Round 3 – State League Men’s Review
Round three of the State League Men’s competition saw us travel to Western Sydney to see a Central Coast United side ultimately prevail over Western Condors.
Elsewhere there was plenty of goals, a few surprises and a huge shock. We’ll let you decide which is which!
Match of the round
Western Condors FC v Central Coast United FC
There isn’t a ground which defines state league football more than Chopin Park. The grass was sporadic in patches, the tin sheds were host to dew as the evening went on and a decent amount of people sitting in cars or benches on the hill.
Oh, and there was a game on, a short ten-minute spell from Central Coast United was enough to see them past a Western Condors side which wouldn’t go away.
The goals for the visitors came from captain Daniel Mcfarlane and Joshua Swadling.
Whilst Christian Martinez got on the scoresheet for the hosts after winning and duly converting a spot kick.
The first half was a tense affair, the condors coming off a loss in the FFA Cup didn’t want to concede early on and their plan worked.
Swadling was proving to be a handful though and was nearly rewarded when pressing only for a last-ditch clearance to deny him.
United’s pressing was relentless and their first shot came just after the ten-minute mark with a Cade Mapu shot stinging the palms of the Condors keeper.
Western Condors did eventually settle after getting their first shot away shortly after, Talan Myers trying his luck from distance with a wild effort.
Joshua Obeng had the best chance for them when a volley hit on the bounce stung the palms of the Central Coast shot stopper diving to his right to produce a high quality save.
Soon after the Condors keeper had his turn to produce some quality, a Mcfarlane ball from the left found Swadling at the far post. His shot from close range of greeted aggressively by the keeper.
At that point it seemed obvious we would be going into the break scoreless and so it was…
The second half began with the home side on top as they looked too of found a weakness in the visitor’s defense. Ahmed Chandab was able to cut in off the left onto his right foot with a shot fizzing past the far post.
The pressure continued and a header from a corner by Myers went straight to the keeper.
That effort proved costly as it woke the visitors up, the scores were opened shortly after when a cross from the right was placed perfectly on the head of captain Daniel Mcfarlane who wasn’t going to miss.
It was a period of ruthlessness and the score was doubled just before the 70th minute. If there is one thing you don’t want to do in this league at the moment, it’s leaving Josh Swadling in space and he hit a powerful shot on his right foot into the net.
United did take their foot of the gas and were punished by the other in form striker in this league Cristian Martinez. His fancy footwork was too much for the visiting defence and he won a penalty which was tucked away on the rebound after a good save.
Western Condors kept pressing valiantly but couldn’t equalise with time running out.
Central Coast United coach Stuart Davis summed up a tough night, “It was a tight first half, took one goal to open it up and we could’ve converted more chances from then on”.
He praised his in-form striker Swadling, “His on absolute fire at the moment, he stepped in for our normal number 9 with a goal which is good for him and the team”.
Western Condors coach Barry Zambrano was disappointed, “throughout the whole game we had chances, conceded from a back-post header again which was disappointing”.
He can see positives though, “we kept them interested throughout tonight, we’ve shown the competition we’re not going to be the easy beats we were last year”.
Match Stats
Saturday 7th April, 2018
Chopin Park, Plumpton
Western Condors FC: 1 (Martinez)
Central Coast United FC: 2 (Mcfarlane, Swadling)
Referee: Adam Naylor
Assistant referees: . Pillington
Western Condors: 1. Francisco Egea Cantero, 2. Talan Myers, 3. Andre Wallace, 4. Revedacs Adonteng, 6. Tak Ho Wong, 7. Ahmed Chandab, 8. Joakim Moussinga (12. Issac Walker 79’), 9. Gabriel Zihori (14. Chun Him Yau 75’), 10, Christian Leiva Martinez, 11. Joshua Obeng (15. Gustavo Maya Valiente 91’), 16. Alexander Clarke
Subs not used: 5. Gaston Roy, 32. Mahmoud Halawani.
Yellow Cards: Myers
Red Cards: Nil
Central Coast United: 1. Jack O’Mally, 2. Scott Mcginley, 3. Adam Blundenn, 4. Geordie Howe, 5. Nathan Blunden, 7. Jordon Bennett, 10. Alexander Arbelo (16. Oscar Torres 75’), 12. Ian Mcandrew, 24. Daniel Mcfarlane (8. Dean Heffernan 86’), 26. Joshua Swadling, 27. Cade Mapu (6. Caleb Murray 91’)
Subs not used: 30. Joshua Doe
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
Around the grounds:
Wagga City Wanderers 1-6 Hurstville City Minotaurs
Wagga City Wanderers hosted their first home game of the campaign as they welcomed Hurstville City Minotaurs.
Hurstville City Minotaurs were able to finally do what they had been threatening in the opening rounds and recorded a decisive victory on the road.
Goals came from Ketung Manyiel who scored 4 goals, Riad Agnache who finished the pick of the goals with a darting run before an un-saveable shot from 16 yards and Kushaal Ram.
For the hosts, it could’ve been different, they equalised on 13 minutes through Calyum Barber. Unfortunately for them, they couldn’t hold on to a resurgent Minotaurs outfit and despite an improved second half, they couldn’t trouble the scorers further.
South Coast Flame 1-4 UNSW FC
A side hosting their first home fixture ever, all set up for a memorable occasion, right? Well for the South Coast Flame it was for the wrong reasons as they went down to an impressive display from UNSW FC.
UNSW Fc flew out of the blocks with Cristian Soares opening the scores with a stunning strike which curled into the top left corner on ten minutes.
Soares managed to complete a double as well as Nima Beik and Sam Wrublewski adding to the rout in a dominant performance.
For the Flame, well it’s almost becoming a cliché for all teams who have played UNSW. The team gets overwhelmed early, concedes, then makes changes at HT for a better 2nd half performance with a goal coming from Bojan Caric. The Flame are a young squad though so this could provide a vital learning experience, we shall see.
Prospect United 0-1 Hurstville FC
Football is a funny game sometimes, the general consensus of anyone who watched Prospect United v Hurstville FC on Saturday night was the home side should’ve won.
However, unfortunately for them (Prospect) being pretty on the eye in possession doesn’t mean a thing if you don’t get the ball in the net.
An own goal from the Prospect left back (won’t name him) who nodded the ball back to his keeper or tried too at least went wrong and gave Hurstville FC the lead.
The hosts pushed and pushed throughout, closest they came was the woodwork on a couple of occasions. It wasn’t to be for United though.
Sometimes football comes down to who wants it more? On Saturday night it was Hurstville FC and if there is one thing we’ve learnt so far from them. There are willing to scrap it out so be prepared for a fight when you play them.
Bankstown United FC 6-0 FC Gazy Auburn
The good? Plenty of goals in this one. The bad? They all came from one side. Bankstown United once again flexed their muscles at their home Jenson Park on Saturday.
It didn’t always look that way though, Auburn we’re resolute for the first twenty minutes or so. A penalty was given and scored before a second came just before the interval.
FC Gazy Auburn then attacked which left plenty of space for Bankstown to take advantage of and with their swift direct play United managed to score four more goals in the second period.
A hat trick to Mitchell Cross and goals to Shannon Hankin, Steve Wright and Toshihisa Saikawa ensured the hosts came away with a comfortable victory.
Nepean FC 1-2 Balmain Tigers
In the solitary Sunday afternoon fixture, Nepean Fc hosted a desperate Balmain Tigers side at Cook Park.
After going down heavily to the two new sides in the competition with two 5-0 defeats, it was Balmain Tigers who got their season underway in terms of wins.
A slick passing move from the Tigers saw Swaray Kamara open the scoring before Johnathan Kontalis scored the eventual winner from the spot. It was just reward for an impressive second half performance which saw the visitors out run their opposition with the help of their substitutes.
Nepean FC will look back and rue their second half with saw them throw away a one goal lead at the break courtesy of a goal Joel Bayubahe. Ultimately though, the hosts lacked the effort to keep up with a determined visiting outfit.
BY Justin Smith
