Round 13 Review – League One Men’s
There was plenty of action that took place across the FNSW League One Men’s competition over the weekend with the top two securing big results in round 13 action.
Elsewhere, Blacktown Spartans claimed bragging rights with a victory over Mounties Wanderers and Hakoah FC came from behind to pick up a big result on the road.
Match of the Round: Blacktown Spartans 2-1 Mounties Wanderers
Blacktown Spartans claimed their sixth win of the season to rise into sixth with a 2-1 victory over Mounties Wanderers, Friday evening.
All three goals coming in the second half, Suleyman Bangura and Darcy Ellem put the Spartans two goals up before Kuot Maliet found a consolation for the visitors in injury time.
The first major chance of this one fell the way of the visitors, a piercing ball from Joshua Okan releasing James Cakovski through on goal, his effort denied by a good save from Spartans keeper Justin Biega just after the sixth minute.
Mounties definitely the better side in terms of creating chances early with Fikret Berisha having a few early shots. The best of which saw Berisha break free of the defence just after the quarter hour before putting his shot wide of the target, a chance which should have seen the opener.
While Darcy Ellem was the first Spartans player to have a shot on target heading the ball into the grasp of Mounties goalkeeper Matthew Nikolovski before the half hour. The hosts playing their way into the game with a set piece delivery from Angus Chance causing the visitors more worries around the 40th minute. His delivery from an angle cleared off the line.
Ben Rollison’s side continuing to look more threatening after the resumption with a few shots going just wide of the right post early in the second half.
Mounties then having a couple of chances at the other end approaching the 55th minute. Most notable of which saw Dany Ghetti head wide of the left post from a cross on the right wing. Chances now flowing at both ends of the field.
It woulld be Spartans to get the important go-ahead goal in the 62nd minute however. Suleyman Bangura finding the back of the net three minutes after coming on, Bangura slotting it into the bottom right corner after Aedon Kyra provided an excellent assist holding off his defender.
That one goal advantage lasting five minutes before it was doubled. Darcy Ellem adding the second with a tremendous finish across goal into the left side of the net. Bangura with assist from a central position.
Game state as it was, it opened up throughout the remainder with the Wanderers forced to take more risks. The visitors finding a consolation in the 93rd minute through Kuot Maliet, the substitute heading home off balance from a Ejin Kishimoto delivery on the left wing.
Blacktown Spartans 2 (Bangura 62’, Ellem 67’)
Mounties Wanderers 1 (Maliet 93’)
Elsewhere
Newcastle Jets 1-2 SD Raiders
A result with big implications in the top two race, SD Raiders came from behind to claim a 2-1 victory over Newcastle Jets away from home.
The Jets came out flying in this one controlling much of the first half. Creating chance after chance before Oliver Cockie scored their opener in the 16th minute. The hosts definitely the better side in the first half though the Raiders did show signs of improvement before half time.
After withstanding a barrage in the first half, the visitors then began to show more in possession after the resumption with some tactical tweaks. The visitors levelling right before the 65th minute through Lachlan Mcgrath who scored from a set piece.
The game then becoming transitional with chances at either end before the winning goal came just inside regulation. Jairo Torne Fernandez having a shot deflected into the goal off a defender.
A big result for the visitors who now sit ten points above the Jets after thirteen rounds with a game in hand to take place Tuesday.
Newcastle Jets 1 (Cockie 16’)
SD Raiders 2 (Mcgrath 64’, Cianosa OG 89’)
Bulls FC Academy 2-1 Rydalmere Lions
Looking like potential challengers for the top two? Bulls FC Academy picked up a second straight win overcoming an in-form Rydalmere Lions side 2-1 at Sydney United Sports Centre.
They needed a penalty either side of halftime to claim the three points with Zane Helweh scoring both, while Robert Eremugo scored an equaliser for the Lions earlier in the contest.
Controlling posession while also looking solid defensively it was a well earned three points for the hosts. Zane Helweh the standout in their attack scoring the opener nine minutes in from the spot, Flynn Madden winning the penalty from a cutback. While Ante Vojvodic in defence and Frans Deli also earned mentions from their coaching staff.
The action really came late in this one though, Robert Eremugo adding to his scoring streak with an equaliser in the 80th minute. Eremugo on the end of a Ahmed Taleb through ball after Adil Toska won the ball.
Before Bulls and Helweh scored once again from the spot with four minutes of regulation remaining. Levi Sciuriaga winning that penalty which was slotted into the bottom left.
Bulls FC Academy 2 (Helweh 9’ 88’)
Rydalmere Lions 1 (Eremugo80’)
Bankstown City 2-3 Hakoah FC
Hakoah FC continued their turnaround in form with a dramatic come from behind 3-2 win over Bankstown City at Jensen Park.
Trailing by two goals at the break courtesy of goals to Jonathan Grozdanovski and Dimitri Kostopoulos, the visitors came to life in the second half with Nicholas Drummond and Cam Philpot finding the back of the net before Valentin Cuny wrapped up the comeback from the spot.
Both sides traded chances in the opening half hour before Bankstown settled the better of the two in final twenty of the first half. Rewarded with two goals in a five minute period after the half hour, the first through Grozdanovski before Kostopoulos repeated the dose in the 34th minute.
However it became a completely different game from that point on, the away side controlling much of the proceedings. First rewarded with a goal through Nicholas Drummond after some good combination play down the left.
Before Cam Philport scored their second on his return to the side in the 70th minute. The game looking like it will finish level before a final twist came from the spot, Valentin Cuny slotting home the winner with pretty much the last kick of the match to seal the win in dramatic circumstances..
Bankstown City 2 (Grozdanovski 31’, Kostopoulos 34’)
Hakoah FC 3 (Drummond 53’, Philpot 70’, Cuny 94’)
Northern Tigers 5-0 Dulwich Hill
Flexing their muscles once again at North Turramurra, Northern Tigers scored five goals past Dulwich Hill to keep themselves top after 13 rounds.
A season best score line for Adam Hetts side and a ten goal turnaround, this result is quite the statement from the hosts going forward. Kai Denton and Jesse Spang both scored twice while Koya Nakano also found the net in the second half.
This one blew out in the second half after Kai Denton broke the deadlock six minutes before the half time break. Koya Nakano, Kai Denton both scoring between the 60th and 70th minute as the game opened up.
Jesse Spang then adding two late goals in the games final stages to ensure the perfect bounce back from last week.
Northern Tigers 5 (Denton 39’ 69, Nakano 63’, Spang 88’ 92’)
Dulwich Hill
Hills United 1-1 UNSW FC
UNSW FC couldn’t quite put HIlls United away with the two sharing the points in their fixture at Valentine Sports Park.
In eerily similar fashion to their game against Macarthur Rams a couple weeks back, the students were left to rue not taking their chances against an under performing Hills United side.
The hosts took the lead in the first half through Walid Moutaoukkil just before the half time whistle for his fifth goal of the season. Overall however, the hosts were disappointing in their efforts on the evening. Something which the visitors couldn’t profit from.
Their equaliser coming just under ten minutes into the second half through Jack Fulton who converted from the spot to give us the final score line.
Hills United next facing Mounties Wanderers chasing their fourth win of the season, while UNSW have a midweek away trip to SD Raiders, Tuesday night.
Hills United 1 (Moutaouakkil 44’)
UNSW FC 1 (Fulton 54’)
Inter Lions 0-0 Macarthur Rams
Bottom of the table Macarthur Rams held fourth placed Inter Lions to a scoreless draw in their encounter at Majors Bay Reserve.
A game where both sides agreed that there should’ve been more goals, they eventually had to settle for a point.
The game opened with a first minute chance for Owen Duke one-v-one which he couldn’t capitalise on, Jerome Narayan making a top save to deny him. the hosts frustrated throughout the first half by a disciplined Rams outfit who themselves had chances of their own. Most notable of which saw John Roberts go close after Michael Martin put in some good deliveries.
The second half also seeing both keepers called into action, Rams keepers Narayan denying Sam Portolesi, Harry Rushton, Owen Duke and James Khoury on seperate occasions. While Evan Davis denied Jayden Tran twice as well.
Both teams sharing the points with both defences standing tall for their clean sheets.
Inter Lions 0
Macarthur Rams 0
Bonnyrigg White Eagles 0-0 Canterbury Bankstown
Finally to round out the round 13 section of the review, Bonnyrigg White Eagles secured their first point in five fixtures in their 0-0 draw with Canterbury Bankstown.
After conceding plenty of goals in recent times, the clean sheet was a welcome one for Bonnyrigg White Eagles against a Berries side unbeaten in six games.
Not many chances throughout this one. Berries having two good chances in the first half which saw a Joell Beattie shot cleared off the line before John Fotopoulous had a curling shot come off the crossbar and bounce out.
While Bonnyrigg went closest when Daniel Bittar squared attempted to square it to Aaron Peterson for a tap in, only to be denied by the outstretched fingertips of Stevan Savicic.
Both sides continuing to create half chances in the second half without really troubling each others defences who were on top throughout.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles 0
Canterbury Bankstown 0
R6 Match of the Round: Rydalmere Lions 3-1 Dulwich Hill
Earlier in the week, Rydalmere Lions continued their run of form with a 3-1 win over Dulwich Hill at Rydalmere Park.
This one was one early on with three goals coming in the first half before Dulwich Hill scored a consolation late in the second half.
As aforementioned, the hosts opened their account in the eighth minute. A lovely one touch than fnish applied from Ahmad Taleb into the bottom left corner, the assist coming from Robert Eremugo by the right byline.
A lead which became two in less spectacular fashion in the 24th minute, a turnover in the defensive third giving Rydalmere the opportunity to roar into life in the attacking third. Another low square ball to the penalty spot finding Robert Eremugo who applied a first time left footed finish.
The hosts adding a third before the break, this time from a set piece with the ball falling perfectly for Eremugo to double his tally with a quality volley in the 39th minute.
Dulwich Hill making the score-line more respectable with a late goal in the 86th minute. Antonio Orlando scoring a lovely goal from outside the area into the bottom right corner.
Rydalmere Lions 3 (Taleb 8’, Eremugo 24’ 39’)
Dulwich Hill 1 (Orlando 86’)
-By Justin Smith
