Round 19 Review – League One Men’s
Title race on? After a positive couple of results for Bonnyrigg White Eagles during the week, there is competition at both ends of the FNSW League One Men’s competition after 19 rounds.
Yes, with Hills taking one point from their last couple of fixtures, Bonnyrigg have cut the gap at the top to 3 points. While elsewhere, victories for Canterbury Bankstown, Macarthur Rams, Northern Tigers and Rydalmere Lions have shaken up the table.
Round 19 Match of the round: Canterbury Bankstown FC 3-2 Mounties Wanderers FC
Canterbury Bankstown came back from two goals down to extend the woes of Mounties Wanderers in our match of the round at Jensen Park.
A goal right before the half time whistle changed the momentum of the fixture with Jairo Torne Fernandez playing a starring role with two goals.
The defeat leaving Mounties on 14 points ahead of a six-pointer next weekend against Dunbar Rovers. While Canterbury Bankstown maintains the pace as they sit equal fourth.
The fixture started with plenty of intensity on the field, with Mounties Wanderers in particular looking to move the ball quickly around the field.
With the first chance of the game falling their way 13 minutes in. Zander Regan sending a ball across the face from wide on the right side of the box before Andre Schroeder followed up with his shot blocked by the Berries defense.
Mounties continued their search for a goal against their hosts who were struggling to get their foot on the ball. Shun Maeta with the next chance in the 25th minute picking up the ball in an advanced position before his strike found the left facing post before bouncing out.
Their reward coming four minutes later. Shun Maeta rising highest to head home from inside the six-yard box from a Matthew Self set piece delivery from the right to give the visitors a deserved lead.
And their lead was doubled with four minutes left in the half through Bruno Pivato, Zander Regan continuing his great performance on the right squaring the ball to him before a lunging finish.
However there was to be a twist before the referees whistle, Canterbury Bankstown pulling a goal back in the final stages of the first half. Mounties conceding a penalty which Jairo Torne Fernandez made no mistake converting high into the net. 2-1 Mounties.
Opposed to the opening half, Canterbury Bankstown looked a better side after the resumption, matching their visitor’s intensity and completing more of their passes.
Finding their equaliser on 55 minutes. A long ball not dealt with by Thomas Sutton with Jairo Torne Fernandez fortuitously taking the ball towards goal before finishing from a narrow angle. This coming seconds after a dangerous Mounties excursion forward seconds earlier.
The comeback complete just after the hour mark. Torne Fernandez playing a role in the lead up sliding through Cian McNamara who squared it to Garang Awac for the finish. 3-2 Canterbury Bankstown.
Now chasing the game, Mounties Wanderers had a chance at the other end, a ball from the right finding Matthew Self whose effort flashed across the face on 65 minutes.
They were however left frustrated as they weren’t able to create the chances they were having in the first half with the Berries looking the more threatening.
Shun Maeta with the visitors next chance a full fifteen minutes later, his shot from distance going straight to the keeper.
Canterbury Bankstown FC face Bonnyrigg White Eagles next weekend, while Mounties Wanderers host Dunbar Rovers.
Canterbury Bankstown FC 3 (Jairo Torne Fernandez 45’ 50’, Garang Awac 60’)
Mounties Wanderers FC 2 (Shun Maeta 29’, Bruno Pivato 33’)
Elsewhere
SD Raiders FC 2 (Klime Sekutkoski 37’, Mihael Marcic 43’) v Hills United FC 2 (Mitchell Smith 7’, Glen Kelshaw 66’)
SD Raiders held competition leaders Hills United to a draw in their top three clash at Ernie Smith Reserve.
It was a game which promised goals leading up and it delivered with Hills United putting themselves ahead through Mitchell Smith before Glen Kelshaw levelled the scoreline midway through the second half.
For SD Raiders, they scored twice in quick succession in the final ten minutes of the first half through Klime Sekutkoski and Mihael Marcic. They now sit three points behind Bonnyrigg in second position.
Between two sides who have little trouble finding the back of net, it didn’t take long for this one to become lively. SD Raiders denied a goal early by an offside flag before Hills opened the scoring at the other end.
Glen Kelshaw delivering a trademark cross from the right for Mitchell Smith to finish from inside the area.
SD Raiders kept at it though and really began to push midway through the half. Rewarded by a goal from the penalty spot through Klime Sekutkoski, before adding a second through Mihael Marcic.
With plenty of ammunition on the bench, Hills then took control of the second half after the hour mark with Jordy Lane finding Glenn Kelshaw to finish with his head. They then continued to press for a winner but couldn’t apply a finish to take the three points.
Hakoah FC 1 (Finley Hayhurst 40’) v Bonnyrigg White Eagles FC 2 (Mark Rodic 38’, Emmanuel Gonzalez 71’)
Bonnyrigg White Eagles closed the gap at the top of the table to four points with a victory over Hakoah FC at Hensley Athletic.
Backing up from a big midweek win (see below review), Bomber Browns side did just about enough to gain a crucial three points.
Mark Rodic opened their account in the first half heading home from a Maksim Jez cross. Before Emmanuel Gonzalez converted from the spot in the second half after Tom Whiteside was brought down.
It’s a fifth home defeat for Hakoah FC who found a quick equaliser in the first half through Finley Hayhurst. They will brush themselves off before a trip to Rockdale Ilinden Sports Centre to face St George next weekend.
While Bonnyrigg return home to host Canterbury Bankstown next weekend.
Northern Tigers FC 5 (Kai Denton 1’ 77’, Lachlan Lloyd 3’, Luca Kmet 33’, Ahmed Sweedan 56’) v Central Coast United FC 1 (Adam Woodbine 30’ )
Finding some form! Northern Tigers scored a third straight victory extending the woes of Central Coast United at the wrong end of the table.
How things can change with three victories in a row, the Tigers now occupying 6th position on the table. Finding the net five times on the night, Kai Denton picked up a brace while Lachie Lloyd, Luca Kmet and Ahmed Sweedan also contributed to the result.
Conceding twice in the opening three minutes, safe to say it was a nightmare start for Central Coast United. Adam Woodbine found the back of the net to half the deficit before they conceded another three goals.
The Tigers sit on 29 points after 19 rounds ahead of their trip to Arlington Oval next weekend. While Central Coast United host Blacktown Spartans.
Dunbar Rovers FC 1 (Olivier Beltran-Woodward 61’) v Macarthur Rams FC 2 (Anthony Proia 45’ 51’)
Macarthur Rams secured an important victory to give them breathing room over Dunbar Rovers in the lower end of the midtable.
Described as a tough encounter, an Anthony Proia brace was the deciding factor on the night with Macarthur moving up to 10th position on the standings after nineteen rounds with their seventh win.
Proia scoring from the spot for his first, before combining with Michael Martin and Daniel Bittar for the second. Doing well to head home a Bittar cross.
For Dunbar, they started the better of the two sides once again but were punished for not making the most of it. Olivier Beltran-Woodward found the back of the net in the second half to half the deficit but attention turns to a massive game at the bottom next weekend.
Macarthur Rams on the other hand host SD Raiders in a South-West Sydney clash at Lynwood Park.
Rydalmere Lions FC 2 (Ahmad Taleb 58’ 63’) v Bankstown City FC 0
Bouncing back from a disappointing defeat last weekend, Rydalmere Lions proved too strong for Bankstown City at Rydalmere Park.
Two Ahmad Taleb goals around the hour mark proved the difference between the two sides with Rydalmere Lions moving to 28 points in 9th position. However, it was a win inspired by their youthful talent with 18-year-old Issac Cunningham picking up the clubs man of the match award. While Kent Mizukoshi and Vasili Kastoumis both made their first grade debuts.
A disappointing result for Bankstown City who have slipped to their third defeat in a row. Sitting on 21 points, they’ll next face Inter Lions with a victory important to push them up the table.
While Rydalmere Lions will be hoping this result sparks a run of form with a big game against Hills United next weekend.
Blacktown Spartans FC 3 (Daniel Durkin 12’ 38’, Emmanuel Dolo 80’) v Dulwich Hill FC 3 (Jamison Power 44’, Mark Younes 49’, Harry Browell 65’)
Blacktown Spartans and Dulwich Hill shared the spoils in a high scoring contest at Blacktown Football Park.
In a game full of momentum swings, Blacktown Spartans took a two-goal lead in the first half despite not being at their best with a brace coming from Daniel Durkin in the first half. Before a late Emmanuel Dolo goal saved their blushes with ten minutes remaining.
The result was harsh on Dulwich Hill who were the better side for large periods of the contest. Jamison Power and Mark Younes scored a goal either side of half time before taking the lead through Harry Browell on the hour mark. However they had to settle for a point, one which further takes them away from the bottom two.
Blacktown Spartans travel up to Pluim Park next weekend while Dulwich Hill host Northern Tigers.
Inter Lions FC 1 (Patrick Scibilio 89’) v St George FC 1 (Shunta Nakamura 64’)
Inter Lions came from a goal down to take a point from their fixture with St George FC at Majors Bay Reserve.
Having gained a reputation for a late goal, Inter Lions once again pulled one out of the hat with Patrick Scibilio finding the back of the net with a couple minutes remaining. They will turn their attention to a Waratah Cup Semi-Final against Sydney United midweek.
The result sees St George drop to fourth on the table sitting five points below Bonnyrigg in 2nd position. They started the stronger of the two sides however lacked that final pass, Shunta Nakamura their sole goal scorer.
Between two sides who have had a mixed run of form of late, this spark in this one came from the substitutes. Conor Quilligan making a big difference for the visitors playing a role in Shunta Nakamura’s goal for the opener.
While Inter responded and found the back of the net through Scibilio with a glancing header into the top corner with both sides settling for a point each.
Round 15 Match of the round: Bonnyrigg White Eagles FC 3-1 Hills United FC
Three second half goals gave Bonnyrigg White Eagles the victory over competition leaders Hills United in a rescheduled match of the round clash at Bonnyrigg Sports Club.
After a tight opening half, the first goal was always going to prove priceless in this one. And so it proved with Bonnyrigg White Eagles going to scored three unanswered goals in the second half.
The first being a freak own goal falling in their favour. A cross from Jack Kuipers on the right catching the shin of Glen Kelshaw at the back post who helplessly saw it fall into the back of the net.
It was down the right side of attack where the hosts were finding joy. Kuipers delivering another cross which was eventually cleared before Mark Rodic played a defence splitting pass for Mun-Soo Gil to finish with his left foot.
Their scoring complete three minutes later through Emmanuel Gonzalez. The striker playing a long-range one-two before finishing inside the area.
Hills did manage a response through an Eoin Montford penalty but it wasn’t to be their night.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles FC 3 (Glen Kelshaw OG 55’, Mun-Soo Gil 73’, Emmanuel Gonzalez 76’)
Hills United FC 1 (Eoin Montford 96’)
By Justin Smith
