Spartans sign off with Olympic victory

Blacktown Spartans has ended its horror season on a high note as they overcame a gallant Sydney Olympic by 1-0 in the last round of the PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s at Blacktown Football Park on Sunday.

Shu Sasaki’s goal was the difference between the sides after a hard fought match where neither side wanted to give an inch.

The men between the sticks were the stars of the match with Carlos Saliadarre contributing a man of the match performance.

The early part of the game was a tightly contested affair with both teams conceding very little.

Harris Gaitatzis tried his luck from range in the 20th minute only to be met by Carlos Saliadarre who spectacularly turned the ball away for a corner with a great diving save.

From the resulting corner kick, swung in beautifully by Gaitatzis himself, the ball was met by Mitchell Stamatellis at the near post who headed across the face of goal.

Blacktown Spartans replied in the 25th minute when Shu Sasaki forced his way into the box down the left hand channel but could only aim his shot into the arms of Olympic keeper Paul Henderson.

From point blank range in the 28th minute, Jack Green was denied by Saliadarre when he turned to shoot only to find the home side’s custodian ready to block with his feet.

There was no prouder spectator in the stands than Spartans goalkeeper coach Ron Tilsed, the former Arsenal custodian, who later said that Saliadarre was “the best in the Premier League and a goalkeeper of real quality.” On today’s performance it would be hard to argue.

Some more great work by Saliadare was called for shortly afterwards when Jason Madonis threaded the ball to Gaitatzis who, with a superb shot on the turn, forced the Spartans custodian to dive at full stretch and turn the ball away for a corner.

In the 35th minute the home side took the lead and scored the only goal of the game.

A ball over the top reached Shu Sasaki who had no trouble beating Henderson with his shot.

The sides went into the break with the Spartans ahead by the narrowest of margins but just after the break Sydney Olympic could have scored.

Jack Green went charging towards goal in the 47th minute only to be thwarted by Saliadarre again standing tall between the sticks.

A majestic free kick from just outside the box by Jason Trifiro for the home side went just over the crossbar as the Spartans tried to double their lead.

Sydney Olympic however replied in the 66th minute when an Anthony Tomelic free kick went through the wall and fell into the path of Brayden Sorge, but he was denied from close range by Saliadarre coming off his line.

With only six minutes left on the clock and with Sasaki charging dangerously towards goal, Christopher Gligor held him back by the shirt and he was then shown a straight red for a professional foul by referee Chris Young.

In the 87th minute Michael Konestabo found Sasaki who had a free shot on goal but Henderson, winding back the years, produced a great one-handed save.

Late substitute Wand Jajaw was sent off for retaliation after he was brought down by Jason Madonis and, as such, both teams ended the game with ten players.

After the game the outgoing Spartans coach Ben De Haan spoke about the performance.

“It doesn’t mean much but at least we turned up to play,” he said.

“We got the win and from today the club can move on. Our execution let us down all year and that is something we need to improve on.”

Over in the Sydney Olympic dressing room experienced coach, the former Socceroo Grant Lee, discussed the game and the season.

“This is always a hard place to come to with the small field,” he said.

“Any team, especially when they have nothing on the line, is hard to play against.

“For us it was a season of fine margins becoming massive margins.

We can talk about the protest and at times I wonder if the right hand knows what the left hand is doing in regards to these decisions. I still don’t get it, but what do you do.

“There are little things that are game changing and we need to get them right. This year was interesting on a number fronts but we’ll be back next season.”

Match Stats

Blacktown Spartans    1         

(Sasaki 35’)

Sydney Olympic           0

Sunday 14th August 2016

Blacktown Football Park

Referee: Chris Young

Assistant Referees: James Tesoriero, Cameron Wright

Fourth Official: Matt Wright

BLACKTOWN SPARTANS: 1. SALIADARRE Carlos, 3. TANNER Joshua, 4. QUIGLEY Xavier, 7. SASAKI Shu, 8. OTT Jacob, 10. NAKAMURA Futa, 12. KONESTABO Michael, 14. MORTON Hayden, 15. WHITESIDE Thomas, 20. TOSI Benjamin (17. WHITE Aaron 24’, 2. JAJAW Wand 66’), 25. TRIFIRO Jason

Substitutes not used: 11. CRIGHTON Jordan, 37. HINTON Lleyton, 41. NASCIMBEN Domenic,

Yellow Cards: Nakamura 77’, Quigley 86’

Red Cards: Jajaw 89’

SYDNEY OLYMPIC: 1. HENDERSON Paul, 2. SORGE Brayden (82. ANDRICOPOULOS Nikita 72’), 3. TOMELIC Anthony, 5. MADONIS Jason, 6. STAMATELLIS Mitchell, 7. ANGEL Will, 8. FONDYKE Howard (16. GREEN Oliver 66’), 10. GAITATZIS Harris, 14. GREEN Jack (4. EGGER Leigh 66’), 90. GASPARI Joshua, 92. GLIGOR Christopher

Substitutes not used: 20. CRICKMORE Denver, 37. MONTFORD Eoin

Yellow Cards: Angel 58’, Madonis 89’

Red Cards: Gligor 84’

-By Joe Russo, PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s  Reporter