PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition new boys Hakoah Sydney City East has shown they will not be easy beats this season with a dominant 4-0 thrashing of Blacktown Spartans at Blacktown Football Park on Saturday.
Victory for the Hensley Athletic based side was never in doubt with Blacktown completely outclassed by Hakoah.
It was another average performance from the Spartans who appeared nothing like the side which upset the reigning PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s Champions Bonnyrigg only seven days ago.
Mark Robertson’s Hakoah side looked comfortable from start to finish and took advantage of the home side’s sloppiness.
The first chance of the match fell to Spartans’ midfielder Yianni Perkatis but he sailed his free kick from the edge of the box over the goal posts.
Hakoah shot-stopper Anthony Costa pulled off two great saves midway through the first half, first from Shu Sasaki and then from point blank range against Anthony Proia, to keep the match locked at 0-0.
The game awoke with ten minutes remaining in the first half.
Lee Jones menaced the Spartans down the right and almost forced Luka Dukic to put the ball into his own net.
Carlos Saliadarre pulled off a fantastic save from Neil Jablonski from the resulting corner in the 38th minute tapping the headed effort over the crossbar.
Blacktown’s Anthony Proia then missed the unmissable a minute from the break.
A swift counter-attack had the travelling side in sixes and sevens with Sasaki putting Amaury Gauthier clear in on Costa.
Unselfishly Gauthier squared the ball for the on rushing Proia who completely fluffed his lines and missed an open goal.
This opportunity will go down as one of the misses of the season without a doubt.
Just like that, the punishment arrived in first half stoppage time.
With his deadly right foot, Jones whipped in a teasing free-kick from the left before Kevin Lopes guided past the outstretched arms of Saliadarre.
Hakoah came out strong in the second stanza and after only 15 minutes the visitors doubled their lead.
Hakoah’s Jacob Bandur did well to intercept a pass as his team moved on the counter. Lopes broke away down the left, crossing in an inch perfect ball for Jablonski who volleyed emphatically passed Saliadarre to take the score to 2-0.
Five minutes later Hakoah secured this win when Lopes grabbed his second goal of the game.
A ball over the top wasn’t dealt with by the Spartans defence and allowed Lopes to skip through and calmly place the ball beyond the Spartans keeper.
Jablonski could’ve easily made it four only minutes later but his volley went over from only yards out.
Nathan Bowden-Haase added another for the away when he headed home from a corner to extend the lead to four.
Substitute Ben Tosi had a chance to score a consolation for the Spartans but his effort went wide of Costa’s goal moments before the final whistle
Hakoah Sydney City East coach Mark Robertson praised the enthusiasm and resilience of his players.
“Last week… we created six or seven chances against Rockdale but couldn’t capitalise. The week before against Wolves we created eight or nine chances. Tonight was a little different and we found a way to win,” he said.
“Jabba was on song and he’s always quality, Kevin Lopes excellent, our midfield was great as was Gavin Rae along with my wingbacks.
“The club has recruited well and picked up players who want to be here, who want to play for the club, me and each other.”
Ben De Haan was furious at his side’s lackluster performance.
“Just like round one we just didn’t show up,” he said.
“Three or four blokes just didn’t show up.
“We go up the field, the easiest tap in I’ve ever seen, miss it, they go up the other end and score right on half time.
“Execution and concentration is lacking massively.”
Match Stats
Blacktown Spartans 0
Hakoah Sydney City East 4 (Lopes 45’, 67’, Jablonski 61’, Bowden-Haase 81’)
Saturday, 25th March, 2016
Blacktown Football Park
Blacktown Spartans: Saliadarre, Vazquez, Dukic, Perkatis, Sasaki, Ott, Proia (Tosi 63’), Nakamura, Whiteside, Tomohiro, Gauthier (Mutch 63’ (Dullak 87’)
Substitutes not used: Nascimben (gk), Mooy
Yellow Cards: Proia 31’
Red Cards: N/A
Hakoah Sydney City East FC: Costa, Walker, Bowden-Haase, Jablonski (Abbott 76’), Rae, Gillmartin (Andricopoulos 81’), Jones, Bandur, Mundell, D’Mello (De Jong 79’), Lopez
Substitutes not used: Andricopoulos, Mckenzie
Yellow Cards: Lopes 57’, Bowden-Haase 90’
Red Cards: N/A
PLAYER RATINGS
3 – Kevin Lopes (HSC)
2 – Lee Jones (HSC)
1 – Neil Jablonski (HSC)
-By Nikola Pozder at Blacktown Football Park.
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