Blacktown City ends Sydney United?s unbeaten run
Played at a fast pace throughout the 90? minutes, first-half goals to Milorad Simonovic and Zac Cairncross on either side of Luke Glavas? penalty were enough to seal the three-points, and officially announce Blacktown City?s return to form following a sluggish start to the season.
The opening chance of the afternoon fell to Cairncross who hit a snapshot off a Travis Major cross from the right with real force, though Sydney United goalkeeper Vedran Janjetovic did well to hold onto the ball.
Sydney United replied with an attack of their own via a set-piece shortly after. Ante Tomic?s corner delivery from the right carried through to the back post, testing Simon Jaeger who claimed the ball at the second attempt.
On 15? minutes, some good hassle from Travis Major played Mitchell Duke clear on the right with a look at goal, though the striker blasted his effort well over the crossbar.
Blacktown City kept the foot on the accelerator during what was a promising 10? minute spell for the home side. In the 19? minute, Sydney United goalkeeper Vanjetovic made a brave save at the feet of Milorad Simonovic with the midfielder running at full speed towards goal.
Ante Tomic?s sweet left peg had Blacktown City back peddling on 20? minutes as his centre from the left picked out Ben Vidaic. The burly striker did well to bring the ball down off his chest, though was immediately thwarted by an alert Simon Jaeger.
Blacktown City deservedly hit the lead on 26? minutes courtesy of Simonovic. The midfielder was on hand to clean up the crumbs left by Vanjetovic ? who failed to hold onto a Mitchell Long cross under the pressure of Luke Roodenburg ? to coolly slot home into an open goal.
The visitors reply was instant as Luke Glavas was sent through one-on-one in the 27? minute. With only the goalkeeper to beat, Glavas could only drive his effort directly at Jaeger, as the chance went begging.
Glavas did redeem himself in the 29? minute via the penalty-spot. The referee awarded Sydney United a penalty for Kain Rastall?s rash foul on Elsid Barkhousir, and Glavas calmly slotted home to restore parity.
Blacktown City nearly restored their lead on 31? minutes as Major sent Matt Lewis through on goal. Under the close eye of Ivo Bosnar, Lewis was rushed into a shot from an acute angle, and the chance amounted to nothing.
The home side managed to get in behind the Reds defence again in the 37? minute as Long played a tantalising through ball for Lewis. The Sydney United defence however, cleared the ball behind goal.
The resulting corner saw Blacktown City regain their lead. Simonovic picked up the short delivery on the byline and drove his effort across the face of goal and into the path of Cairncross at the back post. The tall defender kept his nerve to drive the ball from close-range into the roof of the net.
Despite Sydney United?s best efforts to get forward ? Mitchell Speers tried his luck with a long-range attempt on 39? minutes ? it was Blacktown that went close again 2? minutes later. Simonovic created the yard of space he needed to drive his effort from the edge of the penalty-area, though the scorer of Blacktown?s first goal of the afternoon dragged his effort wide of the target.
On 43? minutes, Steve Hayes? heart must have been in his throat as he diverted a Blacktown City corner back across his own goal. The ball finished only inches over Janjetovic?s goal, much to the relief of the Sydney United players.
The Reds closed the half on the front foot with Glavas again getting in behind the Blacktown City defence. Under the watchful eye of two defenders, Glavas still managed to unleash a fierce effort on goal, stinging the palms of Jaeger who parried the ball away to safety.
Blacktown City created the opening chance of the second-half within the first 40?? seconds of play. Travis Major cut out a short Janjetovic clearance before charging his way to the byline and cutting the ball back to Duke. The striker?s first-time effort from a very positive position failed to force Janjetovic into a save, as the ball finished wide of the mark.
At the other end, Speers and Barkhousir combined to release the latter down the right-flank, though Barkhousir?s attempted cross finished over the goal line.
Mitchell Long spurned a golden chance in the 49? minute as his diagonal effort from the left, facing a rather acute angle, trickled inches wide of Jaeger?s left-hand post.
Ben Vidaic tried to lift his troops with a fine solo effort on the edge of the penalty-area on 52? minutes. Vidaic used his strength, and height, to perfection as he shielded the ball before unleashing a ferocious drive inches wide of goal, courtesy of a deflection.
On the hour, the Reds got forward and nearly found an equaliser via Damon Collina. Via a corner, Collina rose highest at the back post to head on goal, though a deflection took the ball behind for a corner.
Sydney United continued to press for an equaliser and Steve Hayes tested Jaeger with a free-kick from distance. Hayes? attempt packed a real punch though was hit too centrally as Jaeger comfortably held onto the ball.
Barkhousir then tested Jaeger with a glancing header in the 69? minute, though the attempt was well parried by the Blacktown City shot-stopper.
The introduction of Petar Markovic and Mitchell Thompson added some further attacking options to the Reds line-up though the attacking trio of Barkhousir, Glavas and Vidaic struggled to find the room to create clear cut chances.
In the 74? minute, Vidaic did find a yard of space following a poor clearance by the Reds defence. On the edge of the penalty-area, Vidaic placed his effort ? aimed for the top corner ? though the ball whistled past the wrong side of the upright.
Barkhousir then tried his luck with a rather vicious attempt on the half-volley. The Reds striker sent the effort well over the crossbar.
Blacktown City captain Luke Roodenburg should have put the match out of Sydney United?s reach in the 77? minute as he dispossessed Markovic to go clear on goal. With only Vanjetovic to beat, Roodenburg blasted his effort over the crossbar much to the disbelief of the home supporters.
3? minutes from the end, Barkhousir squandered a golden chance for Sydney United. The Reds striker latched onto a glancing header at the back post though volleyed his effort wide of goal from a glorious scoring position.
Following the match, Blacktown City FC coach Mark Crittenden expressed his delight at the result:
?Very happy today with the result and with the overall performance of the team.
?I thought we were very well organised, we kept our shape well and apart from two chances in the first-half I thought that we conceded very little.
?I did say a few weeks back that we are finding our feet, and I can confirm that we have made some big progress. We just need to keep building on the good that we have shown over the past few weeks,? ended Crittenden.
Sydney United boss Jean Paul DeMarigny was less impressed with the result, though is still pleased with his side?s start to the season:
?We were flat today, the boys didn?t really show up which is disappointing.
?We conceded a little too much possession, and were second to the ball constantly. We will be looking to bounce back for next week that is for sure.
?Our season has been great so far, we have played some good football though there is still much more to improve on.
?Our philosophy is to play attacking football, and our players are gelling well together,? ended DeMarigny.
In the Grade-20 division, Blacktown City and Sydney United played out a very entertaining 3-3 draw.
Match Stats
Blacktown City FC 2 (Milorad Simonovic 26?, Zac Cairncross 37?)
Sydney United 1 (Luka Glavas (pen) 28?)
Sunday 1st May, 2011
Lily Homes Stadium, Seven Hills
Referee: Khodr Yaghi
Assistant Referees: Christian Mehl and Mike Robertson
Fourth Official: Michael Weiner
Crowd: 600 Approx.
Blacktown City FC: 1.Simon Jaeger; 3.Mitchell Duke, 4.Travis Major (15.Ray Miller 74?), 5.Pat Gatt, 7.Luke Roodenberg (C) (8.Chris Bedzo 84?), 9.Kain Rastall (14.Michael Brown 76?), 10.Mitchell Long, 11.Milorad Simonovic, 13.Matt Lewis, 17.Adam Jenner, 19.Zac Cairncross
Substitutes Not Used: 20.Justin Biega
Yellow Cards: Travis Major 39?
Red Cards: Nil
Sydney United: 1.Vedran Janjetovic; 3.Mitchell Speers (14.Petar Markovic 50?), 5.Damon Collina, 8.Shane Lyons (19.Mitchell Thompson 71?), 21.Mark Rudan, 23.Ivo Bosnar (C) (15.Ufuk Talay 56?), 9.Elsid Barkhousir, 10.Steve Hayes, 11.Luka Glavas, 13.Ben Vidaic, 29.Ante Tomic
Substitutes Not Used: 4.Michael Cindric, 20.Kresimir Kardum
Yellow Cards: Elsid Barkhousir 45?
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3 ? Zac Cairncross (BCFC)
2 ? Mitchell Long (BCFC)
1 ? Milorad Simonovic (BCFC)
-By Joseph Carlucci
