Blacktown City grab derby bragging rights

A WEEK is a long time in football, two even longer, as Blacktown Spartans found out as they crashed to their second consecutive defeat, at the hands of Blacktown City.

It comes after a run of nine successive wins to start the year, which saw the premiership all but handed out in some quarters.

Now, the gap at the top is down to five points with Blacktown City hot on the trail of their cross-town rivals.

They fully deserved their win here, even if their two goals came after Luke Austin had been given a straight red on the hour mark for offensive language towards the referee.

Corey Biczo’s stunning goal had given Spartans the lead with virtually the last kick of the first half.

It was a goal the game desperately needed, but after Austin was sent off, Shayne D’Cunha on his full debut and Kearyn Baccus, found the back of the net within a minute of each other to cancel out Biczo’s belter and give Blacktown City all three points.

The match was bubbling throughout the first half, without ever really coming to the boil.

Carlos Saliadarre was into the action early, palming away a cross in the fourth minute, before blocking a follow up shot from Ryuji Miyazawa.

It took another ten minutes for a shot to be fired in anger, and when it was by Matt Lewis it was repelled by a forceful block from Zachary Freeburn.

Nathan Millgate forced a save from Nenad Vekic, before Biczo flashed a shot wide.

The best chance of the opening period came just before the half hour mark, when a superb through pass from Miyazawa was played beautifully into the path of Danny Choi.

Choi was one-on-one with Saliadarre and lifted the ball over the onrushing keeper, but unfortunately for Choi just wide of the target.

Zac Cairncross was enjoying a good game, but went into the book for a crude block on Phil Makrys.

There was but seconds remaining in the first half when Biczo’s sensational goal changed the complexion of the game.

He was 25 yards out when he looked up and with nothing else on, he lashed a dipping shot into the top corner, leaving Vekic with no chance.

It gave Blacktown City coach Mark Crittenden food for thought and at the start of the second half he replaced Choi with new signing Mitch Mallia.

It was Austin, far more than Mallia, who handed the initiative back to the home side.

Austin let himself but more than that, he let his whole club down by getting himself sent off for foul and abusive language towards referee Ryan Shepheard.

It was an inexplicable, extraordinary loss of discipline from Austin and it was the pivotal moment in the match and one which his team mates would be unwilling to forgive any time soon.

Austin’s recklessness was magnified as Blacktown City scored twice in two minutes shortly afterwards to go ahead, a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Firstly, D’Cunha, on his first start in first grade, showed great composure when he found himself in the area, sweeping a finish past Saliadarre.

One became two just seconds later, Baccus launching a unstoppable shot from the edge of the area past the despairing Saliadarre and in off the far post.

Kieran Dalton and Tomislav Cirjak were thrown into the fray by Ben De Haan as Spartans chased the game.

Makrys had a shot that saw Vekic juggle before finally bringing the ball under his control, before Blacktown City had two golden chances to put the game to bed.

Firstly Mallia found himself one-on-one with Saliadarre, but instead of putting a goal on a plate for Travis Major, his unselfish square pass was overhit and left Major with too much to and the shot was blocked.

Then Baccus found himself in space to the right of the penalty area, but he flashed his shot high and wide.

Finally, Major found himself in front of goal but was denied by Saliadarre, who blocked with aplomb.

Thankfully for Blacktown City their profligacy wasn’t to cost them, as they claimed a huge win and cut the deficit down to five points.

Match Stats
Blacktown City 2 (Shayne D’Cunha 65′, Kearyn Baccus 66′)
Blacktown Spartans 1 (Corey Biczo 45+1′)
Sunday May 25, 2014
Lilys Football Centre, Seven Hills
Referee: Ryan Shepheard
Assistant Referees: Scott Edeling and Nicholas Backo
Fourth Official: Samuel Grasso
Blacktown City: 1.Nenad Vekic; 3.Giorgio Speranza, 5.Jacob Poscoliero, 6.Matthew Lewis (18.Daniel Araujo 66′), 7.Travis Major, 8.Sasa Macura, 9.Ryuji Miyazawa, 10.Shayne D’Cunha, 11.Danny Choi (14.Mitchell Mallia 46′), 16.Kearyn Baccus, 19.Zachary Cairncross (C)
Substitutes not used: 15.Marco Travaglini, 13.Blake Tuxford (GK)
Yellow cards: Sasa Macura 26′, Zac Cairncross 41′, Daniel Araujo 81′, Mitch Mallia 90+3′
Red cards: Nil
Blacktown Spartans: 1.Carlos Saliadarre (C); 2.Luke Austin, 3.Nathan Millgate, 5.Luka Dukic, 6.Greg Kondek (20.Tomislav Cirjak 79′), 7.Phil Makrys, 8.Raymond Miller (14.Jacob Ott 65′), 10.Emmanuel Giannaros, 11.David Gullo, 13.Corey Biczo, 18.Zachary Freeburn (17.Kieran Dalton 79′)
Substitutes not used: 16.Conor Evans, 40.James Stojcevski
Yellow cards: Greg Kondek 74′, Luka Dukic 90′
Red cards: Luke Austin 60′
Player ratings:
3- Jacob Poscoliero (Blacktown City)
2- Shayne D’Cunha (Blacktown City)
1- Corey Biczo (Spartans)
-By Matthew Lopez, National Premier Leagues NSW Mens 1 Editor, at Lilys Football Centre