Round 22 Review – League Three Men’s
A gargantuan final round has come to its conclusion in League Three Men’s competition, with eight matches seeing 34 goals scored – an average of 4.25 per game.
Two Tuesday night matches got the week underway, as Camden Tigers drew with Nepean FC and Parramatta FC defeated South Coast Flame, before on Thursday, Newcastle Jets defeated Parramatta by two goals.
In two Saturday afternoon matches, Nepean drew once more, this time against South Coast Flame, while Fraser Park defeated Parramatta to finish the season with three straight victories.
Later on Saturday, Camden Tigers beat UNSW FC in a seven goal thriller, while a point against Western Rage was enough for Newcastle Jets to secure the title.
In the final match of the round, Prospect United defeated Hawkesbury City in a nail biting affair to secure the fifth and final spot in finals.
Camden Tigers FC 2 – 2 Nepean FC
In the first of two Tuesday night fixtures, Camden Tigers and Nepean FC split the points at Ron Dine Stadium.
Camden opened the scoring in the seventh minute through Mathew Lane, before Christopher Gody Bascur equalised in the 25th.
Five minutes later, Jayden Russel put Camden ahead for the second time in the match but Nepean equalised again, despite sustaining a red card before their second equaliser.
Coach Joe D’Ermilio was proud of his side’s second-half performance to keep the scores level, stating “lapses in the first half and poor discipline was balanced out with a massive effort in the second half”.
Nepean now has the joint longest unbeaten streak in the competition, as they’ve sustained three wins and two draws in their last five matches.
Parramatta FC 2 – 1 South Coast Flame
Parramatta FC has leapfrogged their opponents for this match in South Coast Flame to take eighth position with a 2-1 victory at Melita Stadium on Tuesday night.
Matthew Joseph found the net early for Parramatta with a shot into the top corner from the edge of the box in a bright start for the home side.
However, South Coast Flame responded well and forced Parramatta into their own half with sustained periods of possession, with the latter remaining dangerous on transition.
In the 39th minute, Matthew Mazevski equalised from the penalty spot as the sides went into the shed’s level at the break.
In the second half, Parramatta changed system and 17-year-old Adil Toska, making his debut, dribbled around two defenders and found a free Moubarak Saeed for a tap-in to give the home side the three points.
Parramatta FC 1 – 3 Newcastle Jets
In a Thursday night fixture, Parramatta FC went down to the Newcastle Jets by two goals at Melita Stadium.
Parramatta began the game strong but couldn’t find the target, as the match remained scoreless at halftime.
Newcastle came out strong in the second half, as Charlie Kelly netted a spectacular brace within two minutes, before Joseph Smith added another off a freekick three minutes later.
Parramatta clawed a goal back through Matthew Joseph, but it wasn’t enough to get them back into the game.
Parramatta FC 2 – 3 Fraser Park
In the first match of round 22, Fraser Park defeated Parramatta FC thanks to a late goal to clinch eight spot on the League Three Men ladder.
Parramatta began the game with high intensity and had multiple chances to open the scoring early, but couldn’t convert.
It was Fraser Park who got the ball rolling in the 10th minute, with Miki Bisceglia winning a header to send the ball into the back of the net.
The home side responded quickly, however, as Mark Jez found the equaliser off a corner just nine minutes later.
In the 27th minute, Noel Disha gave Parramatta the lead off a freekick into the top corner.
After the halftime break, Fraser switched from their usual 3-4-3 to a 4-3-3.
The change worked a treat, as Alessandro Macri converted in the 63rd minute to draw the scores level.
In the 88th minute, a goal from Jp Tchethce saw Fraser find a late winner, and they secured their third win in a row in what was a fantastic end to the season for both sides.
This match will be Gert Disha’s last in charge of Parramatta FC, as he steps down as first grade coach to take a break from football.
South Coast Flame 1 – 1 Nepean FC
Nepean FC has secured a top three spot to finish the regular season of League Three Men with a draw away from home to South Coast Flame.
The home side, playing their last game of their campaign, threw players forward after conceding an early goal, with Mitchell King converting from the penalty spot in the eighth minute to give Nepean the lead.
South Coast Flame responded in the 51st minute with Samuel Aston finding the target in what would be their final goal of the season.
The home side finished the season in ninth place, with Fabian Iacovelli their top scorer with nine goals.
Camden Tigers 4 – 3 UNSW FC
Camden Tigers have ended their season in a seven goal thriller which saw them edge out UNSW FC to finish fourth on the ladder.
The home side opened the scoring off an own goal in the first half, before doubling their advantage off a corner through Jordan Cracknell.
Camden added to their tally as they stunned finals bound UNSW, with Jayden Russel converting in the box to give his side a three goal lead into half time.
In the second stanza, UNSW FC responded with intensity, as three goals in ten minutes from Matias Da Silva Santos, Gabriele Trinco and Mike Kenny respectively saw them level, with Camden receiving a red card in between the second and third strike.
However, Camden found what would be the eventual winner through a worldy from Mathew Lane, as they ended their League Three Men campaign with a win to secure seventh place on the ladder.
Western Rage 2 – 2 Newcastle Jets
Newcastle Jets wrapped up the ladder on Saturday night, with a draw against Western Rage seeing them finish top of the table.
Western Rage opened the scoring through Mitchell Whalley in the first half, before Newcastle evened the scores two minutes later through Taylan Unal.
However, the home side responded quickly, with a goal to Daniel Bortolazzo after another couple of minutes seeing them head into the sheds at halftime with the advantage over the table toppers.
Newcastle eventually equalised in the 63rd minute, with Unal getting his brace as the match ended in a 2-2 draw.
Hawkesbury City 2 – 3 Prospect United
Prospect United have secured a finals spot to end the regular season with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Hawkesbury City.
Prospect began with a bang, as a good interchange saw Housam Sayour in behind and able to advance on Hawkesbury goalkeeper Daniel Schwarzer.
The striker was, however, unable to convert from close range.
Both teams began the match with a high level of intensity, as they looked to not allow their opponents any time on the ball to settle in the match.
Hawkesbury did well on multiple occasions to break the press from Prospect on the left flank through quick interchanges and flicks down the left flank.
In the ninth minute, the match changed as Zineddine Messaoui was sent off for a last man tackle on Sayour, who again found himself in behind the defence.
After multiple phases following the freekick, Prospect had numerous chances to convert, with Schwarzer doing well to eventually hold the ball.
Prospect opted for another interesting system.
They played a back four, with Alec Purves remaining in a deeper position as the main defensive midfielder.
In front of him were two central midfielders who looked to operate in between the lines, while a narrow front three spelled out the side.
This allowed for quick vertical interchanges through forwards passing through the match.
Cristian Martinez, the most central of the front three, played as a false nine, looking to drop deep off the defensive line to pick up the ball.
He’d then rotate with a run in behind as one of the new front two, inverted forwards, dropped off to go looking for the ball.
Martinez would also drop in when his side was out of possession to mark the opposition’s deepest midfielder when they move into a deeper block.
It was a system that encouraged quick interchanges to lead towards goal and counterpressing (pressing after losing the ball) in attempt to almost force the ball towards goal with heavy numbers in central areas.
They looked to positively attack space like wide areas through midfielders drifing wide and being supported by forward runs in behind from fullbacks, with the movement from the midfielders remaining intelligent
After going a man down, Hawkesbury continued to press intensely, as their 4-3-3 became a 4-2-3/4-2-1-2 with a false nine in Harry Drew.
In the 15th minute, Sayour continued to cause havoc for Prospect, as he stole in behind once again with a good positive touch in the box but couldn’t guide the ball past Schwarzer, who made another good save.
A minute later, Prospect looked to have finally found the opener, but Martinez fumbled as an open goal gaped from close range.
In the 18th minute, Prospect a crucial opening goal, as Nicholas Boyd converted from a set piece after a good cross in from Purves off a corner.
In the 21st minute, Sayour hit a good first time shot across the face of goal off a bouncing ball, but it couldn’t sneak into the far post.
Prospect’s domination continued as a minute later, they once again went close off a set piece.
Hawkesbury did well following the consistent concession of chances to work their way back into the match, as in the 28th minute, a good run saw a dangerous cutback be cleared by Prospect out for a corner.
After the initial corner was dealt with, Drew almost found a fantastic goal after a mazy solo run, with his curling shot being blocked by Prospect.
The away side responded down the other end with a good chance of their own, as no. 7 put the ball around the goalkeeper but couldn’t convert from an acute angle.
For Prospect, the two inside forwards would rotate to supply direct wide options often when their side had the ball on the flanks, with the midfielders otherwise looking to move into that space.
The narrow starting position of their general midfielders and forwards meant that explosive movement wide could result in switch balls to accelerate the attack and change the intensity and direction, which worked on multiple occasions during the first half.
Hawkesbury’s front three rotated consistently throughout the opening stanza as they looked to equalise, but they couldn’t find a goal as the halftime whistle hit.
At the beginning of the second half, Hawkesburys attacking line remained as it was at the end of the first, with Harry Drew on the left, Daniel Morsillo central and Anthony Pedavoli on the right.
It was the home side who had the first good opening of the second 45 minutes just a minute in, with a great run and pass from Alexander Murrell seeing Drew in behind – he couldn’t convert against an onrushing Adriano Cerasoli from an acute angle.
In the 48th minute, Sayour itched closer to finding the back of the net off a swift counter attackas he switched to the left with Boyd moving to the right, but he couldn’t convert in a one on one against Schwarzer, with the Hawkesbury goalkeeper making another crucial save.
In the 50th minute, the game changed once again, with Hawkesbury finding an equaliser off a set piece.
A good ball was swung in, and James Thurtell converted from close range to bring the home side back into the match.
Following the goal, Hawkesbury continued to react positively, as they didn’t allow Prospect to retain possession for longer periods with intense pressure and attacking intent.
Prospect had a decent chance in the 57th off a set piece, but Boyd couldn’t direct the ball to the target off a tricky final shot.
A minute later, Prospect itched closer, as Hawkesbury relied on Schwarzer’s heroics once more with the goalkeeper showing great awareness to smother a shot from Boyd in a one on one.
Off the bench, Praneet Singh instantly looked to threaten for Prospect as the left central midfielder in their system, showing fantastic control in his dribbling and good vision.
Off a freekick won by good play from him and Martinez, Prospect once again found the lead off a beautiful freekick from Purves.
The midfielder curled a fantastic shot into the top left corner, as the in form Schwarzer could only watch.
Singh looked to become a wider midfielder in build-up to get on the ball, as he became increasingly free more towards the flanks.
He always looked to jink inside when receiving the ball wide left and either instigate an exchange of passes or find a killer pass in behind to the onrushing forwards.
Prospect’s build-up play encouraged their opponents to keep a high line and Singh found joy in direct playmaking, while his creativity from wider areas also allowed Bradley Dollin, the left back, to sit in the defensive line, giving Prospect an extra number to block Hawkesbury’s intense and smooth attacking transitions.
The right sided midfielder did the same thing in coming wide in build-up play to supply a direct option down the line, with Martinez more permanently joining the midfield line as the attacking midfielder – the latter change had been present earlier in the match.
In the 74th minute, Prospect increased their lead, with captain David Muller converting a powerful header in the centre of the box, as he towered over his opponent to put the away side two goals in front.
In the 77th minute, Hawkesbury equalised off a fantastic goal from Zac Miletic.
In the 82nd minute, numerous shots from outside the box resulted in a corner for Prospect, and off the resulting corner, Muller hit a header over the bar in a tricky position.
Prospect had another couple of chances a minute later, but they just couldn’t convert as the situation became increasingly more intense – if they conceded again, their season would be over, with an inability to put away chances in this match therefore costing them this campaign.
In the 88th minute, the end to the match became increasingly dramatic, with Prospect going down to ten men as Hawkesbury went for it.
Off the freekick, Hawkesbury thought they had found the back of the net, but the play was called back for a foul on the goalkeeper.
The end to the match was intense and heavily contested with Hawkesbury throwing everything at it to get an equaliser, but they struggled to create any real chances as Prospect won the fifth and final finals position for the campaign.
Hawkesbury coach Dean Bertenshaw was happy with his team’s performance and effort after going a man down in the early stages of the game.
“Congratulations to Prospect who put in a big effort to tonight and deserved their win.
“I thought the game obviously changed after seven minutes to go down to ten men, so I was very proud of my lads for putting in such a big shift for 82 minutes against a quality, motivated side in Prospect.”
Bye: Hurstville FC
By Football NSW League 3 Men’s Reporter, Jack George (@JackGeorge0004)
