Round 15 Review – League Two Men’s
Round Fifteen of the Football New South Wales League Two Men’s season saw the gap at the top reduced to just one point as the competition reached the halfway mark.
The Match of the Round saw Parramatta FC execute their game plan to strong effect as they beat South Coast Flame FC away, while earlier Nepean FC continued their strong form away to Sydney University SFC.
Following that, Bankstown United FC came from behind to beat Camden Tigers FC, Prospect United SC continued their rise away to Inner West Hawks FC, while a late equaliser saw Fraser Park FC draw away to the Western Rage.
The next day, the Newcastle Jets flew past Hawkesbury City FC, while Hurstville FC and UNSW FC could not be separated.
Gladesville Ryde Magic FC had a bye this round.
Saturday, 13th May 2023
Match of the Round: South Coast Flame FC 0-2 Parramatta FC
It was a chilly night at The Furnace, Sir Ian McLennan Oval, as Parramatta FC responded from a tough defeat in Round Fourteen with a smart 2-0 win away over South Coast Flame FC.
Parramatta’s top goal-scorer this season, Marco Sama, got injured just before kick-off, which led to a formation change and a change in tactics to suit the players Parramatta had left available to start.
The Flame had the first chance of the match, as a free kick floated in from the right into the box was headed just wide by a Flame player.
Parramatta had a chance to break early, but poor first touches halted their forays forward.
The Flame held most of the possession early while Parramatta looked to hit on the counter.
However, the breakthrough in the contest came early, in the visitors’ favour.
In the 14th minute, the ball was played in behind by Youssef Badr for Abdul Aljabery, who stood up his defender who tripped.
He worked his way into the Flame box from there and took a shot, which Flame goalkeeper Seiya Miyamoto got a hand to.
However, that only deflected the ball into the air, before it landed in the bottom-right corner of the net; Parramatta took the early 1-0 lead.
This early lead worked in Parramatta’s favour as it allowed them to continue their gameplan of soaking up the Flame pressure with men behind the ball, while continuing to press to win the ball and hit on the counter.
For the Flame, it was a tough start as it meant attacking Parramatta became harder due to their gameplan.
The Flame had more chances in the following five minutes, as a header went wide before Flame captain James Baldacchino lobbed the ball in behind the Parramatta defence for Adam Voloder, who took a touch inside the box before his right-footed shot went wide.
A few minutes later, Baldacchino saw Parramatta goalkeeper Jameson Hinwood slightly off his line as he tried to chip him from around 40 yards out, but his effort flew over the bar.
Parramatta sat in a strong defensive block, with the midfield line sitting close in front of the backline, leaving space in the midfield for the Flame.
Baldacchino continued to test his luck from range but was unable to direct his shots on target early.
Following that, the Flame missed three opportunities to counter or play long balls in behind as Parramatta pressed and won the ball back.
The Flame players yelled out as frustration ruled over.
Two minutes before half-time, the Flame were awarded a free kick about 25 yards out from goal.
However, the attempted shot from the direct free kick went over the bar.
Throughout the half, the Flame had plenty of runners on the Parramatta backline, matching up sometimes man-on-man, ready to get in behind, but were unable to do so.
After two minutes of added time, the referee blew his whistle to signal the end of the half, as Parramatta took a 1-0 lead into the break.
Parramatta kicked off the second half, kicking from right to left.
They had the first shot of the half as a long shot across the ground went wide of the left-hand post.
The Flame hit at the other end as a shot was directed on target, but only into the arms of Hinwood.
Parramatta started the second half the strongest as they pressed the Flame and won the ball back in midfield, while they also put pressure on the Flame defence with their press.
The Flame made a break down their left in the 52nd minute as a ball was played across into the box.
Voloder looked to have gotten on the end of it, but the ball evaded him in the box as it fizzed in front of the Parramatta goal line before a Parramatta player cleared the ball up the field.
The final decision-making in the final third and in the box was missing for the Flame, who overplayed their passes at times instead of attacking the goal with a shot, while the Parramatta defence stayed strong.
In the 58th minute, Parramatta continued their press and won the ball in midfield again.
Muamer Mesanovic hit on the break after the ball was won as he worked his way into the Flame box; his shot was fired just wide of the goal.
A minute later, the Flame broke on a five-on-five counterattack; again, the final ball was missing as they spurned another chance at a good shot at the Parramatta goal.
The crowd grew restless as the final pass or shot from the Flame was missing.
The Flame continued to attack with good build-up play, but the first touch was missing from the Flame off another cross into the box.
In the 68th minute, the Flame worked the ball from the edge of the 18-yard-box on their right; a low ball was played in which Samuel Alston attacked, but he was unable to get a big enough touch to guide the ball on target as it went out for a goal kick.
Daniel Alessi received a yellow card for Parramatta after he fouled a Flame player who had attempted to run in behind following a long ball over the Parramatta defence in the 70th minute.
Three minutes later, the Flame launched a long ball into the box but the Flame player waiting in the middle was unable to direct his header on target.
In the 77th minute, Parramatta had a shot which was saved by Miyamoto before it deflected into the air and almost landed in the far-right bottom corner.
It was cleared off the line by a Flame player before it fell to another Parramatta player, who put his shot across the box which found another Parramatta attacker, who fired wide of the left-hand upright.
The visitors had another chance from distance which went wide of the left-hand post.
‘Slide’ was the call from Parramatta goalkeeper Hinwood; their defence slid to strong effect all night to that point to prevent the Flame from having space in wide areas.
Parramatta had numbers in midfield as they won the ball back on many occasions and broke forward in numbers.
Their game plan paid off again, as they doubled their lead in the 86th minute.
Parramatta made a break count through Mesanovic, who drove down the left flank.
He beat the Flame midfield and defence as he made his way to the byline down the left-hand side.
He crossed the ball into the middle for an open Abdullatif Ghazal, who took his time to calmly slot the ball into the back of the net to double the visitors’ lead with four minutes to go.
In the first minute of stoppage time, Parramatta almost added a third late after a penalty call was waved away.
The ball was played back from the right inside the box for an open Mesanovic, who failed to hit the target from inside the box despite being free.
In the fifth minute of stoppage time, the Flame won one final free-kick just outside the Parramatta box on the right, but the shot from it went over the bar for a Parramatta free-kick.
The referee blew his whistle to signal full-time following that, as Parramatta FC picked up a tough 2-0 away win over South Coast Flame FC.
It was a night of ‘what could have been’ for the Flame, who were unable to make their dominance with possession count.
Parramatta, conversely, fired up against the Flame and utilised their gameplan to hit on the counter to score their second goal and wrap up the victory.
The result kept the Flame in fourth place behind third-placed Nepean FC, while Parramatta stayed ninth but moved within three points of eighth-placed Hurstville FC.
Speaking post-match, South Coast Flame FC defender Jacob Poscoliero said his side had enough chances to win the match but were just unable to take them.
“We just were not clinical enough in front of goal, which has probably been our issue in the past three or four weeks.”
However, Poscoliero wanted to keep the season in perspective.
“We are a very young team… we are a work in progress with some fantastic young boys, we try to play an attractive brand of football.”
The perspective for the Flame is important regarding not getting too far away from what the goals are for the season.
“We just need to keep working, take it game by game and not get ahead of ourselves and hopefully we are in contention towards the end [of the season] of getting promotion, if possible.”
Meanwhile, Parramatta FC head coach Luis Contigiani was pleased with how his side adapted to the system they played and how they saw out the win.
“We sat numbers deep to stop and win those [long diagonal] balls and we were very disruptive.”
He knew the chances would come for his side if they were patient in waiting for their chances to attack.
“We knew that, sooner or later, [the Flame] would make a bad pass or mistake… we just had to capitalise and that is what we did… our game was to disrupt and take away their space and frustrate them.”
However, the challenge for Parramatta is finding that consistency week-in-week-out.
“We have got the ability, but you have got into their head, ‘that effort tonight has to be the same effort next week, the week after’ and so on.”
South Coast Flame FC will look to return to the winner’s list as they travel to face the Western Rage next week, while Parramatta FC face a tough prospect in first-placed UNSW FC away.
Sydney University SFC 1-3 Nepean FC
Nepean continued their rise up the table as they held off Sydney University SFC late to claim a 3-1 win at the Sydney University Football Ground.
Nepean had four players out through sickness but started the stronger of the two teams as Matthew Crossley scored two goals in the opening ten minutes to take an early 2-0 lead.
Sydney University slowly built into the match following the early setbacks but were unable to find a goal before half-time as the visitors took a 2-0 lead into the break.
University had more chances in the second half but were unable to take advantage of them.
In the 70th minute, however, Aiden Hardiman was brought down in the box for University as James Reed stepped up to take the penalty.
He calmly slotted the penalty into the back of the net as the hosts reduced the deficit to one goal.
However, University suffered a crucial injury as their goalkeeper, Jasper Sarkies, took a knock and was unable to continue, which meant Jordan Polyzos came on to replace him.
Polyzos made some important saves to keep the deficit low late.
However, University were unable to take their chances at the other end before Nepean were awarded a penalty in the 88th minute after Polyzos brought down a Nepean forward in the box.
Rory McGeown stepped up and converted the spot kick to give the visitors a late third goal, as Nepean came away 3-1 winners.
The win kept Nepean in third place, but they moved just two points behind ladder-leaders UNSW FC, while Sydney University SFC stayed in eleventh place.
Sydney University SFC will hope to bounce back from a third loss from four matches as they travel to face Bankstown United FC next week, while Nepean could take top spot with a victory away to Prospect United SC.
Bankstown United FC 4-2 Camden Tigers FC
Mitchell Cross was the hat-trick hero for Bankstown United FC, who came from behind to win 4-2 at home at Padtow Park to Camden Tigers FC, who slumped to a fifth-straight loss.
Mitchell Edmunds came off injured in the 31st minute, which meant Mitchell Cross entered the match early.
Camden created chances to score in the first half but were unable to convert their chances, while Bankstown had chances of their own.
However, the second half had all the action in this match.
Abdu Elmir scored from a corner for the Tigers in the 54th minute, after a deflected save from Bankstown goalkeeper Jordan Bruce pushed the ball to him to score.
Five minutes later, Corey Freeman had a shot for Bankstown which was saved by the Tigers goalkeeper, Michael O’Rourke, before it deflected to Cross, who scored from close range.
Bankstown continued their momentum in the 63rd minute after an Isaac Schipp shot from outside the box was deflected to Corey Freeman, who finished to give the hosts a 2-1 lead.
A ball delivered into the six-yard box in the 71st minute was headed by Cross into the back of the Tigers’ net to help Bankstown to a 3-1 lead.
The match was sealed in the 92nd minute after a penalty was awarded to Bankstown following a foul in the box, which led to a chance for Cross to grab his hat-trick.
Cross stepped up and slotted to ball to the Tigers goalkeeper’s left to grab the match ball and secure the victory for Bankstown.
From kick-off, Camden crossed the ball into the box as Francesco Giannetto arrived at the back post to finish off the chance to give the Tigers a consolation goal late in the third minute of stoppage time.
However, Bankstown United were pleased with their performance as they picked up the 4-1 win to make a gap in tenth place, while the Tigers fell to consecutive 4-2 losses and remained in twelfth.
Bankstown United FC will hope to back up that performance as they host Sydney University SFC next week in front of an expected good crowd, while Camden Tigers FC will hope to deliver a response as they travel to face Hawkesbury City FC next week.
Inner West Hawks FC 2-4 Prospect United SC
Inner West Hawks FC fell to back-to-back losses while Prospect United SC moved to six matches unbeaten, including five wins, as the visitors came away 4-2 winners at Arlington Oval.
The Hawks had a few opportunities early but were unable to capitalise on them as it was an even first thirty minutes.
However, in the 38th minute Rhys Osmond spun his player from 25 yards out that flew into the top corner to give the visitors the 1-0 lead.
Prospect doubled their lead in the 45th minute when Adam Sayour was the first to react in the six-yard-box to slot home a half-cleared ball from a corner kick, as they lead 2-0 at the break.
Following half-time, Sayour missed a shot from close range as Hawks’ goalkeeper Shunsuke Sugiura sent Hesan Soufi away.
He scored for the Hawks following a cut-out ball from Peter Phillips which found him, as he pulled a goal back for the hosts.
However, Sayour made up for his miss seven minutes earlier as he slotted the ball home from six yards to give Prospect a 3-1 lead in the 59th minute.
Following that, Soufi scored for the Hawks from about 30 yards out into the top corner to reduce the deficit to one goal once again.
However, Prospect held their nerve as Tallon Zahra found some space inside the Hawks’ box and rifled a shot into the back of the net to give Prospect a 4-2 lead in the 83rd minute.
The Hawks’ defence let them down as Prospect held their nerve and found the clinical edge as they came away 4-2 winners.
The loss moved the Hawks down to 14th on the ladder, while Prospect continued their rise as they moved up two spots into sixth place.
Inner West Hawks FC will look for a response as they travel to face Gladesville Ryde Magic in Round Sixteen, while Prospect United SC will hope to potentially rise to as high as fourth place as they host the in-form Nepean FC.
Western Rage 2-2 Fraser Park FC
A late equaliser helped Fraser Park FC earn a 2-2 draw away to the Western Rage in a tough match at Rydalmere Park.
The visitors almost found the opening goal in the 4th minute through Shu Torihara after he was played in behind, but his one-on-one shot was saved by Rage goalkeeper, Samuel Bortolazzo.
Following that, the Rage pressed well through central areas and dominated possession.
They had a golden chance to take the lead through Jacob Carluccio, who was played in behind by Jamie Nicolaou, but the former’s shot hit the crossbar.
Nicolaou set up Carluccio with a through ball following that chance, who cut the ball back to Jason Najdovski, whose shot from outside the box hit the crossbar.
However, the pressure from the Rage told in the 21st minute.
Down the left in attack again, Nicolaou found Najdovski, who played the ball to Carluccio, who hit a left-footed shot into the top of the net to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
The Rage doubled their lead in the 37th minute when Jad Moussa made a break and beat a few Fraser Park players before he was brought down in the box by Daniel Marques and earned the Rage a penalty.
Najdovski scored the penalty to the goalkeeper’s right, low and hard into the corner, to give the hosts a 2-0 lead.
However, in the last action of the first half, Fraser Park pulled one goal back.
From a Fraser Park corner delivered by Samuel Paslis, Bortolazzo came out to punch the ball, missed it and Fraser Park’s Paul Turrin headed the ball into an empty net at the far post to make the score 2-1 to the Rage at half-time.
In the second half, the Rage were solid and limited Fraser Park’s chance; Moussa had two one-on-ones for the Rage, but Fraser Park goalkeeper Patrick Ferrara did well to save them.
Ferrara earned more plaudits after he denied Rage substitute Oscar Felipe Nieto Rave in three separate one-on-one chances.
It was high intensity, high pressure, and high press in the last ten minutes from Fraser Park as they threw everything forwards in hopes of a late equaliser.
The pressure told in the 87th minute, as a cross for Fraser Park from substitute Miki Bisceglia found Torihara at the near post, who scored with a diving header into the corner of the net to level the scores late.
Despite the performance on the night from Moussa, who put in a shift to beat players, win the penalty and win the ball up high, as well as from Rage defended Michael Sada, who has earned his starting spot as a centre-half and won the ball in the air and on the ground, the Rage settled for the draw.
The performance from Fraser Park goalkeeper Ferrara was crucial in earning his side a point in a tough match.
There was big respect from both coaches towards each other in the Rage’s Carlo Ianni and Fraser Park’s Alex Araujo as an enjoyable match ended level.
The draw moved Fraser Park down to 7th place on the ladder, while the Rage closed the gap to Hawkesbury City FC and Inner West Hawks FC at the bottom to five points.
The Western Rage will hope to pick up all three points next week as they host South Coast Flame FC, while Fraser Park have the week off with the bye.
Sunday, 14th May 2023
Newcastle Jets 4-1 Hawkesbury City FC
The Newcastle Jets moved to within a point of ladder-leaders UNSW FC with a 4-1 victory at home to Hawkesbury City FC, who lost their first match in three weeks.
The Jets started strong at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility, but Hawkesbury defended well in the first half as the sides entered the sheds at half-time locked at 0-0.
However, all the action came in the second half.
Hawkesbury goalkeeper Daniel Schwarzer made strong saves to deny the Jets, who also had shots blocked.
Hawkesbury had a good chance to open the scoring through Harry Drew, but his shot just missed the post.
Hawkesbury then missed an open goal opportunity for a tap-in after a strong cross by Predrag Bojic.
The Jets opened the scoring shortly after before the Jets’ goalkeeper Noah James made a strong one-on-one save to stop Hawkesbury from scoring the equaliser.
The Jets quickly grabbed a second goal shortly after before Stuart Gosling scored a goal for Hawkesbury following a drive into the box to bring the score back to 2-1 with ten minutes to go in the match.
However, Hawkesbury ran out of energy in the final ten minutes as the Jets scored two more goals late to secure the victory, 4-1, in a tough encounter.
The win moved the Jets up to second place, one point behind ladder-leaders UNSW FC, while Hawkesbury City FC moved down to 14th on the ladder on goal difference.
The Newcastle Jets will hope to take top spot in the league as they travel to face Hurstville FC next week, while Hawkesbury City FC will hope for a reply as they host Camden Tigers FC.
Hurstville FC 1-1 UNSW FC
Both Hurstville FC and UNSW FC could have taken all three points in a tough matchup as both sides had to settle for the 1-1 draw at Penshurst Park.
UNSW FC started the match the stronger of the two teams and were aggressive with their pressed as they transitioned quickly.
Hurstville were sloppy with the ball which allowed UNSW to earn some chances early, including two shots which hit the crossbar.
Mathias Da Silva Santos missed a one-on-one as UNSW failed to convert a few good opportunities they created.
However, Hurstville tightened up a bit and started to find some joy going forward.
Despite this, though, an error led to another turnover for the hosts in their final third as UNSW scored the opening goal through the competition’s top goal scorer, Kevin Lopes.
Paul Gagro had a chance to score for Hurstville following strong combination play as he was slipped in behind, but he hit his shot wide, as UNSW took a 1-0 lead into half-time.
In the second half, Hurstville started with intensity as they forced errors and looked to dominate the middle of the park, particularly through Samuel Shainfeld.
The Hurstville substitutes also helped with their pressure, as Hurstville’s Mouhamed Hamdache forced a turnover from UNSW’s Callum Fitzpatrick on the edge of the UNSW box as he turned and buried the ball into the back of the net to level the scores, 1-1.
UNSW had a chance cleared off the line late, as well as a bouncing ball from a corner which flashed over the bar as they searched for a late winner.
Hurstville looked to drive UNSW back, who attempted to cross balls into the box to no avail.
In the end, neither side were able to find the decisive goal as both sides had to settle for a 1-1 draw.
The draw moved Hurstville FC down to 8th place on the ladder, while UNSW FC’s lead at the top of the table was reduced to one point following the Newcastle Jets’ earlier victory.
Hurstville FC will hope to extend their unbeaten run to five matches as they host the second-placed Newcastle Jets next week, while UNSW FC will hope to retain top spot as they host Parramatta FC in Round Sixteen.
By Football New South Wales League Two Men’s Writer, Dylan Costa @_dylancosta
