Round 15 – State League Men’s Review
A return to the norm was on the cards in this week’s action as four of the top five sides scored maximum points in Round fifteen action.
We headed home to Valentine Sports Park to see if UNSW could overcome some fatigue midweek. Whilst Central Coast United returned to their best, Western Condors scored a priceless win in this weeks upset and more in this week’s edition of the State League Men’s review.
Match of the Round – UNSW FC vs Balmain Tigers FC
UNSW FC have kept the pressure at the top of the State League Men’s table, with a convincing win over Balmain Tigers on Saturday night.
The hosts flew out of the blocks, acquiring three goals inside twenty-five minutes to put the game beyond doubt with striker Nima Beik scoring a hat-trick.
For visitors Balmain Tigers, it was a case of damage reduction as they saw the game slip away from them. They did show some much-needed resilience in bouncing back and containing the hosts.
As previously mentioned it didn’t take long for the first opportunity to present itself, UNSW perhaps sensing they would suffer physically after playing a game midweek took the initiative. The first chance came after just two minutes with Christian Soares shooting with little conviction not troubling the visiting shot stopper.
The scoring was opened just after ten minutes in spectacular fashion, the Balmain keeper came out to clear a ball in behind. Unfortunately for him the clearance fell to Nima Beik whose first-time volley found a vacant net without taking a bounce.
When UNSW FC are feeling it in front of goal, they are hard to stop and so it proved to be again. The hosts were finding plenty of space on both flanks of which they capitalised on when Bastian Monroy Vargas delivered a peach of a cross onto the head of Beik whose looping header beat a diving keeper.
It was a struggle for the visitors to stop the service and to be honest, one was fearing a cricket score when Beik got on the end of a cross from the left soon after. The striker controlling a header off a powerful cross sumptuously into the right-side netting of the net.
Content with the score line, the tempo was lowered by the hosts and Balmain worked themselves into more possession. However, to be frank, they lacked quality in the front third unable to create a meaningful chance throughout the first half of the contest.
It was a cool night at Valentine Sports Park, I know this cause the chances certainly cooled down during the third quadrant of the match. Provides a good chance for me to plug the cafe there though (they do a nice hot chocolate if you ever find yourself there).
Chances were at a premium, with only an optimistic Soares effort highlighting that period. Mercifully UNSW FC stepped up a gear with about twenty minutes to go and were ultimately unlucky not to add another goal from that point on.
Luiz Lobo seemed to be on a one-man effort to score a fourth showing some silky skills beating the defender then working the ball onto his left only for his shot to narrowly go over the top left corner.
His crusade continued ten minutes later when again he left his defender for dead this time seeing his shot saved low at the near post.
UNSW coach Gabe Knowles was content with the victory, “It was a difficult preparation having played in difficult conditions midweek late on Wednesday night, our keeper didn’t really have to do much here so I’m happy with a three nil victory here”.
Balmain Tigers Coach Joe Di Giulio lamented a poor start, “Conceding early, it’s hard for my team to recover mentally after that, three mistakes turned into three goals”.
On future prospects, “In the second half we played better, I just told the boys reflect on what just happened, learn from your mistakes and look to do better for the rest of the season”.
Match Stats – Saturday 30th June, 2018 – Valentine Sports Park, Glenwood
UNSW FC: 3 (Beik 11’ 18’ 25’)
Balmain Tigers: 0
Referee: Daryl Richards
Assistant Referees: John Lalic & Anthony Karbout
UNSW FC: 21. Ian Johnson, 3. Alex Nolan, 4. Michal Lalik (2. Ryuji Takeuchi), 6. Ignacio Pacheco, 7. Christian Soares, 9. Nima Beik, 10. Luiz Lobo, 17. Bastian Monroy Vargas (16. Christopher El-Hayek), 19. Giles Penfold, 22. Daniel Gonzalez, 39. Florim Binakaj (8. Ilan Kessler).
Subs Not Used: 40. Daniel Kendall, 41. Gurinder Singh.
Yellow Cards: Lalik
Balmain Tigers: 1. Ahmad Ismail, 3. Marius Papi (2. Mohamad Jirjnazi), 5. Wol Reec, 6. Swaray Kamara (12. Kassem Jirjnazi), 7. Yianni Moustakas, 9. Kagisho Pitso (18. Sebastian Iannuzzi), 16. Aidan Gray, 17. Michael Zezovski, 19. Manuel Angelopolous, 23. Leonardo Di Giulio, 26. Alexander Barnstone
Subs Not Used: 21. Martin Wrzos
Yellow Cards: Pitzo, Zezovski.
Around the Grounds
Wagga City Wanderers 1-2 FC Gazy Auburn
In the spirit of trying new things around this World Cup season, FC Gazy Auburn made the trip to Wagga without regular keeper. However, a change in goal with ten minutes to go saw Costandi Fallas score a double in the last ten minutes to give the visitors another three points…
It was the hosts Wagga City Wanderers who controlled the play for the first eighty or so minutes. They opened the scoring in the first half as Caylum Barber managed to pounce on a through ball, before rounding the keeper and scoring. The home side were unable to create enough chances afterwards to capitalise and paid the price.
Although FC Gazy Auburn did create chances it took till that ‘inspired change’ for them to convert. It is another confidence building result for coach Ernesto Meduri and his men who will prove to be a dangerous challenge for any side to face them from this point on.
Western Condors 2-1 Nepean FC
Western Condors have continued their recent upturn in form as they came from behind to defeat Nepean FC on Saturday night. Second half strikes from Talan Myers and Henry Yau were enough to overcome a Roberto Polistina first half effort.
The first half was a tense affair with the home-side producing another solid display defensively. Such a defensive display doesn’t cover long range strikes usually and so it proved to be as Roberto Polistina launched a powerful twenty-five-yard strike to give the visitors a lead at half time.
The roles reversed for the second half with Nepean content to sit back. That was until the scores were levelled mid-way through when Talan Myers was at the centre of an interchange which saw him one on one with the keeper to slot it home. Nepean looked to bounce back and were caught out ten minutes from the end when Henry Yau scored from a shot to the left of a diving keeper to give the hosts a ‘well deserved’ 2-1 win.
Prospect United 3-1 Hurstville City Minotaurs
In a week of big scores and comebacks, only fitting one had an element of both right? Prospect United conceded early against visitors Hurstville City Minotaurs but bounced back to score three unanswered goals in Saturday night’s contest at Blacktown Football Park.
The visitors came out the better of the two sides and opened the scoring inside the first ten minutes with a goal to Esoghume Dominic. It took the home side until the thirtieth minute to wake up and they quickly brought the scores level through first half substitute Brett Stephens with a nice header. Not content with just bringing the scores level leading into half time, captain Thomas Kasunic was able to get on the end of a cross scoring with his right foot.
To complete the scoring flurry, Benjamin Lam ran onto a Nic Valjak through ball and gracefully placed it underneath the keeper. Content with the two-goal margin, the hosts took their foot off the pedal and were only troubled on one or two occasions throughout the remainder.
Hurstville FC 0-5 Central Coast United
A week is a long time in football (hey, if coaches are allowed to use clichés so am I). Central Coast United have left last weeks dropped points in the distant past as they steamed past Hurstville FC in the first of two fixtures on Sunday.
It wasn’t always looking like such a one-sided result as the visitors were content to sit back and see what the hosts could throw at them for much of the first half with the only goal coming from a set-piece. A Daniel Mcfarlane free kick was fumbled to Scott Mcginley who duly capitalised ensuring a half time lead.
From that point on, Central Coast United never looked back ruthlessly pushing aside a Hurstville outfit missing five or six players. Cade Mapu began the rout doubling the lead with an effort which hit the underside of the crossbar. The score was blowing out as Josh Swadling converted a penalty halfway through the second half and the Hurstville keeper being sent off a few minutes later really threw the cat amongst the pigeons. Jack Ragen and Daniel Mcfarlane then managed to complete the scoring.
Bankstown United 3-0 South Coast Flame
It was a welcome return for striker Mitch Cross as Bankstown United were just too good for South Coast Flame. The striker scored two first half goals to give the hosts the ascendency before Toshihisa Saikawa rounded off the scoring in the second half.
In a comprehensive performance from the hosts, the much-fancied home side took the leaded when Mitch Cross found himself breaking away from the defence and you know the rest of the story. Unfortunately for the visitors, just as they were hoping to hoping to get to half time with the damage limited, Cross struck again after some good pressing led to Saikawa squaring the ball to the striker.
The game was as good as done when Saikawa himself got on the scoresheet after a save dropped right to him after sixty minutes. The Flames best opportunity occurred late on when Steve Wright made a quality goal line clearance.
By Justin Smith
