Round 13 Review – League Two Men’s
The teams at the top fired back up amid a weekend of more unpredictable action as the competition neared the halfway point in Round 13 of the 2025 Football NSW League Two Men’s season.
The Match of the Round this week saw Sydney University SFC come from behind to grab a point at home to Gladesville Ryde Magic.
Saturday, 3rd May 2025
Match of the Round: Sydney University SFC 1-1 Gladesville Ryde Magic
Sydney University SFC came from behind to snap a three-match losing streak at home to Gladesville Ryde Magic in the Match of the Round.
University had some good chances early, with Riley Egerton having a shot deflected wide for a corner and Charles Hely-Hammond firing a shot on goal which was saved by Magic goalkeeper by his legs in the 14th and 26th minutes, respectively.
Gladesville responded with chances of their own, with Yukihiro Ayukawa playing a one-two pass to get in behind down the left before he curled a shot over the goal in the 36th minute.
University had the final chances of the first half, however, with a header going wide right off a free kick in the 39th minute and a shot on target by Egerton in the 40th minute, respectively.
University’s biggest chance of the first half came in the 44th minute, however, when a dangerous ball across the face of goal from Jethro Thornton rolled just ahead of Isaac Folkes in the box, who fell just short of reaching the ball for a big chance.
Gladesville had the final shot of the half from range but in an opening 45 minute where neither team created a big chance but threatened on multiple occasions, they went into half-time level at 0-0.
Gladesville had the perfect start to the second half in the 52nd minute when a ball delivered across the ground from the right inside the box by Daniel Sramek was flicked on by a Gladesville player in the middle to Yukihiro Ayukawa, who scored with a composed finish at the back post to give the Magic a 1-0 lead.
From there, University stepped up their intensity to get back on level terms and had a big chance when a free kick delivered into the box from near halfway found the head of Caelan Hinckson, whose headed effort saw the ball strike the inside left post and stay out to the dismay of the home crowd in the 62nd minute.
University had two more chances through Hely-Hammond and substitute Hamza Sweedan, who had a header on target and a strong shot saved from range, respectively.
The University pressure paid off in the 77th minute when substitute Alistair Colvin received the ball down the right after strong work from the University attackers to keep the ball alive up the field; he took aim from just inside the box and found the bottom-left corner with a precise finish to level the contest at 1-1 just one minute after coming off the bench.
The match fired up late and a chance for Thornton saw him fire a first-time shot from outside the box past the right post, before Gladesville’s Sramek fire wide right from outside the box in the 90th minute.
In the third minute of stoppage time, University had a big chance to grab their first win of the season when Thornton volleyed the ball from inside the box, but the ball ended up bobbling into the arms of the Gladesville goalkeeper.
In the end, with University having had 13 shots and Gladesville 11 shots in the match, neither side could be separated in a 1-1 draw.
The draw for University was their third of the season as they stayed in last place and still chased their first win of the year, while for Gladesville they remained in 11th place after the draw.
University will hope to build confidence off their fight in this match when they travel to take on 2nd-placed Prospect United SC next week, while Gladesville will hope to take down 4th-placed South Coast Flame FC at home in Round 14.
Sydney University SFC 1 (Alistair Colvin 77’)
Gladesville Ryde Magic 1 (Yukihiro Ayukawa 52’)
South Coast Flame FC 2-2 Dunbar Rovers FC
South Coast Flame FC came from behind twice to grab a 2-2 draw with Dunbar Rovers FC, with both sides continuing strong unbeaten runs.
Dunbar started brightly and opened the scoring early in the 11th minute when combination play on the edge of the box by Guilherme Mazurkievicz Pansonato and Paul Gautier saw the latter finish well to give Dunbar a 1-0 lead.
South Coast responded in the 34th minute when the competition’s leading goal scorer in 2025, Jyden Harb, grabbed his 14th goal of the season directly off a free kick to level the match at 1-1.
Dunbar goalkeeper Benjamin Wrigley was called into action to keep the Flame out again when he stopped a shot from Matthew Mazevski.
The Flame had another chance go close in the 44th minute when a corner saw Mazevski and Harb combine well, the latter curling an effort which struck the far post.
Gautier struck again for Dunbar, however, when he picked up the ball between the lines and drove forward, before he found the back of the net from 30 yards with a powerful effort in the 45th minute to give Dunbar a 2-1 lead at half-time.
In the second half, Dunbar continued to attack and had two one-on-one chances through Daniel Paridis but he was unable to find the back of the net, while they also had a chance for Henry Eastwood which was saved by Flame goalkeeper Nenad Vekic.
South Coast responded in the 68th minute when quick play down the right wing by Mazevski saw a low cross played into the six-yard box by Liam Unicomb; in trying to clear the ball, Dunbar’s Gianni Costantino deflected the ball into the back of his own net, giving the Flame parity at 2-2.
Harb had a chance to end the match in the 85th minute which was saved by Wrigley as the two sides had to settle for the 2-2 draw.
The draw for the Flame saw them drop from 3rd to 4th, while for Dunbar they stayed in 8th place.
The Flame will hope to extend their unbeaten streak to five matches when they travel to face 11th-placed Gladesville Ryde Magic next week, while Dunbar will hope to a sixth-straight match unbeaten when they host 3rd-placed Parramatta FC.
South Coast Flame FC 2 (Jyden Harb 34’; Gianni Costantino 68’ own goal)
Dunbar Rovers FC 2 (Paul Gautier 11’, 45’)
Parramatta FC 6-2 Camden Tigers FC
Parramatta FC picked up their equal-biggest win of the season and scored their most goals in one match this season in their 6-2 home win over Camden Tigers FC, who conceded six goals in back-to-back matches.
Parramatta took a 1-0 lead early in the 6th minute when Marco Sama squared a ball across the face of goal to Louis Bozanic, who found the back of the net to give the hosts the early lead.
Camden struck back with a penalty in the 20th minute following a foul in the box from the Parramatta cover defence; Andrew Head stepped up and converted from the spot to level the match at 1-1.
Parramatta utilised their pace in attack against the Camden high line and re-took the lead at 2-1 in the 23rd minute when Yusuf Aydin got in behind and scored for the hosts.
The hosts took a 3-1 lead in the 31st minute off a corner which was finished by Ali Chamsin off a double effort to give Parramatta breathing room in the match.
In the second minute of first-half stoppage time, Parramatta took a 4-1 lead when Travis Oughtred volleyed the ball from inside the box off a delivery from a corner; his right-footed shot found the back of the net to extend the hosts’ advantage at the break.
In the 65th minute, Jordan Hassiem scored his first goal for the club to give Parramatta a 5-1 lead in the match.
Three minutes later, Marco Sama added a goal to his three assists in the match to finish off the Parramatta scoring on the night.
Late substitutes changed the match and Camden’s Bailey Simpson took full advantage; he beat a few Parramatta players on the edge of the box and found the back of the net with a strong finish in the 77th minute to grab a consolation goal for Camden in a 6-2 loss.
The win for Parramatta was their first in five matches as they moved back up from 4th to 3rd on the ladder, while the loss for Camden saw them stay in 13th on the ladder.
Parramatta will hope to continue to welcome back players as they look to continue to push up the ladder when they travel to face 8th-placed Dunbar Rovers FC next week, while Camden will hope to get back on the winners’ list when they travel to take on 14th-placed Central Coast United FC.
Parramatta FC 6 (Marco Sama 6’, 68’; Yusuf Aydin 23’; Ali Chamsin 31’; Travis Oughtred 45+2’’; Jordan Hassiem 65’)
Camden Tigers FC 2 (Andrew Head 20’ pen; Bailey Simpson 77’)
Nepean FC 2-2 Fraser Park FC
Both teams came from behind and there was stoppage time drama as Nepean FC and Fraser Park FC played out a 2-2 draw at Jamison Park.
Fraser Park started strongly and hit the crossbar early though Fenn Hodgson-Yu, with the follow-up attempt by Christian Dos Santos also hitting the crossbar.
Stavros Palapanis and Harry Skotadis also had chances, but both were smothered by Nepean goalkeeper Luke Cotten to keep the match scoreless early.
Nepean took their chance from a corner in the 27th minute through Kye Hickman, who slotted the ball home from close range at the back post to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
Fraser Park missed a chance to level the match through Jacob Sebayang but did grab an equaliser in the 39th minute when Harry Skotadis received the ball on the edge of the box, cut onto his left foot and found the back of the net to level the match at 1-1.
Hickman had a big chance to give Nepean the lead before half-time but volleyed his effort over the bar as the two sides entered half-time level.
Fraser Park took a 2-1 lead in the 81st minute when Matthew Lecce got on the end of a ball over the top and found the back of the net for the visitors to give them the lead for the first time in the contest.
Nepean pressed for an equaliser and found it in the second minute of stoppage time when Jack Hoban cut in from the left and found the top-right corner to rescue a 2-2 draw for Nepean.
The draw for Nepean saw them remain in 10th place while for Fraser Park they stayed in 9th place on the ladder.
Nepean will hope to fire up when they take on 5th-placed Hawkesbury City FC next week, while Fraser Park will look to continue their strong home form when they host 6th-placed Granville Rage.
Nepean FC 2 (Kye Hickman 27’; Jack Hoban 90+2’)
Fraser Park FC 2 (Harry Skotadis 39’; Matthew Lecce 81’)
Inner West Hawks FC 0-1 Prospect United SC
Prospect United SC got back to winning ways following a tight 1-0 away victory over Inner West Hawks FC at Arlington Oval in a fast-paced encounter.
Reo Hirose hit the post early for Prospect from the edge of the box, while Jamie Dib had a shot go over the bar from just inside the box as the visitors threatened early.
Inner West looked to have taken the lead late in the first half when a cross from Jeremt Siarakas found Jack Haslam, who scored, but the goal was ruled out for offside as the teams went into half-time scoreless.
Prospect hit the lead 90 seconds into the second half when Dib found Praneet Singh, who cut inside and beat a few Hawks’ defenders before he looped his shot over Hawks’ goalkeeper Gene Marantos into the top corner to give Prospect a 1-0 advantage.
Prospect restricted the Hawks’ chances and had a late opportunity, themselves, to extend their lead through Jakob Petterson, but his shot was saved by Marantos.
In the end, Prospect did enough to see out a tight 1-0 away win over the Hawks.
The loss for the Hawks saw them stay in 12th place on the ladder, while the win for Prospect saw them hold their spot in 2nd place.
Inner West will hope to respond when they travel to face 7th-placed Bankstown United FC next week, while Prospect will hope to continue to put pressure on near the top of the ladder when they host last-placed Sydney University SFC.
Inner West Hawks FC 0
Prospect United SC 1 (Praneet Singh 47’)
Sunday, 4th May 2025
Hurstville Zagreb FC 4-0 Central Coast United FC
League leaders Hurstville Zagreb FC responded from their last-start loss in a big way in their 4-0 home win over Central Coast United FC in what was Paul Gagro’s 250th first-grade match for the club and his brother Jesse Gagro’s 150th first-grade match for the club.
Hurstville hit the lead early in the 4th minute when Jesse Gagro slipped Michael Neill in behind, who scored for a sixth match from his past seven, hitting nine goals for the season, to put Hurstville in a 1-0 lead early.
The battle after that was in the middle third of the field as both sides looked to hold firm, with Central Coast creating chances from corner and Hurstville looking to turn the tide of the match.
The turn came when Hurstville forced turnovers from Central Coast, where Andre Guzman hit the post on the counter and Paul Gagro set up Neill, who volleyed the ball to the far post but had his shot saved.
Off the resulting corner, in the second minute of stoppage time, Guzman whipped the ball in and Like Vlastelica headed home to give Hurstville a 2-0 lead at half-time.
After the break, Hurstville continued to press high and grabbed a third goal in the 52nd minute when Neill had a shot which was put in on the rebound by Jesse Gagro, who marked his milestone appearance with a goal, for a 3-0 Hurstville lead.
Seven minutes later, Hurstville wrapped up the scoring when Neill whipped in a cross from out wide which found Guzman in the middle; he volleyed the ball home to give Hurstville a 4-0 home win over Central Coast.
The win for Hurstville saw them respond from their last-start defeat as they maintain their six-point advantage atop the league, while the loss for Central Coast saw them unable to back up their last-start win as they stayed in 14th.
Hurstville will hope to build off this big win when they return after their Round 14 bye, while Central Coast will hope to bounce back when they host 13th-placed Camden Tigers FC.
Hurstville Zagreb FC 4 (Michael Neill 4’; Luke Vlastelica 45+2’; Jesse Gagro 52’; Andre Guzman 59’)
Central Coast United FC 0
Granville Rage vs Bankstown United FC was washed out and will be played at a future date, while 5th-placed Hawkesbury City FC had a bye in Round 13.
By Football NSW League Two Men’s Reporter, Dylan Costa
