Round 5 – Westfield FFA Cup Review
The tension and excitement of the Westfield FFA Cup is fast becoming close to unbearable as we tick off each round, and this week we review the thrills and spills of Round Five, with twenty matches played across NSW.
The Round Five results have produced winners representing a number of competitions, including the PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s, which has eight sides remaining, four clubs represent the NPL2 competition, two clubs from each of the NPL 3 and State League Men’s competitions, whilst there will be two clubs from the Illawarra Premier League. The remaining two spots will be taken up by two giant killers from the Central Coast and Manly Warringah Football Associations respectively, so Round Six of the 2016 Westfield FFA Cup will be a representation of football at all levels across the State.
Enough about the next round, let’s take a brief look at how the clubs played out their respective Round Five clashes during the week, including who grabbed the goals, who were victorious, and which clubs said goodbye to this prestigious tournament until next year.
Wollongong United dumped Blacktown Spartans out of the 2016 Westfield FFA Cup when Round Five got under way on Tuesday night at Hooka Creek Park.
Johnny Martinovski gave the home side a 1-0 lead at half time, before goals to Brad Welch and Karouna Michael provided United with an assailable 3-0 lead. The Spartans scored a late consolation goal, but it was too little, too late and Wollongong United take their place in Round Six, where they will face off against another PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s side in Sydney Olympic.
Olympic made light work of the North Shore Mariners in one of many matches played on Wednesday night. It was the Gaitatzis connection that did the damage for Olympic, with Michael netting a goal in each half, whilst Harris grabbed the other to complete a sound 3-0 victory at Peter Moore Field.
Wollongong Wolves put paid to Kemblawarra Fury’s Cup aspirations with a 2-0 victory in an intense local derby on Wednesday evening.
This was another game where two brothers grabbed the goals, with Ben and Ricky Zucco getting on the scoresheet to send Fury packing.
The fans barely had time to settle in to their seats when the opening goal was scored. Midfielder Ben Zucco received the ball close to the centre of the pitch, and noticing Fury goalkeeper, David Poeira, off his line, proceeded to fire a long-range speculative shot that beat the surprised custodian on its way in to the net.
Brother and Wolves striker, Ricky Zucco, then rose well to powerfully head home a David Stojic corner kick, extending the home side’s lead, one they did not relinquish, partly due to some exceptional goalkeeping by the Wolves stand in captain Daniel Collison.
The ambitious part timers, Glebe Gorillas, have departed this year’s Cup competition, but not before giving a good account of themselves at Cromer Park against PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 1 NSW Men’s side, Manly United.
Manly avoided any slip ups with a 3-1 victory, with Sipan Berti grabbing a goal, whilst young striker, Dejan Pandurevic, helped himself to a brace to see Paul Dee’s men safely through to the next round.
Dunbar Rovers put up a brave performance against PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s powerhouse, Bonnyrigg White Eagles, eventually succumbing 0-3 at Hensley Athletic Field.
Silky midfielder, Bo Hyun Chun, helped himself to two goals within minutes of each other late in the first half, whilst experienced defender, Nikola Zonjic, grabbed the third on the hour mark to send the White Eagles in to Round Six.
PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s leaders, Sydney United 58 FC, have been on a rich vein of form in recent months, and this continued on Wednesday night at Jensen Park against the Bankstown City Lions.
Mark Rudan’s men were ruthless in their approach, dismantling the Lions to the tune of 6-0, including a hatrick to expert finisher, Chris Payne. Yutaro Shin, and a brace to Nikola Taneski, rounded off the night’s proceedings, and United can now look forward to a Round Six clash with Hawkesbury City.
Hawkesbury City put their poor league form in the back of their minds and made the most of their Round Five encounter against The Entrance Bateau Bay. The Hawks lead 1-0 at the break, and eventually triumphed with a comprehensive 5-0 victory, on the back of two goals from Rodney Cormack, and single strikes to Rhys Alchin, Ben Gough and Benjamin Gray.
Following on from their solid victory over Blacktown City on the weekend, Hakoah Sydney City East brought their league form in to the Cup by accounting for the banana peel that presented itself at Hume Oval, defeating Illawarra Premier League side, Picton Rangers, by 1-0.
Domenic Cutri grabbed the solitary goal for Hakoah, who can now brace themselves for a Sixth Round meeting with fellow PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s compatriots, Bonnyrigg White Eagles.
Parramatta FC progressed in to Round Six with a comfortable 4-1 victory on Wednesday evening against a gallant Dee Why FC, from the Manly Warringah Football Association.
Luke Grima put Parramatta in front on 5 minutes, before Ante Tomic doubled the home side’s advantage in the 20th minute,
Aaron Dunne reduced the deficit for Dee Why with a goal in the 33rd minute, and that’s the way the score remained until after half time.
Second half goals from Tomic, his second of the evening, and a late strike from Josh Sama, provided Parramatta with a 4-1 victory on the night, and passage in to the next round.
Parramatta can now look forward to meeting fellow PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s side, APIA Leichhardt Tigers, in Round Six following APIA’s triumph over SD Raiders FC.
But APIA didn’t have it all their own way at Lambert Park, even though they did take the lead through Jordan Murray early in the first half.
The side from the State League Men’s competition bounced back to lead 2-1, including a clinical strike from Mitchell McLintock.
Luke Austin and Tasuku Sakiya restored APIA’s lead with goals either side of the break, and the Tigers hung on despite the desperate second half efforts of SD Raiders.
There was an upset at Ilinden Sports Centre on Wednesday night, Rockdale City Suns coming unstuck at the hands of Mounties Wanderers, currently plying their trade in the PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 2 NSW Men’s competition.
Despite Hristijan Tanoski netting for Rockdale, Matthew West became the hero for Mounties, scoring both his side’s goals to catapult the Wanderers in to Round Six.
In the true spirit of the Cup, Mosman FC remain one of two local Association sides still with plenty to play in the Cup, claiming their spot in Round Six after a 2-0 victory against Western Condors FC from the State League Men’s competition.
Evan Jones put the side from the Manly Warringah Football Association in front on 23 minutes, before a 76th minute goal to Andrzej Jakimczuk gave them a lead they would hold on to until full time.
It took 78 minutes for St George FC to finally crack the Waverley Old Boys defensive unit on Wednesday night at the iconic St George Stadium, but once they did, the floodgates opened.
Steven Ilic netted in the 78th, 79th, and 90th minutes to snare a quick-fire twelve minute hatrick, whilst Wassim Hijazi scored in the 87th minute, rounding off a relieving 4-0 victory.
Neighbours, St George FA, also got through to Round Six, overcoming Berkeley Vale 2-1 on Thursday evening. Chris Lawson and Sam Messam grabbed the goals for the State League Men’s side, overcoming stubborn resistance from the team from the Illawarra Premier League.
Marconi Stallions made very light work of Dulwich Hill at Marconi Stadium on Wednesday evening, turning a 3-0 half time lead in to a 5-0 romp by full time.
Marko Jesic helped himself to a brace of goals, whilst Mirjan Pavlovic, Sam Perre, and Chris Godoy-Bascur finished off the scoring to send the Stallions in to Round 6.
Gladesville Ryde Magic tore Padstow United apart during a ruthless first half performance at Playford Park, before taking their foot off the pedal after the break.
All the six goals in a 6-0 drubbing were remarkably scored in the first forty five minutes, with Lachlan Harte opening proceedings in the 3rd minute from a corner.
Majid Eslami made it 2-0 in the 9th minute, before skipper, Chris Gaitatzis, got in on the act, scoring twice in quick succession after 13 and 16 minutes respectively.
Chris Tomaras made it 5-0 on 28 minutes, before Gaitatzis notched his hatrick, and his team’s sixth and final goal, just before the half hour mark, to round off a scintillating first half performance by the PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 3 NSW Men’s side.
Central Coast Football Association side, Killarney Districts, caused a boil over at Popondetta Park, sending PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 2 NSW Men’s team, Mt Druitt Town Rangers, packing with an extra time victory on Wednesday evening.
Killarney lead 2-1 at half time, before being pegged back to 2-2 at the end of 90 minutes. Two goals in extra time gave the local Association side a memorable victory, and passage in to the sixth Round of this year’s Cup. Unfortunately we have no details of the goal scorers on the night from either side, but congratulations to Killarney Districts, one of only two remaining local Association sides still remaining in this year’s Cup.
Barden Ridgebacks staged a second half comeback against Bankstown Berries at The Ridge, but found the 0-4 half time deficit too big a bridge to conquer, eventually losing 3-6 in a goal fest.
The Berries were clinical in the first period, and despite making a number of changes at 4-0, scored a couple more goals to comfortably get through to Round Six. In fact, the Berries had six different goal scorers on the night – Alexander Becerra, Gavin Forbes, Tai Smith, Riccardo Milano, Jake Bradshaw, and Dimitrios Zakilas all managing to get on the scoresheet.
Bulli FC overcame a 0-2 half time deficit, plus having to play the entire second half a man short, to overcome Inter Lions by 4-3 in an exciting Westfield FFA Cup clash at Valentine Sports Park on Wednesday evening.
Inter had taken the lead via Stephen Roda, and then doubled their advantage via a penalty to Lachlan Wright right on half time. Domenic Arcella grabbed a goal for Inter after the break, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Bulli onslaught (apologies once more – no details of the goal scorers at hand).
The reward for Bulli – a mouth- watering, sixth round clash against PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s side, and neighbours, Wollongong Wolves.
There is one final match remaining to complete the fixtures in Round 5 – Wagga City Wanderers will tackle Hurstville City Minotaurs at Gissing Oval on Monday, ANZAC Day, with a scheduled kick off of 1-00pm.
For all the details of the completed Round Five of the Westfield FFA Cup, please click here
Round 6 Westfield FFA Cup Fixtures
To be played Wednesday 4th May
· Hawkesbury City v Sydney United 58
· Manly United v Killarney Districts
· Wagga City Wanderers v Gladesville Ryde Magic
· Marconi Stallions v St George FC
· APIA Leichhardt Tigers v Parramatta FC
· Mosman FC v Mounties Wanderers
· Sydney Olympic v Wollongong United
· Wollongong Wolves v Bulli FC
· Bonnyrigg White Eagles v Hakoah Sydney City East
· St George FA v Bankstown Berries
Round 7 Westfield FFA Cup Fixtures
To be played Wednesday 18th May
· Wollongong Wolves/Bulli FC v Wagga City Wanderers//Gladesville Ryde Magic
· APIA Leichhardt Tigers/Parramatta FC v Bonnyrigg White Eagles/Hakoah Sydney City East
· Hawkesbury City/Sydney United 58 v Sydney Olympic/Wollongong United
· Manly United/Killarney Districts v Mosman FC/Mounties Wanderers
· Marconi Stallions/St George FC v St George FA/Bankstown Berries
*5 winners qualify for the Westfield FFA Cup Final Round of 32 joining NPL Champions Blacktown City FC
