Manly United clinch Waratah Cup final spot

MANLY United will play in the Waratah Cup final next month after beating Blacktown City FC 2-1 in their semi-final on Wednesday night at Cromer Park.

They left it late, with a penalty from Daniel Bragg in the last minute of extra time sealing their place in the decider.

United have started their last few matches ruthlessly, and that pattern continued.

Travis Cooper opened the scoring after just 3′ minutes and the home side were flying.

Conceding early jolted Blacktown City into action, and they should have equalised on 11′ minutes.

Japanese import Riku Sasaki found himself with only Dylan Mitchell to beat, but he snatched at the chance after the Manly keeper made himself big at the vital moment.

The visitors then bossed the game leading into the half hour mark, with Danny Choi the standout.

His electric pace and quick feet had the Manly defence bamboozled, and it seemed a matter of time before Mark Crittenden’s men squared the ledger.

On 38′ minutes Jonathan Grozdanovski showed his Blacktown City FC teammates how it was done.

Cutting it from the left, the lanky utility unleashed an absolute rocket which flew past Mitchell before he had time to react.

Grozdanovski should have scored again on 44′ minutes after being played in by Choi, but he blazed a shot well over the crossbar.

Once the second half settled, Patrick Antelmi shot inches wide with 58′ minutes on the clock, and the longer the contest went you sensed the visitors were going to score a decisive second goal.

Manly’s Bragg and Ferguson tried their luck from distance on 63′ and 68′ minutes, but the absorbing stalemate remained.

Both sides cleared their benches in the last 20′ minutes in the search for a winner and Blacktown City replacement Joey Gibbs should have won the game on 89′ minutes.

The Manly junior and one time Lucas Neill scholarship winner connected well from the edge of the area, but his shot flew to safety, much to the relief of the Manly coaching staff and supporters.

Manly started the first passage of extra time with intent, with Luke Giverin hitting the side netting on 96 minutes.

Dejan Pandurevic then had a shot cleared off the line moments later, and penalties loomed.

Enter Bragg.

In a moment the ex Blacktown City midfielder won’t forget in a hurry, he became the hero of the night on 119′ minutes.

After combining with teammate Adam Parkhouse, he was clipped in the area and dusted himself off to score from 12 yards.

It offers Manly a shot at some silverware on July 10 versus Sydney United 58 FC at Lambert Park.

United skipper Brendan Cholakian was buzzing at the final whistle.

"It was a massive effort, we had heavy legs from the weekend, but we kept putting in for each other,” he said.

"You know what you are going to get from Blacktown City FC, they are a great side.

"We rode our luck at times, but this is why we play football, to win trophies.

"Sydney United 58 will be tough, but we will take on the underdogs tag – all the pressure is on them."

Blacktown City FC defender Giorgio Speranza felt it was the game that got away.

"We responded well after copping an early goal, and to be honest, I thought we were the better team,” he said.

"On another night we would have sealed the result inside 90 minutes.

"We just have to move on and focus on our next league game this weekend (against Bonnyrigg)."

Match Stats

Manly United 2 (Travis Cooper 3′, Daniel Bragg 119′)

Blacktown City FC 1 (Jonathan Grozdanovski 38′)

Cromer Park

Wednesday June 22

Manly United: 1.Dylan MITCHELL, 9.Richie CARDOZO, 7.Travis COOPER,(18.Daniel BRAGG 59′) 2.Kieren PAULL, 4.Travis OUGHTRED, 3.Jamie LOBB, 21.Joseph FOX, (22.LUKE GIVERIN 46′) 14.Dejan PANDUREVIC, 8.Dom FERGUSON, (12.Adam PARKHOUSE 91′) 6.Sam GALLAGHER, 10.Brendan CHOLAKIAN (24.Aidan HANCOCK 80′)

Substitutes not used: 20.Shaun CATLIN

Yellow cards: Ferguson 40′, Paull 110′

Red cards: Nil

Blacktown City FC: 1.Nenad VEKIC, 16.Patrick ANTELMI,(9.Joey GIBBS 76′) 17.Lewis BEUMIE, 19.Zac CAIRNCROSS, 11.Danny CHOI, 15.Shayne D’CUNHA, 12.Jonathan GROZDANOVSKI, (7.Travis MAJOR 73′) 6.Mat LEWIS, 8.Sasa MACURA (10.Connor EVANS 66′) 21.Riku SASAKI,(5.Isaac DANDAN 114′) 3.Giorgio SPERANZA

Substitutes not used: 18.Jake MAMONE

Yellow cards: Evans 119′

Red cards: Nil