9-man Blacktown City in gallant draw at Lambert Park
APIA-Leichhardt Tigers capitalised on numerical advantage to overturn a 3-1 half-time deficit and secure a share of the spoils against Blacktown City FC on Friday evening at Lambert Park.
The 90’ minutes were no stranger to drama, controversy and entertainment as 9-man City were finally hauled back to a three apiece draw. .
The opening exchanges were hard and fast as each side attempted to garner control of the midfield but with thrust meeting counter-thrust it was a fascinating battle for the ascendancy.
Sean Rooney had the first meaningful attempt of the game when seeing his shot on the turn slip narrowly wide of the upright in the 6’ minute for City with Keith Shevlin finding himself in the book moments later for a foul on the Blacktown striker.
A succession of niggling fouls from both saw a few half-chances created with balls floated into the mix but nothing the goalkeepers, nor defence, could not handle.
Harris Gaitatzis played Ray Miller down the City left but a timely intervention by Brendan Reilly put paid to the move and cleared the danger as the visitors slowly began to gain the upper hand with APIA holding a high line and catching the City forwards offside.
Nicola Rizzo looked very sharp down the Leichhardt left midfield with telling passes and keen vision, however the Blacktown defence were awake to everything.
Rooney was at it again in the 22’ minute when firing toward goal from distance but his scuffed shot presented no problems for Ryan Norval in the Tigers goal, before Miller did the same just 60’’ seconds later.
It was Matthew Lewis who put City ahead in the 24’ minute with a curling shot off the instep to beat the Tigers custodian and give the visiting side the lead.
It was little more than Blacktown deserved as they slowly but surely pushed APIA back into their own half, forcing them to defend deeper and finding it harder to clear their lines.
Reilly brought down Ryuji Miyazawa inside the box in the 26’ minute with Travis Major stepping up to take the penalty, and the chance to double his side’s lead, however the Tigers’ shot-stopper was sharply down to his right to save.
A fascinating spell followed with action aplenty on the playing field. Firstly, Blacktown did extend the lead with Harris Gaitatzis netting in the 32’ minute before Nikola Taneski reduced the deficit from the spot in the 34’ minute, with Sean Rooney going up the other end to make it three-one to Blacktown seconds later amid cries of offside from the crowd.
Referee Adam Weir cautioned both Stephen Kayes and David D’Apuzzo for the Tigers before consulting with his Assistant and awarding the goal in a crazy 3’ minute spell.
And it didn’t stop there as Andrea Del Brocco was given his marching orders for Blacktown for a nasty looking tackle on Reilly who, to his credit, didn’t make a fuss as the City player left the field with literally seconds left in the half.
A double substitution for the home team at the start of the second period saw George Khoury and Adamo Raciti replace Keith Shevlin and Franco Parisi respectively, as Gary Ward rang the changes in an effort at wrest back control of the game and utilise the one man advantage by stretching the play and switching from flank to flank.
Blacktown City were left no option but to defend, which they did resolutely, and attack on the counter, which isn’t their natural style as it was the turn of APIA-Leichhardt to press relentlessly to prise the telling opening.
D’Apuzzo got the benefit of the doubt when appearing to make a tackle from behind in the box on Kearyn Baccus as the Tigers then straight up the other end with Taneski scoring his, and APIA’s, second of the evening as the home side fought back once more and reduced the Blacktown lead to one with 30’ minutes remaining.
Bradley Bartels had a magnificent chance to level it up forcing Brody Crane into an equally terrific save to keep City ahead in the 68’ minute.
Blacktown were working overtime to keep APIA at only two goals, but with tiring legs starting to tell the home side were well and truly on top and all that remained was to see if they could finally break the resistance of Blacktown and regain parity.
The job should have become easier when Blacktown lost a second player to a red card when Sean Rooney received a second caution and was ordered off in the 74’ minute leaving City with a very tough uphill battle to keep the points.
Major took the ball to the corner before slipping his marker and then winning a corner the visitors were in no hurry to take, but the short pass routine didn’t work and the Tigers attacked again.
APIA’s persistence paid dividends in the 88’ minute when Tigers’ substitute Gerard Ouffoue headed home the equaliser to break Blacktown hearts, albeit just reward for their efforts.
The final few moments were frantic and end-to-end as each tried to pinch the winner, with Ouffoue coming closest with Crane down at the last to thwart the attempt .
Neither coach wanted to speak after the match so the assistants got their turn when Nick Rizzo said for APIA:
“Blacktown are a very, very good side and I think we probably stayed in the game due to a couple of send-offs. Even though, the second-half was better for us and it was to be expected.
“You have to take your hat off to Blacktown as they were outstanding in the first 45’ minutes and made us second best with their play and overall I suppose we have to be happy as the boys dug deep and we shared the points in the end despite everything.”
As for his own performance he added:
“For me personally I have to say my fitness levels are not quite there yet and I am probably a month or so away but I am feeling stronger each game.”
Wrapping things up Rizzo ended:
“We got a point tonight that we deserved, maybe, but I was very impressed with Blacktown tonight as they were very mobile, quick and such a young team and that has always been one of their strengths and I have to say they are the best side we have played this season.”
Kain Rastall replied for Blacktown City:
“We are extremely proud of the performance tonight as even with nine men we created chances going forward.
“The game should have been well and truly over at half-time but we had two players sent-off, rightly or wrongly, but if you leave teams in a game, especially at home, you sometimes get burnt and perhaps tonight we did.
“It was a classic case of that here but we will move on with a lot of confidence from this game to next week.”
On the team performance he stated:
“That was definitely our best performance of the season to-date. Our speed and attacking options just proved that even with nine players we can go and take on teams away from home and look comfortable in creating numerous opportunities.”
Footnote: Congratulations to Adel El Jamal who celebrated his birthday on the day of the game.
Match Stats
APIA-Leichhardt Tigers 3 (Taneski 34’ (pen),60’, Ouffoue 88’)
Blacktown City FC 3 (Lewis 24’, Gaitatzis 32’, Rooney 34’)
Friday April 5th, 2013
Lambert Park, Leichhardt
Referee: Adam Weir
Assistant Referees: Nick Backo and Andrej Giev
Fourth Official: Mitchell Clark
APIA-Leichhardt Tigers: 1.Ryan Norval; 2.Mark Byrnes (C), 3.Adel El Jamal, 4.Brendan Reilly, 7.Stephen Kayes, 8.David D’Apuzzo, 10.Franco Parisi (19.Adamo Raciti 46’), 12.Keith Shevlin (14.George Khoury 46’), 15.Bradley Bartels, 18.Nikola Taneski, 24.Nicola Rizzo (9.Gerard Ouffoue 77’)
Substitutes Not Used: 20.Joshua Symons, 21.Anthony Costa
Yellow Cards: Shevlin 9’, Kayes 34’, D’Apuzzo 34’
Red Cards: Nil
Blacktown City FC: 1.Brody Crane; 3.Andrea Del Brocco, 4.Yianni Fragogiannis, 5.Patrick Gatt (C), 6.Matthew Lewis, 7.Travis Major, 8.Raymond Miller, 9.Ryuji Miyazawa (20.Jacob Poscoliero 71’), 10.Harris Gaitatzis (15.Matthew Mayora 79’), 11.Sean Rooney, 12.Kearyn Baccus
Substitutes Not Used: 13.Blake Tuxford, 17.Keiran Paull, 18. Osadolor Edosomwan
Yellow Cards: Major 61’, Rooney 62’, 74’
Red Cards: Del Brocco 45’, Rooney 74’
Player Ratings:
3 – Nikola Taneski (ALT)
2 – Patrick Gatt (BC)
1 – Matthew Lewis (BC)
-By Micky Brock
