Round 30 Review – League One Men’s
The FNSW League One Men’s competition provided a night of drama like no other to conclude the 2023 season in thrilling fashion.
At different points of the night, four teams found themselves in the playoff positions at either end of the table with two late St George goals securing a playoff position at the top end of the table, while their opponents Mounties Wanderers find themselves in the other playoff as they look to survive.
Take a deep breath in and let’s go through a wild night of action in surely the most dramatic league in NSW.
Match of the round: Hills United FC 5-4 Bonnyrigg White Eagles FC
We start our review with our match of the round which featured a lazy nine goals with Hills United prevailing 5-4 over Bonnyrigg White Eagles at Landen Stadium.
A night in which the visitors needed a win or as it turns out a draw to qualify for the playoff saw them leave themselves with too much to do in the second half.
While Hills United add the cherry on top of a memorable season which sees them finish eight points on top of the rest.
A fast start from the hosts disproved any doubt about whether Hills United would turn up for this one in front of a bumper crowd at Landen Stadium.
Jamal Belkadi having an early chance in the opening minute to rattle the visitors, denied by a good Luke Turnbull save.
Only one team was creating chances in the early stages and the hosts took the lead 18 minutes in. A deadly low cross from Glen Kelshaw on the right turned home by Mitchell Smith inside the six-yard area for the lead.
A lead which was doubled six minutes later, Jamal Belkadi slotting home from the edge of the area after Nathan Rayner sent a ball to the edge of the area.
Things were grim for the visitors who had their season on the line and a third came soon after that one. A Thomas Makko shot from distance fumbled into the net in unfortunate fashion by Turnbull. 3-0.
Be it from Hills stepping off the accelerator, or Bonnyrigg finally getting a grasp on the game, they finished the half with a few chances of their own.
Nikola Krljar missing a close-range chance hitting his effort over the bar, before Zac Sfiligoi and Emmanuel Gonzalez both also had chances drawing a save and hitting the side netting respectively.
A goal early in the second half would further dent their ambitions in the game, Nathan Rayner tapping home after Darcy Ellem ball beyond the defense allowed Belkadi to cut it back to him in prime position.
Both sides then turned to the bench which spurred on a Bonnyrigg comeback of sorts pulling the score back to 5-4 by the end of the game.
Nick Sullivan making the heaviest of impacts with a brace for the visitors. His first coming just before 70 minutes with a confident finish from outside the area.
However, Hills did respond to that goal making it 5-1 in the 72nd minute. Mitchell Smith this time applying the finish from inside the area.
At around this point, Mounties had taken the lead which drew a cheer from the Bonnyrigg fans in the ground.
And Bonnyrigg seemed to respond with the next three goals. Nick Sullivan with his second goal in the 77th minute (another well taken strike).
Before Radovan Pavicevic and Maksim Jez also found the back of the net in the last five minutes of the game.
However, it proved to be not enough as St George staged a fightback against Mounties Wanderers to take a point elsewhere. Bonnyrigg not having enough time to find the two goals they required in the dying stages of the match.
They bow out of the season finishing third behind St George FC on goal difference after three consecutive losses.
While for Hills, it was the icing on top of the historic premiership cake as they look forward to a season in the top tier in 2024 pending they meet the competition requirements of course.
Hills United FC 5 (Mitchell Smith 18’ 72’, Jamal Belkadi 24’, Thomas Makko 29’, Nathan Rayner 51’)
Bonnyrigg White Eagles FC 4 (Nick Sullivan 68’ 76’, Radovan Pavicevic 86’, Maksim Jez 94’)
Elsewhere:
Mounties Wanderers 2 (Matthew Self 71’ 83’) v St George FC 2 (Troy Danaskos 88’, Justin Poon 93’)
Just incredible, nothing else to add. St George FC came back from two goals down to both seal a playoff place and condemn Mounties Wanderers to one at the other end of the table.
And those two goals came in the final stages of proceedings with Troy Danaskos and Justin Poon finding the back of the net. Those goals sending them through to a home and away playoff with Mt Druitt.
At the same time, it’s a tough result for Mounties Wanderers to take who at 2-0 were on course to avoid a playoff fate. They will face Nepean FC in a home and away playoff over the next couple of weeks.
The first half saw both sides have a good chance to open the scoring in an even contest. Jesse Spang putting his penalty wide at one end for the visitors, while Shun Maeta hit the crossbar with a header for the hosts.
Second half the game opened up and Mounties were first to pounce. The first goal in the 71st minute coming in fortunate circumstances courtesy of Matthew Self. Before Self doubled his tally with a good free kick from out wide in the 83rd minute.
What followed was scarcely believable, St George FC scoring in both the 88th and 93rd minute. Firstly through Troy Danaskos with a back post header, before Justin Poon equalized deep into stoppage time.
Poon running onto a long ball from the centre circle and finishing. A wild celebration following as the bench emptied and players came from far and wide. Remarkable, just remarkable.
Blacktown Spartans FC 3 (Peter Pelekanos 61’ 64’, Dale Howarth 90’) v Dunbar Rovers FC 3 (Lucas Brandow Vidal 12’ 39’, Paul Gautier 86’)
A nervy 90 minutes to be sure, but Dunbar Rovers did just about enough to secure their 2024 status in the League One competition with a 3-3 draw with Blacktown Spartans.
The Dunbar Rovers saw a lead of theirs disappear twice within the duration of the game but the Mounties result elsewhere meant they survive in the competition.
For Blacktown Spartans, they showed plenty of heart in this one to come back into it finishing the season in high spirits with a 90th minute goal.
It was a night of drama and like the action elsewhere, this had a bit of everything. Knowing they needed a result and others would be watching the scoreline. Dunbar came out firing from the off, a gamble which looked to have paid off by half time.
Lucas Brandow Vidal securing a first half brace with goals in both the 12th and 39th minute. Like the last few weeks however, this wasn’t going to be easy for the visitors.
Blacktown Spartans capitalizing on a couple of set pieces to draw things level, Peter Pelekanos with a brace of his own scoring twice in five minutes after the hour mark.
Results elsewhere weren’t favourable for the visitors at this point, so once again they had to push for a go-ahead. One which they found in the 86th minute, Paul Gautier with that goal.
However, the Spartans were able to peg them back once again, Dale Howarth with the late goal to equalize.
Fortunately for Dunbar, results elsewhere saw them maintain their position in 14th and live another day. While the Spartans finish the season in 8th position on 44 points.
Inter Lions FC 4 (Owen Duke 8’, Nicholas Paras 66’ 85’, Fikret Berisha 91’) v Central Coast United FC 3 (Joshua Swadling 12’, Cade Thomson 64’, Owen Bradstreet 90’)
Inter Lions and Central Coast United signed off their respective 2023 campaigns with a high scoring thriller at Majors Bay Reserve.
Safe to say the competition wasn’t lacking goals Saturday night, with these two sides providing another seven in their fixture.
It was a free-flowing affair from the outset with both sides creating a fair number of chances. Owen Duke giving the hosts the lead early in the first half before Joshua Swadling pegged them back before half time with a freekick.
Central Coast United then took the lead in the 64th minute with a goal to Cade Thomson but that lead lasted just a couple of minutes before Nicholas Paras equalized for the hosts. Paras grabbing a second goal 20 minutes after that to put them ahead.
However, it was again the pirates turn to find an equalizer through Owen Bradstreet just before the end of regulation.
Inter would go on to win though with a Fikret Berisha goal into stoppage time securing the points and sending them into their Australia Cup fixture in good spirits.
Dulwich Hill FC 0 v Hakoah FC 3 (Jamie Masson 26’, Josh Fuchs 35’, Nicholas Drummond 85’)
Hakoah FC saved their best to last with a 3-0 victory over Dulwich Hill at Arlington Oval, Saturday night.
It’s been a tough old season for Hakoah FC in 2023 but they signed off in positive fashion at Arlington Oval, Saturday night.
Finding the net twice in the first half through Jamie Masson and Josh Fuchs gave them firm control of proceedings with Nicholas Drummond adding a third in the final ten minutes of the second half. A boost to end their season on a high, they will look to build in the preseason before returning to the pitch in 2024.
Despite the three losses at the end of the season, it’s safe to say Dulwich Hill have passed their test in 2023. Like many, they’ve struggled in the back half with injuries, but Tony Valavanis’ side will be better for a full preseason ahead of them.
Rydalmere Lions FC 0 v SD Raiders FC 2 (Mark Cindric 35’, Thomas Todd 41’)
Two goals late in the first half saw SD Raiders round out their season with a 2-0 win over Rydalmere Lions at Rydalmere Park.
A club on the up, on reflection SD Raiders will look back on their 2023 season with pride. They finished the season in the best form of any side with five straight wins including this one of Rydalmere Lions.
After starting this one positively, they got their reward in the 35th minute when a Noah Chianese cross found Mark Cindric to finish off.
A lead which they doubled before the break, Thomas Todd with the solo run cutting in from the left. From there they saw out the game well to claim the three points.
Things haven’t exactly gone to plan for Rydalmere Lions since their midseason coaching change. They’ll regroup in the off season and look to respond in 2024.
Macarthur Rams FC 0 v Canterbury Bankstown FC 1 (Brendon Mandizvidza 85’)
Canterbury Bankstown FC secured fifth position on the table with a narrow victory over Macarthur Rams away from home.
Opposed to games elsewhere across the grounds, this one played out to a different script with Canterbury Bankstown edging out their hosts.
The visitors held possession for good portions of the game which Macarthur Rams focused on keeping things tight defensively and hopefully finding joy in transition.
Jairo Torne Fernandez providing the moment of the first half when his shot was saved by Andrew Parkin in the Rams goal.
It continued in similar fashion early in the second half before Macarthur were reduced to ten on the hour mark.
The game opening up which saw the breakthrough come with five minutes left. Brendon Mandizvidza attacking a cross from Lachlan Mailey to give the Berries victory.
Bankstown City FC 1 (Jonathan Grozdanovski 35’) v Northern Tigers FC 1 (Charles Abou Serhal 16’)
Bankstown City and Northern Tigers shared the points at Jensen Park in the final fixture we cover of the weekend.
The action in this one came in the first half with both sides finding the back of the net before the break.
Both sides had their moments throughout though and Bankstown City in particular could have won a few games with the chances they created. It was Northern Tigers to take the lead though with Charles Abou Serhal finding the back of the net early.
A response coming from the hosts after the half hour through you guessed it, Jonathan Grozdanovski with his ninth goal of the season.
The point sees Bankstown City finish a solid season in 10th position with plenty of room to improve, while Northern Tigers campaign draws to a close with them finishing in 7th.
End of season writers note:
A big thank you to anyone who has read the previews/reviews this season. Yes, it has been long but I’ve enjoyed covering this wonderful league once again and what a conclusion to the season we had!
Looking forward to hopefully returning to do it all again in 2024, till then keep well and enjoy the break.
By Justin Smith
