Round 14 – State League Men Review
You get a surprise, you get a surprise, everyone’s getting surprised in this weeks State League Men’s action. Sit back, have a hot chocolate and read up on an enthralling week of action.
Match of the Round
Wagga City Wanderers have produced a stirring comeback to take a point from this week’s match of the round against Hurstville City Minotaurs.
The hosts got off to a flyer with goals to Sam Mehana and Julian Valia coming before the small crowd gathered could find their seats. However, the Minotaurs took their foot off the gas soon after and paid the price for not taking their chances.
For visitors Wagga City Wanderers, it marks their second point on the road this season. Instead of being discouraged early by an awful start, they bounced back admirably through goals to Nathan Preston and Samuel William Jones.
The first three chances in the match resulted in goals. After four minutes, Julian Valia was brought down just inside the area which the referee deemed to be a penalty converted duly by Sam Mehana.
Perhaps unhappy he didn’t get to take the penalty he won, Valia worked an inspired one-two on the edge of the box shortly after. This time he wasn’t brought down and showed composure finishing on his right. I would say the crowd went crazy but it felt more like a Wagga home game judging by those gathered.
In the context of the game, it seemed like an eternity before the next piece of action came to pass and it was well worth the wait. Nathan Preston took the ball in centre midfield and surely his not going to shoot?!? He did and the ball found its way into the net from 30 yards out to bring the visitors back into it with the strike curling from left to right into the bottom right corner.
Minotaurs needed a response and a third goal looked like coming as they tried to wrestle the game back in their favour. Mehana was proving to be the focal point of every attack consistently causing the Wagga defense headaches as he saw both a header and strike from outside the box go over the bar.
Their best chance however came from a rare blunder by Wanderers shot stopper Robert Fry as he fumbled the ball into the path of Angelo Vagenas who couldn’t take advantage with Fry producing a good save down to his left.
Half time came at the wrong time for the home side as it seemed it was only a matter of time to the two-goal cushion was restored. The second half on the other hand was the polar opposite.
As the visitors kept things tight early in the second period, you could see they started to believe that a result was possible and it proved to be.
The equalizer came after 59 minutes as striker Jones showed that extra bit of desire to beat the on-rushing Minotaurs keeper and send the travelling contingent ecstatic.
How a half of football can be different from the other… The wanderers looked comfortable at the back only really being threatened from set pieces and countering with intent.
It so nearly paid off just before 75 minutes when a counter attack resulted in Nathan Preston finishing off well after quality through pass only to be given offside.
Neither side from that point on were able to really trouble each other and both sides were forced to share the spoils.
Minotaurs coach Peter Sarikakis rued his team not following through on a good start, “We started well with intensity and then the boys thought they had done enough”.
He continued, “every time we missed a chance, their confidence grew. They (Wagga) deserve credit for coming up here and getting a draw”.
Wagga City Wanderers gaffer Ross Morgan was happy with the outing, “I think we proved today that even missing a few players we can match it with some of the teams”.
On the performance of Nathan Preston in particular, “we picked him up and his made a big difference. His played here at NPL level so his influencing the dressing room already”.
Match Stats: Sunday 24th June, 2018 – St George Stadium, Banksia
Hurstville City Minotaurs: 2 (Mehana 4’, Valia 6’)
Wagga City Wanderers: 2 (Preston 13’, Jones 59)
Referee: J.Coutinho
Assistant Referees: G. Robson & L. Sullivon
Hurstville City Minotaurs: 1. Allessandro Nigro, 3. Deegan Hunter, 5. Lorenzo Fatica, 7. Angelo Vagenas (9. J. Younis), 10. Sam Mehana, 12. Alexi Brakatselos, 17. J. Valia (8. Alireza Yousefi), 21. Mate Balazs, 30. Shin Takahashi, 61. Hassan Abdul, 62. Esoghume Dominic.
Subs Not used: 6. Peter Fterniatis, 16. Riad Agnache, 32. Bojan Srbinovski
Yellow Cards:
Wagga City Wanderers: 1. Robert Fry, 2. Daniel Okot, 3. Bradley Fangas, 4. Damion Patterson, 5. Shaun Moffat, 6. Samuel William Jones (12. Zach Pinmey), 7. Nathan Preston, 8. Duncan Cameron (14. Grant Jenkins), 10. Nima Nikfarjam (15. Nic Van Honk), 11. Tyler Allen, 16. Rhys Jones.
Subs Not Used: 13. Kyle Yeatei.
Yellow Cards: Jones, Preston.
Around the Grounds
Central Coast United 2-2 Western Condors
Our match of the round wasn’t the only shock result to be seen in this week’s action. Central Coast United were held to a point at home for the first time this season by of all teams Western Condors. Once and for all proving their coaches words of “there are no easy games in this competition”, to be true. A masterful defensive/counter-attacking performance saw Condors almost pull off a remarkable result.
The Condors were solid in their defensive shape, coming in with a plan to contain the hosts. One aspect of the plan was not a stunning strike from Kaito Ikarimoto into the bottom left corner from twenty-five yards out but hey they’ll take it. It was proving to be a day out for Ikarimoto who doubled the lead just after the break this time with a placed shot inside the box which the keeper couldn’t deny.
Central Coast United are never out of a contest and it proved to be the case again swiftly halving the advantage through Tom Mallet who headed in a Jordan Bennett cross. Time was ticking away and the locals were starting to get worried before Josh Swadling equalized in 89th minute sliding the ball past the keeper at the near post.
Hurstville FC 4-1 Prospect United
Coming into this round, Hurstville FC were looking for a statement performance. The hosts were clinical in taking their chances and ended up coming up with a confidence building win going into next week.
Midfielder Josh Padjen opened the scoring with a long range low drive from 25 yards out after a clearance fell to him. The hosts had their tails up and so often in football goals come in two’s so shortly after the lead was doubled. Cristian Di Meglio combined with Jesse Gagro in a swift passing combination move which saw Di Meglio show experience beyond his years finishing.
The visitors were soon reduced to ten men which seemed to spur them on with Nic Valjak showing some good footwork before finding the net with a solid left footed finish into the right-side netting. In another case of half time occurring at the wrong time for a side, Hurstville composed themselves and a goal to Paul Gagro as well as an own goal. It was an impressive second half for the hosts who face Central Coast United next.
UNSW FC 3-2 South Coast Flame
In a week where one of their rivals stumbled, UNSW FC clinched a crucial yet nervy three points as they scrapped past a much-improved South Coast Flame. Goals to Bede Leyland, Florim Binakaj and Luiz Lobo were enough to see them past the visitors who scored through Caleb Grace as well as Dion Sterjovski for the visitors.
After a loss last week to Gazy, the hosts were keen to write some wrongs and were well on their way when Bede Leyland headed in an Ignacho Pacheco cross. They were in no mood to be found wanting early on as shortly after Florim Binakaj slotted the ball home from a Luiz Lobo cut back.
The Flame to their credit didn’t let the game get away from them and just after the half hour mark they found the net through Caleb Grace who netted his fourth in four matches.
After plenty of chances early in the second half, UNSW who looked to have clinched it with a goal from Luiz Lobo off a darting run. However, the Flame weren’t done yet and alarm bells were literally ringing for UNSW when Dion Sterjovski netted after 82 minutes. Time ran out and there now is life in the tittle picture.
Balmain Tigers 1-2 Nepean FC
The weekends action was brought to a close in a tense affair between a desperate Balmain Tigers and Nepean FC. After a couple of weeks without a win, Nepean perhaps needed some new faces to come into the side and that gamble paid off with Paul Chester grabbing a double to overcome an early Balmain goal to John Nkpolukwu.
Balmain capitalised on some sloppy finishing from the visitors as they took the lead when Nkpolukwu got on the end of a Manuel Angelopolous. The lead didn’t last as long as the hosts would’ve hoped though as under twenties star Paul Chester scored a high quality free kick to see both sides go in equal.
Good midfield play from David Adjassou and Rory Mcgeown frustrated the home side who were reduced to ten when Nkpolukwu got his second yellow with about ten minutes to go. The narrative was complete when Paul Chester sealed the win deep into injury time after some determined play in the build-up.
FC Gazy Auburn v Bankstown United will be played on Tuesday evening and will be recapped in this week’s preview.
By Justin Smith
