State League One Round 3 Finals Series Review
In a Preliminary Final that had absolutely everything, Gladesville Ryde Magic overcame a 1-0 half time deficit to beat Fairfield City Lions 2-1 after extra time and book their place in next week?s Grand Final against Mounties Wanderers.
For the home side, Fairfield City Lions, it proved a disastrous day all round, with their Under 20s coming unstuck against Schofields Scorpions, losing on penalties, whilst their first grade had victory snatched from under their noses after leading with barely minutes to spare.
Gladesville had the breeze at their back in the first stanza, and made it count in terms of chances created, throwing all but the kitchen sink at the Lions.
A sweeping move by the Magic after four minutes saw Scott Tonkin sting the fingers of Fairfield’s custodian, Orkun Durmaz, with a rasping angled shot, following an interchange of passes between Alistair McKie and Corey Macri.
The Lions replied on 16 minutes when Yavuz Ekinci headed into Tohouroglou?s arms after a half volley cross by Ben Cronk.
Alex Morris then went ever so close in the 19th minute with a brilliant flick header from Alistair McKie?s corner, but Jabbie headed off the line to keep the match scoreless.
Fairfield tried to stem the tide somewhat with a couple of rash challenges from Cronk and Jabbie, both earning a caution for their troubles.
Gladesville?s ?Mr. Perpetual Motion?, Alan Ryan, got away down the right flank before squaring for Alistair McKie, who mishit his shot from right in front straight at the relieved Durmaz in the Fairfield goal.
The Magic kept their foot on the pedal, and on 31 minutes it was Tonkin?s low cross drilled across the face of goal that eluded everyone, friend and foe alike, as it raced away from danger.
Tonkin actually had the ball in the net a minute later following a scrambled corner, but an alleged infringement by a team mate meant it was ruled out by man-in-the-middle, Mr Goldsmith, much to the angst of the traveling support.
Then totally against the run of play, the Lions opened proceedings with an exquisite goal in the 35th minute.
A long punt upfield was flicked on by Ben Cronk, up against much taller defenders, and Yavuz Ekinci swiveled before lobbing Gladesville?s Tohouroglou with a perfect shot into the far corner.
The half time break brought some reprieve for the players, with the Lions most fortunate to be in front on the balance of play, but keen to take advantage of their lead.
The Magic had an awesome opportunity just two minutes into the second half, with Lachlan Harte blasting high over the bar from right in front after a corner dropped tantalizingly for him.
Andrew McKie, who had been kept frustrated after a great marking job on him by Mitchell Bozzetto, almost equalized on 56 minutes, cutting in a hitting a swerving shot that was well saved by Durmaz.
The game swung on a wonderful opportunity in the 58th minute, when a Lions counter attack saw Ekinci find Cronk inside the Magic box with a superbly weighted diagonal pass.
Cronk did well to take a touch into the box, but his snapshot went inches wide of Tohouroglou?s right upright, and the chance went begging.
As the minutes ticked away, the match seemed to slipping further and further out of Gladesville?s grasp, but a crazy incident in the 86th minute turned proceedings on it?s head.
Lions captain, Yavuz Ekinci, made way for Miyamoto, and the substitute managed to get himself sent from the field with his very first challenge ? a dangerous tackle on Alan Ryan ? before he had even kicked a ball.
Alistair McKie took the free kick, some 35 metres from goal, and his swerving delivery was brilliantly met by Alex Morris, who?s header beat Durmaz in the Fairfield goal, sending the away fans into a frenzy of cheering.
This was consecutive weeks where a McKie free kick was met with a goalscoring header by Morris, and on both occasions the goal gave the Magic a reprieve.
Rubbing salt into the wounds, Fairfield then lost their young dangerous striker, Ben Cronk, to a second yellow card, with barely a minute of regulation time remaining.
Cronk was booked for an alleged dive in the box, and the Lions were all of a sudden up against a mountain, going into extra time with 9 players, and minus the services of two of their best in Ekinci and Cronk.
Things got worse four minutes into extra time, with Deniz Pinar going down in agony, and having to leave the field, meaning the Lions were down to eight players. Pinar returned to the fray, but could barely move, and played out the second half of extra time between the sticks, swapping with goalkeeper Orkun Durmaz, given the Lions had made the maximum number of substitutions.
But just before the extra time break, Gladesville substitute, Thomas Nastoulis, scored with a deft flick after Andrew McKie dummied brother Alistair?s curling cross, putting Gladesville into the lead.
Nastoulis had been receiving some stick from a contingent of opposition fans, and raced off in delight after silencing them in the best possible manner.
Andrew McKie spurned a great opportunity in the 107th minute, half volleying over the bar from inside the box after Ryan had cut the ball back for the burly striker.
The Magic had the numerical advantage, and with a slender 2-1 lead, tried to hold possession and strangle the life out of the remaining minutes.
With just over ten minutes remaining the numbers were brought closer together, with Gladesville?s Alistair McKie receiving his second caution of the match for a needless foul, the send off deeming him ineligible for next week?s Grand Final.
With three minutes remaining, Nastoulis chased down a long ball upfield, beating Lions replacement keeper, Pinar, to the ball, before slicing his shot wide of an empty goal.
The match wasn?t over just yet, and with just moments remaining, Fairfield almost took the match to penalties, when Hayashi found himself right in front with the ball dropping at his feet following a last gasp cross into the box.
Hayashi smashed a drive goalwards, but Tohouroglou responded brilliantly to parry the shot and send his team into the grand final.
Referee David Goldsmith, had a busy game, but showed his experience to not allow anything to escape his view, and would?ve had writer?s cramp with the amount of times he was forced to go to his book. His final whistle brought proceedings to a halt, and it was the visiting fans that celebrated a desperate victory.
For the Lions there will be no repeat of last year?s Grand Final triumph. Once Ekinci went off, so did the Lions? creativity, and although they battled extremely well with nine players, it was too much of a hurdle to overcome, and the ill discipline proved costly in the end.
Best for the Lions on a disappointing day for the club were Yavuz Ekinci was at the centre of all of his team?s attacks, wriggling free of challenges and constantly finding his team mates with precise passes, and he topped off his game with a brilliant goal ; Mitchell Bozzetto was a tower of strength in the centre of defence, fierce in the tackle, strong in the air, and never took a backward step all day ; Mirwiss Amiri toiled hard all day in the centre of the park, his endurance and effort evident especially when the team went down to nine, and then eight, players, and he never stopped working until the final whistle of extra time.
Gladesville Ryde Magic can celebrate a momentous occasion for the club, making their first Division One grand final with a fantastic second half of the 2011 season.
They exacted revenge on Fairfield after losing their first semi final a fortnight ago, and now will take centre stage next week in the season decider against the might of the Mounties Wanderers.
Best for the Magic were Alan Ryan again had a great game in the centre of the park, although his workrate and effort actually took him all over the park, his tackles were tough, his passes were crisp, and he lead by example as the Magic kept at it during the 90 minutes ; Alex Morris was reliable at the back, reading the play well, determined in his application to the task, and scoring a telling goal for the second consecutive week ; Brett Townley-Jones was stubborn at the back, firm in defence, and quick to distribute the ball and /or support the attack.
Under 20s ? Fairfield City Lions vs Schofields Scorpions @ 12-30pm
Schofields Scorpions edged out Fairfield City Lions in a penalty shootout to claim their spot in next week?s Grand Final against Mounties Wanderers.
Following an entertaining 2-2 draw after extra time, the Scorpions held their nerve from the spot, winning 3-1, and ending Fairfield?s season in the process.
Match Stats
FAIRFIELD CITY LIONS (1) 1 (Ekinci 35?)
GLADESVILLE RYDE MAGIC (0) 2 (Morris 87?, Nastoulis 103?)
Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 3-00pm @ Norford Park 2
Referee ? Mr David Goldsmith
Assistant Referees ? Mr Thomas Diakos & Mr Paul Faithfull
FAIRFIELD CITY LIONS: 23.O.Durmaz, 2.A.Jabbie, 19.M.Bozzetto, 5.C.Sultan, 8.S.Dawd (18.A.Kumrulu 72?), 7.D.Pinar, 11.M.Amiri, 9.B.Cronk, 13.Y.Ekinci (capt) (14.S.Miyamoto 85?), 6.S.Sozer (17.Y.Hayashi 58?), 22.S.Chamings.
Subs not used ? 1.A.Biernat,20.I.Kerem.
Yellow Cards ? 9.B.Cronk 9? & 89?, 2.A.Jabbie 21?, 7.D.Pinar 81?, 11.M.Amiri 110?,5.C.Sultan 118?. Red Cards ? 14.S.Miyamoto 86?, 9.B.Cronk 89?.
GLADESVILLE RYDE MAGIC: 1.K.Tohouroglou (capt), 11.B.Townley-Jones, 2.A.Morris, 13.B.Kerr, 6.A.Ryan, 5.A.Khan, 9.S.Tonkin (8.J.Martinez 46?), 10.Alistair McKie, 4.L.Harte(14.S.Kanou 98?), 14.C.Macri (7.T.Nastoulis 73?), 16.Andrew McKie.
Subs not used ? 1.P.Ferrara,15.C.Robertson.
Yellow Cards ? 5.A.Khan 24, 10.A.McKie 50? & 108?, 7.T.Nastoulis 78??.
Red Cards ? 10.A.McKie 108?.
-By Frank Speranza
