State League One Round 10 Review
Mounties Wanderers avoided a potential banana-skin on Saturday night at Cook Park, easily accounting for Inter Lions with a comfortable 2-0 victory.
The league leaders came into the Round Ten not having dropped a point in 2011, and hardly got out of first gear following a couple of early goals with Inter Lions hardly posing any threat.
The Mounties possibly had an eye on their last sixteen Waratah Cup match on Wednesday against Super League side, West Sydney Berries, and with their playing personnel there is no reason they cannot progress further in the state wide competition.
Inter Lions came into the match on the back of poor run, and only the most avid Inter fan would have backed them to take something away from Cook Park, given the home side?s perfect record so far.
The home side took the lead as early as the fifth minute, when Friday Jeremiah sent over a cross that was slightly deflected in its flight path, dropping at the near post.
Right back, Peter Day, not only found himself up front, but also unmarked, and he duly responded with a firm header past Inter?s keeper, Carl McMahon, to give the Mounties the lead.
Within five minutes Daniel Willoughby sent over a corner that was met by centre back, Scott Goodwin, his looping header almost dropping in except for a last gasp finger tip save by Inter?s custodian, Carl McMahon.
The ensuing corner produced goal number two, and it was well worked set piece beautifully executed.
With all and sundry lining up between the penalty spot and the goal, Willoughby drilled a low corner to the edge of the centre of the box, where Ian McAndrew took a touch before laying the ball back into the path of Daniel McCann.
McCann grasped the opportunity with both hands, drilling a rocket past McMahon, the ball flying into the net adjacent to the keeper?s left hand upright.
Skipper Daniel McCann has scored four goals in 2011, and all of them absolute pearlers as he continues to play an instrumental role in the Mounties surge this season.
Inter Lions game plan would have gone out the window at this stage, and even though they managed passages of play where they strung some passes together, they simply couldn?t break down the well structured Mounties.
As a result, Mounties keeper, Ali Akbal, probably was having one of his easier evenings as the Lions failed to conjure up any real goal scoring opportunities.
The game developed a little bit of niggle midway through the half, but young referee, Mr Lance Greenshields, had everything under control, issuing yellow cards to Givernaud (Inter) and Willoughby (Mounties) to settle things down.
Jeremiah almost finished off proceedings just after the half hour mark, turning sharply before sending his 20 yard snapshot inches wide of the Inter goal.
Mr Greenshields? half time whistle came right on cue, giving Inter?s coach, Nick Tarquinio, moreso, an opportunity to revise his team?s strategy for the second stanza.
Five minutes after the break, Mounties Eli Squillacioti raced down the left flank before cutting back a delightful ball into the path of his captain, Daniel McCann, on the edge of the penalty area.
McCann cracked his rising shot first time, the ball missing the corner of the framework by about a metre.
Inter?s pint sized Domenic Dimento created a chance for himself only a minute later, steadying on the edge of the box with the ball at his feet, before cutting inside a Mounties defender and unleashing a drive that took a slight deflection on its way over the cross bar.
Inter?s experienced campaigners, Rafael Bove and Leo Carle, were pulling out all stops to drag their side back into the battle, both ?mixing it up? in the tackles as they asked for more from their team mates.
A sweeping move by Inter on 60 minutes almost had the desired effect for the visitors, finishing with a swerving shot from outside the penalty area by Inter?s captain, Ben Ellis.
Ali Akbal anticipated the shot weel, moving to his left to make the save.
Both sides emptied their bench between half time and the 68th minute, in an attempt, no doubt, to lift the intensity for the remaining quarter of the match.
Mounties weathered whatever the Lions had to throw at them during this period, and Eli Squillacioti went desperately close in the 72nd minute with a powerful downward header from a deep cross by substitute, Matty Viera.
McMahon, Inter?s goalkeeper, flung himself to the right to make great save and keep the leather from hitting the net.
The final chance arrived in injury time, when Dimento did ever so well to wriggle free of a flurry of Mounties challenges, cracking a low shot from just inside the box that was diverted from danger by the legs of the Mounties keeper, Ali Akbal.
The full time whistle came thereafter, marking the tenth successive win for the home side, a remarkable effort by anyone?s standards.
For the visitors, Inter Lions, the disappointment was in the fact that they seemed to have little penetration moving forward ? more a credit to the Mounties and they way they defend in numbers.
Midfielder Rafael Bove worked hard as an anchor in the middle of the park, strong or anticipating in the tackle, smart with his distribution, and supportive going forward and in defence.
Domenic Dimento worked hard all night in amongst some tall defenders, chasing the loose ball, fierce in his application in attack, and almost got his reward in injury time with that last gasp shot that cannoned off Akbal?s legs.
For Mounties Wanderers it seemed very much a case of ?clock on, clock off ?, such was the comfort of their win. Two early goals allowed them to sit back and dictate the pace, and they absorbed all Inter had to muster without getting out of first gear.
Skipper Daniel McCann was his usual emphatic self, tough in the tackle, offering a high work rate, and with a cracking goal to boost for his efforts.
Midfield partner, Ian McAndrew, played a good supporting role, partnering his captain in the middle of the park to help control the midfield for the home side.
Usual suspects, centre backs Scott Goodwin and Mark D?Alessandro, nullified anything Inter had down the centre of the park, including the threat of Anthony Ucchino, by combining to win the high and low ball.
Match Stats
MOUNTIES WANDERERS (2) 2 (Day 5?, McCann 12?)
INTER LIONS (0) 0
Saturday,May 28, at Cook Park
Referee ? Mr Lance Greenshields
Assistant Referees ? Mr Ken Sharp & Mr Michael Kimber
MOUNTIES WANDERERS: 1.A.Akbal, 11.P.Day (3.T.Salvaggio 46?), 16.S.Goodwin, 18.M.D?Alessandro, 7.P.Crisp, 19.I.McAndrew, 10.D.Willoughby (9.M.Viera 61?), 17.D.McCann (capt), 14..M.Symington, 2.E.Squillacioti, 8.F.Jeremiah (4.G.Baldock 66?).
Subs not used- 20.C.Rogers, RGK.G.Jamieson.
Yellow Cards ? 10.D.Willoughby 28?,8.F.Jeremiah 67?.
Red Cards ? NIL.
INTER LIONS: 1.C.McMahon, 2.D.Huseyin, 3.S.Givernaud, , 4.A.Dahdah, 5.R.Bove , 6.B.Ellis (capt), 7.R.Kaawi (12.S.Perri 52?), 8.L.Carle (14.D.Chiandotto 56?), 9..D.Dimento, 10.N.Ruoco, 11.A.Ucchino (13.N.Mouzdrakis 68?).
Subs not used- 21.A.Guirgas.
Yellow Cards ? 3.S.Givernaud 26?.
Red Cards ? NIL.
Division One Review ? Round Ten
Schofields Scorpions ? Fairfield City Lions 0-3
7-00pm, Saturday, May 28 @ CSI Sports Ground
Fairfield City Lions easily accounted for Schofields on Saturday night, winning 3-0 after leading by the solitary goal at half time.
Experienced Yavos Ekinci was back amongst the scorers for the Lions, opening the scoring on 25 minutes to give the visitors the lead.
Mitchell Bozzetto doubled their advantage five minutes after the break, before E Ongel wrapped up proceedings in injury time.
It was Schofields sixth loss of the season, and keeps them second from bottom, whilst the win puts Fairfield City Lions equal third on 16 points, with a game in hand on teams above them.
Balmain SC ? UNSW 0-1
7-00pm, Saturday, May 28 @ Hensley Athletic Field
UNSW?s purple patch continued on Saturday night at Hensley Athletic Field, grabbing all three points by overcoming Balmain SC by a solitary goal.
Mark Bryan was the hero for the away side, scoring on the hour to send the students home with all three points.
The win sends UNSW onto 17 points, in outright second position, 13 behind league leaders, Mounties, but importantly, just the one point in front of a trio of teams hot on their heels.
Stanmore Hawks ? Mt Druitt Town Rangers 0-3
3-00pm, Sunday, May 29 @ Arlington Oval
Mt Druitt Town Rangers picked up a very welcome three points on their travels on Saturday night, knocking off Stanmore Hawks at Arlington Oval by 3-0.
Hosyar Cakal was on target in the first half, opening proceedings on 10 minutes, and doubling his side?s advantage on the half hour mark, giving the Rangers a healthy half time lead.
Try as they may, the Hawks just could not get back into match, and Carl McNaughton put the icing on the cake in the 89th minute to wrap up a 3-0 scoreline for Mt Druitt.
Both sides are still outside the top half of the ladder, with Stanmore in 8th spot on 10 points, and the Rangers now occupying 7th on 13 points.
Fairfield Bulls ? Camden Tigers 3-2
3-00pm, Sunday, May 29 @ Hajduk Stadium
Fairfield Bulls have catapulted themselves into equal third spot on 16 points, equal with Camden Tigers (and Fairfield City Lions) following nine points over three matches within a week.
Following on from last week?s last gasp 2-1 victory over Inter Lions, the Bulls were awarded the points on Wednesday evening when the rescheduled match against Gladesville Ryde Magic was abandoned early in the second half, the result recorded as a 3-0 win for Fairfield.
On Sunday afternoon, theBulls accounted for Camden Tigers 3-2 in a thriller at Hajduk Stadium.
Niriam Kanoun made it 1-0 to the Bulls after 25 minutes, and K Elkerhani gave the home side a 2-0 lead with a goal just before the break.
A couple of rash challenges within a minute remarkably gave Camden Tigers an opportunity to square the ledger, and Adam Smutek did just that with two converted penalties on 73 and 74 minutes.
But the Bulls are made of sterner stuff, and grabbed a winning goal in the 78th minute through Kanoun, his second of the match.
Hurstville ZFC ? Gladesville Ryde Magic 0-5
3-00pm, Sunday, May 29 @ Hurstville Oval
Gladesville Ryde Magic took Hurstville ZFC to the cleaners on Sunday afternoon, trouncing them 5-0 at Hurstville Oval.
The goals came at regular intervals in a polished display, with Thomas Nastoulis making it 1-0 for the Magic after 24 minutes.
Alistair McKie grabbed a brace of goals in the 41st and 65th minutes, sandwiching an effort by John Martinez in the 53rd minute.
Well reknown Division One goalscorer, Steve Biviano, back in the fray after a spell on the sidelines, scored goal number five for Gladesville in the 75th minute, rounding off a resounding performance by the visitors.
Whilst Hurstville remain in 9th spot on 8 points, the Magic are up to 14 points in sixth spot, but have played their full quota of matches, unlike the teams surrounding them on the ladder.
-By Frank Speranza
