Blacktown City fightback shatters Sharks
Blacktown City has staged a Houdini like comeback from 3-0 down to post a thrilling 4-3 win against Sutherland Sharks in its PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s clash at Seymour Shaw Park on Saturday.
Sutherland will be desperate for answers after its lighting three goal start to the match crumbled away at the hands of the reigning PlayStation®4 Australian National Premier Leagues Champions
The lead up to the game promised a clash of the competition heavyweights and sure did it deliver.
It was bright start for the home side when Tomohiro Kajiyama looped a header towards goal in the sixth minute.
The Sharks displayed fluid and pacey movement around the park and took a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute courtesy of a Nick Littler free kick.
The score was 2-0 to Sutherland only four minutes later when Josh Da Silva pounced on a loose Lewis Beumie back pass to score.
Nick Littler once again displayed why he is so deadly from set pieces when he extended the shark’s lead to 3-0 with another curling dead ball delivery.
Sutherland was not expecting to take such a comprehensive lead into the half time break.
With his side desperate for a miracle to kick-start an unlikely comeback, Blacktown Coach Mark Crittenden replaced Giorgio Speranza with Riku Sasaki,
Blacktown pulled one back in the 54th minute when Sasa Macura sent Travis Major through to reduce the deficit
Danny Choi went close shortly after when he fired over the top after finding space down the left flank.
Super sub Riku Sasaki then hammered home from close range after a nice pass from Major in the 62nd minute for Blacktown’s second goal.
It was a fast, furious, tough and at times uncompromising contest and Macura locked up the series when the midfielder unleashed for his opening goal and Blacktown’s third of the night to lock up the scores.
This is the PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s at its best.
A Zach Cairncross header with four minutes left on the clock was the winner for Blacktown as their captain nodded home from six yards out to make it 4-3.
Sharks coach Carlos Villazon couldn’t believe how his side lost.
“It was unbelievable because for the first 45-minutes I felt we controlled the game,” he said.
“We scored three goals but the players felt the pressure with positioning and we lost a little control.
“We did well but the second half we lost our defensive structure completely and allowed Blacktown back into the game.”
Mark Crittenden was understandably in lighter mood for Blacktown.
“We felt the goals they scored were fairly cheap from our point of view.” He said.
“We made the change at the break to a 3-5-2 formation and I told the boys if we score in the first 10-minutes we’ll win this game. That’s how confident we were and the belief we have in the dressing room. We knew if we put pressure on them we could get a result and it worked out that way.
“We felt we could panic them and we did and was I disappointed in the score of the first half. Yes of course but I wasn’t disappointed in the performance.
“We never say die at Blacktown City and I won’t let any player on the park who has isn’t up to the task so I’m proud of what we have achieved and what this team can go on to achieve this season.”
Match Stats
Sutherland Sharks 3 (Littler 17’, 42’ Da Silva 21)
Blacktown City 4 (Major 54’, Macura 72’, Sasaki 63’, Cairncross 86)
Saturday 19th March, 2016
Seymour Shaw Park, Miranda
Referee: Kurt Ams
Assistant Referees: Andre Giev & Nathan Wotton
Fourth Official: Adam Naylor
Sutherland Sharks: 1. DENHAM Nathan ©, 3. MURAYAMA Takuya, 5. LITTLER Nick, 6. GORDON Matt, 9. FIGON Jordan, 10. DA SILVA Joshua (8. McSTAY Chris 66), 12. STERGIOU Lukas (11. JOVOVIC Alex 80), 15. MOUSTAKAS Perry,17. ANDREW James (23. HAYES Steve 55), 19. FITZPATRICK Callum, 35. KAJIYAMA Tomohiro
Substitutes Not Used: 7. PRESS Jack, 21. LOE Nikolas
Yellow Cards: Hayes 63
Red Cards:
Blacktown City: 1. VEKIC Nenad; 3. SPERANZA Giorgio (21. SASAKI Riku 46), 6. LEWIS Matthew, 7. MAJOR Travis, 8. MACURA Sasa, 9. GIBBS Joey, 10. EVANS Conor, 11. CHOI Danny Seung-Joo (12. GROZDANOVSKI Jonathan 71), 14. MALIA Mitchell (4. SPERANZA Roberto 82’), 17. BEUMIE Lewis, 19. CAIRNCROSS Zachary ©
Substitutes Not Used: 20. PRENDERGAST Tristan
Yellow Cards: Macura 56
Red Cards:
Player Ratings
3 – Littler (SS)
2 – Macura (BC)
1 – Stergiou (SS)
-By Micky Brock at Seymour Shaw