Round 6 – State League Men’s Review
The week that was in the State League Men’s competition was highlighted by a thrilling match of the round at St George Stadium on Sunday evening.
Elsewhere UNSW and Central Coast United continued undefeated starts. Prospect made it three wins in a row, Hurstville recorded their second win of the season and Bankstown United overcame some midweek turmoil to win in Scott Belgre’s first game.
Match of The Round
Nepean FC edged out a gallant Hurstville City Minotaurs at St George Stadium on Sunday evening.
The visitors had goals from inform striker Clement Waoci and substitute Alex Moore to thank in a game they arguably should’ve lost.
Whereas the hosts were made to pay for some wasteful finishing up front despite a goal from Lorenzo Fatica.
Nepean Fc took the early ascendency, a long ball from kick off found Jamie Dib who couldn’t convert on the opportunity.
It served as a warning shot with Magdy Andrawes opting for a three at the back system hoping to overload the home sides defence and it worked.
Dib had another opportunity soon after when he directed his shot straight at the keeper when it was harder to miss after some wonderful build up play from David Adjassou and Roberto Polistina.
The onslaught continued with the Minotaurs midfield outpaced, second to every ball. Only some desperate defending denied the visitors.
Nepean’s goal finally came just after 20 minutes when in form striker Clement Waoci hit a delightful curling strike on his right foot into the far side netting.
However, the visitors took their foot of the gas shortly after and with more possession, the hosts gained some confidence.
Unlike the visitors they weren’t polite enough to send a warning shot scoring with their first opportunity. A Sam Mehana corner found the head of Fatica whose header had too much power for Nepeans keeper.
Goals change game, the old saying goes. Hurstville took the ascendency and had their best period in the 15 minutes before half time. It almost paid off minutes before half time when a Deegan Hunier shot went agonizingly past the right post after a clearance fell to him.
Nepean needed a response after the break, fortunately it came as they wrestled back some control, a chance to Adjassou from outside the area only went marginally over the crossbar.
Hurstville CIty Minotaurs were proving to be a handful on the break though often finding space and beating the offside trap.
One such occasion saw Kushaal Ram find himself open beyond the defense, the Nepean keeper was alert to it and came out to smoother the attempt.
The Nepean keeper was consistently being tested as a defensive mistake saw Edoardo Panizzari go through, only for the keepers left foot to deny the hosts again.
Hurstville’s chance to win came on 71 minutes when a patient build up led to Alexi Brakatseios taking a right footed shot which forced a brilliant save onto the crossbar. It was beginning to feel like it just wasn’t to be for the hosts.
We see it time and time again however football can be so cruel. After the first real period of pressure from the visitors in the second half, they pounced as some sloppy play at the back led to Alex Moore unleashing with a first-time powerful effort into the net.
Despite re-establishing control over the last ten minutes, the gallant Minotaurs were unable to find an equalizer in a nervy final ten minutes for both sides.
Nepean Coach Magdy Andrawes was proud of his team’s effort, “It was always going to be tough given their result last week, I’m proud that our boys rose to the challenge in the end”.
On striker Clement Waoci’s form, “His finally reaching the potential he always has had but it’s a team effort, they’re producing the chances of which he is getting”.
Minotaurs boss Peter Sarikakis rued his teams lucks, “We were unlucky… I warned the team beforehand about controlling a game but not taking advantage and lone behold”
He continued, “Yes it was a good team performance, unfortunately it doesn’t mean much now”.
Match Stats
Sunday 29th April, 2018
St George Stadium, Banksia
Hurstville City Minotaurs: 1 (Fatica)
Nepean FC: 2 (Waoci, Moore)
Referee: Danny Horstead
Assistant referees: Steven Nguyen & Dale Bronfield
Hurstville City Minotaurs: 1. Dean Vagenas, 2. Male Balazs, 3. Deegan Hunter 4. Davide Gritti, 5. Lorenzo Fatica, 7. Angelo Vagenas, 10. Sam Mehana, 11. Kushaal Ram, 12. Alexi Brakatselos (17. Julian Valia), 15. Ketung Manyiel (8. Edoardo Panizzari), 16. Riad Agnache
Subs not used: 23. Dali Duru, Adem Elgun.
Yellow Cards: Mehana, Panizzari
Red Cards:
Nepean FC: 2. Kurt Machut, 3. Daryl Watson, 8. Shomari Sabatho, 10. Masudi Elongo, 11. Clement Waoci, 15. Matthew Pritchard (20. Alex Moore), 23. Jake Senior, 24. Simon Ly (14. Rory Mcgeown), 27. David Adjassou, 30. Jamie Dib, 45. Roberto Polistina (9. Mario Ghobrial).
Subs not used: 7. Mubarak Saeed, 32. Jordan Winckle.
Yellow Cards: Adjassou
Red Cards:
Around the grounds
South Coast Flame 0-1 Prospect United
South Coast Flame welcomed Prospect United in the opening fixture of round 6 on Saturday evening.
The Flame came into it after a sub-par performance the week before on the road at wagga and to be fair matched it with their opposition for the majority of the first period. However, one or two good chances weren’t converted, a Matt Mazevski shot from 20 yards was saved well and a cut back agonizingly avoiding contact as it dribbled across the 6-yard box.
The second half was a different story though, clearly shaken the visitors reacted and grappled back the control creating plenty of chances. Much to the home sides credit, their defense held firm with Paul Robaard crediting his team afterwards for their best defensive performance of the season.
The thing about football though, is it can be either really nice to you or equally just as cruel and is there anything crueler than an own goal? Unfortunately, this fate fell to a flame centre back who turned a cross coming in from the right into his own net.
Hurstville FC 2-1 Western Condors
It was a story of a young striker announcing himself to the competition as Hurstville FC hosted Western Condors at Seymour Shaw Park.
Indeed, it was Cristian Di Meglio who scored a double for Hurstville. Cristian pounced when it was beginning to look like a frustrating evening for the hosts. They controlled large periods of the first half, both in field position and possession too no avail.
That was until the second half when Cristian netted his first in first grade courtesy of a Jesse Gagro assist. The Condors responded, making some attacking changes and steadying their ship. It paid off when a cross from the left-hand side was poked home by Talan Myers.
Not content to sit on that goal however, the Condors continued on their push creating chance after chance. Ultimately though it brought about their own downfall, A long ball was pounced on by the man of the moment Di Meglio who was able to chip the keeper who couldn’t stop the narrative.
UNSW FC 5-0 Wagga City Wanderers
Thud, you wouldn’t have had visitors Wagga City Wanderers winning this beforehand but come on UNSW, that was ruthless.
The visiting Wanderers came in off a rare win last weekend, mind you a long bus trip is enough to suck the life out of any team. Unfortunately, it was a case of quality over effort this week and their opponents UNSW FC were in no mood for sympathy as they opened the scoring through a Luiz Lobo volley after just 7 minutes.
The semi-rotated UNSW side always looked their comfortable best and doubled their lead after 35 this time Marcus Naoum getting his first of the night.
Whatever is being said to this side is working, there wasn’t going to be any mercy shown evidenced by a goal just a minute after kick off from Christian Soares.
The honour of goal of the night belonged to Ignacio Pacheco whose left footed shot showed great technique and left the Wagga goalkeeper motionless. The rout was completed with about ten minutes to go with second to Marcus Naoum to complete what was a long night for the visitors both on the field and afterwards.
Central Coast United 7-0 FC Gazy Auburn
A week is a long time in football, in last weeks preview we touched on how FC Gazy Auburn look an improved outfit. Maybe that only applies when they’re in Sydney as Central Coast United scored a magnificent seven at Pluim Park on Sunday.
The game was highlighted by a hat-trick to Adam Woodbine who might just have found his feet in the competition. It wasn’t always looking like it would be such a blow out as the hosts only held a slender two goal advantage at half time courtesy of Woodbine’s first and Arbelo getting on the scoresheet.
Things got ugly from that point in a five goal second half and to be fair to Gazy they were backing up from a midweek fixture. Goals in this half came from Woodbine with a double to complete his hat-trick, Macfarlane with a double from set pieces and Oscar Torres who scored a beauty from long range to complete the rout.
Balmain Tigers 1-2 Bankstown United
Did I mention a week is a long time in football? It’s not often you see a coach leave with four out of five wins on the board. That happened at Bankstown United though and they started off a new era under the leadership of Scott Belgre well with a hard-fought victory over Balmain Tigers.
It was a game of two’s at Illinden Sports Centre. The game was a cliché game of two halves with Bankstown in the ascendency for much of the first half and Bankstown scored two very similar goals. It all starts with some nice midfield passing before playing the ball out to the left, then a cross is whipped in. Finally, both Mitch Cross and Sean Robertson get on the end of such a ball to head it in.
The second half played out like a completely different game, Balmain were the side in the ascendency and had plenty of chances to pull off an almighty comeback. However, they only managed to score the one goal and fell short perhaps unjustly.
A tough week for the visitors overcome, how important is that going to be come the end of the season?
Round 1 Catch Up Result: FC Gazy Auburn 3-3 South Coast Flame
By Justin Smith
