Round 1 Review – League One Men’s

Round one of the FNSW League One Men’s competition delivered plenty of drama, including what could be one of the league’s most thrilling games in recent memory.

Rydalmere Lions stunned Bankstown City thanks to an Isaac Cunningham hat-trick, while promoted sides started positively and Macarthur Rams claimed a big win over Western City Rangers.

Here’s a roundup of all eight fixtures.

Match of the Round: Bankstown City 4–5 Rydalmere Lions

Jensen Park hosted one of the league’s classic encounters as Rydalmere Lions edged Bankstown City in a nine-goal thriller. Isaac Cunningham scored a dramatic 90th-minute winner to complete his hat-trick, while Adil Toska and Lomeo Nicoliello also found the net for the visitors.

Bankstown City fought back with Alec Urosevski opening the scoring within seven minutes and completing a brace, supported by goals from Danilo Mizdrak and Bai Antoniou. A crucial penalty save from Rydalmere keeper Steven Kriezis early in the first half shifted momentum, allowing the Lions to gain confidence and score three unanswered goals.

The game exploded in the second half, with both sides exchanging goals in a frantic finale. Cunningham’s late winner was the perfect climax to a high-octane contest that showcased attacking football at its finest.

It was one of the most attended round 1 fixtures for quote some time as many as 1,223 fans flocked Jensen Park to witness the club’s first match of the 2026 season.

Score: Bankstown City 4 (Urosevski 7’, 89’; Mizdrak 57’; Antoniou 70’) – Rydalmere Lions 5 (Nicoliello 35’; Cunningham 38’, 49’, 90’; Toska 68’)

Blacktown Spartans 4–1 Hills United

Blacktown Spartans asserted themselves as pre-season contenders with a 4–1 win at Blacktown Football Park. Hills United equalised midway through the second half via Yuki Kanai, but Blacktown quickly regained control. Riley Chapple, Aedon Kyra (who scored a stunning half-field goal), and Paul Araullo sealed the win.

Score: Blacktown Spartans 4 (Kyra 45’, 72’; Chapple 58’; Araullo 87’) – Hills United 1 (Kanai 56’)

Northern Tigers FC 3–2 Canterbury Bankstown

Northern Tigers began their campaign with a 3–2 victory at North Turramurra Recreation Area. The first half saw all five goals, with William Kouness and Fikret Berisha giving Canterbury an early lead. Daniel Kespot, Jesse Spang, and Sebastian Cerecedo struck back for the Tigers to secure the win.

Score: Northern Tigers 3 (Kespot, Spang, Cerecedo) – Canterbury Bankstown 2 (Berisha 3’; Kouness 27’)

Bulls FC Academy 2–0 Inter Lions

Bulls FC Academy recorded a solid 2–0 win at Sydney United Sports Centre. Frans Deli’s first-half strike and Sonny Sterjovski’s late goal sealed the points, while Inter Lions battled hard throughout but were undone by the academy’s clinical finishing.

Score: Bulls FC Academy 2 (Deli 39’; Sterjovski 75’) – Inter Lions 0

Macarthur Rams 3–1 Western City Rangers

Macarthur Rams made a statement with a 3–1 home win at Lynwood Park. Chan Yelchan scored twice, with Conor Spurway adding a third. Western City Rangers’ Hugo Cornish netted a consolation goal, but the Rams dominated for much of the match.

Score: Macarthur Rams 3 (Yelchan 9’, 62’; Spurway 68’) – Western City Rangers 1 (Cornish 33’)

Prospect United 1–1 Central Coast Mariners

Prospect United battled back from an early deficit to draw 1–1 against Central Coast Mariners. Ahmad Elhelou scored for the Mariners in the 35th minute, while Praneet Singh equalised for Prospect in the second half. A strong defensive performance kept the hosts in the game despite Mariners’ possession dominance.

Score: Prospect United 1 (Singh 61’) – Central Coast Mariners 1 (Elhelou 35’)

Hurstville Zagreb FC 0–0 Newcastle Jets

Hurstville Zagreb held Newcastle Jets to a goalless draw at Penshurst. The hosts grew into the game after early pressure, creating several chances, while Jets struggled to adapt to the unique pitch. Hurstville finished with ten men but secured a hard-earned point.

Score: Hurstville Zagreb FC 0 – Newcastle Jets 0

Dulwich Hill 1–1 Hakoah FC

Dulwich Hill and Hakoah FC shared the points in a 1–1 draw at Arlington Oval. Samuel Gulisano opened the scoring for Dulwich Hill early in the second half, with Nicholas Tooley equalising for Hakoah shortly after. The remainder of the game saw limited clear-cut chances.

Score: Dulwich Hill 1 (Gulisano 47’) – Hakoah FC 1 (Tooley 61’)

-By Justin Smith