Waratah Cup Round 4: Mounties surprise Berries to reach next stage of the Waratah Cup

On a frigid evening, the Mounties were good value for their victory although they did need extra time to get the result. Both sides rested a number of regular first teamers at the start, though as the night progressed, both benches were emptied as each looked to gain the upper hand.
The first chance of the night fell to the Berries but a direct free kick went just wide of the upright, not causing any alarm to Mounties keeper, Gareth Jamieson. The Mounties responded, with regular attacks down the right by Joey Andriano being a feature, good passing movements keeping the Berries on their toes.
They had a great opportunity to take the lead too after some pressure by the Mounties eventually saw Joel Rodden-Ward with a chance, but he failed to connect in a packed box.
And that miss proved costly when John Tsironis broke free just a minute later, and showed good composure to slot away past Jamieson.
Mounties didn?t let that setback affect them too much, retaining the ball well, although a few high balls did creep into their play. They were much more impressive when playing on the ground, and it was here that the Berries were under pressure.
As the Mounties looked to get back on level terms, Matty Viera tried from distance without success but with five minutes to go before the break, he did get the goal Mounties deserved. A lob from Viera from outside the box, dipped over George Bouropoulos to make it 1-1.
Disaster struck for Bouropoulos, and the Berries, just after half time however. The keeper, injured in play, had to be substituted but without a keeper on the bench, it was left to defender Steve Wright to take over in goals. It looked ominous for the Berries at that stage, with thirty five minutes still to play. But to their credit, the defence held firm and protected well for the majority of the game, the stand-in keeper not really being threatened.
Mounties brought on Friday Jeremiah and Daniel Willoughby while the Berries brought on Dimitri Zakilas and Ryan Emerton as each looked to gain the edge, although it was the Mounties who you sensed would get the goal. They looked to have a good chance too when Jeremiah skipped clear but Nick Tantalos clipped his heels bringing down the Mounties attacker. A yellow card was shown to Tantalos, perhaps fortunate it wasn?t a different colour.
As normal time wore on, and Wright still didn?t have a serious save to make, it was the Berries who could have sealed it at the end.
In the final minutes, the Berries struck hard, attacking desperately at the Mounties goal. They looked like they might get the winner too, with Kodjo Adjassou having the best chance to put the Berries ahead, but his shot was saved by Jamieson, who had shown a save pair of hands all night.
With extra time called, the action continued to flow, a Josh Ciabatti shot being well held by Wright but just five minutes in to the extra period, Wright could do nothing about another Ciabatti shot which took a deflection on the way to goal. It was a cruel blow for the Berries who had managed the situation well to that stage.
The goal clearly shook the Berries who promptly conceded another two minutes later. Willoughby, in plenty of space in the area, collected from Jeremiah and knocked past Wright.
Steve Karavatakis was true to his word, and brought himself on with ten to go, but at 3-1, the Mounties looked comfortable and it is the side from Division One who enter the draw for the quarter finals.
Match Stats
Mounties Wanderers 3 (Matty Viera 39?, Josh Ciabatti 95?, Daniel Willoughby 97?)
West Sydney Berries 1 (John Tsironis 28?) aet. Score at 90 mins 1-1.
8 June 2011
at Cook Park, Mt Pritchard
Referee: Khodr Yagi
Asts: Darrin Richards and Steven Nguyen
Mounties Wanderers: 1. Gareth Jamieson 11. Peter Day 16. Scott Goodwin 18. Mark D?Alessandro 6. Troy McColl (13. Robert Loucas 111?) 4. Greg Baldock 20. Rees Iredale (8. Friday Jeremiah 67?) 19. Ian McAndrew 15. Joel Rodden-Ward (10. Daniel Willoughby 71?) 7. Joey Andriano (Mark Symington 65?) 9. Matty Viera (Josh Ciabatti 84?)
Subs not used: Nil
Yellow Cards: Ian McAndrew, Rees Iredale
Coaches: Aiden Desmond/Glen Lockhart
West Sydney Berries: 22. George Bouropoulos (2. Steve Wright 55?) 20. Alex Sopina 6. Nick Tantalos 3. Louis Duchesne 14. Marjan Novotni 16. Phil Reilly (7. Steve Karavatakis 110?) 11. Aram Tayebi (5. Liam McKenna 105?) 30. Davide Petralito (13. Ryan Emerton 60?) 17. Michael Zezovski (19. Dimitri Zakilas 52?)  9. Kodjo Adjassou 10. John Tsironis.
Subs not used: Nil
Yellow cards: Phil Reilly, Nick Tantalos
Coach: Steve Karavatakis
-By Peter Rowney