Round 30 Review – League One Men’s
The final day of the FNSW League One Men’s competition certainly delivered with an enthralling night of round 30 action, Saturday night.
UNSW FC secured the title with a 90th minute goal at the Village Green while elsewhere, Bonnyrigg White Eagles booked a relegation playoff spot at the expense of Mounties Wanderers who are set to drop down to the League Two competition.
Match of the Round: UNSW FC 2-1 Northern Tigers
Written in the stars! After a remarkable League One Men’s season, UNSW FC secured a historic premiership with a 90th minute goal to overcome Northern Tigers at the Village Green.
For so much of this one, the tension was palpable as Northern Tigers took a first half lead through Lachlan Lloyd. However the hosts were handed a lifeline from the spot which Jack Fulton converted before Jordan Morfitis became the hero with a finish at the back post which snuck into the bottom corner.
Earlier in the piece, the students almost got off to a perfect start in front of a good crowd. A Nathan Roberts corner delivery from the left causing the visitors all sorts of issues blocked on the line by a fellow unknowing attacker.
On the whole, chances were few and far between with both sides looking most likely from set pieces. One of which threw a spanner in the works with Northern Tigers silencing the home fans despite losing Kai Denton before the 20th minute of this one.
Captain Lachie Lloyd scoring from inside the area seconds after forcing UNSW Charles Samushonga into a save with his shot from nearly halfway. Lloyd finishing from just inside the six yard box after a Taiga Kawano shot/cross which was controlled by the Tigers captain.
Now with the visitors ahead, it was down to the host to find a way past a stubborn Tigers defence who also had something to play for with it being head coach Adam Hett’s last game.
And there were moments where it was looking unlikely for the hosts, that all changed however in the 66th minute. A pass from Koya Nakano cut out in prime position for UNSW to mount an attack before a Kevin Lopes ball in behind took a deflection, Nathan Roberts just beating Bodie Denton to the ball with the hosts given a penalty.
Jack Fulton making no mistake with the spot kick, placing it low into the bottom right corner to restore parity.
The students having the ball in the back of the net in the 79th minute. Kevin Lopes hitting the right post with a lunging effort after a cross from the right wing though he was later adjudged offside with Liam Wood converting the rebound after the whistle.
Their moment coming in the final minute of regulation, Jordan Morfitis converting a finish at the back post in a crowded box after a few deflections inside the area.
A historic achievement for the students with head coach Gabe Knowles taking his side from the old state league right up into the top tier in 2026 subject to eligibility.
UNSW FC 2 (Fulton 67’, Morfitis 90’)
Northern Tigers 1 (Lloyd 35’)
Elsewhere:
Inter Lions 1-2 Bonnyrigg White Eagles
Bonnyrigg White Eagles secured their place in the relegation playoff with a come from behind 2-1 win over Inter Lions at Majors Bay Reserve.
Going into that playoff in good form with four wins in their last five games, Moussa Sanoh scored the crucial goal in this one after Mabior Garang equalised in the first half. Sebastien Portolesi scoring the early goal for Inter Lions earlier on in the fixture.
With nothing but pride tot play for, Inter Lions coach was pleased with his sides start in a cracking game of football for the neutral. Sebastian Portolesi putting the hosts up in the 2nd minute on the end of a quick transition.
Inspired by a healthy away contingent in attendance, the visitors were able to restore parity before the break. Mabior Garang finding the back of the net just after the 20th minute for his third goal of the campaign. While Griffin Barry made some crucial saves in the Bonnyrigg net to keep it level.
The second half playing out in a similar way with end-to-end football. The decisive goal coming before the hour through a Moussa Sanoh header on the end of a great cross.
Inter Lions heaving the better of the chances in the final half hour but left disappointed by the lack of a goal.
Inter Lions 1 (Portolesi 2’)
Bonnyrigg White Eagles 2 (Garang 21’, Sannoh 57’)
Bulls FC Academy 3-3 Mounties Wanderers
Bulls FC Academy crushed the survival hopes of Mounties Wanderers holding them to a 3-3 draw at Sydney United Sports Centre.
With the visitors needing three points and a favourable result elsewhere, they couldn’t quite see the job through despite leading for a good chunk of this one.
Right up for the contest, the visitors took the lead twice in the first 20 minutes. Jake Mcging giving them a lead five minutes in before Justin Cardozo equalised on the quarter hour. Mounties Wanderers once again taking the lead in the 17th minute through Mitchell Gibbs with their survival hopes still in tact.
The score line not changing before a late flurry of goals in second half injury time. Michael Krslovic and Sonny Sterjovski both equalising for the Bulls after Jake Mcging restored the visitors lead a minute before the Sterjovski goal.
Mounties Wanderers succumbing to a second relegation from the division in three seasons.
Bulls FC Academy 3 (Cardozo 15’, Krslovic 90’, Sterjovski 94’)
Mounties Wanderers 3 (Mcging 5’ 93’, Gibbs 17’)
Dulwich Hill 1-4 SD Raiders
Keeping their momentum in tact going into the promotion playoff, SD Raiders proved too strong for Dulwich Hill with a 4-1 win at Arlington Oval.
Three goals in the final twenty minutes gave them their seventh straight win with three different scorers finding the back of the net in this one.
Before that period of the game, the game was pretty even in the opening stages with the two sides exchanging a goal each in the first half. Lachlan Mcgrath scoring the first with a back post tap in from a set piece. Before Mark Younes equalised minutes later with an outrageous volley.
The second half seeing the visitors raise their tempo a bit and started putting more balls into the area which led to more goals. James Letta scoring two goals off the bench while Dave Dileo also found the back of the net to see them finish the season on a high.
They will face Central Coast Mariners academy* in the two legged playoff, look out for the fixture details in the next few days on the fnsw competitions site.
Dulwich Hill 1 (Younes 28’)
SD Raiders 4 (McGrath 22’, Letta 70’ 88’, Dileo 79’)
Hills United 2-3 Blacktown Spartans
Blacktown Spartans bounced back and ended their season on a high with a 3-2 win over Hills United away from home.
A textbook high scoring end of season fixture, both sides took the lead at different points with HIlls United ahead at half time before the Spartans came back.
The visitors seemingly responded well to their round 29 season ending defeat taking the lead ten minutes in through Riley Chapple. However Hills turned the game around with two goals before the break through Marcus Lal and Dimi Petratos.
Indeed from a Hills United perspective, they could have done better to see this game through particularly in taking their chances and decision making in the front third.
Which the Spartans made them pay for, Darcy Ellem scoring in the 49th minute to equalise before Aedon Kyra scored the winner with just over 20 minutes remaining. The striker beating two defenders inside the area before applying a finish inside the six yard box. Spartans finishing the season with 17 wins which saw them just miss out on a top two finish.
Hills United 2 (Lal 20’, Petratos 33’)
Blacktown Spartans 3 (Chapple 10’, Ellem 49’, Kyra 68’)
Rydalmere Lions 3-0 Bankstown City
Rydalmere Lions proved too good for Bankstown City in Sydney’s West with a 3-0 victory at Rydalmere Park.
Securing their fifteenth win of the season, they started this one on fire with two goals within twenty minutes before Kyle Sande made it three with a goal in the 86th minute.
Utitilising their press well in the Bankstown City build up, the hosts opened their account in the 13th minute. Adil Toska pouncing on the loose ball before finding Ahmad Taleb who threaded through a ball to Marcus Sparacino who found the back of the net with a first time finish across goal.
That lead doubled five minutes later. Ahmad Taleb turning past his defender on the edge of the box before applying a right footed finish past the goalkeeper. Anponsah Antwi with the assist for that goal.
Their third goal coming late in the second half, Kyle Sande showing tenacity sliding to intercept a pass before striking the ball past the keeper. Rydalmere keeping a great home record in tact with only one loss at the venue this season.
Rydalmere Lions 3 (Sparacino 13’, Taleb 18’, Sande 88’)
Bankstown City 0
Hakoah FC 5-0 Macarthur Rams
Hakoah FC wrapped up their season on a positive note with a 5-0 win over Macarthur Rams at Hensley Athletic Field.
The hosts ran rampant in this one in the opening hour scoring five goals before seeing the game out from there for their ninth win of the season.
Despite the scoreline, the game started off evenly with both sides creating chances before the first goal. The goal coming from Nick Drummond in the 21st minute. That lead doubled before the break through Valentin Cuny who scored from a set piece header.
The hosts were feeling confident in front of goal and made it three goals not long into the second half. Gabriel Antoniades scoring the goal of the match cutting in off his win before curling a shot into the top right corner.
Paul Aruallo and Valentin Cuny scoring a further two goals around the hour mark to claim the three points. Hakoah finishing an up and down season on a positive note.
Hakoah FC 5 (Drummond 21’, Cuny 37’ 62’, Antoniades 48’, Aralullo 59’)
Macarthur Rams 0
Canterbury Bankstown 2-2 Newcastle Jets
Canterbury Bankstown came from behind to take a point against Newcastle Jets at Jensen Park.
Remarkably their 13th draw of the campaign for the hosts, they scored a goal either side of half time for the share of the points after Jets were up by two goals at the half hour.
Probably a fair result after the 90 minutes, both sides had a fair argument for the three points here creating chances. It was the Jets who got off to a good start in this one scoring through Janni Rafty who scored the first before Luka Bennell doubled their lead on 28 minutes.
However the Berries did well to hang in against the academy side and showed plenty of character. Joel Beattie the provider who found Jake Mcleod with a cut back whose first time effort went into the roof of the net.
The second half playing out in a different fashion with Berries showing more purpose. Demitrius Kigeya scoring their equaliser after a Patrick Savor ball allowed him to run onto it in behind the defence. Both teams then having chances to score a winner but coming away with a share of the points.
Canterbury Bankstown 2 (Mcleod 39’, Kigeya 52’)
Newcastle Jets 2 (Rafty 12’, Bennell 28’)
By Justin Smith
