State League One Round 3 Review
When we went to sleep on Friday night, it was with an anticipation of an exciting weekend of football in State League One, but Mother Nature had other ideas, with a deluge of rain causing the postponement of no less than three of the six scheduled matches.
Our re-directed Match of the Round was at Bensons Lane where Hawkesbury City SC welcomed the visit of Northbridge FC, whilst Prospect United won on the road in Bathurst against the Western NSW Mariners, and Granville Rage registered their first win of 2013 with a 2-1 triumph over Hakoah Sydney City East.
Hawkesbury City SC – Northbridge FC 3-1
On Saturday afternoon, Hawkesbury City SC well and truly bounced back from last week’s inept performance at Prospect, grabbing all three points at Bensons Lane in a 3-1 victory over Northbridge FC.
The Hawks were happy to back on their home turf, scene of their opening day victory over Camden Tigers, but were without strikers Michael McCrory and Todd Macrae, the latter through injury, so their work was seemingly cut out for them if they were to trouble the Northbridge defence.
Northbridge FC had four points to show for the first two matches of the season, and were keen to keep their momentum going with almost a full deck of players on hand, minus Mitchell Lensink, suspended via last week’s red card.
The match was only six minutes old when Hawkesbury took the lead, and it came from a right wing cross by Johnathon McCrea that seemed to hang in the air for an eternity as it sailed towards the far post. Paul Cooper effected a remarkable, mid air, half scissors kick that Northbridge keeper, Jonathon Faerber, got his hands to, but couldn’t keep out, and the home side were in front.
Five minutes later and Northbridge fell further behind, and it was their own making as a stray pass inside their own half was seized upon by Hawkesbury’s industrious midfielder, Gavin Hartge, who sent Ethan Simone away down the left.
The big striker raced into the penalty are before crossing low, where Johnathon McCrea met the leather with a firm strike that smacked into the bottom corner of the net to double the Hawks’ advantage.
Northbridge were clearly rattled, and desperate to try and get back into match, their best effort coming on 18 minutes when Ry Hardy hit the side netting from a tight angle when he may have been better served cutting the ball back for an onrushing team mate.
But the Hawks had their ends up, well and truly, and kept their foot on the pedal as they moved forward in numbers, stroking the ball around as the Northbridge defenders stood back.
Evan Daglis is a tricky little midfielder with an eye for an opportunity, and he wriggled free in the 19th minute inside the box, swiveling before striking his low shot inches past Faerber’s right hand upright.
A mere sixty seconds later and left flanker, Ethan Simone, sliced through the Northbridge defence once more, his cut back to the edge of the box finding Paul Cooper who curled his effort onto the cross bar before it was desperately cleared by the Northbridge defence.
If the home fans were happy with the start from their team, they went delirious in the 28th minute when Evan Daglis made it 3-0, side footing into the net from a few yards following a superbly timed cross by Johnathon McCrea, who at this stage was absolutely running amok.
Northbridge were trying but just couldn’t drag themselves into the match, although Jun Arima spurned a wonderful opportunity in the 31st minute, blasting a volley over the bar from a few yards following a Ry Hardy flick on.
Remarkably Hawkesbury should’ve been up by four in the 37th minute, when Gavin Hartge initiated an attack by slipping Paul Cooper into a gap behind the Northbridge defence.
Cooper cut the ball back for Daglis, whose first time shot beat Northbridge keeper, Jonathon Faerber, but hit Alexander Hatzinikolaou – who was standing on the goal line – plum on the shoulder before ricocheting over the cross bar.
Northbridge coach, Joe Hayward, had seen enough, and promptly made a double substitution five minutes before the break, bringing on Jay Wynter and Jarrah Funnell to spark things up for the visitors.
The half time whistle was exactly what Northbridge needed, in fact, to stop the Hawkesbury onslaught, regroup their thoughts and tactics, and make sure to come out for the second stanza a rejuvenated team.
So it was no surprise to see Northbridge almost score directly from the kick off of the second half, a swift passing movement down the right flank ending with a firm angled drive by Ry Hardy that was well parried by Hawkesbury keeper, Craig Morley.
On 53 minutes Hardy was the provider this time for Northbridge, his cross from the left controlled by Michael Cole inside the box, before the midfielder unleashed with a strong shot that Morley once again diverted away from his goal.
The resultant corner was cleared to Northbridge’s Lee Jones, who let fly with an absolute piledriver from fully 30 yards that ended up missing the cross bar by a matter of inches.
The visitors kept at it and Michael Cole was left dumfounded on 63 minutes, his turn and low shot from inside the penalty area beating keeper, Craig Morley, but was this time cleared off the line by James Chircop, one of Hawkesbury’s best on the night in central defence.
It was the turn of Northbridge substitute, Jarrah Funnell, on 73 minutes, as his swivel and volley from the edge of the penalty area brought out a brilliant one handed save from the inspired Craig Morley.
Hawkesbury had gone off the boil somewhat, but they were 3 goals up, and it was up to the visitors to try and make something of the match. The Hawks almost extended their lead however, in the 78th minute, when McCrea tried to chip Northbridge keeper, Jonathon Faerber, his 30 yard effort just clearing the crossbar.
For all their well manufactured efforts at the beginning of the second stanza, Northbridge finally pulled a goal back on 84 minutes, but this one had plenty of good fortune about it.
Michael Cole chipped a ball into the Hawkesbury penalty area, supposedly to a team mate who had stopped running, and keeper, Craig Morley, was caught napping as the leather slid under his feet and into the net to reduce the deficit.
But it was too little, too late for Northbridge, and the Hawks returned to the winners circle with a 3-1 triumph in front of their jubilant home fans.
Northbridge got off to a poor start, conceding two goals in the opening 11 minutes, and simply never recovered, even though they made a real go of it in the first half hour of the second half, lead by the running of Ry Hardy and Michael Cole in the attacking third. They will need to regroup quickly for their away trip to Mudgee next Saturday to take on Western NSW Mariners.
Hawkesbury were good value for their win, on the other hand, and had some solid performers on a good night for the club. Paul Cooper was a handful down the left flank with his speed on the ball, Evan Daglis was instrumental and tricky in attack, Craig Morley had a brilliant second half to keep the Hawks in front with some superb saves, whilst Jonathon McCrea scored a goal and set up the other two in a masterful display.
Match Stats
Hawkesbury City SC 3 (Paul Cooper 6’, McCrea 11’, Daglis 28’)
Northbridge FC 1 (Cole 84’)
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Bensons Lane, Richmond
Referee: Mr J Gavin
Assistant Referees : Mr G Lee and Mr S Ellsmore
Bench: J. Woods, Z. Elrich, W. Angel, V. Rigoli, I. Johnson.HAWKESBURY CITY SC: 24.C.Morley, 5.R.Alchin, 15.J.Chircop (capt), 7.N.Cooper, 28.G.Hartge (33.A.Luttringer 71’), 13.P.Cooper (35.M.Kerr 68’), 11.J.McCrea, 27.E.Daglis, 14.E.Simone, 12.A.Stevenson, 8.R.Wilson.
Substitutes Not Used:1.J.Andrew, 25.A.Sharvell.
Yellow Cards: 11.J.McCrea 90’ + 4
Red Cards: Nil
NORTHBRIDGE FC: 1.J.Faerber, 11.J.Arima, 4.K.Baker, 8.M.Cole, 14.J.Collins, 22.K.Hall (20.J.Funnell 40’), 9.R.Hardy, 28.A.Hatzinikolaou (13.J.Wynter 40’), 36.L.Jones, 23.P.Orgad, 6.R.Woodward (capt)(12.L.Thomas 84’).
Substitutes Not Used:19.P.Myall, 18.A.Lahiri.
Yellow Cards: 20.J.Funnell 51’
Red Cards: Nil
STATE LEAGUE ONE ROUND THREE REVIEW
The late deluge on Friday evening caused the postponement of no less than half of the six matches, with the details of the re-scheduled games to be decided by FNSW at a day and time yet to be confirmed.
BALMAIN TIGERS FC – CAMDEN TIGERS @ Ron Dine Reserve POSTPONED
INTER LIONS – GLADESVILLE RYDE MAGIC @ The Crest Athletic Complex POSTPONED
NEPEAN FC – DULWICH HILL SC @ Cook Park POSTPONED
Granville Rage came from a goal behind to overcome Hakoah Sydney City East and register their maiden victory in State League One on Saturday afternoon.
The U18s and U20s matches scheduled prior to first grade on Saturday were all postponed to give Garside Park a chance, and the referee deemed it playable much to everyone’s relief.
But it was the visitors who edged in front, Dean Ginsberg putting Hakoah into the lead on 20 minutes, turning to hit a snapshot into the roof of the net after collecting a left wing cross.
It was Leon Pirrello who equalized for Granville Rage just before the break, converting a one-on-one opportunity after racing clear to collect a precise through ball.
The match was an end-to-end affair during the second period, with both sides fluffing gilt-edged opportunities as it seemed to be petering out to a draw. But a late corner saw striker Manut Yel connect with a powerful header and seal the win for Granville, giving the home side all three points.
One of the other matches that escaped the clutches of Mother Nature was at Proctor Park, Bathurst, where Western NSW Mariners hosted Prospect United.
The Mariners won on the road last week, but came back to earth with a thud after Prospect continued their early season form with a convincing 3-0 victory.
Prospect traveled without the experienced Troy McColl in defence, as well the speedy Benny Lam, but it didn’t take them long to take the lead, Tom Simpson scoring after 20 minutes.
Chris Camilleri grabbed a couple of collector’s items in the second half, the pint-sized playmaker scoring with two headers to wrap up proceedings, the win putting Prospect United on top of the early season State League One ladder.
-By Frank Speranza
