Round 7 Review – League One Men’s

There was drama aplenty in Round Seven of the FNSW League One Men’s competition this weekend as we approach the end of the second month.

A last-minute equaliser kept Northern Tigers undefeated across seven rounds, while Prospect United picked up their first win of the season elsewhere.

Match of the Round: Northern Tigers 1-1 Hills United

A last-minute equaliser saw Northern Tigers keep their unbeaten start to the season alive after being pushed all the way by Hills United in our Round Seven Match of the Round.

Earlier, they conceded just their third goal of the season, with Yuki Kanai giving Hills United the lead before Jesse Spang headed home an equaliser deep into stoppage time.

It was a clash between two coaches in Milad Popalzay and Patrick Zwaanswijk who had worked together in the past, so it took some time for the first chance of note to arrive.

Hills United perhaps looked the more threatening of the two down the left wing, with Yuki Kanai often the outlet. The game’s first real chance fell to Northern Tigers through Cole Mutton, but he couldn’t hit the target after a build-up down the right around the half-hour mark.

A well-worked attack down the right involving Cameron Philp was the visitors’ best moment before half-time stoppage time. It was Hills who made the breakthrough on the cusp of half-time after a positive spell.

Yuki Kanai largely did it himself, controlling a direct ball from Daniel-Ray Djurovic under pressure before setting himself and finding the bottom left corner with a right-footed strike.

Trailing by a goal at the break, it was now on the hosts to create chances against a Hills side prioritising their defensive shape. Every time the Tigers entered the box before the hour mark, there seemed to be yellow shirts crowding them out, with Hills working cohesively as a unit.

The Tigers continued to push but were limited to half chances, one of which saw Lachlan Lloyd fire across goal in the 65th minute.

Hills United looked to create pressure-relieving moments as the game went on and came closest in the second half through Darian Daghero, who forced Tigers goalkeeper Bodie Denton into a sharp reaction save inside the area.

All that hard work nearly came undone for the visitors in the 79th minute, with Hills keeper Ryan Wood smothering a Jesse Spang chance before a Sebastian Cerecedo follow-up struck the crossbar, as the hosts lifted the tempo in the final ten minutes.

There were key moments in the dying stages, the first being a Bodie Denton save onto the crossbar to deny Noah Miller. Then, with virtually the last kick of the game, the Tigers found their equaliser—Austin Oates delivering from the left for Jesse Spang to head home from close range.

The Tigers remain unbeaten ahead of a clash with Newcastle Jets next weekend, while Hills United host Inter Lions in Round Eight action.

Northern Tigers 1 (Spang 93’)

Hills United 1 (Kanai 45’)

Elsewhere:

Newcastle Jets 3-3 Blacktown Spartans

Newcastle Jets and Blacktown Spartans played out a high-scoring draw at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility.

Trailing by two goals approaching half-time, the Jets responded with three unanswered goals before the 65th minute, only for the Spartans to equalise soon after and claim a share of the points. The academy side has now picked up points in their last three matches, while the result keeps Spartans in second place.

The visitors made a dream start, with Abbas Reda scoring just 17 seconds in. The match developed into an open, end-to-end contest before Darcy Ellem doubled the Spartans’ lead in the 40th minute. A late first-half goal from Jake Goodwin shifted momentum.

The Jets improved significantly in the second half, with Angus Reid and Jake Goodwin (twice) scoring around the hour mark. The Spartans responded through Angus Chance, and although the Jets had a late opportunity to win it, they couldn’t capitalise.

Newcastle Jets 3 (Goodwin 47’, 62’, Reid 59’)

Blacktown Spartans 3 (Reda 1’, Ellem 40’, Chance 68’)

Canterbury Bankstown 2-4 Hurstville FC

Hurstville Zagreb picked up their second win of the campaign—and first away from home—coming from behind twice to defeat Canterbury Bankstown 4-2 at Jensen Park.

The win will provide a major confidence boost, as they now sit level on points with their hosts in 11th position. The Berries, meanwhile, suffered their first defeat in a month.

Hurstville showed great resilience, responding each time they fell behind. Canterbury Bankstown led twice in the first half through a William Kounnas brace, with Luke Vlastelica scoring in between to make it 2-1 at half-time.

Set pieces proved crucial for the visitors, with Allesandro Lacalandra setting up Jonathan Maras from a Nikola Todoroski delivery. George Antonis then gave them the lead on the hour before Lacalandra sealed the result late.

Canterbury Bankstown 2 (Kounnas 35’, 44’)

Hurstville FC 4 (Vlastelica 40’, Maras 55’, Antonis 60’, Lacalandra 86’)

Hakoah FC 1-2 Prospect United

Prospect United claimed a historic first win of the campaign with a 2-1 victory over Hakoah FC at Hensley Athletic Field.

The result lifts them away from the bottom two, while Hakoah remain just one point above them and winless in their last five matches.

Praneet Singh opened the scoring for the visitors, heading home a Michael Singh cross, before Marco Turpeinen doubled the lead ten minutes later from a Jacob Micallef delivery.

Hakoah pulled one back before the break through Ben Fuchs, but the second half was a scrappy affair, with Prospect maintaining their defensive structure to hold on.

Hakoah FC 1 (Fuchs 42’)

Prospect United 2 (Singh 10’, Turpeinen 20’)

Dulwich Hill 0-1 Bankstown City

Bankstown City overcame a slow start to secure a narrow 1-0 win over Dulwich Hill at Arlington Oval.

The breakthrough came in the 78th minute via a Bai Antoniou penalty, sealing a fourth straight win. Dulwich Hill, however, showed plenty of improvement following last weekend’s heavy defeat.

The hosts controlled much of the first half, winning duels and dictating play, while Bankstown grew into the contest late in the half.

After tactical adjustments at the break, Bankstown found the difference through Antoniou, with Shun Maeta winning the decisive penalty. Captain Blake Ricciuto also played a key leadership role.

Dulwich Hill 0

Bankstown City 1 (Antoniou 78’)

Inter Lions 0-1 Macarthur Rams

Macarthur Rams extended their unbeaten run to five matches with a 1-0 win over Inter Lions at Majors Bay Reserve.

After a dominant first half, the Rams found a deserved breakthrough in the second half to claim all three points. Inter Lions remain bottom but showed signs of improvement.

Coach Dan Mijovic described his side’s first half as “perhaps their best of the season,” as they controlled possession and created chances. Christian Torrelli went close early, while goalkeeper Evan Davis made key saves.

The match opened up in the second half before Alex Gollan converted from a set piece in the 76th minute. Inter pushed late but couldn’t find an equaliser.

Inter Lions 0

Macarthur Rams 1 (Gollan 76’)

Rydalmere Lions 1-0 Central Coast Mariners

Rydalmere Lions returned to winning ways with a 1-0 victory over Central Coast Mariners at home.

After an even first half, the breakthrough came early in the second period through substitute Sa Huk Yang, who scored in the 53rd minute after coming on before the break.

The Mariners pushed for an equaliser and came close, even having a shot cleared off the line, but couldn’t find a way through.

Rydalmere Lions secured their third win of the season to stay in touch with the teams above them, while the Mariners remain ninth and winless in four matches.

Rydalmere Lions 1 (Sa Huk Yang 53’)

Central Coast Mariners 0

Western City Rangers v Bulls FC Academy will be played at a later date.

By Justin Smith