenders and unable to put in a telling.
In the worsening conditions the play ebbed and flowed without too much trouble for either side and neither able to create anything of real note in front of goal with the game’s Man of the Match Nick Stavroulakis mopping up and winning most of the midfield battles. The Sharks midfielder was in great touch, with exceptional ball distribution throughout the evening.
The best chance in the opening period came Parramatta?s way when Peter Crevani played a long hopeful ball into the box that found Bryan Soane virtually unmarked around the penalty spot. Soane, however, contrived to send the ball over the crossbar with Nathan Denham stranded and rooted to his line.
It was a let-off for Sutherland and a lesson they didn?t take on board when but for an offside decision going in their favour would have seen them fall behind in stoppage time when Chris Camilleri sent in a free-kick that Tom Wilson headed in. The Sharks blushes were saved as the linesman had his flag up.
The home side had the last word when George Souris floated another free-kick into the area that Bailey met with the head, but couldn?t put away right on the whistle.
Strong but calm words during the break and Sutherland came out faster and far more eager on the resumption, resulting in the Bailey goal which forced Parramatta to make tactical changes thus resulting in gaps at the back.
As the sides exchanged long range efforts it still remained for the goalkeepers to make any telling saves and it wasn?t for the lack of trying from the outfield players, and a Souris block, as the softer part of his anatomy left him winded for a few seconds as the ball deflected away for a corner from a thunderous shot by Osman.
Sutherland could have doubled their advantage in the 70? minute when Tsattalios had a stinging left-foot drive from a narrow angle that had Costa diving full stretch to keep out. From the corner the ball came to Sam Awad who firstly had his header blocked at the near post and then his follow up skewed wide from the tightest of angles.
The visitors battled hard for an equaliser and Osman again, unlucky with a semi-bicycle kick on the volley that fell short of the target, along with several half-chances that came the visitors way all amounting to nothing on the night.
Sharks coach Robbie Stanton remarked:
?We always knew this was going to be a very tough game.
?Brian (Deane) always puts out strong sides who are disciplined and dangerous and although I thought we probably should have had maybe one or two goals tonight we?ll take the three-points happily.
?Winning games like this so early in the season means we are picking up the points now that we won?t have to later on when the real pressure starts at the busy end so hopefully it will relieve a bit of pressure later on.
?We?ve taken ten out of twelve-points from our four matches so far but the lads and I know they don?t hand out the medals in March or April so no-one is getting carried away by the results and we know we have to play better and be sharper earlier in games like this. We also know we can and will improve as the season goes on.
Parramatta FC coach Brian Dene expressed his thoughts:
?We needed to sign Matt (Osman) and Brodie (Mooy) last night because our captain is out injured and another player has been throwing up all night and day with Flu.
?I thought we should have got something from the match, our play deserved something more but that?s football and we?ll keep at it.?
Sutherland Sharks were hard pressed to keep the match against Parramatta Eagles scoreless in the Grade-20 encounter in often atrocious conditions with both goalkeepers called into action to make strong saves. Parramatta FC squandered the chance to take the points from the spot when blasting wide in stoppage time.
Match Stats
Sutherland Sharks 1 (Bailey 48?)
Parramatta FC 0
Saturday 16th April, 2011
Seymour Shaw Football Stadium, Miranda
Referee: James Lewis
Assistant Referees: Christian Mehl and Sarah Ho
Fourth Official: Alex Goodhew
Sutherland Sharks: 1.Nathan Denham; 2.George Souris (C), 6.Sam Awad, 7.Jimmy Bakis (11.Todd Halloran 70?), 8.Chris Price,10.Matt Bailey,12.Hayden Morton,14.Nick Stavroulakis, 15.Michael Katz, 23.Panni Nikas, 33.Nick Tsattalios (20.Paul Kohler 82?)
Substitutes Not Used: 3.Tyson Rhodes, 19.Huseyin Jasli, 22.Jack Duncan
Yellow Cards: Morton 73?
Red Cards: Nil
Parramatta FC: 21.Antony Costa; 3.Daniel Borg, 5.George Strogylos (20.Evangelos Petratos 70?), 6.Thomas Wilson, 8.Bryan Soane, 10.Chris Camilleri, 11.Peter Crevani, 14.Fabien Iacovelli, 17.Matthew Osman, 18.Almir Dizdaric (7.Shane Ardle 76?), 19.Brodie Mooy
Substitutes Not Used: 16.Jonathan Castano-Acero, 23.Tomislav Romic, 13.Luke Grima
Yellow Cards: Osman 45?
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3 ? Nick Stavroulakis (SS)
2 ? Brodie Mooy (PE)
1 ? Panni Nikas (SS)
-By Micky Brock
