APIA snatch and grab victory over Blacktown City
APIA Leichhardt FC took home all three points after defeating Blacktown City FC 1-0 thanks to a second half Jack Armson goal on a dreary Saturday afternoon at Lambert Park.
The victory helps build confidence and momentum for APIA Leichhardt but Blacktown City were desperately unlucky not to have secured a point from the encounter as there was certainly not much splitting both sides.
The visitors came into this match with only one training session following their game being called off last week due to nine COVID cases that ripped through the camp.
And early signs were evident that Mark Crittenden’s squad were a little out of touch after missing their round 3 encounter against the Marconi Stallions with APIA starting out fresh with a few chances.
The earliest falling in the first minute of play when a free-kick from APIA’s star import Jason Romero sailed over the crossbar.
It was Romero again in the 11th minute who tried his luck with a shot from outside the box that ended up just wide of the mark.
APIA’s young striker Nathanael Blair was making a nuisance for Blacktown City early on but was marshalled by both Grant Lynch and Lachlan Campbell who set up key battles throughout the match.
The tight match didn’t produce any more chances in the first half until the 32nd minute when Blacktown City came close.
A long-range free kick reached tricky Japanese import Hiroaki Aoyama in the box, but luckily for the home side his attempt was deflected wide by the astute defence.
Shortly afterwards Blacktown City were at it again when a delightful cross from the right reached Charles Mendy in the box, but his volley was too high.
Mendy was in the thick of the action again in the 34th minute but his dangerous cross flashed across the entire face of goal without receiving the final touch needed to put it in for Blacktown.
The final opportunity of the first stanza of play belonged to APIA Leichhardt when a dangerous free-kick from Romero curled over the wall, but young Alex Robinson between the posts beautifully turned it away for a corner in a fine piece of goalkeeping from the 17-year-old custodian.
In the second half the first opportunity arrived in the 59th minute when Romero flicked the ball onto Yianni Nicolaou in the box, but once again Robinson was able to turn it way for a corner and another brilliant save was made by the youngster.
In the 62nd minute Blacktown came really close when a corner was headed by Mitchell Mallia towards goal but Themba Muata Marlow headed off the goal line for the home side much to the despair of the Blacktown fans.
In the 64th minute Mallia fired a rocket from just outside the box that Ivan Necevski parried away superbly in what really should have been a goal to the visitors except for Necevski’s heroics.
A few minutes later and Blacktown came very close again when City substitute Jordan Smylie from close range, was thwarted by some excellent goalkeeping again by Necevski.
There was an immediate reply from the home side when Romero fed the ball to Matthew Cahill but his diagonal shot went wide of the goal.
In the 76th minute a foul by Nicolau just outside the box on Smylie resulted in a free-kick and it was so close that the visitors were hoping for a penalty. The free-kick was eventually taken by Mallia but he slipped in his run up and he skyed the ball.
APIA Leichhardt took the lead and scored the only goal of the game in the 79th minute.
A corner kick was flicked towards goal and then headed off the line by a Blacktown defender but only as far as Armson who drilled home with a powerful right footed shot.
It was all the home side needed to claim maximum points and for Armson it was his second goal in successive games.
After the encounter APIA Leichhardt’s coach Danial Cummins was very pleased to have secured all three points against Blacktown City.
“I am a very happy to get three points against Blacktown because you have to work hard for it as they are a quality side,” he said.
“I learnt a lot from Mark (Crittenden) in the past, they have a good squad, and you need to play your best against them.
“We changed the formation today and executed our game plan really well, and I am very proud of our team.
“There is a bit of belief for the boys and that’s a real positive, but we are still missing a few players. “We had to change the structure today but that’s standard we have to do every week.”
Blacktown City’s coach Mark Crittenden said that he was disappointed to have come away empty handed.
“They had a free kick and a couple of corners and that’s all they had on goal,” he said.
“I am really proud of my team because we only had one decent training session in two weeks as we got hit fairly hard with COVID.
“I am really proud of what we did on the park against a very good side.
“We played the full 90 minutes even though we were not very healthy, and I am really proud of the effort.
“Next week we have Sydney United 58 and that won’t be any easier, so we have had a pretty tough start but that’s the league and the run today will do us the world of good.”
Match Stats
APIA LEICHHARDT: 1 (Armson 79’)
BLACKTOWN CITY: 0
Saturday 26th March 2022
Lambert Park, Leichhardt
Referee: Sam Kelly
Assistant Referees: Ivica Covic, Nick Vermaat
Fourth Official: Logan Rhys Jones
APIA LEICHHARDT: 1. Ivan Necevski, 5. Nicholas Azzone, 9. Jason Romero, 10. Franco Parisi (6. Simon Nicholas 67’), 14. Jack Armson (88. Josh Symons 88’), 15. Themba Muata Marlow, 18. Adrian Ucchino, 20. Nathanael Blair (7. Matthew Cahill 67’), 21. Michael Kouta, 23. Walter Scott, 38. Yianni Nicolaou.
Substitutes not used: 22. Luke Turnbull, 3. Paul Galimi, 27. Dylan Chau
Yellow Cards: Kouta 23’, Ucchino 35’, Necevski 67’
Red Card: Nil
BLACKTOWN CITY: 30. Alex Robinson, 3. Daniel Collins (18. Nicholas O’Brien 83’), 4. Lachlan Campbell, 5. Grant Lynch, 6. Matthew Lewis (8. Jak O’Brien 65’), 11. Mitchell Mallia, 17. Dakota Askew, 19. Adam Berry, 21. Charles Mendy (7. Jordan Smylie 65’), 24. Jackson Bandiera, 32. Hiroaki Aoyama (10. Mario Sahbow 69’).
Substitutes not used: 14. Caleb Jackson Brown, 40. Dylan Niski
Yellow Cards: Campbell 67’
Red Card: Nil
Player Ratings
3 – Nicholas Azzone (AL)
2 – Dakota Askew (BC)
1 – Jack Armson (AL)
By National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s reporter Joe Russo
