‘Come back kings’ Blacktown City salvage point in thrilling finale
Yuchi Yamauchi scored in the 95? minute to send the Blacktown City supporters into a frenzy after dominating for large spells against Sydney United.
The Edensor Park outfit took the lead against the run of play when Luka Glavas took advantage of some space to drill home the opening goal 12? minutes from the end, though the real drama would arrive with the final kick of the afternoon.
A fairly timid opening to the encounter, where both sides looked to gain the ascendency in midfield, came to life in the 4? minute as Blacktown City imports Yamauchi and Ryuji Miyazawa found a lot of the ball. Both players moved the ball swiftly in the front-third, carving out half openings on the left for Ray Miller first, then Luke Roodenburg on the edge of the penalty-area later.
The visiting Reds, in their yellow second strip today, looked to contain the home side in the early exchanges and hit on the counterattack with the long ball for Luka Glavas and Ben Vidaic, though Zac Cairncross and Patrick Gatt marshalled the Blacktown City FC defensive line to perfection.
Daniel Bragg won his side a corner in the 9? minute following some immense pressure on Tom Mijic on the right. The resulting corner saw an opening for Matt Lewis who delivered a probing cross into the penalty-area, though only just failed to pick the head of Gatt who had made a late flurry on goal.
The home side again went close on 14? minutes following a swift counterattack, started by Roodenburg. Sydney United failed to clear a loose ball in the penalty-area leaving Miyazawa with a double chance. The first long-range attempt ricocheted off a Sydney United defender before Miyazawa?s follow-up attempt cleared the crossbar.
Sydney United?s first real forward foray arrived via the feet of Ben Vidaic. The striker made a break down the left-flank and squared the ball into the penalty-area from the by-line, however the retreating Blacktown City defenders were on hand to clear any danger.
Daniel Rezo had the travelling Sydney United supporters on their feet in the 23? minute as his long-range free-kick was headed for the top left-hand corner. Goalkeeper Brody Crane however moved swiftly to his right to divert the ball behind for a corner.
Rezo was at it again 1? minute later after the Blacktown City defence coughed up possession deep in their own half. Glavas played a neat square ball into the path of Rezo who attempted an audacious chip on goal. Crane was more than ready to make a routine save.
On 25? minutes, the home side should have taken the lead following another quick counterattack. Bragg combined brilliantly well with Miyazawa who forced Vedran Janjetovic into a fine save down to his right with his fierce diagonal effort across goal. The parried attempt fell into the path of Yamauchi who saw his attempt from close-range diverted behind goal following some desperate Sydney United defending.
The resulting corner provider Lewis a look-in on goal. A blasted effort from 25-metres was plucked out of the air by an acrobatic Janjetovic who diverted the ball behind for a corner.
In the 37? minute, Luke Austin and Roodenburg combined nicely for the former to release the latter on goal. Roodenburg?s first touch setup the chance on his left boot, though his diagonal effort across goal finished wide of the mark.
At the other end, Markovic had a half chance with a loose ball inside the penalty-area. The midfielder?s lunging effort was goal bound, though a slight deflection took the ball wide.
The Reds kept the ball in the front third with the resulting corner providing Glavas with a chance. The striker attempted a looping header, with his back to goal, over Crane, however the ball finished over the crossbar.
Sydney United went closest to a goal, again via a Rezo free-kick, on 40? minutes. The talented midfielder curled his effort over the wall, again destined for the top right-hand corner, and despite this time beating Crane, was denied by the post.
The second 45? minutes commenced with the home side again on the front foot. Miyazawa attempted to add another long-range bomb to his collection of Premier League goals; his effort from distance only just shaved Janjetovic?s crossbar.
Sydney United steadied the ship somewhat with a good spell of possession in midfield, though the Blacktown City defence gave very little away to the Glavas-Vidaic tandem pairing upfront.
The introduction of Daniel Barac and Mitchell Thompson gave the visitors a little more strength across the middle of the park as the Reds number 22 created a yard of space inside the penalty-area on 65? minutes, though failed to get a shot away on goal.
Blacktown City substitute Travis Major spurned a glorious chance in the 66? minute. The right-sided midfielder received a neat square ball across goal from Yamauchi though drove his first-time effort wide of goal.
Yamauchi had a chance of his own 2? minutes later following some impressive build-up play by Blacktown. The Japanese import, from a central position, took a first touch though seemed to rush his shot, as Janjetovic made a routine save.
Young midfielder Ray Miller almost brought the house down with a goal on 71? minutes. The midfielder made a tremendous mazy run from his own half before a lucky deflection sat up nicely for him. Miller, with one initial touch, picked his spot and attempted to curl his effort past Janjetovic, forcing the Sydney United goalkeeper into a tremendous diving save.
Thompson and Barac combined for the Reds at the other end, though once more the Sydney United substitutes failed to get a shot off on target, largely due to the quick reacting defence.
Sydney United?s second-half possessional dominance finally reaped reward, 12? minutes from the end as Luka Glavas delivered the killer blow. Marked so very tightly for the duration of the match, Glavas took advantage of some rare space in the final third to deliver a curling effort into the top right-hand corner for the lead.
Blacktown City?s task of finding a way back into the match took a further blow 1? minute later as Luke Austin picked up his second yellow card of the afternoon, leaving his side to fend with ten-men for the closing stages.
The home side had two fabulous chances to draw level in the 90? minute. Firstly, Matt Lewis picked up the scraps following a Travis Major free-kick though could only blast his goal bound effort against a Sydney United defender.
Miyazawa was then picked out by Monie, though he too was to be denied by a tremendous reflex save by Janjetovic.
Blacktown City did however find their goal deep into injury-time via Yamauchi. The Japanese import latched onto James Monie?s flicked header and had no trouble slotting past Janjetovic to keep his side?s unbeaten 2012 in order.
At the conclusion of the entertaining encounter, Blacktown City FC captain Luke Roodenburg expressed his thoughts on the afternoon?s proceedings:
?We are very happy with the effort of the team and, of course, with salvaging a point in the end.
?We do however feel that with the performance today, especially the first-half, and the number of chances we created, we probably did drop two-points today,? explained Roodenburg.
?After three rounds, we are unbeaten, though I do feel that we have dropped four points that we really should have picked up.
?We have developed a bit of a habit this season of coming from behind, so we really will need to work hard to get into positions where we are in control and do not need to come from behind,? Roodenburg concluded.
Out of the Sydney United 58 FC dressing shed, coach Jean-Paul De Marigny was disappointed to concede a goal so late on in the encounter.
?Blacktown City is a great side, they play some very good football and had you asked me prior to the match today whether I would be happy with a draw, I would have answered yes because to come here (to Lily Homes) and get a point is not an easy feat,? said De Marigny.
?In saying that, considering that we had the lead deep into injury-time and up against ten-men, I am disappointed that we slipped up and lost out on two-points that we should have really wrapped up.
?On the whole, I am happy with the players, I thought we were strong defensively and the boys ? apart from the first 20?-25? minutes ? were in a good position in the match.
?We still have improvements to make, though after three rounds, I am quite happy with the progress the team has made,? De Marigny ended.
Match Stats
Blacktown City FC 1 (Yuchi Yamauchi 90?+5?)
Sydney United 58 FC 1 (Luke Glavas 78?)
Sunday 15th April, 2012
Lily Homes Stadium, Seven Hills
Referee: Kurt Ams
Assistant Referees: Samuel Grasso and Scott Edeling
Fourth Official: Gareth Williams
Blacktown City FC: 1.Brody Crane; 6.Matt Lewis, 19.Zac Cairncross, 5.Patrick Gatt, 8.Daniel Bragg (4.Travis Major 63?), 7.Luke Roodenburg (C) (10.James Monie 70?), 15.Ray Miller, 9.Ryuji Miyazawa, 11. Yuchi Yamauchi, 14.Adam Jenner, 16.Luke Austin
Substitutes Not Used: 20.Luke Turnbull, 3.Ryo Watanabe, 12.David Cain
Yellow Cards: Luke Austin 63?, 79?
Red Cards: Luke Austin 79?
Sydney United 58 FC: 1.Vedran Janjetovic; 14.Petar Markovic (16.Stejpan Paric 66?), 6.Mitchell Stamatellis, 3.Tomislav Mijic, 4.Michael Cindric, 23.Ivo Bosnar (C), 8.Jared Lum, 21.Ante Tomic (19.Mitchell Thompson 52?), 18.Daniel Rezo (22.Daniel Barac 52?), 13.Ben Vidaic, 11.Luka Glavas
Substitutes Not Used: 2.Mitchell Speer, 30.Robert Kolak
Yellow Cards: Jared Lum 42?
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3 ? Vedran Janjetovic (SU)
2 ? Ryuji Miyazawa (BCFC)
1 ? Daniel Rezo (SU )
-By Joseph Carlucci
