Round 17 Review – League Three Men’s
Another highly entertaining round of League Three Men’s competition has come to its conclusion, despite multiple matches being postponed due to heavy rain throughout the state.
In a catchup match from earlier in the season, Newcastle Jets defeated Camden Tigers 6-3, before Nepean FC came out on top against UNSW FC at Hensley Athletic Park.
Later on Friday night, Fraser Park defeated Western Rage, with Hurstville FC and Parramatta FC then drawing 1-1 the next day.
Camden Tigers 3 – 6 Newcastle Jets
Newcastle Jets have downed Camden Tigers away from home in a nine-goal thriller to begin the football fixtures for the week at Ron Dine Stadium.
The Jets began quickly, as Dominic Archbold found the back of the net with a tap-in after an early cross.
Eight minutes later, Camden responded with a goal of their own, as a nice passage play saw a switch to the left flank allow for an early cross to find Jayden Russell to tap the ball home.
Newcastle responded seven minutes later with Taylan Unal finishing from a corner before they went two up from another set-piece as Ben Van Dorssen headed the ball home after a chipped cross into the box.
Camden began the second half strongly, as Russell stole the ball off the Jets goalkeeper to grab his second of the game.
Newcastle responded in the 74th minute with a press of their own. Camden gave the ball away in their defensive line to allow Unal to score before Xavier Bertoncello extended the away side’s lead.
Marko Filipovic scored for Camden four minutes later, before Lachlan West rounded out the match in stoppage time to ensure the three points for Newcastle.
Camden will next take on South Coast Flame at Ron Dine Stadium on Saturday night.
UNSW FC 1 – 2 Nepean FC
Nepean FC have defeated UNSW FC 2-1 to open the round 17 fixtures at Hensley Athletic Park.
Keeghan Burke opened the scoring for UNSW FC in the 29th minute off a converted freekick.
After an even first half, Edward Stewart equalised for Nepean FC in the 59th minute off a corner sent in by Ryan Dominici.
Later in the match, Stewart made it a headed brace, as he found the back of the net with another header.
In the last ten minutes of the game, UNSW threw everything at Nepean, but the away side was able to withstand the heavy pressure.
Nepean coach Joe D’Ermilio credited the work ethic of his players, stating “UNSW is a very well-coached, capable team which makes the win pleasing.”
UNSW will next take on Parramatta FC, while Nepean will come up against Western Rage.
Fraser Park 2 – 1 Western Rage
Fraser Park has picked up their third victory of the season with a win over Western Rage on Friday night.
Western Rage opened the scoring early off a corner through Mitchell Whalley, before Jp Tchethce equalised in the 29th minute.
In the second half, both sides had chances to take the lead, but it was Shu Torihara who found the net for Fraser in the 80th minute to secure the win.
Fraser coach Emanuel Pais praised new signing Hayato Sadamori as well as Osama Zakout, Samuel Paslis and Alessandro Macri, while Western Rage coach Jarrod Carluccio stated he was happy with his side’s performance and praised Fraser for being clinical when it mattered.
Fraser will next face Hawkesbury City away from home, while Western Rage will host Nepean FC.
Hurstville FC 1 – 1 Parramatta FC
Hurstville FC and Parramatta FC were unable to be split in the lone Saturday match of round 17, with the final score finishing 1-1 at Penshurst Park.
Parramatta FC had the first opening of the match, as they won the ball well while Hurstville tried to progress it down their right flank and quickly stole in behind.
Emanuel Ponce Farias, however, was not able to gain any power behind a toe-poked shot from an acute angle.
Hurstville responded with a shot of their own, although incidentally it was from a stray cross, which forced a save from Harrison Walsh and earned them a corner.
A few minutes later, Farias had another chance to strike, as he went close off a volley from a central position just outside the box.
In the 10th minute, Parramatta were presented with a golden opportunity to open the scoring – a good through ball found Mubarak Saeed in behind, and the winger just couldn’t wrap his boot around a one on one.
Hurstville instantly went up the other hand with a fantastic chance of their own – Pedro Almeida picked up the ball in behind and rounded the goalkeeper but was off balance as he swung a cross into the area from a relatively narrow position.
The match continued to remain open and flowing, as Hurstville looked to directly target the space behind Parramatta’s backline.
In the 20th minute, good build-up play from Parramatta resulted in a shot finding the side netting, as the two sides continued to tussle in search of an opener.
Hurstville continued to conjure opportunities for low crosses and cutbacks across the face of goal from wide areas but struggled to find numbers in the area to gain shots from their chances.
In the 32nd minute, a freekick from Paul Gagro forced a good save from Walsh, while Parramatta’s defenders did well to smother the rebound.
For the home side, Michael Kotzambasis was performing well in a deeper role, as he used his penetrative passing and pace on runs in behind to instigate short, sharp combinations through midfield to complement their wide play.
In the 38th minute, Parramatta thought they had found the opener through Cier Mayuom, but the offside flag disallowed them.
Farias cut inside from an inside left position and curled a fantastic strike into the literal top right corner of the goal – the ball rebounded off the post and crossbar combined and while Mayuom converted, he was deemed to be in an offside position.
Four minutes later, Saeed rose well for Parramatta to win a header in the box, but his effort drifted wide of the post.
Farias was the main attacking spark for Parramatta. Playing as a second striker/attacking midfielder, he did well to pick up loose balls and receive in pockets of space, before looking to turn at Hurstville and produce a decisive action in and around the box.
On the stroke of halftime, Parramatta were awarded a penalty off a handball inside the box.
After a delay for the strike which included both the kicker and the goalkeeper being told off at length, Michael Rutherford got down well to make a fantastic save against Farias effort into the bottom right corner.
In the 55th minute, Parramatta found the lead off a set piece, as Saeed curled home a clever freekick from close range to convert.
The winger was originally brought down outside the box and found the far post well to open the scoring for his side in the pouring rain.
A minute after their goal, Parramatta had a decent chance to double their lead, with Mayuom stealing in behind and forcing a smart save from the keeper with his shot.
Hurstville responded well to their concession, settling before looking to push forwards, and a good run and incisive pass inside from Yianni Nioplias and resulted in a chance on the turn for Jesse Gagro, with the striker just unable to connect cleanly with the shot.
For Parramatta, a good drive from Matthew Joseph led to a decent strike from outside the box, but his bouncing effort couldn’t find the target.
In the next ten minutes, the game moved into a quiet state, with Hurstville unable to fashion any meaningful opportunities and Parramatta still looking dangerous at times off their quick attacks.
Off a cross, Farias had a good chance with a bouncing ball inside the box, but he couldn’t find a clean strike off the volley.
Merely seconds later, the attacking midfielder picked up the ball on the edge of the box with time to strike but couldn’t find the target off a curled shot.
In the 76th minute, substitute striker Frank Puric won a penalty for Hurstville, after being pulled back off a cross from Paul Gagro.
Off the spot kick, Kotzambasis converted with aplomb to level the scores and bring Hurstville back into the game.
The intensity levels from both sides instantly increased, with it now game on at Penshurst Park.
However, over the next ten minutes both sides looked to cancel each other out, with neither side creating chances as the match etched closer to the final whistle.
In the 90th minute, a cutback found P. Gagro on the edge of the box, but the captain couldn’t convert to give Hurstville a priceless three points late on.
A good run out of the backline from Daniel Maras saw a cutback win Hurstville a corner, and off the follow up from the set piece, Dario Borovickic couldn’t connect with a volley off a decent chance inside the box.
Well into stoppage time, James Pelletier chased down a ball well and struck powerfully from an acute angle, with Rutherford making a good save.
Off a freekick, Hurstville went close through Jacob Ritchie and looked to have one last opportunity to convert off a corner, but they couldn’t create a chance to shoot.
“They caught us by surprise with how direct they were – Parramatta are usually a side that build up and keep the ball on the floor,” said Hurstville captain Paul Gagro.
“They sat deep and played on the counter, and we didn’t adjust well enough and didn’t do enough to win the game. The conditions were a nightmare and turned it into a scrappy game that could have gone either way.”
Meanwhile, Parramatta coach Gert Disha was proud of his side’s performance, stating “the boys were unlucky not to put more chances away. We missed another penalty which is the third or fourth of the season. It’s just a season where every game is very close but we have a lack of experience up front with a lot of injuries.”
Next, Hurstville will take on Prospect United on Sunday night, while Parramatta will face UNSW FC.
Postponed: South Coast Flame vs Prospect United
Postponed: Newcastle Jets vs Hawkesbury City
Bye: Camden Tigers
By Football NSW League 3 Men’s Reporter, Jack George (@JackGeorge0004)
