Rangers stun Blacktown City to grab derby spoils
Jack Stewart scored a shock winner for Mount Druitt Town Rangers at Lily Homes Stadium to steal a 1-0 win from under the noses of Blacktown City FC on Sunday afternoon.
Blacktown’s Suleyman Bangura almost opened the scoring in the 15th minute when Travis Major worked the space for him to shoot across goal before it was cleared off the line by Tarek Elrich.
Adam Berry dinked a back-post ball to the waiting Travis Major but Carlos Saliadarre was equal to the headed effort.
Not only were Blacktown City FC’s defensive efforts top-notch but the attacking play from their centre-backs was first class.
Grant Lynch intercepted a ball by Fumoto Kamada before charging halfway up the pitch and slipping a ball into Bangura.
The attacker got his wires crossed and failed to get a shot away just after the half-hour mark.
For all of Blacktown City FC’s dominance, Mount Druitt Town Rangers made sure they had nothing to show for it with the half-time score locked at 0-0.
Mount Druitt Town Rangers had Saliadarre to thank for keeping them in the match as the pressure piled on.
The keeper made a terrific double save first from Mario Shabow’s cut-back shot and then on Major’s follow-up at point-blank range.
Shabow then thought he’d opened the scoring with a header across goal but Saliadarre was there to deny him again.
After over an hour of unrelenting pressure, Mount Druitt miraculously found the opening goal through Jack Stewart.
His run down the right flank saw the defender hit the deck as he cut inside before powering home a high shot into the near post to notch up his third of the season.
Their defensive resilience was still on show when Blake Thompson denied Shabow another crack at redemption for Blacktown City FC, blocking a clear cut chance moments after the goal.
A loud gasp filled the stadium twice when Charles Mendy and Major failed to bury their chances into the back of the net inside the final ten minutes.
Blacktown City FC head coach Mark Crittenden was ropable after the game.
“We made enough chances to win four games they were never in it,” he said.
“We had one defensive lapse and we conceded… we’ve just got be better at finishing, we are getting the balls into the front third.
“(We weren’t) good enough in the last third, they had one shot on goal and we had more than fifteen.”
The scoreline shows Jack Stewart scored the winner but it couldn’t have happened without Carlos Saliadarre.
“I’m happy to do my job and do my part,” Saliadarre said.
“Jack’s on fire he’s scored again, another solo goal, we can’ task any more of him, as long as the boys bang them in and we in.
“We set ourselves a challenge to win back-to-back, we obviously haven’t done that this season, we haven’t won away from home and we got a clean sheet, we are starting to find our rhythm.
“A lot of people don’t know I’ve been at this against Blacktown City for a long time when I was at (Blacktown) Spartans, so i think this is game number 24 that it’s taken me to finally get a win against them.
“It’s a hurdle I was finally able to get over.”
Match Stats
Blacktown City FC 0
Mount Druitt Town Rangers 1 (7. Jack Stewart 63’)
Sunday 11th April, 2021
Lily Homes Stadium, Blacktown
Referee: Michael Bailey
Assistant Referees: June Park, Sam Quinn
Fourth Official: Luca Lavigne
Blacktown City FC: 1. Tristan Prendergast, 3. Daniel Collins (22. Carlos de Oliveira,77’), 4. Lachlan Campbell, 5. Grant Lynch, 6. Matthew Lewis (66’ 8. Jak O’Brien), 7. Travis Major, 10. Mario Shabow, 17. Dakota Askew, 18. Suleyman Bangura (21. Charles Mendy 62’), 19. Adam Berry, 24. Jackson Bandiera (11. Rhett Desilva 77’)
Substitutes Not Used: 20.Dylan Niski
Yellow Cards:
Red Cards: Nil
Mount Druitt Town Rangers FC: 1. Carlos Saliadarre,, 3. Travis Oughtread, 6. Blake Thompson, 7. Jack Stewart (4. Mitchell Smith 88’), 8. Jason Perez, 10. Takuma Tsujimura, 14. Fumoto Kamada (45’ 9. Jordan Roberts), 17. Cooper Coskerie, 18. Jared Macerola (2. Solomon-Johnn Monohan-Vaiika 68’), 21. Tarek Elrich, 22. Jake Mamone, 32. Peter Nichols
Substitutes Not Used: 11. Andre Takami, 24. Brendan Allen, 32. Peter Nichols
Yellow Cards: 18. Jared Macerola 52’, 9. Jordan Roberts 90’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings
3 — Carlos Saliadarre (MTD)
2 — Jack Stewart (MTD)
1 — Grant Lynch (BCFC)
