Marconi claim derby bragging rights over Sydney United 58 FC
The Stallions flew out of the blocks scoring two quick fire goals in the first 10? minutes of the match.
Daniel Barac got one back for the home side but it wasn?t enough as they slumped to their third loss from their last four starts.
The game started at a frantic pace with Marconi moving the ball forward with quick passes troubling the United defence.
The away fans didn?t have to wait long to see the opening goal as Sean O?Connell opened the scoring in the 6? minute of play. After giving away a free-kick outside the box, Sydney United?s wall blocked Daniel Severino?s shot before the ball fell to the waiting O?Connell whose first-time volley went into the back of the net.
Marconi?s dominance in the middle of the park gave them a second goal 4? minutes later. Joey Gibbs received the ball in the middle of the park before playing a through ball to Nathan Elasi on the right hand touch line. Elasi took the ball down the line before squaring it across to Gibbs to tap home for the early 2-0 lead.
Sydney United slowly got back into the game, fighting hard in challenges but could not get a clear shot on goal due to the resilience of the Stallions centre back pairing of Umut Tokdogan and Ali Haydar.
Marconi continued to attack United on the wings and in the 22? minute a floating cross by Jamie McMaster found Elasi on the back post but the former A-League player could not get enough power on his shot as the ball went straight to Vedran Janjetovic.
Sydney United finally got back into the game in the 25? minute with a swift move down the left hand touch line. A one-two between 18 Mario Simic and Ante Tomic allowed the latter to square the ball into the box to find Daniel Barac, who tapped the ball onto the post and into the net from a difficult angle.
The goal spurred the home side into action as they immediately took to the task of equalising before the break.
Captain Ivo Bosnar attempted to score another goal similar to his previous goal against APIA-Leichhardt Tigers earlier this season, only to see his half volley sail well over the crossbar on 28? minutes.
The Stallions had a shout for a penalty turned down in the 39? minute when a neat one-two between Gibbs and McMaster saw the latter go down in the box in what was a contentious decision.
A minute later Elasi could have easily extended the lead. A great through ball to Daniel Severino on the left saw him cross to the unmarked Elasi who headed the ball wide of the mark from point-blank range as he was left free inside United?s six-yard box only to head the ball wide of the mark.
Marconi had another chance on the stroke of half-time as Elasi found Gibbs in the box only for Janjetovic to tap the ball over the bar out for a corner.
The heavens opened up as both teams came back out for the second-half.
The team from Bossley Park had the first chance after the break as Joey Gibbs met another Severino free kick from the left only to see his chance go wide.
In the 51? minute the Reds struggled to clear the ball from deep in their half as the Stallions pressed in defence, ending in Keith Shevlin?s 20-yard shot going to the left of Janjetovic?s goal.
Gibbs had another chance to double his tally in the 53? minute. As the ball was crossed in Gibbs got to it before the oncoming Janjetovic only to see his header go over the goalkeeper and out for a goal kick.
Sydney United were eager to end their recent poor form and in the 59? minute Michael Cindric missed a great chance. Steve Hayes swung a corner to the near post finding Cindric who volleyed the ball just wide.
The end-to-end action continued as Marconi saw two great chances go begging in the 63? minute. First Severino missed a shot with Janjetovic out of his goal before McMaster saw his attempt come off the post.
Ante Tomic tried to spark his side back into life 4? minutes later, finding space in United?s attacking third only to skew his shot wide.
Reds coach Jean Paul De Marigny turned to his bench in the 68? minute, replacing goal scorer Daniel Barac with Elsid Barkhousir in the hope of re-opening the contest.
Barkhousir almost came to his side?s rescue in the 84? minute when he chipped the ball over the defence for Hayes, only for Marconi goalkeeper James Chronopoulos to come off his line and claim the ball.
Marconi kept it tight in the final 5? minutes of the match to claim the three points and move into fourth on the NSW Premier League ladder.
Following the match Marconi Stallions coach Luke Casserly said his team could have easily scored several more goals:
?Sydney United are a very good team and it is a very hard place to come to but I think defensively we were pretty solid,?? he said.
?We had a couple of chances where we could have made it easier for ourselves.
?Overall I thought our work ethic and commitment couldn?t have been better.
In the home dressing room Sydney United coach Jean Paul De Marigny admitted his team was outplayed:
?I think we have to be more competitive. Individually we need to take more responsibility and be competitive,?? he said.
?We were very much second to the ball a lot and I think in the second-half when we were chasing the game I don?t think we had a shot on goal.
?Today was pretty disappointing but to be fair to them they battled hard and could have scored two or three more goals.?
Match Stats
Sydney United 58 FC 1 (Daniel Barac 25?)
Marconi Stallions 2 (Sean O?Connell 6?, Joey Gibbs 10?)
Sunday, June 10th, 2012
Sydney United Sports Centre, Edensor Park
Referee: Alexander Glasgow
Assistant Referee: Sarah Ho and Gareth Williams
Fourth Official: Scott Edeling
Sydney United 58 FC: 1.Vedran Janjetovic; 2.Mitchell Speer, 4.Michael Cindric, 6.Mitchell Stamatellis, 7.Mirjan Pavlovic, 8.Jared Lum, 18.Mario Simic (12.Kyle Ewart 79?), 21.Ante Tomic (16.Stjepan Paric, 73?), 22.Daniel Barac (9.Elsid Barkhousir 68?), 23.Ivo Bosnar (C)
Substitutes Not Used: 30.Robert Kolak
Yellow Cards: Simic 43?, Tomic 47?
Red Cards: Nil
Marconi Stallions: 22.James Chronopoulos; 3.Ali Haydar, 4.Umut Tokdogan, 6.Shane Webb, 7.Sean O?Connell, 9.Keith Shevlin, 10.Joey Gibbs, 11.Nathan Elasi, 16.Daniel Severino, 18.Jamie McMaster, 19.Damien Travis (12.Simon Valastro 49?)
Substitutes Not Used: 21.Kresimir Kardu, 8.Jake McGing, 15.Denis Jevtic, 42. Brendan Cholakian
Yellow Cards: Gibbs 4?, McMaster 32?
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3 – Jamie McMaster (MS)
2 – Umut Tokdogan (MS)
1 – Joey Gibbs (MS)
-By Chris Georges
