Waratah Cup Round 2 Update (Results May 4th added)

Big surprise was last season?s Cup runners up Mounties Wanderers were knocked out of the tournament by Canberra Premier League side Canberra FC 3-1.
Fraser Park won through to the third round with a somewhat comfortable win over Schofields Scorpions. While it was 0-0 at the break, it took only two minutes after the restart before Troy Eedy gave Fraser the lead. An indirect freekick on the edge of the six yard box was always going to be difficult for Schofields to defend, and despite a stacked goal line, Eedy had little trouble in slamming the ball into the net.
Twenty minutes later, Anthony Villazon finished of a great move to strike in from close range.
Two superb goals by Michael Yarnold helped St George to a 3-0 win over division one leaders Gladesville Ryde Magic.
Yarnold’s first came in the 28th minute, when he picked up the ball inside his own half before slaloming through the Ryde Magic defence. Following the excellent solo run, Yarnold’s left foot strike slammed into the bottom corner.
His second, early in the second half, was just as sweetly hit. A free kick outside the box, saw Yarnold curve the ball around the Ryde Magic wall, and just inside the near post.
His double, after an own goal had given the Saints the lead in the 20th minute, saw the Saints comfortably through to the next round.
While Tim Simpson sunk the Macarthur Rams in the 14th minute with a goal as the Northern Tigers progressed to the next stage of the Waratah Cup.
Rangers outfox Canberra Olympic at the death
Canberra Olympic?s Waratah Cup hopes were dashed on a wet Wednesday evening in controversial fashion as Mount Druitt Rangers squeezed home 4-3 with the final kick off an extraordinary cup tie. The outstanding Daniel Fogarty was the match-winner, turning the ball in from close range in stoppage time, barely twenty seconds after Justin Selkirk appeared to have sent the game into extra-time, bundling the ball in to level the scores.
Fogarty however was at the centre of the game?s defining moment just after the half-hour mark when he struck Canberra Olympic defender Nathan Megic with an open palm, reacting badly to a push from the Olympic stopper but, amazingly, he escaped any censure whatsoever as the referee inexplicably kept his cards in his pocket. The dismissal of Mount Druitt?s key man at that stage would surely have changed the game and the home team can count themselves very fortunate to have kept their full quota.
Credit must go to Rangers though for their ruthless streak in front of goal, with the home team converting almost every chance that presented itself pouncing with lightning fast counter-attacks, especially after the break, in a match that Olympic dominated.
The home side took the lead with almost their first attack of the game. Carl McNaughton made the most of a fortuitous bounce to make in-roads down the right flank and send a pin-point cross onto the head of Fogarty who made no mistake with a fine finish at the far post. Incredibly they doubled their lead nine minutes later with their second foray into Olympic territory and another clinical finish. A long ball over the top saw Glen McPherson show tremendous pace to break the offside trap and coolly slot past the advancing James Bradbury for a well-taken goal and a priceless 2-0 lead.
In fairness Rangers defended well in the opening half, denying Olympic time on the ball and nullifying their attacks at source. After the half-time break though it was one-way traffic as Dean Ugrinic gave his team the kick up the backside they sorely needed with a passionate team talk in the sheds.
The tone was set sixty seconds into the second stanza as Hristjan Tanoski freed Nikola Taneski in the left hand channel and the striker picked his spot to slide the ball into the back of the net and bring renewed hope. Within seven minutes the tie had a completely different complexion as Olympic drew level. Oliver Wiederkehr, a constant thorn in the side of the Rangers defence, used his rapid pace to break away and send over a teasing low cross that unfortunate centre-back Nathan Walker could only divert into his own goal.
Amazingly though Rangers restored their lead with their first venture into the Olympic half. A cheap turnover saw a superb cross into the penalty area from Kurt Elborough reach an unmarked Shane Arole and the first-half substitute calmly picked his spot to put Mount Druitt back ahead.
Cue the Olympic siege. For nearly the rest of the match the ball rarely left Olympic possession as time and time again they looked for the equaliser. Wiederkehr beat Jarrod Marsh in the Rangers goal, only to see his effort cleared off the line, while Liam Carey fired a shot into the grateful hands of Marsh from ten yards only two minutes later and Taneski also had an effort kicked off the line after Wiederkehr had seen a shot palmed away. Half-chances to Taneski and Wiederkehr followed and the former was denied a stonewall penalty when he cut inside the box only to be tripped by a trailing leg. Much to the chagrin of the Olympic players and support staff the referee waved away all appeals.
Wiederkehr was then fortunate not to be at least cautioned for an off the ball shoulder charge after a coming together with his marker with the match officials showing leniency once more as the tension grew.
Just when it seemed as of luck had deserted them, the visitors struck. A corner from the right caused mayhem in the Rangers penalty area as a schoolboy scramble ended with Selkirk bundling the ball home from inside the six-yard box to make it 3-3 as the clock ticked over in stoppage time.
Extra-tie seemed a certainty but Mount Druitt had other ideas. A hopeful punt up field was brilliantly recovered by the Rangers striker who used his strength to hold off the challenge of the retreating defence and force Bradbury into a save. The loose ball was played back across goal where man of the match Fogarty turned it into the open goal for the winner.
MATCH STATS
Mount Druitt Rangers 4 (Daniel Fogarty 9?, 91?, Glen McPherson 18?, Shane Arole 58?) Canberra Olympic 3 (Nikola Taneski 46?, Chris Prothero (own goal) 55?, Justin Selkirk 90?)
Mount Druitt Rangers: 1. Jarrod Marsh, 2. Michael Aragone, 4. Daniel Fogarty, 5. Ryan O?Shea, 6. Daniel Penfold, 8. Nathan Ralph (7. Shane Arole 31?), 9. Carl McNaughton, 11. Glen McPherson, 14. Chris Prothero, 15. Kurt Elborough (3. Alex Murkeill 62?), 16. Nathan Walker
Canberra Olympic: 1. James Bradbury (gk), 2. Hristjan Tanoski, 3. Nathan Megic (18. Oli Carauana-Brown 73?), 4. Joel Valtonen, 5. Justin Selkirk, (8. Jason Ugrinic 54?), 10. Liam Carey, 11. James Field, 12. Nikola Taneski, 13. Robbie Schroder, 14. Oliver Wiederkehr, 19. Nick Mihailakis
YELLOW CARDS: 16. Nathan Walker (Mount Druitt Rangers)
Waratah Cup Round 2
Wednesday 3rd May 2012
Mounties Wanderers 1 Canberra FC 3
Canberra FC stunned the NSW football community as they dumped 2011 Waratah Cup finalists and hot favourites Mounties Wanderers out of the competition on their home patch on a damp Wednesday evening in Sydney.
The ACT Premier League champions were good value for their win as well, creating enough chances to have doubled their tally but ultimately claiming a heroic 3-1 win against a team that are mid-table in the NSW Super League and which fought their way into the Waratah Cup Final last season knocking out some big names along the way.
A very tough opening half hour saw Mounties create the best chance but Canberra FC?s young goalkeeper Jakob Cole made a great save and centre-back Ryan Keir was on hand to mop up the rebound, clearing the ball off the line when it appeared certain that the home team would take the lead.
The visitor?s response saw Michael Spaleta fire a shot over the bar from range before Canberra FC took the lead when Keir rose highest to meet a corner and plant a firm header into the net. Keir?s heading prowess was certainly to the fore and, after the first-half had ended with Canberra FC narrowly ahead, the tall defender almost scored twice from successive corners only for the home-town custodian to thwart his goal-bound efforts.
The pace of Danai Gapare was causing problems up front for Wanderers and he was unlucky not to score when rounding the goalkeeper only to see his effort cleared off the line. In the 56th minute though the Canberran team made the vital breakthrough. Gapare again got clear and his shot was beaten away by the Wanderers ?keeper only to fall to Daniel Bennett who gleefully struck for a crucial 2-0 lead.
The Wanderers weren?t prepared to go down without a fight though and piled forward to put pressure on the Canberra FC goal. Cole made a number of fine saves but was finally beaten in the 75th minute with a low-shot that flew into the bottom corner to set up a grandstand finale.
It was Canberra FC who made the game secure though as Bennett smashed home his second with ten minutes remaining to complete a sound evening?s work and put the loop Premier League side into the third round of the competition.
-Report by Russ Gibbs
Waratah Cup Updated Match Schedule
Round 2 Results
Prospect United (SL2) 0 (1) def. Waverly Old Boys 0 (0) (ASSOC) 7:30pm William Lawson Reserve
Granville Rage (SL) 3 v Balmain FC (SL1) 4
Hills Pumas (ASSOC) 4 v Northbridge FC (SL1) 4 (Hills Pumas won 3-1 on pens)
Bankstown City Lions (SL) 4 v Hurstville ZFC (SL1) 2
Nepean FC (SL2) v West City FC (SL2) 7:30pm Cook Park (St Mary’s) WASHED OUT
Dapto Dandaloo (IPL) 5 v Lilli Pilli (ASSOC) 1
Sydney University (SL) 3 v UNSW (SL1) 4
Central Coast Mariners Academy 0 v Southern Bulls (SL1) 1
Tuesday 1st May
Hills Brumbies (SL) 5 v Bondi FC (ASSOC) 1
Camden Tigers (SL1) 1 v Picton Rangers (IPL) 2
Fraser Park (SL) 2 v Schofields Scorpions (SL1) 0
Wednesday 2nd May
Mt. Druitt Town Rangers (SL1) 4 v Canberra Olympic (ACT) 3
Tarrawanna (IPL) 2 v Liverpool SC 2 (Sydney Amateur FL) 11-10 on pens
St. George FC (SL) 3 v Gladesville Ryde Magic (SL1) 0
Macarthur Rams (SL) 0 v Northern Tigers (SL) 1
Bankstown Berries (SL) 4 v Rydalmere FC (ASSOC) 1
Sans Souci (ASSOC) 1 v Dulwich Hill (SL) 4
Mounties Wanderers (SL) 1 v Canberra FC (ACT) 3
Thursday 3rd May
Inter Lions (SL1) 1 v Fairfield City Lions (SL1) 2 (1-2 after extra time0
Spirit FC (SL) 4 v Stanmore Hawks (SL1)1
Key
SL – Super League
SL1 – State League One
SL2 – State League Two
ASSOC – Association
ACT PL – ACT Premier League
IPL – Illawarra Premier League