Round 8 Review – League One Men’s
Eight games, eight winners, eight losers in round eight of the FNSW League One Men’s competition.
With the month of April ahead of us and a top of the table clash to look forward too next weekend, let’s take recap the weekend that was in this enthralling competition.
Match of the Round: Hakoah FC 0-2 Northern Tigers
Northern Tigers saw out a brave Hakoah FC in tricky conditions at Hensley Athletic in our round eight match of the round.
No prizes for guessing who scored the goals either with Kai Denton scoring a second half brace to give his side the three points.
The hosts had the first few chances on goal through Thomas Hynes and George Tuson-Firth. Tuson-Firth’s effort the pick of the two with the striker cutting in onto his left before his shot along the ground is saved after a fumble
While Lachie Lloyd had the first chance at the other end. His shot deflected on it’s way towards goal in the 17th min. Their build up coming down the left.
That effort followed up with an even better chance soon after, Ally Brown sending a right footed shot over the bar after Taliesin Dorigo found him just outside the box.
However chances were at a premium between the two sides in a pretty tight midfield battle as the clock ticked past the half hour.
That was until Hakoah had their best chance of the game up until this point with a Connor Shaddock goalbound header saved by Tigers keeper Bodie Denton down to his left. Mitchell Knight with the cross from the left in the lead up.
Northern Tigers having an even better chance in the 41st minute. Ryan Attard unfortunately getting it all wrong with the goal at his mercy from close range from a Lachlan Lloyd cut back, Lloyd doing well to get past his defender in the build up. Both sides level going into the comforts of the dressing sheds.
The Tigers finding their breakthrough right before the hour. Ryan Attard beating the offside trap with a run into the area, his poked effort on goal on target before a desperate sliding challenge on the goal line saw the ball go into the path of Kai Denton who finished from close range.
Most of the other action in the second half limited to long range and half chances again with both sides matching each others physicality. And while the hosts were doing a good job in the defensive end, they weren’t quite showing enough in attack despite multiple entries into the opposition box and the odd effort from long range.
Northern Tigers making their visitors pay for their luck of thrust in front of goal with a second goal in injury time. Ally Brown setting his side in motion with a quick break forward. Which saw Beltran-Woodward played down the line for the striker to find Kai Denton who took it round the keeper before finishing into an open net.
The visitors will next face SD Raiders in a top of the table clash next Saturday, while there’s plenty of soul searching for the hosts to do before take on Inter Lions.
Hakoah FC 0
Northern Tigers 2 (Denton 59’ 90+2’)
Bankstown City 0-2 Blacktown Spartans
Blacktown Spartans picked up their fourth win in five games overcoming Bankstown City away from home.
A win which has them sitting pretty in fourth position, they found a goal either side of half time to give them a big three points. While the result is reflective of Bankstown City’s start to the season as they continue to search for consistency.
Having started the better of the two sides, the Spartans took the lead in the 21st minute through Aedon Kyra. The attacker finding the top left corner with his shot after Darcy Ellem won the ball high and crossed to him.
That goal seeing the desired response from the hosts who put the visitors under significant pressure with crosses aimed at Jonathan Grozdanovski. Spartans keeper Jeremiah Cleur stepping up to deal with them.
Chasing the game, it was the Spartans who took advantage at the other end with Matthew Martignago scoring their second from the set piece. A lead which they saw out the game with holding onto another clean sheet.
Bankstown City 0
Bllacktown Spartans 2 (Kyra 21’, Martignago 72’)
SD Raiders 3-1 Canterbury Bankstown
Continuing their unbeaten start to the season, SD Raiders took out their fixture with a 3-1 win over Canterbury Bankstown at Ernie Smith Reserve.
Don’t we have a good game set up for next weekend when they travel to North Turramurra. Anyway returning to this week, Yuto Sugiura gave them the lead early in the second half before Charlie Ragg and Riley Cox-Barlow both scored in the final fifteen minutes for the three points. While James Ralston equalised for the Berries earlier in the piece.
This once could have finished closer with both sides creating chances throughout. The hosts starting the better of the two sides before the Berries wrestled back control away from them with chances for both sides in both halves, communication issues in the Berries defence perhaps the decisive difference here.
SD Raiders 3 (Sugiura 49’, Ragg 79’, Cox-Barlow 90+6’)
Canterbury Bankstown 1 (Ralston 54’)
Dulwich Hill 2-1 Bonnyrigg White Eagles
Bouncing back from a tough run of results, Dulwich Hill were able to see off Bonnyrigg White Eagles too push themselves clear of the bottom two.
One of four sides yet to draw a game this season, the hosts found themselves two goals up inside 65 minutes before a late consolation goal made things tense at the end
The hosts started strong and scored their opener halfway through the first half through Daniel Fornito. A lovely half volley finish from close range beating the keeper with the ball delivered in from the right. While the visitors best chances of the half came through Mason Versi, Charles Mendy and Daniel Bittar.
Chasing a response, the visitors then had a few good chances on goal before the hosts made it a two goal game. 20-year-old Antonio Orlando putting his name up in lights with a goal a minute after coming on, his effort from outside the box.
Bonnyrigg cutting the deficit to one in the 87th minute with two substitutes combining in Stefan Nikolic and Ahmed Sweedan, Sweedan heading home a Nikolic cross.
Dulwich Hill 2 (Fornito 23’, Orlando 64’)
Bonnyrigg White Eagles 1 (Sweedan 87’)
UNSW FC 0-2 Inter Lions
Inter Lions ended their three game losing streak with a 2-0 win against UNSW at the Village Green, Saturday evening.
A composed performance from the visitors, they scored twice after halftime to take the three points back home, the win moving them to within a point of UNSW above them.
It came down to the visitors just being better in either box throughout. First half creating two good opportunities, one of which saw Owen Duke get in behind the hosts defence before his shot was inadvertently saved by UNSW keeper Charles Samushonga.
However they weren’t to be denied in the second half with two goals in the first twenty minutes of the second half. The first scored by Domenic Konjarski who unleashed a strike through a crowded area which found the bottom corner.
Before their second came through James Ord, a transition attack led by Sam Armson and Mitchell Smith before the ball fell to Ord. Ord once again finding the bottom corner. UNSW’s best chance coming through Corby Fowler before that second goal, Fowler drawing a good save from the Inter Lions keeper.
UNSW FC 0
Inter Lions 2 (Konjarski 50’, Ord 63’)
Hills United 0-1 Bulls FC Academy
Bulls FC Academy furthered the woes of Hills United with a single goal win at Valentine Sports Park, Saturday night.
A match which pitted Nicolai Muller against one of his former sides, the teams were separated by a goal from Bull FC Academy’s Flynn Madden in the second half.
It was a tale of two sides fortunes in front of goal this one. The hosts unable to convert on their numerous chances throughout while the visitors punished them for their inefficiency. Flynn Madden scoring his first goal of the season in the second half to give the Bulls the three points.
The academy sides third win of the season so far, they move into fifth position after eight games. While Hills United have slipped to tenth after their recent struggles.
Hills United 0
Bulls FC Academy 1 (Madden 71’)
Mounties Wanderers 0-1 Macarthur Rams
Macarthur Rams secured their first win of the campaign with a 1-0 win away from home against Mounties Wanderers.
A tight tussle with plenty on the line, the Rams broke through for their first three points of the season courtesy of a second half William Miranda goal.
The visitors were missing both their captain and vice captain for this one but managed to pick up a result. They controlled possession while the hosts pressed well and were a threat in transition. The notable moment of the opening period being a disallowed goal for Emmanuel Gonzalez.
After some changes to personnel after half time, Conor Spurway wearing the captains armband began to play his way into the game. Their goal coming after a team move which saw the whole front-line involved. John Roberts with the assist after playing a perfect ball into the path of William Miranda to finish.
The Rams holding on throughout the remainder with both sides having chances at either end in transitional fashion.
Mounties Wanderers 0
Macarthur Rams 1 (Miranda 60’)
Rydalmere Lions 0-4 Newcastle Jets
Newcastle Jets had to be patient against Rydalmere Lions before racing out to a 4-0 win over Rydalmere Lions in the second half.
A game which was closer than the score line suggests, the Jets were clinical in the second half after scoring potentially the earliest goal of the season so far.
Earlier, the Jets got off to a flyer with their first goal coming through Amos Okumu who finished on the end of a Makye Buettner cross. The visitors then having a further two or three chances in the opening quarter hour.
From there, the game evened out with the hosts creating their fair share of opportunities right up until the visitors got their second. William Southcombe heading home a Kierry James cross in the 63rd minute.
The Jets adding a further two goals through Alex Nunes after combining with Xavier Bertoncello and James Rafty.
Rydalmere Lions 0
Newcastle Jets 4 (Okumu 1’, Southcombe 63’, Nunes 70’, Rafty 85’)
By Justin Smith
