Blacktown City beat brave Hakoah at the death
Blacktown City beat a brave Hakoah Sydney City East 3-2 in an exciting PlayStation®4 NPL NSW Men’s clash at Lilys Football Centre, Seven Hills on Sunday.
Mitchell Mallia scored the winner in the 88th minute just moments after Nathan Bowden-Haase had celebrated scoring the equaliser for Hakoah.
Hakoah’s Adrian Vranic should have opened the scoring after two minutes, but he failed to capitalise on the good work of his teammates.
It was an opportunity missed for the visitors as Blacktown City broke the deadlock in the eight minute.
Matthew Lewis was in the right place at the right time to fire home from close range.
In the 14th minute, Danny Choi extended the lead, striking home from the spot.
So dominant were Blacktown at this stage of the match, the alarm bells must have been ringing in the Hakoah camp.
But against the run of play, 19-year-old Vranic made up for his earlier miss, scoring a fine goal after a great individual run into the box.
Blacktown continued to dominate their eastern suburbs opponents, with Danny Choi in particular looking dangerous down the left flank and Mallia a constant menace through the middle.
In the 31st minute Blacktown received a free kick on the edge of the box, but Mallia blasted his effort over the bar.
Despite being on the back foot, Hakoah had their moments, swinging in some dangerous crosses and putting pressure on Blacktown keeper Nenad Vekic.
In the 37th minute Hakoah’s Jordan Mundell unleashed a rocket from outside the box, only to see Vekic save brilliantly.
Three minutes later, Vranic caused further panic in the Blacktown ranks when his shot beat Vekic, only for it glide past the far post by a whisker.
Blacktown may have been playing the moore attractive football, but hakoah’s direct play kept the game competitive.
In injury time a scything run by Blacktown’s Travis Major saw him brought down in the box, but despite claims for a penalty, the referee refused to be swayed.
Instead, he blew the whistle for halftime and the sides went into the break with Blacktown City holding a 2-1 lead.
Hakoah returned for the second half with renewed vigor and confidence. Their crosses into the box causing plenty of angst in the Blacktown defence.
But at the other end of the pitch, the home side looked good. In the 53rd minute Blacktown’s Lewis Beumie went close, as he blasted a shot over the bar from outside the box.
Meanwhile, Hakoah’s Jordan Mundell’s ability to glide past defenders gave Blacktown some discomfort, especially on one occasion when he ghosted his way past a number of opponents, only to shoot straight at Vekic.
Hakoah held some dominance in the early stages of the second half, stringing together a few passes and sending the long ball deep into the heart of the Blacktown goalmouth.
But Blacktown eventually took over with their ability to hold possession and pass with accuracy.
In the 62nd minute Choi sent in a brilliant low cross for Major who skied his attempted tap-in over the bar from point-blank range. It was a golden opportunity lost.
Hakoah had a serious miss of their own in the 65th minute, with Mundell failed to beat Vekic in a one-on-one.
But Blacktown regrouped, as they stroked the ball around with conviction to create chance after chance.
In the 70th minute, Major received a fine through ball and raced inside the box, only to see his shot denied by Costa. Things just weren’t going to plan for the home side.
True to form, and against the run of play, Hakoah stopper Nathan Bowden-Haase rose above the defence from an 81st minute corner to head home an equaliser.
But Hakoah’s joy didn’t last long as Mallia restored his side’s lead in the 88th minute. Keeper Costa got a hand to the ball but it wasn’t enough.
Blacktown City coach Mark Crittenden said his side struggled to combat Hakoah’s direct approach.
“It was an awkward game, they play an awkward style, a lot of long ball,” he said.
“I thought the first half was okay, and the second half it was the same thing, long ball, long ball. We probably gave away two softish goals. It was a real battle, it was very fiercely contested and full credit to the lads for sticking on and getting the winner.
“We tried to play footy whereas the other mob tried to play a lot of long stuff. It just meant we had to try to play deep from our own third. I think that considering the toughness of the contest, the whole side played well.”
Meanwhile, Hakoah coach Mark Robertson rued a missed opportunity.
“It’s tough when you go two goals behind at the start of the game because then you’ve got a lot to do,” he said.
“Credit to our boys, even though they did go two down they got themselves back into the game and if we came away a draw we would’ve been happy. But you’re always climbing the mountain when you go two behind. I didn’t see the penalty so I’ll make no comment on that, but the first goal was soft.
“I reshuffled the side (after last week’s 6-1 defeat to Manly United) and gave young Connor Shaddock a run at right back. I pulled him out of Under 18s last year and he got an opportunity. He was up against a good player in Danny Choi and he played terrific. I thought our movement and ball retention was quite good as well. Vranic’s goal was world class and he knows he has to play like that consistently. He’s a fantastic footballer with a lot of ability and I want to see him do well.”
Match Stats
Blacktown City 2 (Matthew Lewis 8’, Danny Choi 14’, Mitchell Mallia 88’)
Hakoah Sydney City East (Adrian Vranic, Nathan Bowden-Haase 81’)
Lilys Football Stadium, Seven Hills
Sunday July 3, 2016
Referee: R G Jones
Assistant referees: L Greenshield, J Adabjou
Fourth official: J Casey
Blacktown City FC: 1. Nenad VEKIC (GK), 3. Giorgio SPERANZA, 6. Matthew LEWIS, 7. Travis MAJOR, 8. Sasa MACURA, 11. Danny CHOI, 14. Mitchell MALLIA, 15. Shayne D’CUNHA, 16. Patrick ANTELMI , 17. BEUMIE Lewis, 19. Zachary CAIRNCROSS.
Unused Substitutes: 12. GROZDANOVSKI Jonathan , 20. GALLO Luca.
Yellow Cards:
Red Cards:
Coach: Mark Crittenden
Hakoah Sydney City East: 1. Anthony COSTA (GK), 4. Bradley WALKER, 5. Nathan BOWDEN-HAASE, 8. Paul ORGAD, 11. Gavin RAE, 15. Jacob BANDUR, 17. Jordan MUNDELL, 19. Connor SHADDOCK, 23. Andre DE JONG (7. Hussein AKIL 84’). 31. Kevin LOPES (10. Deklan GILMARTIN 78’), 42. Adrian VRANIC
Substitutes: 14. Lee JONES, 13. Michael RANDALL, 20. Matthew MCKENZIE (GK).
Yellow Cards: Adrian VRANIC (14’), Nathan BOWDEN-HAASE (32’)
Red Cards: N/A
Coach: Mark Robertson
-By Derek Royal, PlayStation®4 NPL NSW Men’s Reporter
