Men’s State League One – Round 17 Review
Northbridge FC bounced back to form after last week’s drubbing against Balmain, edging out in-form Dulwich Hill 1-0 in a top three clash at Arlington Oval on Sunday afternoon.
Elsewhere, Inter Lions moved off the bottom with an impressive 3-1 away triumph against Hawkesbury, there were 1-1 draws at both Cook Park and Ron Dine Reserve where Nepean, Granville Rage, Camden and Prospect all earned themselves a point, and Gladesville Ryde Magic took the Western NSW Mariners to the cleaners in Bathurst.
Our match of the round saw the league leaders, Balmain Tigers, travel to St Marys to take on a determined Nepean FC.
Nepean FC – Balmain Tigers 0-1
State League One league leaders, Balmain Tigers, weathered a second half come back to edge out Nepean FC 1-0 in Thursday’s rescheduled Round 12 encounter at Cook Park, St Marys.
Cook Park was a lonely and cold venue, with not much more than a handful of brave spectators prepared to put up with the late 8-30pm kick off and support their teams in ice cold conditions.
But it was the Balmain contingent that was up off their chairs first, with what proved to be the game’s solitary goal arriving in the 10th minute.
Balmain was awarded a free kick some 25 yards from goal, and midfielder, Liam Cole – brother of Shannon from Western Sydney Wanderers fame – showed set piece expertise runs in the family when his strike dipped over the wall and into the net, even though Nepean’s goalkeeper, Ryan Trussell, managed to get his gloves to the ball.
The Tigers had a great chance to double the advantage just three minutes later, but the league’s top scorer, Rosario Occhipinti, barely got his toe to a diagonal cross into the box by Jacob Di Mento, his close range flick well held by Trussell in the Nepean goal.
Both sides then traded mild blows in the middle of the park for the next twenty minutes or so, Nepean unable to penetrate into the attacking third and Balmain happy enough to defend their slender lead.
The absence of the suspended duo, Terry Pannowitz and Miki Awad, was being felt by Nepean, and their midfield seemed devoid of attacking ideas.
Just after the half hour mark Liam Cole was at it again with another 25 yard free kick, his superbly struck projectile heading for the top corner before Nepean’s goalkeeper, Ryan Trussell, produced an equally superb save to tip the ball around the post. Trussell was once again called into action from the resultant corner, blocking a close range volley from Balmain’s Occhipinti after the ball fell into the striker’s path following a couple of ricochets.
Nepean’s strikeforce were well contained up to this period, and the most they could muster was a header by Sebastian Camacho on 38 minutes after a long throw in by defender, Nikola Pozder. The ball was heading towards the top corner but Balmain’s keeper, Chris Leontios, plucked it out of the air before it crossed the line.
Balmain’s skipper, Tommy Hyde, was having a ‘Lucas Neill’ type performance at right back, errorless as he lead by example in nullifying any Nepean attack down the left hand side of the pitch.
Nepean coach, Adam Malouf, must have given his troops a bit of a pep up at the break, because they came out in the second half determined to make a fist of it, working harder collectively as they started to make inroads.
Nepean’s right hand side flanker, Daniel Borg, who last season donned the Balmain colours, was determined to make his former side pay even though he was starved of possession during the first half.
On 52 minutes Borg chased a long ball into the corner, won possession before beating a defender and sending over a dangerous cross into the Balmain penalty area. Jason Browne took advantage of a static Balmain defence, snapping a volley on the turn that flew inches wide of the right hand upright.
Nepean kept their foot on the pedal, and just three minutes later almost equalised. Right defender, Nikola Pozder, overlapped down the flank before sending over a deep cross to Jason Browne.
Nepean’s robust centre forward took the ball on his chest before slamming a volley that cannoned off the cross bar with Leontios in the Balmain goal well beaten, before being cleared by a desperate defender.
Balmain’s coach, Joe Digiulio, went to his bench in search of renewed enthusiasm, as Nepean started to win the loose balls and dominate territorial possession. Balmain, and Domenic Di Mento specifically with some tricky and incisive runs, looked to catch Nepean on the counter, but Marc Gane and Nathaniel Harnett held firm in central defence.
Liam Cole had another decent crack at goal on 82 minutes from a direct free kick, with Ryan Trussell once again gobbling up the ball, before sending his team on its way once more with a quick release.
On 87 minutes Sebastian Camacho managed to get his head to a great far post cross by Nikola Pozder, but his glance bounced wide of the mark as Nepean scrapped enthusiastically for an equaliser.
The final opportunity came for Nepean just sixty seconds later. Daniel Borg cut inside down the right flank and smacked a great ball across the face of the goal, but neither friend nor foe got a touch to the leather as legs flew in desperately from all angles.
The three points sees Balmain continue their march towards the Premiership, keeping the Tigers in first place and moving them to 32 points.
Nepean would feel hard done by not to have got something out of the match given Jason Browne’s two splendid efforts at the beginning of the second half, but their mission had to be to get on with it as they had to face a stubborn Granville Rage just 48 hours later.
Match Stats
Balmain Tigers 1 (Liam Cole 10’)
Nepean FC 0
Thursday, 25th of July, 2013
Cook Park, St Marys
Referee: Mr J Lalic
Assistant Referees: Mr T Harris and Mr K Sharp
Balmain Tigers : 1.Christopher Leontios, 4.Liam Cole, 26.Domenic Di Mento, 15.Jacob Di Mento, 10.Leonardo Digiulio, 17.William Donato (8.Costas Fiakos 63’), 23.Samuel Falanga (30.Andrew Casali 75’), 2.Thomas Hyde (capt), 36.Josh Karpes, 37.Rosario Occhipinti, 39.Gavin Wenyon (14.Oliver Babington 46’).
Substitutes Not Used: 99.Levi Vitale, 5.Marty Kerr.
Yellow Cards: 26.Domenic Di Mento 79’.
Red Cards: Nil
Nepean FC : 1.Ryan Trussell (capt), 17.Daniel Borg, 9.Jason Browne, 2.Sebastian Camacho, 12.Ryan Colbourne, 5.Ajak Deng, 3.Marc Gane, 6.Nathaniel Harnett, 14.Joshua Hunter (15.Garry Boardman 82’ ), 13.Nikola Pozder, 18.Nathan Walker.
Substitutes Not Used: 25.Robert O’Connor, 21.Marcus Karla, 20.Mitchell Sonter.
Yellow Cards: 3.Marc Gane 73’.
Red Cards: Nil
Round Seventeen Review
Nepean FC – Granville Rage 1-1
Nepean backed up 48 hours after their narrow loss against Balmain to grab a point against Granville Rage in a 1-1 draw at Cook Park.
As if the legs weren’t already straining, Nepean’s effort was made all the more remarkable as they finished the match with nine men.
Ajak Deng was the hero and villain on the night, edging Nepean in front with a long distance beauty, but then giving away a penalty with half an hour to go, receiving a red card as a result.
Granville defender, Manut Yel, converted from the spot to equalise for the Rage, but they couldn’t muster a winner, even though Nepean’s Dylan Fagan was marched for his second caution right near the end of proceedings.
The point sees Nepean climb to 22 but remain in 8th spot, whilst Granville are 6th on 24 points, outside the top five on goal difference.
Hawkesbury City SC – Inter Lions 1-3
Inter Lions have been threatening to grab a win for a few weeks now, and finally got their well earned three points on Saturday afternoon at Bensons Lane, downing the local Hawkesbury City SC by 3-1.
The Hawks had the better of play during the first stanza, but were unable to convert a string of chances from close range. Inter’s goalkeeper, Roberto Maiorana, was inspirational between the sticks, keeping his side in the game with a number of saves, including a brilliant dive to his right to parry a Rhys Alchin penalty on 10 minutes.
No goals in the first period, but Miguel Martinez put Inter in front with a long distance effort on the hour, only for the Hawks to draw level almost immediately through Ethan Simone.
But Inter were not to be denied, and late goals to Patrick Pace and Alex Crane on 84 and 86 minutes respectively gave them the win they so desperately craved, the three points moving them off the bottom of the ladder into 11th spot, above the Western NSW Mariners and just one point behind Camden Tigers.
The loss for the Hawks sees them remain in 4th spot on 26 points, but on a bright note, recognition and congratulations for two of the club’s stalwarts, Paul Cooper and Rob Carle, who both celebrated their 200th first grade game for Hawkesbury City.
Western NSW Mariners – Gladesville Ryde Magic 2-7
Gladesville Ryde Magic made a statement of intent of Saturday night at Carrington Park, Bathurst, and that is they are not going to give up their 2012 title without a fight, emphatically running away with the match against the Western NSW Mariners by 7-2.
Yavuz Ekinci scored on 15 minutes with a sweetly struck free kick to edge Magic in front, before Majid Eslami doubled the advantage before the half hour mark, his low shot squeezing through a forest of legs on its way into the net.
But the Mariners regrouped and found their way back into the match, restoring parity with a goal either side of the break.
Nicholas Rutherford converted at the back post to net the Mariner’s first, whilst James Christie made it 2-2 in the 55th.
But the Magic have been threatening to rack up a big score, and they were absolutely clinical in the last half hour, netting no less than five times to erase the memories of their first round loss to the Mariners.
Prior to the hour mark, Scott Tonkin released Majid Eslami to put the Magic in front, before making it 4-2 himself after latching on to an Ekinci pass moments later.
Mitchell Smith then got in on the act, heading in goal number five after a great run and cross by Tim Woodhouse. As the Mariners pushed numbers forward to try and salvage something from the match, Gladesville countered and scored two more goals.
Majid Eslami returned the favour towards the end of the match, waltzing past the Mariners defence before cutting the ball back for Tonkin to tap home, before Mitchell Smith bagged his double with a near post flick off a Peter Yannopoulos corner, ending the rout at 7-2.
The loss continues a disappointing run for the Mariners, now occupying last spot following Inter’s victory over Hawkesbury.
Gladesville Ryde Magic have now won three of their last four, scoring 12 goals as they look to resurrect their season. The Magic remain in 9th position on the ladder, but have moved to 20 points, but ominously just four points outside the top five with six matches yet to play.
Dulwich Hill SC – Northbridge FC 0-1
Northbridge FC stopped the Dully train at Arlington Oval on Sunday afternoon, overcoming Dulwich Hill by a solitary goal in a closely fought encounter.
Enigmatic midfielder, Michael Cole, was the match winner for Northbridge, his first half strike taking an unexpected bobble as it beat Dully keeper, Matthew Licata, on its way into the net.
Dulwich Hill dominated large parts of the second stanza, and went close minutes before the end when Frank Calcagno slipped Anthony Musumeci into space, with the latter’s chip skimming the cross bar on its way out of play.
The three points sees Northbridge hurdle Dulwich Hill into second spot, moving one point ahead to 29 points and just three behind league leaders, Balmain Tigers, although Dulwich Hill have played a game less.
Camden Tigers – Prospect United 1-1
Camden Tigers continued their impressive form of late by grabbing a point in a 1-1 draw with Prospect United on Sunday afternoon.
Joseph Beslic (Prospect) and B.Simpson (Camden) were the goalscorers in a stalemate where both teams searched valiantly for the winner.
The point sees Prospect retain 7th spot as they move to 22 points, just two points outside a top five berth, whilst Camden are now on 15 points in 10 spot, one ahead of Inter Lions.
