Round 2 Review – League One Men’s
Whether it be a late home win or emphatic win on the road, round 2 of the FNSW League One Men’s competition had a bit of everything across the weekend.
Our match of the round saw Northern Tigers score an emphatic victory on the road while UNSW FC and Nepean FC made their first appearance of the season elsewhere.
With a busy week ahead, let’s look at the weekend that was in the competition.
Match of the Round: Bankstown City 1-4 Northern Tigers
Northern Tigers were at their clinical best in their 4-1 victory over Bankstown City in our match of the round at Jensen Park.
Three unanswered goals in the second half gave them the victory after a closely fought contest up until that point with Olivier Beltran-Woodward and Elliot Carwardine starring for the visitors at either end of the field.
Northern Tigers started this one in positive fashion opening the scoring in the first ten minutes from a corner on the right side. Kawaguchi whipping a ball into the near post which caused all sorts of problems for the defense with Jakub Prajza getting the last touch. Kawaguchi having the only chance of note before that opener.
Both sides were showing they were a threat from the set piece with James Mckenzie drawing the hosts level with a header at the back post in the 22nd minute, the corner taken by James Mckenzie.
The game was evenly set and the next chance fell to Mabior Garang for the hosts who found himself with plenty of time inside the attacking area before his shot headed for the near corner was palmed onto the post by Tigers keeper Elliot Carwardine in the 28th minute.
Carwardine once again called upon soon after, Shun Maeta cutting in off the right before shooting with his left less than two minutes later.
Our first half finishing with the hosts perhaps in the better position heading into the second half.
Garang again having a good opportunity to make it 2-1 when he was played through one v one which Carwardine cleaned up on 48 minutes.
Northern Tigers on the other hand scoring with their second chance of the half in the 58th minute. Olivier Beltran-Woodward getting the goal after Daniel Bakrdanikoski denied Zac Waddell on the line. Scott releasing him in the build-up.
This immediately brought the Bankstown City bench into action adding another man to their attack.
Suddenly though, the momentum seemed to be with the visitors, James Plumley getting the next chance in the 65th minute. A goal following seconds later, Beltran-Woodward turning provider for Lachlan Lloyd to finish from close range. 3-1 to the visitors.
While Shun Maeta cut the ball back across the face in the best chance for the hosts following the Tigers third.
The cherry on top of the Northern Tigers victory coming through Zac Waddell who finished a fantastic team move down the right wing before Scott found Waddell in the box.
Northern Tigers face Bonnyrigg White Eagles at home this Wednesday night, while it doesn’t get any easier for Bankstown City who take on Mt Druitt Town Rangers at the same time.
Bankstown City 1 (Mckenzie 22’)
Northern Tigers 4 (Prajza 8’, Beltran Woodward 55’, Lloyd 65’, Waddell 86’)
Elsewhere
Dulwich Hill 1-3 Bulls FC Academy
Bulls FC Academy continued their good start to the season with a 3-1 victory over Dulwich Hill at Arlington Oval.
The visitors were tested thoughout with Dulwich Hill using a high press in the early stages of the match. Both sides creating early chances before Bulls FC Academy broke through.
Their first goal coming from the penalty spot through Ariath Piol, Abdelah Faisal winning the penalty after bearing down on goal from the left.
That lead extended on 37 minutes when Jesper Webber found the top corner with his shot from outside the box.
Two becoming three halfway through the second half, a passing move giving Piol his second of the evening with Randazzo assisting with a clever pass to find him. Indeed, the difference between the two sides was in the key moments of the fixture, the Bulls relentless with theirs while the hosts weren’t as clinical.
However, despite being down by three goals, Dulwich Hill kept going and earnt their goal in the second half scored by Emmanuel Zervas. They can take positives into their midweek fixture Wednesday night.
Dulwich Hill 1 (Zervas 77’)
Bulls FC Academy 3 (Piol 13’ 67’, Webber 37’)
Hakoah FC 3-2 Canterbury Bankstown FC
Hakoah FC claimed a come from behind victory over Canterbury Bankstown to conclude the round in our sole Sunday game.
It was a game with plenty of momentum shifts throughout, the hosts starting well before the visitors opened the scoring. Taiga Kawano scoring from the penalty spot after 15 minutes which gave the Berries some momentum.
This time a penalty falling at the other end with Yianni Spyrakis scoring a penalty of his own on 25 minutes.
Hakoah taking a 2-1 advantage to the break, the hosts reacting first to a ball in the box with Samuel Shepherd applying the critical touch.
But we weren’t done with the momentum changes with the Berries responding well after the break and scoring ten minutes into the second half through Bonmyeong Koo.
With that goal came a boost and Marco Turpeinen and Patrick Savor both thought they had put the visitors ahead if not for an offside flag and a save from Nikolas Loe.
That save coming in even more handy late when Hakoah claimed the three points with a late goal, George Tuson-Firth scoring the winner in the last minute of regulation.
A lesson learnt for the Berries, they face Macarthur Rams next, while Hakoah FC take on Dulwich Hill at Valentine Sports Park.
Hakoah FC 3 (Spyrakis 25’, Shepherd 41’, Tuson-Firth 90’)
Canterbury Bankstown FC 2 (Kawano 17’, Koo 55’)
Dunbar Rovers 3-4 Blacktown Spartans
Our highest scoring fixture of the weekend saw Blacktown Spartans claim the three points against Dunbar Rovers at Fraser Park.
The scoreline perhaps closer than it should have been, the Spartans held an advantage for over an hour of the contest.
It started off with Dunbar Rovers on top however with the hosts having a few chances in the opening quarter hour. However, Spartans were the team to take the ascendency. Angus Chance opening the scoring after a well worked one touch passing move saw Riley Chappie find him with a cross.
The advantage doubled through Daniel Araujo who was on the spot when a long-range effort deflected off the keeper. Dunbar responding with a goal of their own shortly after through Lucas Brandow Vidal. A two goal Spartans lead restored through Aedon Kyra before the half time whistle.
Throwing caution to the wind, Dunbar Rovers threw numbers forward in the second half with Brandow Vidal scoring another goal to his tally and Paul Gautier scoring their third. They would fall short however with Aedon Kyra also finding another earlier in the half to make it 4-2 Spartans at the time.
Dunbar Rovers host our round three match of the round this Tuesday night against UNSW while Blacktown Spartans host Bulls FC Academy 24 hours later.
Dunbar Rovers 3 (Vidal 34’ 67’, Gautier 89’)
Blacktown Spartans 4 (Chance 23’, Araujo 32’, Kyra 38’ 74’)
UNSW FC 2-1 Inter Lions
UNSW FC opened their season with a come back victory over Inter Lions at the Village Green, Saturday evening.
It’s safe to say the students understood the assignment cramming in two goals at the last minute to secure the three points in this one.
Before that however, they were put under a lot of pressure in the first half with Inter Lions on top. Fikret Berisha scoring a goal on the brink of half time after a direct ball caught the Uni defense napping.
UNSW keeper Charles Samushonga also having a good first half to keep them in the fixture.
The second half saw the game turn on it’s head with UNSW now on top while Inter looked to see the game out. Kevin Lopes nearly equalising in the second half, hitting the post from a yard out.
Before captain Luke Burke stepped up to score a double late on. First scoring with his head with two minutes of regulation left, before he grabbed a second deep into added time.
The ball falling to him in the area before finishing with the last kick of the game. The students move on to visit near neighbours Dunbar Rovers this Tuesday night, while Inter Lions visit Rydalmere a night later.
UNSW FC 2 (Burke 85’ 96’)
Inter Lions 1 (Berisha 45’)
Rydalmere Lions 0-1 Bonnyrigg White Eagles
Although not the prettiest result, Bonnyrigg White Eagles secured their first victory of the season over Rydalmere Lions away from home.
The visitors did find it tough though against a Rydalmere side who pushed them with an aggressive well organised brand of football throughout.
However, the visitors worked hard for the result, rewarded with a freakish goal to give them the victory in the second half. That coming from a goalkeeping error in the second half after a Braeden Andreotti cross from the right wing.
From there, the hosts pushed for an equalizer with a few good chances falling their way in the remaining minutes.
Positives for both sides coming out of this one. Rydalmere Lions Anthony Harb coach noted he was pleased with some positive signs through but there’s still work to do in attacking transition. Whille Bonnyrigg counterpart “Bomber” Brown praised his sides efforts in keeping a clean sheet at a tough place to play.
Rydalmere Lions 0
Bonnyrigg White Eagles 1 (Andreotti? 61’)
SD Raiders 0-1 Mt Druitt Town Rangers
An injury time penalty gave Mt Druitt Town Rangers three valuable points overcoming SD Raiders away from home.
In tough conditions in Sydney’s South-West, both sides were able to cancel each other out in the opening half.
The difference coming in the second half where the visitors were able to create a couple of good chances before the eventual penalty. Both Charles Mendy and Andre Martins threatening the hosts goal. Andre Martins scoring the penalty in the 8th minute of injury time for the three points.
It was a disappointing performance from SD Raiders in this one, they couldn’t hold on in the final moments and will look on a couple of chances in either half with regret.
They have the chance to bounce back against Nepean FC midweek, while Mt Druitt Town Rangers host Bankstown City.
SD Raiders 0
Mt Druitt Town Rangers 1 (Martins 98’)
Macarthur Rams 0-0 Nepean FC
Macarthur Rams and Nepean FC shared the points in the visitors first game of the season at Lynwood Park.
Reflecting on this one, both sides will feel they had a chance to win it with the visitors having the better of the opening hour when it came to chances before the Rams played better from that point forward with long periods of possession.
Said chances for the visitors coming through Andre Cavallaro and Lachlan Sepping before Matthew Crossley had a good chance of his own in the second half. With Seiya Miyamoto having a good game in the Rams net.
That last half hour just lacking the finishing touch from a Rams perspective, once again lacking that finishing touch in the final third throughout.
They move on to Canterbury Bankstown while Nepean FC will hopefully host their first game against SD Raiders in midweek action.
Macarthur Rams 0
Nepean FC 0
By Justin Smith
