Stallions silence Blacktown City
MARCONI Stallions have put a dent in Blacktown City FC’s title aspirations after a cagey 1-0 victory thanks to a 44′ minute curling free-kick from Mitchell Thompson on a gusty afternoon at Lilys Football Centre.
It could have been much different for title chasing Blacktown City who spurned numerous chances against a Marconi outfit who were happy to defend in numbers after they earned the breakthrough in the first half.
A goal scorer in his maiden appearance for the home side, Mitchell Mallia was eager to make it two in two for his new side. The striker had two chances to improve his tally in the opening ten minutes, nodding a Ryuji Miyazawa cross wide before putting the ball on the roof of the net with the second effort in the ninth minute.
The pattern continued in metronomic pace, as Blacktown City held the most of the possession with Marconi chipping in with the odd effort. Marco Sama was lively for the Stallions as he threatened with two range efforts in the opening twenty.
Blacktown City found passing through the Stallions defence a difficult task, as the play would break down after a few passes. The home side resorted to a more direct game for the rest of the first half, looking to use the pace of Mitchell Mallia and Travis Major to get behind the Stallions.
Major had the best chance to bulge the net in the 42 minute. He got on the end of a Matthew Lewis free-kick after losing his marker putting the header wide.
In a game that was stop-start in the first half with both teams using fouls to break up attacking play. Marconi would benefit from a Lum charge that saw the winger chopped down right on the edge of the box.
Mitchell Thompson sized up the situation, curling the resulting free-kick wide of the four man Blacktown wall and into the bottom left corner of the net. Marconi had put a dent in the profligate City side right on halftime.
Once again, Mallia almost broke through in the opening ten minutes of the resumption. The striker was unable to match the run from Sasa Macura with his effort that tamely went wide.
After their fluid attacking display last week against St George FC, Blacktown City FC weren’t able to get started.
Mallia fed on scraps all afternoon illustrated in the 66′ minute from an errant goal kick from Stallions custodian James Chronopolous. He fed Macura who, like a broken record, put it wide again.
Blacktown City would probe continually through corners and free-kicks with the tally reaching double figures but they were denied in every avenue.
Sean O’Connell repelling the home sides best effort with a goal line clearance from a header in the 84′ minute.
They would have a final chance, deep in injury time, as they pushed men forward looking for the draw. Miyazawa who scored the second goal last week, had the ball cleared to him, the Japanese striker couldn’t put his effort on target, much like his team today.
Marconi who were camped in their own end for most of the game left Lilys Football Centre with a 1-0 win in an inconsistent season.
Match Stats
Blacktown City FC 0
Marconi Stallions 1 (Mitchell Thompson 44′)
Sunday 15th June, 2014
Lilys Football Centre, Seven Hills
Referee: Kris Griffiths-Jones
Assistant Referees: Sebastien Brennan and Daniel Stack
Fourth Official: Lachlan Keevers
Blacktown City FC: 1.Nenad Vekic (GK); 3.Giorgio Speranza (18.Daniel Araujo ’62), 5.Jacob Poscoliero, 7.Travis Major, 8.Sasa Macura, 9.Ryuji Miyazawa, 10.Shayne D’Cunha(11.Danny Choi 82′), 14.Mitchell Mallia, 16.Kearyn Baccus (4.Yianni Fragogiannis ’62) and 19.Zac Cairncross (C)
Substitutes not used: 13.Blake Tuxford, 15.Marco Travaglini
Yellow Cards: Kearyn Baccus
Red Cards: Nil
Marconi Stallions: 22.James Chronopoulos (C); 2.Mitchell Thompson, 5.Brenton Rhodes, 6.Jared Lum, 7.Sean O’Connell, 9.Marco Sama (Zak El-Rich ’69), 10.Milorad Simonovic (4.Trent Barton 73′), 15.Tomislav Mijic, 18.Jake McGing, 20.Shu Sasaki (17.Sean Drewery 90+2′), 23.Christopher Nunes
Substitutes not used: 1.Nathan Campbell, 16.Bright Appiah
Yellow Cards: Sean O’Connell, Jared Lum
Red Cards: Nil
– By Justin Davies, National Premier Leagues NSW Mens 1 Reporter, at Lilys Football Centre
