Round 4 Review – League One Men’s
Round four of the FNSW League One Men’s competition saw six games decided by a goal or less as we round out the first month of the season.
Mounties Wanderers and UNSW featured in our match of the round while elsewhere, Hakoah and Dulwich Hill secured important wins, and SD Raiders continued their perfect start.
Match of the Round: Mounties Wanderers v UNSW FC
A brave Mounties Wanderers outfit held UNSW FC to a scoreless draw at Wanderers Football Park in our round 4 match of the round.
Conceding possession for the majority of the contest, the hosts hung tough under consistent pressure on a frustrating night for UNSW FC.
A competitive edge to this one from the get go, the visitors had the games first few chances. The first coming from a corner which Claudio Fabiano couldn’t find the target from with his effort flashing across goal inside five minutes.
Before Jack Fulton drew the games first save from a free-kick just outside the area, his shot saved low down as it headed for the bottom right corner a couple minutes later.
Other than that, the Wanderers were doing a good job at keeping the students at bay and they started finding chances of their own at the other end.
A series of corners giving them the chance to apply pressure and a classic goal-mouth scramble saw them nearly break through after the quarter hour. The most noteworthy shot there coming from Joshua Okan who had his effort blocked on route to goal.
While their captain Andre Schroeder nearly gave Fikret Berisha a chance to open the scoring. His effort causing UNSW keeper Charles Samushonga some anxiety before he managed to retreat and get a glove on the ball.
Both sides then having half chances before the break with Kevin Lopes winning a few headers inside the Mounties area at one end, while the students defence was threatened on occasion at the other.
The second half was controlled by UNSW FC from kickoff. Their best chance of the fixture up until this point seeing both Kevin Lopes and Thomas Quilligan have a shot on target denied in the one phase of play. Mounties keeper Matthew Nikolovski denying Lopes from close range before Lopes played in Quilligan across the six yard box, his shot blocked on the line by a defenders boot.
The other Quilligan brother involved soon after, Conor laying the ball off to his brother whose left footed strike just missed the top left corner of the net.
However the hosts were still holding firm in a brave effort to deny the visitors as the clock past the 70th minute. One of their best chances of the second half falling to James Cakovski in transition who cut onto his right foot before his shot dribbled wide of the target.
Mounties seemingly gaining confidence the longer it stayed level with Fikret Berisha having an effort with a swinging volley which went over the target.
UNSW substitute Sean Woods trying his luck a couple minutes later at the other end as both sides pushed for a winner.
THe visitors finding the back of the net in the 87th minute through Kevin Lopes with a back post header but for a handball bringing it under control.
Both sides settling for a point after a late red card to UNSW captain Claudio Fabiano.
Mounties Wanderers FC 0
UNSW FC 0
Elsewhere
Macarthur Rams 2-2 Bulls FC Academy
Macarthur Rams secured their first point of the season against neighbors Bulls FC Academy at Ron Dine Memorial Reserve.
To use a old cliche, this was truly a game of two halves reflected by the time in which the goals were scored. Bulls FC Academy controlling large parts of the first half going out to a two goal lead before Macarthur Rams showed some heart to come from behind for a point.
As aforementioned, the Bulls took the lead in this one with another goal from Levi Sciuriaga before the half hour. Their lead extended to two goals in first half injury time with Zane Helweh converting from the spot.
That’s not to say the Rams didn’t have the chance to score and some words of encouragement along with half time substitutions changed the game. The hosts halving the deficit before the hour through Emmanuel Gonzalez. Gonzalez producing a top finish after Conor Spurway found Michael Martin on the overlap who delivered to the striker.
Their equaliser coming in the 88th minute, Alex Gollan with an assist from open play with a perfect ball to Carlos Ruiz Cantillo to finish. Michael Martin singled out as an important influence in the result.
Macarthur Rams 2 (Gonzalez 58’, Ruiz Cantillo 88’)
Bulls FC Academy 2 (Sciuriaga 25’, Helweh 45+1’)
Bankstown City 2-4 Dulwich Hill
Dulwich Hill made it back-to-back wins prevailing 4-2 against Bankstown City at Jensen Park, Saturday evening.
A Liam Spiropoulos brace off the bench proved the difference between the two sides after Daniel Padoani and Mark Younes got them off to a fast start. With Bankstown City cutting the deficit to one goal on two separate occasions courtesy of goals to Shun Maeta and Rhett De Silva.
Riding the wave of confidence from last weekend, both Padoani and Younes scored in the opening ten minutes against a nervous Bankstown City, Padoani’s goal from his head. And it could have been worse for the hosts with Jamal Belkadi also hitting the post. The hosts were able to recover however and they opened their account before half time through Maeta.
Both sides exchanging chances in the second half with the finishing of Spiropoulos the key difference. The 18 year old finding the top corner with two respective strikes in the 58th and 79th minute. Bankstown City scoring from the spot between those goals through Rhett De Silva.
Bankstown City 2 (Maeta 39’, De Silva 63’)
Dulwich Hill 4 (Padoani 3’, Younes 5’, Spiropoulos 58’ 79’)
Blacktown Spartans 3-2 Bonnyrigg White Eagles
Making the most of their return home, Blacktown Spartans secured their first victory of the season against a fast finishing Bonnyrigg White Eagles in our Friday night fixture.
This fixture probably ended closer than it should have been with the visitors finding two late goals to make the score-line look more respectable.
Prior to that, it was the Spartans in control, Ben Rollison’s side hitting the crossbar and missing two clear cut chances in the first half which could have seen them three goals up.
Instead it was the debut of Matthew Martignago which rallied the hosts, the defender marking Aaron Peterson out of the game while finding their third from a set piece. The other goals scored by Aedon Kyra who used his body to fend off a defender before turning and finishing for the first. Before he slotted home a penalty won by Darcy Ellem for the second.
Bonnyrigg in response finding two consolation goals through Phillip Gigliotti and Stefan Nikolic. Their best on the night being Luke Turnbull who made a couple of good saves.
Blacktown Spartans 3 (Kyra 53’ 70’’, Martignago 76’)
Bonnyrigg White Eagles 2 (Gigliotti 88’, Nikolic 91’)
Newcastle Jets 2-1 Hills United
Newcastle Jets returned to winning ways with a come from behind triumph against Hills United up at Lake Macquarie.
If done right, substitutes can change games and that proved to be the case for Newcastle Jets who overcame Hills United.
Before those substitutes came, it was a good game with both sides exchanging chances in the opening half hour. Visitors Hills United taking control of proceedings in the final third of the first half. Hills finding a reward for their efforts through a Daniel Bakrdanikoski goal in the 41st minute.
With the game state as it was, Newcastle Jets were the side to apply the more pressure in the second half. Oliver Cockie equalising for the hosts in the 66th minute before their momentum carried them to a go-ahead goal, Ethan Debono the scorer of the winner. Jets picking up their third win of the season while Hills have lost their last two.
Newcastle Jets 2 (Cockie 66’, Debono 73’)
Hills United 1 (Bakrdanikoski 41’)
Inter Lions 2-2 Northern Tigers
Sharing the spoils, Inter Lions fought back from a goal down twice in their 2-2 draw with Northern Tigers at Majors Bay Reserve.
The first side to pick up a result against the Tigers this season, they found a goal in the 90th minute through Harry Rushton to secure a point.
Northern Tigers took the lead in the first half, Kei Denton scoring once again after chances for Denton, Olivier Beltran-Woodward and Jesse Spang earlier. Denton’s goal coming after an intricate one touch play from Ally Brown, Lachlan Lloyd and Spang on the edge of the area. While Owen Duke had the best chance at the other end early on.
Inter Lions finding an equaliser early in the second half, Kulevski converting from the spot with confidence two minutes into the second half.
A lapse of concentration seeiing the Tigers back in the lead, Kai Denton pouncing on a lose ball before taking it around the keeper and slotting it into an open goal.
The hosts equalising again in the games final stages, Inter rewarded for a period of sustained pressure through Harry Rushton. Ruston finishing with absolute class after a quality assist from Owen Duke.
Inter Lions 2 (Kuleski 47’, Rushton 90’)
Northern Tigers (Denton 41’ 57’)
SD Raiders 4-0 Rydalmere Lions
SD Raiders took Rydalmere Lions to school with a 4-0 win at Thomas Hassell Anglican College, Saturday evening.
Despite the score line, this one could have been different if the visitors were able to convert two clear cut chances in the opening half. Michael Figueira making a one-v-one stop with the game scoreless and another from a counter attack when they were a goal up. .
Though that’s not to take anything away from the hosts who recorded their fourth straight victory of the campaign. Their first goal came through Charlie Ragg after a good passing combination in the lead up. That lead doubled in the 11th minute, Cooper Hanagan picking out Yuto Sugiura with a cross to finish.
Their two goal lead extended to three in the 16th minute through Noah Chianese before Charlie Ragg doubled his tally half way through the first half.
Rydalmere responding well after the break with some fresh legs but unable to find a goal.
SD Raiders 4 (Ragg 3’ 23’, Sigiura 11’, Chianese 15’)
Rydalmere Lions 0
Hakoah FC v Canterbury Bankstown
Hakoah found a way to secure the three points in a close fought contest with Canterbury Bankstown at Hensley Athletic, Sunday afternoon.
These two sides seemed well matched from the start with both sides crating good chances in the first half. Hakoah taking the lead through Cam Philpot who arrived late at the back post who arrived late from a corner.
Before the Berries struck back soon after, Christain Torrelli applying a lovely chipped finish after receiving the ball beyond the Hakoah defence.
Hakoah once again taking the lead before the halftime break, Valentin Cuny showing his class inside the area, taking the ball around his body before his right footed strike found the bottom left corner.
Canterbury Bankstown once again finding an equaliser in the second half, Jake Mamone scoring a contender for goal of the season from a long way out. His shot from about 25-30 yards taking a touch off the crossbar before bouncing in.
The game decided in injury time with pretty much the last kick of the game. Nicholas Tooley with a shot which drew a save from Berries keeper Stevan Savicic which took a deflection off defender Jake Mamone into their own net.
Hakoah FC 3 (Philpot 8’, Cuny 46’, Mamone OG 90+3)
Canterbury Bankstown 2 (Torrelli 11’, Mamone 56’)
