IGA NPL NSW Grade 20s Round 18 Review

Rockdale City Suns FC have outshone APIA-Leichhardt Tigers FC in the Match of Round, grabbing five goals and the all-important three points.  

In other fixtures, their 2-0 win to St George FC sees Sydney United 58 FC sit on 28 points in fourth position, just one point behind APIA-Leichhardt Tigers FC.

MATCH OF THE ROUND

Rockdale City Suns FC 5-0 APIA-Leichhardt Tigers FC at Ilinden Sports Centre

Heading into round 18, Rockdale City Suns FC were sitting in eighth position on 22 points, whilst their visitors, APIA-Leichhardt Tigers were seven points ahead, holding third position.

Five goals conceded and one red card was definitely not what APIA would have predicted, but that was the outcome as Rockdale City Suns FC smashed five goals past their opponents at Ilinden Sports Centre.

Not even the windy conditions could trouble the home side, as they opened the scoring in the 11’ minute.

Their front man Hristijan Tanoski’s sensational free kick outside the box, curled past the outstretched APIA keeper, Stefan Giglio into the right corner of the net.

Tanoski looked to double the lead in the 25’ minute, but a perfectly timed tackle from APIA defender Patrick Crane kept his side still alive in the contest.

However, his efforts were short lived as only moments later, Tanoski’s short pass found teammate Tony Lo on the right, whose screamer of a shot 20 metres out beat Giglio all hands down to double the home side lead.

APIA’s first half effort was far from their best and they struggled to match Rockdale’s perfect combination of solid defending and strong attacking.

Despite having the wind behind them, the second half saw the visitors concede three more goals, as APIA were mere spectators to an outstanding performance by the home side.

Minutes into the half, Rockdale could have graced the scoresheet for the third time when a defensive error saw Tanoski’s shot on goal pushed wide of the left post.

But it would only be a matter of time before Rockdale extended their lead and ten minutes on they grabbed their third goal, to all but seal the match.

Off a corner, Tanoski’s shot on goal from inside the box was blocked by the keeper, before being deflected directly into the path of central defender, Aaron Davis inside the penalty box, who smashed the ball in the back of the net in the 54’ minute.

On the hour mark, just as things couldn’t get any worse for the visiting side, APIA’s Zac Ribeiro was shown a straight red card for hauling down Lo at the top of the box as he raced towards goal.

Tanoski stepped up to take the spot kick, again finding the right corner of the goal to double his tally. 

APIA struggled to get the ball into their opponents attacking half and it wasn’t until the 76’ minute that they had their first clear-cut chance, when Matthew Castelnuovo had a shot from the left, only for it to be easily cleaned up by Rockdale keeper, David Bradasevic.

 Tanoski squandered a golden chance in the 79’ minute when his run up the center saw him with only the keeper, Giglio to beat, but his soft tap narrowly missed the left of goal.

In the 82’ minute a piece of individual play from Rockdale Caleb Russell saw the home side’s fifth goal of the match, as he burst through the center of the field, before shooting a composed ball into the right corner of the goal.

MATCH STATS

Rockdale City Suns FC 5 (21.Hristijan Tanoski 11’ 62’, 36.Tony Lo 29′, 31.Aaron Davis 54’, 42.Caleb Russell 82’ )

APIA-Leichhardt Tigers FC 0

Sunday 20 July

Ilinden Sports Centre

Referee: Lachlan Keevers

Assistant Referee: Joon Park & Thomas Lee

Rockdale City Suns FC: 38.Anthony Atanasov, 44.Jeremy Bodon (29.Cameron Solevski 73’), 24.David Bradasevic (40.Blake Horton 85’), 31.Aaron Davis, 34.Stefan Dubocanin, 3.Steven Hesketh, 41.Lachlan Jacques (39.Mohamed Dauda 77’), 36.Tony Lo, 2.Andrijia Petkovic (43.Ibrahim Conten 81’), 42.Caleb Russell (37.Marlo Garcia 82’), 21.Hristijan Tanoski

Substitutes Not Used: Nil

Yellow Cards: 39.Mohamed Dauda 86’

Red Cards: Nil

APIA-Leichhardt Tigers FC: 34.Matthew Casali (31.Adam Funari 71’), 44.Matthew Castelnuovo (37.Liam Unicomb 77’), 26.Michael Cimino, 32.Luke Clifford, 25.Patrick Crane (28.Brendan Hallab 45’), 41.Sinan Dilber (35.Alexander Kontellis 60’), 40.Stefan Giglio, 27.Ali Nasreddine, 42.Zac Ribeiro, 47.Blade Richards (38.Raffaele Moniaci 77’), 33.Anto Vujica

Substitutes Not Used: Nil

Yellow Cards: 26.Michael Cimino 10’, 34.Matthew Casali 56’ 47.Blade Richards 55’

Red Cards: 42.Zac Ribeiro

ROUND REVIEW

SATURDAY

Marconi Stallions FC 0-1 Bonnyrigg White Eagles FC at Marconi Stadium

Bonnyrigg White Eagles FC defeated Marconi Stallions FC at home.

Alex Doyle scored a penalty for the visiting side to grab the only goal of the game.

Sutherland Sharks FC 1-2 Manly United FC at Seymour Shaw

Sutherland Sharks FC lost to Manly United FC at home on Saturday evening. 

Christopher Loe scored for the home side.

Manly United scorers were Oliver Green and Lachlan McLean.

SUNDAY

Sydney Olympic FC 1-2 Blacktown City FC at Belmore Sports Ground

Sydney Olympic FC lost to Blacktown City FC at home on Sunday afternoon.

Joel Hardwick scored two goals for the visiting side.

Blacktown Spartans FC 2-2 South Coast Wolves FC at Blacktown Football Park

Blacktown Spartans FC came from behind to play out a 2-2 draw with South Coast Wolves FC at home.

Brett Wilson and Dean Pender scored for the visiting side.

Sydney United 58 FC 2-0 St George FC at Sydney United Sports Centre

Sydney United 58 FC beat St George FC at home on Sunday afternoon.

Mark Cindric and Nikolas Dimitriadis scored for the home side.

-By Anneliese Scenna