The race for the premiership is beginning to open up following round fourteen losses for top-two sides Sutherland Sharks and Blacktown City, while Bonnyrigg’s resurgence also continued on the weekend with a shock defeat of City at Lilys Football Centre.

The Match of the Round saw Hakoah Sydney City East take on Sydney United 58 in Friday night’s fixture at Edensor Park.

Match of the Round

Sydney United 58 v Hakoah Sydney City East, Friday 6.30pm at Sydney United Sports Centre

Connor Eldridge’s first half double led Hakoah Sydney City East to a comfortable 2-0 victory over a depleted Sydney United 58 outfit in their round fourteen clash at Sydney United Sports Centre.

The promising young forward capitalised on a shambolic opening half from Sydney United 58 to add his seventh and eighth goals of the campaign and ensured Paul Hubbard’s side finish the long weekend one point outside the top five.

The visitors were totally assured throughout the match and might’ve added to their tally on another day with Sydney United 58 goalkeeper Jacob Chapman forced into a series of fine saves in both halves to keep the Reds in the contest.

However, the home side were unable to muster any attacking impetus of note as they slumped to their third consecutive defeat and a loss that sees Hakoah leapfrog the struggling Reds into sixth position.

Hakoah could’ve been streets ahead at the break thanks to a near flawless opening forty five minutes and set the tone for a dominant performance when Eldridge opened the scoring after five minutes.

After the United 58 defence failed to clear an dangerous cross from Hakoah skipper Michael Kouta, Eldridge held off two defenders inside the box before swivelling and firing a powerful shot past Chapman.

Chapman was quickly under siege with Satchel Kolt hooking the ball over from close range soon after, while the Reds custodian made a great diving save to deny a Nathan Roberts free kick.

Hakoah doubled their lead after Kolt raced on to a quick release from goalkeeper Michael Figueira before combining with Roberts who was denied by Chapman rushing off his line, but Eldridge was there to place the ball beyond the stranded keeper and in.

Sydney United 58 failed to worry the visitors defence with a speculative shot from Anthony Poljak the only shot of the half for the Reds.

The second half saw Eldridge denied a deserved hat trick on multiple occasions with a combination of several smart parries from Chapman and the foot of the post coming together to thwart to Hakoah frontman.

The match began to fizzle out as United 58 looked for damage limitation, although the Reds did create a great chance to pull a goal back late on through substitute Hamish Lamberton who mishit his stride with the goalmouth yearning.

Sydney United 58 have work to do in order to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat when they take on leaders Sutherland Sharks next Saturday.

Hakoah Sydney City East will look to break into the top five in Sunday’s encounter with Rockdale City Suns.

Match Stats

Sydney United 58 0

Hakoah Sydney City East 2 (Eldridge 5’, 32’)

Friday 9^th June, Sydney United Sports Centre

Edensor Park

Sydney United 58: 27. Joshua Briskoski, 31. Emilio Manos (10. Nicholas Lai 45’), 36. Ante Markovic, 5. Cole Mutton, 41. Anthony Poljak (9. Hamish Lamberton 60’), 24. Daniel Sestan, 38. Anthony Trimboli, 44. Luke Vlastelica, 1. Jacob Chapman, 29. Matthew Zanon (11. Joshua Derossi 70’), 14. Anthony Padavoli (7. Jeonghui Cho 80’)

Substitutes Not Used: 30. Aiden Kenny

Yellow Cards: N/A

Red Cards: N/A

Hakoah Sydney City East: 25. Dau Akol, 22. Rami Alassmi, 30. Connor Eldridge (13. Jordan Swibel 85’), 45. Michael Figueira, 38. Finley Hayhurst, 23. Steven Katsionis, 28. Satchel Kolt, 40. Michael Kouta, 20. Samuel Mehmet (14. Jesse Naylor 75’), 27. Nathan Roberts, 2. Remy Wolanski

Substitutes Not Used: 35. Jordan Makridopolus, 37. Jacob Sayle, 7. Aswin Adinanto

Yellow Cards: N/A

Red Cards: N/A

Saturday

Manly United 0-3 Wollongong Wolves, 5.00pm at Cromer Park

Wollongong Wolves piled more misery on reigning premiers Manly United with a comprehensive 3-0 victory at Cromer Park on Saturday.

Jack Lombo’s seventh goal of the season and strikes from Tony Musumeci and Marcus Bimbilovski led the visitors to their fifth win of the campaign and moves the Wolves into eighth position – and three points away from fifth placed Hakoah Sydney City East.

Manly’s fourth loss from five matches places the struggling side in tenth position ahead of a crunch match against Sydney FC at Lambert Park next weekend.

Wollongong will look to continue their momentum when they welcome competition heavyweights Blacktown City to WIN Stadium on Sunday.

APIA Leichhardt Tigers 2-1 Sutherland Sharks, 5.30pm at Lambert Park

APIA Leichhardt Tigers stoked their championship hopes with a 2-1 victory over first-placed Sutherland Sharks at Lambert Park on Saturday evening.

Kevin Lopes opened the scoring for the visitors but a quick-fire response from Dominic Cox and a late Aedon Kyra penalty moved the Tigers into third position and consigned Sutherland to back to back losses for the first time this campaign.

Sutherland remain three points ahead at the top thanks to Bonnyrigg’s victory over Blacktown City and will look to bounce back against Sydney United 58 next weekend.

APIA Leichhardt Tigers travel to Bonnyrigg on Saturday to take on a resurgent White Eagles outfit.

Sunday

Blacktown City 1-2 Bonnyrigg White Eagles, 1.00pm at Lilys Football Centre

Blacktown City missed their chance to rein in leaders Sutherland Sharks after slumping to a 2-1 defeat to Bonnyrigg White Eagles at Lilys Football Centre on Sunday afternoon.

The visitors made it three wins from three with goals from Michael Guse and Hayden tucker cancelling out a strike from Blacktown City’s Benjamin Parkinson.

The shock defeat for John Carnevale’s outfit keeps City three points behind Sutherland Sharks, while another victory for Bonnyrigg has given the eleventh-placed White Eagles a real sense of momentum ahead of next Saturday’s clash with APIA Leichhardt Tigers.

Bonnyrigg will rise as high as eighth position with another win, while Blacktown City face a tricky away test at Wollongong Wolves as they look to maintain pressure on Sutherland.

Monday

Sydney Olympic v Sydney FC, 4.00pm at Lambert Park

Sydney Olympic returned to form with a fantastic 3-0 victory over high-flying Sydney FC at Lambert Park on Monday.

The Blues were winless in their last three games heading into the clash with a formidable Sky Blues outfit but goals from Fikret Berisha, Paul Katsetis and Emanuel Koumis secured an important victory that places Olympic back inside the top five.

It’s a big missed opportunity for Sydney FC who could’ve closed the gap on leaders Sutherland to a single point with a win, and David Zdrilic’s men will no doubt be aiming for redemption in next Saturday’s clash with Manly United.

Sydney Olympic can bolster their finals chances with a win over bottom-placed strugglers Parramatta at Belmore.

Postponed: Parramatta v Rockdale City Suns, Saturday 5.00pm at Melita Stadium