IGA NPL NSW Grade 20s Round 11 Review
Round 11 saw Rockdale City reaffirm their position as one of the top teams with their resounding victory at Sutherland.
Meanwhile in the Match of the Round, Blacktown City prevailed by a solitary goal over Manly United at Cromer Park.
MATCH OF THE ROUND
Manly United FC 0-1 Blacktown City FC, at Cromer Park
It wasn’t one for the ages.
A string of missed chances threatened to mar a reasonable match, but in the end Blacktown City FC prevailed 1-0, thanks to a second half header from Jayden Priest.
Both sides were guilty of missing an unacceptable number of opportunities in a game where the scoreline hardly reflected the amount of quality chances that were created.
In the end, Blacktown City proved able to bounce back from the disappointment of spurning two glorious opportunities in the first half, to finish with more composure in the second, and take home the three points.
Priest himself had missed a fantastic goal scoring chance in the first half and would have been relieved to have corrected that in the second half with his well taken goal.
The two sides had only a point between them at kick off and it showed in the very even early exchanges.
Dolor Edosomwan was causing problems with his energy and willingness to dribble at the Manly United defence and it was he who had the first shot at goal, his long range shot whistling wide of the far post.
Cromer Park was a picture on a frosty Saturday night as Sydney’s wild weather gave way to a clear weekend on the Northern Beaches.
The full moon rose on the far side of the ground and all that was missing was a goal.
Blacktown City should have provided two of them, but Priest missed a one-on-one and Luke Clifford inexplicably shot over after Edosomwan squared him a gorgeous pass from Dominic Dileo.
It could have been said that it was easier to score than scoop the shot over the bar; Clifford managed just that.
Dylan Whitlock, the prolific Manly United forward, tried to etch his name onto the scoresheet, but he met his equal in Blacktown City goalkeeper Blake Tuxford.
Not to be outdone, his opposite number, Tonu Liiband, made a sharp save shortly after to deny Jayden Priest.
Manly United’s twin threat of Whitlock and Tommy Morrisey meant that Blacktown City had to have their wits about them and the two combined nicely in the 27′ minute, only for Whitlock to shoot wide.
Dominic Ferguson dragged a shot wide a minute later as Manly United began to assert some authority on the contest.
A flurry of missed chances characterised the remainder of the first half though, with Priest and Clifford the most obvious culprits.
Manly United lost their way in the second half though and Blacktown City were able to exert an element of control.
The half time substitution of Morrisey meant that Manly United no longer had one of their main attacking outlets and without him, Whitlock was left to plow a lone furrow.
Further substitutions disrupted a disjointed second half further but it was Blacktown City who were marginally the better side.
Missed chances was the theme of the evening though and it was a thread that ran through the second half as Jack Green saw his shot cleared off the line by Peter Pelekanos in the 63′ minute.
It was a miss that would prove costly as Priest, no doubt chastened by his earlier miss, headed Blacktown City in front a minute later.
It was a cross from the left by Lewis Beumie that wreaked havoc at the back for Manly United and Priest leapt highest to head the winning goal.
Grant Brown added his name to the ignominious list of missed sitters for the evening a minute later.
Whitlock found Green who showed magnificent poise to cut the ball back to Brown, but perhaps lacking anticipation or composure, he could only help the ball over the bar, and with that, Manly United’s hopes of taking a point or three disappeared.
Blacktown City coach David O’Keefe was happy with the result.
"It’s always a tough game, coming to Manly," he said.
"I thought for most of the first half we played the better football, we created a lot of good chances but we didn’t put them away when we really should have.
"I thought the football in the second half was quite good. We lost a bit of continuity when I made a few changes, but in the end we got away with it."
Manly United coach Nick Tomaino was disappointed that his side couldn’t convert any of the opportunities that they created.
"We missed opportunities and we weren’t good enough in the front third," he said.
"You can’t win games unless you keep the ball up the front.
"They’re pretty young and I’m happy with the progress they’re making.
"They’re a good group," he said.
Match Stats
Manly United FC 0
Blacktown City FC 1 (Jayden Priest 64′)
Saturday 25th May, 2013
Cromer Park, Cromer
Referee: Mitchell Clark
Assistant Referees: Daniel Stack and Thomas Lee
Manly United FC: 20.Tonu Liiband, 27.Jamie Craig (C), 33.Luke Sullivan (28.Robert Carollo 76′), 25.Dominic Ferguson, 38.Dylan Whitlock, 29.Max Hastings (30.Jack Green 46′), 24.Tommy Morrisey (26.Nathan Sim 46′), 39.Jack Park, 36.Patrick Weir (31.Henry Gallagher 56′), 35.Marcus Zarantonello, 37.Adin Scalone (22.Grant Brown 56′)
Substitutes Not Used: Nil
Yellow Cards: Marcus Zarantonello 89′
Red Cards: Nil
Blacktown City FC: 13.Blake Tuxford, 34.Alex Arbello (30.Daniel Araujo 64′), 35.Lewis Beumie (28.Ryan Peterson 72′), 22.Luke Clifford, 25.Jesse Curran, 26.Shayne D’Cunha, 27.Dominic Dileo (24.Bruno Antelmi 72′), 33.Peter Pelekanos, 39.Jayden Priest, 23.Dolor Edosomwan (32.Andre Schroeder 46′), 31.Sam Perre
Substitutes Not Used: 40.Mitchell Seager (GK)
Yellow Cards: Alex Arbello 60′, Peter Pelekanos 83′, Bruno Antelmi 89′, Andre Schroeder 89′
Red Cards: Nil
ROUND 11 REVIEW
SATURDAY
Central Coast Mariners Academy 1-2 South Coast Wolves, at Pluim Park
CCM Academy went down at home by the odd goal in three, to South Coast Wolves.
Josh Swadling scored for the home side, whilst Josh Bingham and Brett Wilson scored for South Coast.
Sutherland Sharks 0-3 Rockdale City Suns, at Seymour Shaw Park
Sutherland Sharks were touched up Rockdale City in the derby at Seymour Shaw Park.
Toufic Alameddine, Prince Gyamfi and Michael Toscano scored in a win that reaffirms Rockdale City as the team to beat this season.
SUNDAY
APIA Leichhardt Tigers 0-1 Sydney Olympic FC, at Lambert Park
APIA Leichhardt failed to give Lambert Park the send off it deserved, going down to Sydney Olympic.
It was a solitary goal that separated the sides, in an upset result.
Marconi Stallions 4-0 Bonnyrigg White Eagles, at Marconi Stadium
Marconi Stallions thrashed a very poor Bonnyrigg White Eagles 4-0 at home.
Daniel Collins, Delfayaeo Francis, Jake McGing and Joshua Spina all scored in a dominant victory.
Sydney United 58 FC 1-1 Blacktown Spartans, at Sydney United Sports Centre
Sydney United 58 opened their redeveloped Edensor Park with a 1-1 draw against Blacktown Spartans.
David Semialjac scored for Sydney United 58, but they went down to ten men 20 minutes from time. Mitchell Osman’s penalty gave Spartans a share of the spoils.
– by Matthew Connellan
