Blacktown City?s dream run continues with defeat of Sharks
Coming off a loss in the midweek Waratah Cup fixture against Sydney Olympic, the reigning champions took advantage of a defensive lapse in the Sharks defence to add three very valuable points to the League ladder, securing third spot on the ladder this evening.
Milorad Simonovic got the blood pumping in the opening minute with a strong run forward out of midfield. Under the watchful eye of Panni Nikas and Nick Stavroulakis, Simonovic created the space to shoot on goal, though his effort was comfortably dealt with by Nathan Denham.
The Sharks were without captain George Souris and Michael Katz for the encounter, and the opening stages were difficult for the visitors as the home side continued to hold possession in the Sharks? half. Denham was again called upon to deal with a Blacktown City set-piece from the right. The Sharks shot-stopper was quick off his line to fist the ball away to safety.
On 6? minutes, Matt Bailey was released through on goal as the Sharks broke on the counterattack. With only the goalkeeper to beat, Bailey failed to sneak the ball past Symon Jaeger who produced a strong save.
In the 13? minute, Nicko Tsattalios? cross from the left seemed destined to find the back of the net. Jaeger did exceptionally well to back track and divert the ball over the crossbar with a fingertip save.
The Sharks went close again to breaking the deadlock on 20? minutes as Sam Awad cleverly cut neat pass back into the path of Bailey. The Sharks number 10 took a touch and lined up his attempt on goal, though was denied by a strong lunging effort by a Blacktown City defender.
The Sharks kept the pressure on as Yianni Fragogianis collected the ball on the right and delivered a cross onto the head of Bailey who diverted his effort wide of goal.
Blacktown City responded through Luke Roodenburg as his effort from the left on 21? minutes finished across Denham?s goal.
In the 24? minute, Tsattalios picked up a loose ball inside the penalty-area and sent a powerful diagonal effort across goal from the left that finished inches wide of Jaeger?s left-hand post.
Tsattalios was at it again moments later as he combined with Awad and Bailey as the latter was sent through on goal. With a chance to shoot on goal, the Blacktown City defenders retreated smartly to get bodies behind the ball and thwart any danger.
Jim Bakis next ventured forward down the right-flank, leaving two markers behind as he cut the ball back across goal, denied by a comfortable claim from Jaeger.
Blacktown City weathered the storm by getting forward in the 32? minute as Mitchell Long?s effort from outside the penalty-area took a slight touch off a defender though was denied by an exceptional Nathan Denham save at full stretch ? the shot-stopper palmed the effort around his left-hand post.
At the other end on 33? minutes, Bakis picked up a loose ball at the back post and drove his effort on goal, denied this time by Jaeger?s fingertip save.
1? minute later, the Sharks squandered another opportunity as Tsattalios first, then Bailey, had efforts thwarted by the Blacktown City defence.
On 37? minutes Simonovic played a tantalising through ball into the path of Travis Major who was denied by an alert Denham who quickly came off his line to thwart the danger.
Major was just warming up as he went even closer in the 42? minute. The speedy right-sided midfielder cut inside nicely before firing a left-footed drive wide of the goal from the edge of the penalty-area.
After the break, Roodenburg snuck in behind the Sharks defence and played a square ball into the path of Mitchell Duke. The Blacktown City striker managed to get a boot to the ball with a lunging effort though was denied by an exceptional save by Denham.
A mistimed Sharks clearance in the 53? minute allowed Major a look in on goal, though the Blacktown City midfielder headed timidly into the arms of Denham.
Sutherland Sharks carved out their first opening of the half in the 56? minute as Chris Price picked out Tsattalios with a fine through ball down the left-flank. From a diagonal angle, Tsattalios shot with some venom though was denied by a strong palm from Jaeger.
On the hour, Matt Lewis tried his luck from distance with a powerful effort that finished inches over Denham?s crossbar though the Sharks pressed forward in the 67? minute as Price cut back a dangerous effort from the left byline, denied only by some scrambling defence from the home side as the chance amounted to nothing.
Blacktown City?s goal arrived in the 76? minute. Milorad Simonovic?s cross from the left picked out Roodenburg who headed powerfully on goal from an acute angle. Denham failed to hold onto the ball, and somewhat fortuitously for the home side, youngster Hayden Morton got the final touch as he attempted to clear the danger as the ball finished in the back of his own net.
The experienced Simonovic then tested Denham on 80? minutes with a firmly struck drive from distance, though the shot-stopper did well to hold onto the ball despite the ball skidding on the greasy surface.
Blacktown City nearly doubled their lead in the 82? minute as substitute Ray Miller stung the palms of Denham with a vicious long-range effort. The home side did manage to bundle the rebound over the goal line though the referee?s assistant was quick to signal an offside position.
The home side should have added a second with two clear cut chances in injury time as a Major counterattack saw Roodenburg released down the left with the captain unleashing a powerful low driven effort across the goalkeeper. Denham did well to parry his attempt, the goalkeeper?s strong palm was enough to divert the danger.
In the last play of the afternoon, Major was again the orchestrator as he released Miller following another swift counterattack. Miller unselfishly played a square ball into the path of Roodenburg who saw his first-time effort denied by the feet of Denham.
Following the referee?s final whistle, Blacktown City FC coach Mark Crittenden expressed his delight at the win:
?Very happy with the efforts of the boys this afternoon.
?The conditions were difficult with strong winds and rain at different stages throughout the match, so we are really happy to have come away with the win.
?Going back eight weeks ago we were talking of a Blacktown City side that was struggling to get going, though eight weeks on and the results have started to arrive, and the team has really found its feet.
?We still do need to put away the chances we create. In the closing stages, we should have added a second, and this is something that we still need to improve on, though the feeling amongst the group is very positive at the moment,? Crittenden ended.
In the opposite dressing room, Sutherland Sharks coach Robbie Stanton was visibly disappointed that his side failed to take at least a point from the encounter:
?It was a tough match and with the conditions it was going to be a tough match, though I did think we created the chances to at least take a point home with us.
?We?ve played some matches this season where we have played poorly and taken points, though today where I thought we did deserve something more, we return home with nothing.
?Football is a funny game, though at the end of the day you need to take your chances, and this afternoon ? especially in the first-half ? we created chances to score goals, though we were not clinical enough in front of goal,? Stanton concluded.
In the Grade-20 division, Sutherland Sharks scored an impressive 2-0 defeat of Blacktown City FC.
Match Stats
Blacktown City FC 1 (Hayden Morten (og) 76?)
Sutherland Sharks 0
Sunday 12th June, 2011
Lily Homes Stadium, Seven Hills
Referee: Alex Glasgow
Assistant Referees: Sarah Ho and Bachar Allam
Fourth Official: Nathan Roberts
Crowd: 200 Approx.
Blacktown City FC: 1.Symon Jaeger; 13.Matt Lewis, 4.Travis Major, 5.Patrick Gatt, 16.Luke Austin, 19.Zac Cairncross, 9.Kain Rastall (17.Adam Jenner 69?), 10.Mitch Long, 3.Mitchell Duke (8.Chris Bedzo 86?), 7.Luke Roodenburg (C), 11.Milorad Simonovic (15.Ray Miller 81?)
Substitutes Not Used: 40.David Bradasevic
Yellow Cards: Kain Rastall 49?, Ray Miller 84?
Red Cards: Nil
Sutherland Sharks: 1.Nathan Denham; 4.Yianni Fragogianis, 6.Sam Awad, 7.Jimmy Bakis (C), 8.Chris Price, 10.Matt Bailey, 12.Hayden Morton, 14.Nick Stavroulakis (19.Huseyin Jasli 86?), 20.Paul Kohler, 23.Panni Nikas, 33.Nick Tsattalios (5.Lachlan Cahill 80?)
Substitutes Not Used: 11.Todd Halloran, 15.Michael Katz, 22.Jack Duncan
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
-By Joseph Carlucci
