Round 16 Review – League Two Men’s
Every home team was victorious to start the second half of the 2026 Football NSW League Two Men’s season, with plenty of action across the round’s seven matches.
The Match of the Round this week saw the battle for second take yet another twist in a dramatic affair between Central Coast United FC and Bonnyrigg White Eagles FC.
Match of the Round: Central Coast United FC 1-1 Bonnyrigg White Eagles FC
A last-gasp stoppage-time goal saw 14th-placed Central Coast United FC stun 2nd-placed Bonnyrigg White Eagles and hold them to a 1-1 draw in this intense Match of the Round.
Daniel Bittar once again got the visitors off to the perfect start, scoring in the 7th minute for his ninth league goal of the season to give the White Eagles a 1-0 lead.
Despite more chances for both sides in the first half, the two teams went into the sheds at the break with Bonnyrigg in the ascendancy.
Central Coast made a list of changes with substitutes in the second half, hoping to use fresh legs late in the match to force the issue.
Central Coast’s persistence paid off in the fourth minute of stoppage time when 19-year-old substitute Kirby Wilding scored with one of the final kicks of the match to earn a point for Central Coast in a 1-1 draw with Bonnyrigg.
The draw for Central Coast sees them go four matches unbeaten as they look to continue to fight near the bottom of the ladder, while for Bonnyrigg the point saw them stay 2nd but saw their advantage cut to just a point and saw them drift to being 14 points behind league leaders, Mounties Wanderers FC.
Central Coast United FC 1 (Kirby Wilding 90+4’)
Bonnyrigg White Eagles FC 1 (Daniel Bittar 7’)
Fraser Park FC 2-0 Camden Tigers FC
Fraser Park FC won their first league match in four attempts to put themselves into 3rd on the ladder after a strong 2-0 home win over last-placed Camden Tigers FC.
After early chances to Reuben Awaritefe and Francis Mcalpine, Fraser Park took a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute when George Grillakis rose highest from a corner and headed the ball home.
Fraser Park was almost made to rue missed chances to Christian Dos Santos and Awaritefe in the second half when a shot from Camden’s Brendan Lane almost caught out Fraser Park goalkeeper Daniel Vickers.
However, the hosts doubled their lead in the 82nd minute when substitute Roger Djuma finished off a chance at the back post – that goal ensuring Fraser Park walked away with the three points in a 2-0 win.
Fraser Park FC 2 (George Grillakis 22’; Roger Djuma 82’)
Camden Tigers FC 0
Nepean FC 4-1 South Coast Flame FC
Nepean FC took a statement victory in a 4-1 win over South Coast Flame FC, completing the league double and putting themselves in a strong position to start the second half of the season, rising to 5th and dropping the Flame to 6th.
Nepean were given an early chance in the 22nd minute when Toby Witjes was fouled in the box by the Flame’s Takayuki Kayano; he converted in off the post for his 13th goal of the season for a 1-0 lead.
Matthew Mazevskui responded for the Flame in the 39th minute, but late in the match Nepean took control; Witjes missed a penalty in the 68th minute before Jack Hoban set up Luke Williams with a cross two minutes later for a 2-1 lead.
Nepean went on with the match, Jack Hoban scoring ten minutes from full-time after he got in behind, before Nepean were awarded another penalty in the 84th minute; Jett McFadden slotted the ball away from the spot to give Nepean a 4-1 victory.
Nepean FC 4 (Toby Witjes 22’ pen, 68’ missed pen; Luke Williams 71’; Jack Hobam 80’; Jett McFadden 84’ pen)
South Coast Flame FC 1 (Matthew Mazevski 39’)
Mounties Wanderers FC 4-1 Granville Rage
Mounties Wanderers FC extended their lead atop the ladder to 14 points after a 4-1 home win over Granville Rage, a result which saw the Rage slip to 9th and saw them lose a fourth match from their past five.
Mounties were aware of the attacking threat of the Rage and that attack showed early, Jad Moussa finding the back of the net for the visitors within six minutes to give them a 1-0 lead.
From there, Mounties regrouped and found the equaliser in the 15th minute through Kento Awano before Patrick Antelmi, the league’s leading goal scorer this season, added his 15th goal of the year in the 38th minute.
The league leaders found a third before the break through Josh Symons, before rounding out the 4-1 win in the third minute of stoppage time through Garang Awac, the substitute scoring his second goal in three matches off the bench.
Mounties Wanderers FC 4 (Kento Awano 15’; Patrick Antelmi 38’; Josh Symons 42’; Garang Awac 90+3’)
Granville Rage 1 (Jad Moussa 6’)
Hawkesbury City FC 3-2 Dunbar Rovers FC
Hawkesbury City FC won back-to-back matches, completed the league double and won a fourth match from their past six after a 3-2 home win over Dunbar Rovers FC, a result which moved them to 7th on the ladder, level on 22 points with Dunbar.
The Hawks took the 1-0 lead in the 3rd minute when Harry Drew converted a penalty after Aaron Peterson was fouled in the box, before Peterson then doubled the hosts’ lead in the 36th minute off a Drew free kick which he headed home.
The hosts extended their lead to 3-0 in the 67th minute when Lincoln Gilmour found Duncan Stewart in behind; Stewart then curled the ball into the back of the net with his first touch of the match off the bench.
Dunbar fought back late, scoring in the 72nd minute through Kosei Fukuyoshi, who got into the box late and slotted the ball home, before scoring what ended up being a consolation goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time through Gianni Constantino, who headed the ball home off a free kick, Hawkesbury running out 3-2 winners.
Hawkesbury City FC 3 (Harry Drew 3’ pen; Aaron Peterson 36’; Duncan Stewart 67’)
Dunbar Rovers FC 2 (Kosei Fukuyoshi; Gianni Costantino 90+3’)
Inner West Hawks FC 1-0 Bankstown United FC
Inner West Hawks FC snapped a four-match losing streak and defeated Bankstown United FC for the first time since 2023 after a tight 1-0 home win.
Bankstown held the ball for the majority of the match and created numerous chances, Inner West seeing a goal to Peter Yannopoulos disallowed for offside in the first half.
The Hawks kept firing and had another big chance in the second half in the 52nd minute when Yannopoulos got in behind once again and had his shot saved before Matthew Morris scored on the rebound.
Inner West held on for the rest of the second match to take out a 1-0 win over Bankstown, a result which sees them rise to 10th and Bankstown drop to 12th.
Inner West Hawks FC 1 (Matthew Morris 52’)
Bankstown United FC 0
Gladesville Ryde Magic 1-0 Sydney University SFC
Gladesville Ryde Magic found the moment of difference to take home a 1-0 home win over Sydney University, completing the league double and rising one spot to 13th, University dropping from 9th to 11th.
University had numerous chances in the first half through Michael Morrow and Isaac Folkes, but it was Gladesville who found the breakthrough in the 28th minute when Stefan Baker scored on the counter.
The visitors continued to hold the ball and create chances in the second half but could not find an equaliser in the match.
Gladesville were awarded a penalty late in the final five minutes of the match but were denied a second goal when University goalkeeper Alejandro Briones saved the spot kick; however, the Magic still ran out 1-0 winners.
Gladesville Ryde Magic 1 (Stefan Baker 28’)
Sydney University SFC 0
Parramatta FC had a bye in Round 16 and dropped from 3rd to 4th.
By Football NSW League Two Men’s Reporter, Dylan Costa
