State League One Round Nine Review
Mother Nature impacted Round 9 of the State League One competition over the weekend, with two matches postponed due to the late deluge on Saturday night/Sunday morning.
The Balmain Tigers – Granville Rage and Dulwich Hill – Inter Lions clashes were both victims of the rain and will be played on a date and venue to be determined by FNSW.
Elsewhere, Hakoah Sydney City East won on the road against the hapless Prospect United, Nepean FC returned to the winners circle against Northbridge FC, whilst Hawkesbury City hit the Western NSW Mariners for six in Mudgee. Our match of the round sees us travel to Ron Dine Reserve to see Camden Tigers tackle current champions, Gladesville Ryde Magic.
Camden Tigers – Gladesville Ryde Magic 1- 4
Gladesville Ryde Magic overcame conceding an early goal to return to the winners list at Ron Dine Reserve on Sunday afternoon, courtesy of a 4-1 defeat of Camden Tigers.
Much to the delight of the players, the deluge of rain across most of Sydney did not affect Ron Dine Reserve on Sunday, the pitch a little slippery as a frosty breeze blew across the flat surface.
Camden Tigers have been in the wars of late, losing both Ryan Shuttleworth and Ahmed Thafer to serious injuries, although reports are that Thafer is not long away from receiving a clearance to return to the fray in the coming weeks.
Additionally, the Tigers and Andrew Montgomery have parted ways, and new coach and old favourite, Ian Lloyd, had some serious issues at hand to address, namely the fact that the Tigers had yet to taste victory in 2013.
The Magic thus far this season had had an inconspicuous start, and found themselves in 10th spot leading into this match, a far cry from their lofty positions over the past two seasons. But with this year’s competition as even as any before, Gladesville coach, George Ganiatsas, knows if his team can string together a couple of positive results then they will be back within the mix before long.
But it was the Tigers who started the better, taking an early lead on 4 minutes when an unmarked Rhys Hastie headed home from right in front following a free kick by John Cagney that was swerved in behind the Magic defence.
Thomas Finocchiaro thought he’d made it two for Camden a few minutes later, slamming home at the far post following yet another free kick by Cagney, only for referee, Mr James Barnes, to rule the goal out for offside.
The Tigers looked a rejuvenated bunch, often the outcome of a coaching change, and this time it was the turn of Leigh Brown, his 25 yard shot swerving towards the top corner before Magic goalkeeper, Kyriakos Tohouroglou, plucked the ball out of the air.
It was fully 11 minutes before the Magic threatened, with Yavuz Ekinci skying his shot from the edge of the penalty area following a half clearance from the Camden defence.
Camden skipper, James Keane, was biting in the tackles in the centre of the park, often winning possession and turning defence into attack for his team. On 22 minutes it was Keane who won the ball and sent Hastie away down the flank. Blake Armstrong reached Hastie’s cross, laying it off to Thomas Finocchiaro, who blasted his shot well wide of the Magic goal.
Gladesville spurned a great chance to equalize on 26 minutes, set up by Scott Tonkin, who cut inside down the left hand side of the pitch before sending over a pinpoint cross towards the far post. Ben Kerr had crept up unmarked on the outside of the Camden defence, but skewed his volley well wide with the goal at his mercy.
The Magic had the wind at their backs during this first stanza, utilizing it often with lofted free kicks from deep within their half of the pitch. One such free kick by Alaa Ali Khan was met with a powerful header by Tim Woodhouse, but Camden keeper, Robert Shearer, produced a brilliant parry down low to his right. The predatory Scott Tonkin was lurking however, stabbing home the rebound to give Gladesville the equalizer they so craved.
Leading into the half time break, a couple of over zealous challenges gave referee, Mr Barnes, reason to reach into his notebook and caution two Camden players before he called time on the first half.
Camden seemed to lose their intensity at the beginning of the second half, allowing Gladesville time on the ball and the opportunity to dictate play.
The Magic didn’t disappoint, scoring three goals in an eleven minute spell to sow up the match.
With 57 minutes on the clock, Scott Tonkin swiveled on the ball in the centre of the Camden half before sending young Mitchell Smith away down the left flank. Smith cut inside intelligently and was abruptly brought down by Camden’s Stephen Tomasich, with Mr Barnes pointing to the spot. Experienced Magic skipper, Johhny Martinez, stepped up to plant the ball low to the keeper’s right and edge the Magic in front.
Camden were victims of their own undoing at times, often a stray pass meaning a turnover that would provide the Magic an attacking foray. Stephen Speirs was a recipient of one such stray pass on 64 minutes, racing down the left before squaring intelligently to Yavus Ekinci, who in turn slipped a through ball to Mitchell Smith. Facing the Camden goalkeeper, Robert Shearer, and with the goal at his mercy, Smith cracked a low shot into the far corner to extend Gladesville’s lead to 3-1.
Smith turned provider on 68 minutes, pinching possession before playing a superb through ball behind the Camden defence for fellow striker Scott Tonkin to run onto. With Camden keeper, Robert Shearer, rushing out to close down the angles, Tonkin finished clinically, low to the keeper’s left, to notch his seventh goal of the campaign and take over at the top of the SL1 goalscorer’s charts.
Both sides cleared their respective benches to try and spark up the remaining quarter of an hour, but the result was a foregone conclusion at that point. Having said that, it took two brilliant saves from Magic custodian, Tohouroglou, to keep the Camden score intact, the first a save low to his right to keep a Finocchairo header out, and the second a close range parry from a Tomasich header.
The three points helps Magic climb to 11 and into 8th position on the ladder, ominously only a couple of victories from the top of the congested competition. With Tohouroglou still as agile as ever between the sticks, Ekinci pulling the strings in the middle of the park, and Tonkin continuing to knock in the goals, you can write off the champions at your own peril.
As for Camden, it was a disappointing start for new coach, Ian Lloyd, although the Tigers showed plenty of enthusiasm and promise in the first half hour. They have a more pressing engagement ahead, and that is to play out the remaining 25 minutes or so of their recent match against Balmain Tigers, a game that was abandonded due to the horrific injury to young Ryan Shuttleworth. Leading 1-0 at the time of the abandonment, if they can hold out for the 25 minutes at Magdala Park on Tuesday they will record their first victory of the season.
Match Stats
Camden Tigers 1 (Hastie 4’)
Gladesville Ryde Magic 4 (Tonkin 33’ / 68’ , Martinez 57’ pen, Smith 64’)
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Ron Dine Reserve, Camden
Referee: Mr J Barnes
Assistant Referees : Mr L Merton and Mr R Nieuwenhuis
Bench: J. Woods, Z. Elrich, W. Angel, V. Rigoli, I. Johnson.CAMDEN TIGERS: 20.R.Shearer, 10.B.Armstrong (15.M.Wood 68’), 11.L.Brown, 2.J.Cagney, 7.T.Finocchiaro, 3.N.Hasiuk, 9.R.Hastie, 8.J.Keane (capt) (13.J.Kennedy 80’) 5.R.Jayden, 4.S.Tomasich, 6.J.Watson (12.S.Doherty 65’).
Substitutes Not Used: 1.M.Johnston, 14.S.Mortimer.
Yellow Cards: 8.J.Keane 44’, 11.L.Brown 45’.
Red Cards: Nil
GLADESVILLE RYDE MAGIC: 33.K.Tohouroglou, 6.A.Ali Khan (7.T.Nastoulis 68’), 10.Y.Ekinci (12.C.Madden 80’), 13.B.Kerr, 4.A.Khan, 8.J.Martinez (capt), 2.A.Morris, 11.M.Smith (16.S.Eshani 85’), 3.S.Speirs, 9.S.Tonkin, 5.T.Woodhouse.
Substitutes Not Used:1.A.Guirgis, 14.T.Huet.
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
STATE LEAGUE ONE ROUND NINE REVIEW
Round Nine commenced at William Lawson Park on Saturday afternoon, where the resurgent Hakoah Sydney City East continued their recent good form with their third consecutive win, this time knocking over Prospect United by the odd goal in five.
The home side have been struggling of late, but put up a strong showing in front of their fans before losing 3-2 in a close encounter.
For Hakoah, goals to Mark Mcalpine, Daan Ranshuijsen, and Robert Ezekiel gave them the three points, which takes them onto 15 points and fourth spot on the competition ladder.
Nepean FC recovered from last week’s blip at Hawkesbury in the best possible manner, overcoming Northbridge FC by 2-1 on Saturday night at Cook Park.
It was a real fighting performance by the home side in miserable conditions, especially having Marc Gane, Anton Karla, and Jason Browne all missing on the night.
Northbridge had the better of the first stanza, dominating the midfield, with the busy Ry Hardy looking especially dangerous. A low cross midway through the half took a wicked deflection off a Nepean player and gave the visitors a lead which they held until half time.
The introduction of Terry Pannowitz off the Nepean bench had a telling effect for the home side, and he duly struck from the penalty spot just after the hour mark after a handball by a Northbridge player following a great run and cross by Andrew Walker.
Both sides were not content with a draw, and went hell for leather as the clock ticked away, but it was Nepean who grabbed the spoils, snatching the winner in injury time when Sebastian Camacho finished with aplomb after intercepting a back pass.
The victory sees Nepean FC climb back to the summit of the competition on 17 points, equal with Balmain Tigers, but having played a couple of games more.
Coach Dean Bertenshaw must have been completing plenty of attacking drills at training of late as his Hawkesbury City side made it ten goals in two games with a 6-3 away victory over the Western NSW Mariners.
A youthful Mariners side, complete with four players under 18 years of age, were still smarting from last week’s 2-1 loss to Granville, and desperate to get back on track, dominating in patches during a first half which produced 12 corners for the home side. But despite goals to James Christie (in the first half), and Nick Rutherford and Mitch Hutchings, both late on in the match once the scoreline read 5-1, they leaked twice as many to drop to 9th spot on the ladder.
The Hawks have proven numerous times this season that, if given the space, they can tear teams apart in the attacking third with so many options. Central striker, Michael McCrory, and speedy flanker, Ethan Simone, both helped themselves to a brace, whilst Prasheel Sharma and Evan Daglis got the others to complete the rout, putting the Hawks on 16 points and in third place, just a solitary point off the pace.
The late downpour of rain on Saturday night and early Sunday morning caused the postponement of two matches on Sunday.
Both Magdala Park and Arlington Oval were deemed unplayable, postponing the eagerly awaited clashes between the league leaders, Balmain Tigers, and the Granville Rage, as well as Dulwich Hill and Inter Lions. Stay tuned to the Football NSW website for details of the rescheduled match.
-By Frank Speranza
