Rangers pile more misery on the Sharks
Mt Druitt Town Rangers secured only its second victory for 2022 following a 2-0 victory over fellow strugglers Sutherland Sharks leapfrogging the Shire side on the NPL NSW Men’s ladder in their round 15 clash at Seymour Shaw Park on Saturday.
Second half goals to Mt Druitt’s star attraction Jack Stewart just after the break and a late sealer via substitute Bul Juach earned the Rangers the three precious points.
Always involved, Stewart found a way through the Sharks’ defence to powerfully strike home beyond Anthony Bouzanis to open the scoring but in contrast, Juach’s effort barely trickled over the line late on, not that the beleaguered Mt Druitt were complaining.
Sutherland started brightly in limiting the possession for their opponents and thought they were in when Mark Rodic slipped the ball to Jason Madonis in the fifth minute before he played it through to James Andrew who managed to slice the ball.
The game was stalling in midfield as Mt Druitt fought back but it was Nick Sullivan who had the next opportunity, created by himself, with a dogged run and turn in the eleventh minute but to no avail as the strike went wide.
The visitors registered their first effort on target two minutes later when a neat cut-back allowed Stewart to fire goalward but Bouzanis saved with his feet to deny the striker.
Fumoto Kamada nutmegged Jeremy Cox and slid the ball in for Stewart once more who flicked the ball with the outside of the foot that snuck past the near post as the chances started to pile through.
Sunmola wasted a great opportunity when blasting over the bar from the edge of the area but as yet neither ‘keeper had been truly tested in the opening twenty-five minutes from two sides that have been struggling for goals during the 2022 campaign.
Pat O’Shea then pounced on a loose ball played across the box on the half-hour that was very timely deflected for a corner in a congested goalmouth when destined for the back of the net.
The whistle sounded for half-time and both teams knew a huge second half was in order as both teams desperately went on the hunt for the three points.
The half-time talk in the dressing sheds worked a treat for the Rangers as they took the lead via Stewart.
The ace marksman reacted quickest with a crisply struck shot beyond Bouzanis in the 47th minute to earn himself his eighth goal of the NPL NSW Men’s campaign.
The action started to open as both teams went on the hunt for more goals.
Fanella fumbled a Chris Lindsay cross but a mixture of scuffed shots from Mitch Smith and a scrambling Rangers defence saw the danger cleared and the visitors remained in front.
James Andrew broke through but needed to check back, with Cooper Coskerie closing down rapidly inside the area, and another opportunity was spurned to restore parity.
In the process, Tarek Elrich needed treatment on the touchline after bravely diving in to prevent a goal scoring opportunity however, Sutherland were unable to utilise the man advantage before the defender was replaced by Ivan Sunjic.
John Roberts slipped Olayinka in who played a cheeky backheel for Stewart who, looking for his and Rangers’ second of the afternoon, brought a fantastic save out of Bouzanis that was finally cleaned up by Lindsay.
Sutherland were throwing everything forward at a time when Mt Druitt were finding their straps and when Solomon-John Monaghan-Vaiika forced Bouzanis into a point blank stop the ball fell kindly for Olayinka to plant into the net only to be ruled out for offside.
The opportunities were starting to fall the way of the visitors but a lack of composure in the final third hampered any addition to the lead being extended and when Monaghan-Vaiika gave away a free-kick on the edge of the area Mt Druitt were fearing the worst until Madonis fired high over the bar.
Substitute Bul Juach came close but fired across the face when breaking through the middle with no team-mate able to keep pace.
As the game opened up for both teams, it was Juach who finally found the net to put the result beyond doubt when getting enough on the ball to send it trickling over the line.
The result was evident in both coach’s expression at the final whistle with Rangers’ Stewart Montgomery buoyed by the win away from home.
“I think the chances sort of fell to us in the end, but we didn’t really execute them well,” he said.
“This is a difficult pitch to play on as we are used to grass pitches, so everything is a little different including the bounce and pace and we had to master that as well as tackle the Sharks at home.
“Had we been on a grass pitch I feel we would have had one or two more chances roll for us but we didn’t and that’s that.
“In the second-half the attitude was good but we’ve been in that position many times this season when we’ve had a really strong or good performance but haven’t been able to capitalise and we’ve come away on the wrong end of the result.
“I cannot fault the team’s dynamic, camaraderie, and morale in the dressing room.
“Everyone wants to be here and play for the badge and the club in what has been a very difficult season for us but we’ll look to put together some tough performances between now and the final game and look to build on these three points but we won’t be looking any further than our next game.”
Luis Contigiani, Sutherland Co-Coach, cut a forlorn figure following the Sharks’ twelfth loss of the NPL NSW Men’s season.
“We started to struggle after we dominated the first-half and again not taking our chances,” he commented.
“The front third has been our Achilles heel this year and with a few things going on over the past few weeks it hasn’t helped us but that’s football.
“That’s no excuse as everyone has their ups and downs but we’re not executing our game plans nor identifying where the chinks and threats are in the opposition and nullifying it and that’s hurting us.
“This is a tough period for us, but we’ll re-evaluate and go again.”
Match Stats
Sutherland Sharks 0
Mt Druitt Town Rangers 2 (Jack Stewart 47’, Bul Juach 89’)
Seymour Shaw Park, Miranda
Saturday 11th June 2022
Referee: Craig Fisher
Assistants: Anastasia Filacouridis and Cameron Wright
Fourth Official: Chloe Gray
Sutherland Sharks: 1. Anthony Bouzanis, 2. James Baldacchino, 3. Gabriel Contigiani, 6. Patrick O’Shea, 8. Jason Madonis, 9. Jeremy Cox, 14. Chris Lindsay (25. Luke Sauer, 73’), 17. James Andrew, 18. Mitch Smith (80. Nelson Lam 80’), 22. Nick Sullivan (10. Lachlan Everett 46’), 23. Mark Rodic
Subs not used: 26. Jacob Cremen- Cowan, 27. Angelo Apokis
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
Mt Druitt Town Rangers: 20. Robert Fanella, 2. Soloman-Johnn Monahan-Vaiika, 6. Louis Khoury (26. Rocco Fragalle 46’), 7. Jack Stewart, 8. Jason Perez, 9. John Roberts, 11. Fumoto Kamada, 17. Cooper Coskerie, 18. Olayinka Sunmola (19. Bul Juach 75’), 21. Tarik Elrich (41. Ivan Sunjic 63’), 25. Mohommed Sabbouh (15. Brayden Burr 90’)
Subs not used: 25. Mabjor Garang, 30. Jerome Narayan
Yellow Cards: John Roberts 32’, Robert Fanella 74’, 2. Soloman-Johnn Monahan-Vaiika 78’
Red Cards: Nil
By NPL NSW Men’s Reporter Micky Brock
