Round 14 Review – League One Men’s

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Rain may have played havoc on the fixture list but it didn’t stop the entertainment across the FNSW League One Men’s competition in round 14 action.

Speaking of rain, it rained goals in our match of the round, while elsewhere fellow top four sides Bankstown City and Inter Lions both won to tighten things up at the top. 

Match of the Round: Bulls FC Academy 7-1 Mt Druitt Town Rangers

Bulls FC Academy proved too strong for Mt Druitt Town Rangers in our top of the table match of the round walking away with a 7-1 victory at Sydney United Sports Centre .

At their best, they have proven to be a headache for any side and that proved to be the case once again running away with the fixture in the second half. Just the second defeat of the season for Mt Druitt Town Rangers, they had their moments in transition but the pressure told on them eventually in this one.

The pattern of the game was set early with Bulls FC Academy holding the majority of possession against a Mt Druitt Town Rangers side who were well set up in defence before threatening in transition.

Only a few half chances going to the hosts before they opened their account just before the quarter hour. The academy side pouncing on a casual Town Rangers pass with Zane Helweh threading a ball into the path of Mason Wells who snuck in at his markers blind side before a finish through the keepers legs.

Slowly playing their way into the game, Mt Druitt Town Rangers found an equaliser ten minutes later. A swift move from box to box seeing Charles Mendy combine with Garang Awac, Mendy leading the break forward before finishing from close range.

Most of the fixture was being played in the Bulls FC Academy attacking half though, with Flynn Madden next up chance wise with his shot drawing a good save from Dylan Niski.

The pressure telling on the visitors with the academy side once again taking the lead in the 40th minute. Abdelelah Faisal creating something from nothing getting past a defender with a step-over before squaring it to Mason Wells who finished from close range.

Unlike the first half, the second started in open fashion with both sides mounting dangerous looking attacks in the first five minutes.

It was the Bulls Academy side to strike first though, another dangerous attack down the right seeing Flynn Madden cut the ball back from the by-line. A blocked Mason Wells shot falling straight to Zane Helweh to fire it home from close range in the 50th minute.

Not satisfied with the two goal margin, Helweh nearly turned provider a couple minute later with Abdelelah Faisal drawing a save from a narrow angle. While Mt Druitt Town Rangers nearly responded in kind at the other end. Cooper Coskerie sending a tantalising ball across the face which narrowly avoided the stretching leg of Charles Mendy in a central position.

However, if there was any doubt which way this one was going, a red card for Mt Druitt defender Malcom Ward for a denial of a goal-scoring opportunity pretty much sealed the result. Mason Wells scoring the resulting penalty to put the Bulls 4-1 up.

Bulls FC Academy then adding a further three goals. The first an unfortunate deflection from a cutback to make in 5-1 in the 73rd minute.

Before Joel Bertolissio and Abdelelah Faisal added a sixth and seventh goal capping off a memorable Bulls FC Academy win in the 86th and 88th minute respectively. Bertolissio’s strike the pick of the goals from long range.

The Academy side shortening the gap at the top to just the one point after 14 rounds, they face Hakoah FC next while Mt Druitt Town Rangers round off their first half of the campaign against Dunbar Rovers.

Bulls FC Academy 7 (Wells 13’ 40’ 64’, Helweh 50’, Coskerie Og 74’, Bertolissio 86’, Faisal 88’)

Mt Druitt Town Rangers 1 (Mendy 25’)

Elsewhere

Bankstown City 2-1 Blacktown Spartans

Bankstown City picked up their third consecutive one goal win with a victory over Blacktown Spartans at Jensen Park.

With results elsewhere in the league, this was an important win for Bankstown City who weren’t at their best at stages throughout this one. The three points meaning they keep pace with teams in the top three courtesy of goals to Jonathan Grozdanovski and Chris Payne.

While Blacktown Spartans made their hosts sweat for the victory late on with Jamie Percevski cutting the deficit to one with 15 minutes left.

The first half of this one saw the visitors on top with Stevan Savicic saving the hosts on more than one occasion. Both sides going into the break even in this one.

However as so often happens, the hosts turned things around after halftime. Finding the back of the net with their first chance of the second half through Jonathan Grozdanovski with a well struck effort from outside the area.

Before Chris Payne finished off a team move twenty minutes later to double their advantage. Jamie Percevski scoring from a corner at the other end to round out the scoring.

Bankstown City next face Macarthur Rams while Blacktown Spartans host Inter Lions in round 15 action.

Bankstown City 2 (Grozdanovski 46’, Payne 67’)

Blacktown Spartans 1 (Percevski 75’)

Macarthur Rams 1-2 Inter Lions

Inter Lions continued their own winning streak with a 2-1 victory over Macarthur Rams away from home, Saturday night.

Against a side they knocked out via penalties in the Australia Cup not too long ago, they scored early in each half to take control of this one, only conceding deep into injury time.

Indeed, Inter began this one on top and opened the scoring ten minutes into this one. JJ Morfitis finding the top corner with his strike on the end of some good lead up play. That lead nearly becoming two in the 25th minute with Ahmad Taleb heading over. Macarthur Rams  finishing on top of the first half without creating chances.

The visitors once again starting the stronger after the break, rewarded with a terrific individual Morfitis goal. Morfitis picking the ball up in his own half before beating multiple defenders and applying a finish into the bottom corner. Macarthur scoring a late consolation through Michael Martin with a stunning finish.

Macarthur Rams 1 (Martin 91’)

Inter Lions 2 (Morfitis 10’ 54’)

Hakoah FC 2-1 Northern Tigers

Considering results elsewhere, Hakoah FC scored a vital late goal to get past Northern Tigers at Hensley Athletic Field.

Not the first time we’ve written a sentence like that as well, the hosts shook off an equaliser in the final ten minutes before scoring a winner in injury time for their second victory in four days.

In truth, there wasn’t much between the two sides in an even contest. The first half seeing Northern Tigers in the ascendancy with a few good chances to grab the lead, denied by a combination of wasteful finishing and a desperate Hakoah defence. The hosts midweek fixture understandably affecting their performance in the opening 45.

The second half was a different story to the first, with the Hakoah bench having a significant impact. Paul Araullo in particular changing proceedings. With young Ginjiro Chiba opening the score with just just over ten minutes left.

However the Tigers struck back just over five minutes later, Hiyori Kawaguchi heading home at the back post, the ball coming in from the left.

Both sides having chances to win it in the remaining minutes, Hakoah taking theirs courtesy of former Tiger Nicholas Drummond scoring a stoppage time winner for the hosts to take home three points.

Hakoah FC 2 (Chiba 79’, Drummond 91’)

Northern Tigers 1 (Kawaguchi 85’)

UNSW FC 1-3 Bonnyrigg White Eagles

UNSW FC couldn’t quite pick up their third straight win at home going down to Bonnyrigg White Eagles by two goals at the Village Green.

After a disappointing first half, the visitors made a few tweaks at halftime which produced dividends in the second period going on to win by two goals.

Indeed the hosts started the better of the two sides capitalising on a sloppy Bonnyrigg performance with the first goal of the game through Lachlan Hughes who struck from outside the area after 25 minutes. However it could have been more,with the students not taking their chances.

TO their credit, Bonnyrigg did hit back with a vengeance taking control of the first half hour of the second period. Mason Versi scoring a brace with two well placed shot in the 48th and 58th minute. Before Nikola Krljar found the back of the net with a cool finish from inside the box after a great forward run.

The visitors holding on for their sixth win of the campaign with Brian Brown’s side set to be bolstered by players returning from injury in the near future. UNSW having the chance to bounce back next weekend against Dulwich Hill.

UNSW FC 1 (Hughes 25’)

Bonnyrigg White Eagles 3 (Versi 48’ 58’, Krljar 63’)

Dulwich Hill 0-2 Canterbury Bankstown

Canterbury Bankstown extended the woes of Dulwich Hill with a 2-0 victory at Arlington Oval, Saturday evening.

One of the form teams in the competition, the Berries secured their fourth straight win which sees them enter the top six at the halfway point. While it’s another disappointing result for Dulwich Hill who need a spark to lift them away from the bottom two.

Both sides had chances in the first half of this one after the visitors started the better in the opening 15 minutes. The Berries best chance coming through Gino Cerasoli who headed over the bar. While Dulwich Hill had nearly opened the scoring when Jake Bradshaw put his effort just wide.

Like the first half, Canterbury Bankstown started the second half on top and this time they cashed in. Gian Fiorese finding the breakthrough with a header from the far post finding it’s way into the far corner.

A couple of further chances falling their way before Taiga Kawano killed the game off winning a penalty and converting in the 91st minute.

Dulwich Hill 0

Canterbury Bankstown 2 (Fiorese 48’, Kawano 91’)

Dunbar Rovers v Nepean FC and SD Raiders v Rydalmere Lions washed out.

By Justin Smith