Round 4 Review – State League Men’s
Round 4 and we still can’t figure what’s going to happen in this State League Men’s competition.
Once again, the results proved unpredictable.
Hurstville City Minotaurs claimed bragging rights over their neighbours and Fraser Park proved they’re one of the heavyweights in our featured matches.
Whilst elsewhere, Central Coast showed no mercy in thumping South Coast Flame and UNSW FC claimed their first win of the season.
But perhaps in the best game of the weekend, Prospect United and FC Gazy Auburn shared the spoils in a rollercoaster contest
Hurstville FC v Hurstville City Minotaurs
Hurstville City Minotaurs took derby honours as they beat Hurstville FC on Sunday evening.
Despite being on the back foot for long periods of the game, they took their chances when presented. Juan Botero scored early in the first half before Thiago Rabinovitch secured the victory late on.
In football, only the score line counts when all is said and done. Whilst controlling most of the second half, Hurstville FC were made to pay for not having a ruthless edge to their play.
Hurstville City Minotaurs had the better chances early on with Thiago Rabinovitch being a nuisance to everything but the back of the net.
The Minotaurs took the lead in the 18th minute with a cross sitting up just perfectly for Juan Botero. The attacker having enough time to go grab a hot chocolate before heading the ball into the inside of the far post making it impossible for any Hurstville FC player to save.
Hurstville FC weren’t without their own chances before and after the goal. Last week’s star man Adrian Livio having a one on one opportunity before the half hour mark only for the Minotaurs keeper to save.
In fact, the Minotaurs keeper found himself with more to do than his opposite during the first half. In perhaps the best opportunity of the first half he forced Paul Gagro wide enough for Deegan Hunter to make a sliding clearance inside the six-yard area on a goal bound shot.
The second half started much like how the first finished, with Hurstville having the more chances then their away side. But they couldn’t break down their guests’ defences.
Their best chance coming once again when Rhys Turner was played through by Paul Gagro. Turner did enough to round the keeper but could only manage to hit the side netting with his effort.
Frustrations built and the Minotaurs started to get more joy on the counter attack, goal-scorer Juan Botero had an opportunity to double the lead with 15 to go but skied his effort.
But they didn’t have to wait long with Thiago Rabinovitch making sure of the result with 5 to go, isolating his defender before finishing clinically to make sure the Minotaurs took bragging rights.
Peter “The General” Sarikakas was delighted with his team’s effort.
“Today we showed that we are the dominant Hurstville team, not only winning the first grade but all three grades which could be important come end of the season.”
On his star man Thiago Rabinovitch’s performance.
“He showed his class tonight, you can see by the way he scored his goal, hopefully there’s more to come”.
Hurstville FC coach John Gagro stated his anger in not finishing off their chances.
“When you create four or five one on one chances and don’t finish them, you begin to think it’s not your day.
“Minotaurs were very desperate tonight and their intent was clear tonight. We didn’t respond tonight, which is our own fault.”
Match Stats
Hurstville FC: 0
Hurstville City Minotaurs: 2 (Botero 18’ Rabinovich 85’)
Hurstville FC: 1. Matthew Massarotto, 4. Sebastian Coello, 5. Stephan Perak, 7. Michael Kotzambasis, 10. Paul Gagro, 11. Adrian Livio, 12. Daniel Kocina, 15. Nicholas Kougious, 17. Aleks Trenoski, 20. Rhys Turner, 21. Adrian Vrinat.
Subs: 9. Jesse Gagro, 13. Michael Martins, 14. Michael Di Meglio, 18. Cristian Di Meglio,
Hurstville City Minotaurs: 2. Alexi Brakatselos, 5. Deegan Hunter, 6. Nicolas Rouco, 7. Angelo Vagenas, 8. Nicholas Nisbet, 9. Jason Gonzalez, 13. Juan Botero, 16. Matheus Pontes, 17. Thiago Rabinovitch, 20. James Law, 30. Riad Agnache.
Subs: RK. Dean Vagenas, 4. Angelo Petratos, 15. Seyfullah Esser, 33. Peter Fterniatis.
Fraser Park v Nepean FC
Well I said this was the first major test of this Fraser Park outfit and they passed it with flying colours defeating Nepean FC in a close contest on Saturday night
Despite going down early, the hosts composed themselves and were patient in waiting for mistakes from the opposition. And the mistakes came, with their three goals coming through striker Matthew Nezval who was clinical in his finishing.
As for Nepean, well no doubt about it, they threw points away in this one. A Naruyuki Kato solo goal looked to have set them on their way before a Kuot Maliet midway through the second half brought them back into it.
One shot, one goal. Nepean were the side setting the tempo early on and it was rewarded spectacularly. Naruyuki Kato picked up the ball in midfield, weaved in and out of the Fraser Park defense before poking home just before the Fraser Park shot stopper got to it.
The lead didn’t last long though, Fraser Park punished a cheap turnover in midfield just before the stopwatch hit 20. To make that error worse, the resulting through ball was mis-read which allowed Nezval to go through and comfortably finish.
If that wasn’t bad enough for the visitors, it quickly turned into a one-two punch. A cross from the left wing was met by a lunging foot from Nezval to put them into an unlikely lead.
Just as everything seemed to be settling down for the half. Nepean were given an opportunity to draw level. However, a spot kick from Reec was skewed wide of the left post.
It just wasn’t Nepeans night, if that wasn’t obvious beforehand. It certainly became so when Nezval pounced on his opportunity for a hat trick delicately lobbing the keeper from just inside the 18-yard box.
Nepean did manage to score again, a quick passing move resulted in Maliet charging through and finishing into the bottom left corner. It only proved to be consolation though and Fraser Park came away with a result to savour.
Match Stats
Fraser Park: 3 (Nezval 19’21’61’)
Nepean FC: 2 (Kato 4’ Maliet 74’)
Fraser Park: 1. Ian Johnson, 2. Talan Myers, 3. Lionel Glorieux 4. Alexis Wenzel, 5. Edilson Farias, 6. Takumi Machida, 7. Christian Soares, 11. Shu Torihara, 13. Rodrigo Cataldi, 15. Jun Arima, 98. Matthew Nezval.
Subs: 8. Dominic Siu, 9. Alexander Nicolosi, 12. James Drahalivas, 18, Kaito Tokumoto, 95. Killian Lucas.
Nepean FC: 1. Thomas Hamilton, 2. Kurt Machut, 3. Daryl Watson, 4. Michael Streeter, 5. Naruyuki Kato, 6. Kuag Reec, 9. Nathan Ralph, 16. Roberto Polistina, 17. Farres Aoun, 18. Michael Fakiye, 20. Alex Moore.
Subs: 23. Jake Senior, 7. Jayden Young, 11. Kuot Maliet, 19. Paul Chester, 25. Jake Hoban.
South Coast Flame 0 v Central Coast United 9
Central Coast United travelled down to the South Coast and ruthlessly extinguished the Flame.
In marks the second heavy defeat for the home side who just weeks ago fell to the Condors in similar circumstances.
Unlike that fixture though, the home side kept things competitive for the majority of the opening half. But from that point on, it turned ugly conceding two just before the break then another six in the second half.
For every negative, there is a positive and this result definitely goes down as a positive for Central Coast United.
The visitors were thirsty for goals in the fixture and once they got one, they didn’t stop.
Their goals in order were Yuki Morikawa tapping home from close range after a free kick hit the post. A Daniel Mcfarlane free kick and Jarrod Steen header before half time.
Then the floodgates opened with Mcfarlane, Steen and Josh Schumann all grabbing braces. Whilst Woodbine and Arbelo also got on the score sheet during the second half.
Prospect United 2-2 FC Gazy Auburn
Prospect United and FC Gazy Auburn shared the points in a game of swings and roundabouts at William Lawson Park.
Prospect United have made quite the habit of starting fast in their early fixtures this year. That combined with some poor discipline on the end of their visitors saw them awarded with two penalties. One of them was converted by Stephen Vukovic whilst the other was saved by Pablo Meza. However, they let their control slip which led to the hairdryer being brought out at half time.
And the team responded, well kind of… Thomas Kasunic scored from a near post header off a corner. But once again they took their foot off the gas, were punished and had to settle for a point.
FC Gazy Auburn on the other hand continue to prove that they are indeed a better side than last year. Despite going behind early, a Pablo Meza penalty save turned things around and they controlled much of the remaining action of the half. Despite this they were only able to score the one goal through a Haydar Al-Ameri header.
Perhaps unluckily, they found themselves behind once again shortly into the second half. But they didn’t go home empty handed, a curling strike by Samuel Head from 25 yards saw them draw level and you suspect it’s only a matter of time before they pick up a win.
Balmain Tigers 1-3 UNSW FC
Suddenly the pressure valve has been turned down for UNSW FC after claiming a win on their third attempt in season 2019. Their victim? Balmain Tigers who were disappointing in not meeting the standards expected.
There wasn’t much to write home about for the home side in this one. They were second to every ball out enthused by a determined UNSW outfit with the only real highlight coming from an Angelopolous goal to give them some hope just before the hour mark.
Conversely, things seemed to have finally clicked at UNSW FC. Two goals in quick fashion before the half time break were just reward for the students and it could have been more.
The first came from Nima Beik who put away a one on one opportunity before he also scored a bonus penalty. Despite some nervy moments when the score was pegged back, the victory was never in doubt and Ben Dexter scored from a corner late on.
By Justin Smith
Twitter: @smiththejustin
