Stallions prove too clinical with victory over struggling Olympic

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The Marconi Stallions registered a highly entertaining 4-2 victory over old rivals Sydney Olympic in Round 14 of the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition at Belmore Sports Ground on a chilly autumn Saturday evening.

After a Round 5 Australia Cup NSW Preliminary loss against Olympic last week, Marconi were able to even the score and leave Olympic without a win for five National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s matches.

An own goal from Marconi’s Roberto Speranza and one from Olympic defender Peter Politis were trumped by an own goal from Ben Van Meurs and goals from Domenic Costanzo, Kyle Cimenti and Chris Hatfield to give the visitors a valuable victory away from home.

Loyal home fans didn’t have to wait long to celebrate as the hosts opened scoring in just the 9th minute of the match.

Darcy Burgess threaded a lovely ball through to Adam Parkhouse, who crossed from the goal line to O’Donovan.

O’Donovan and Speranza met just in front of the goal before the ball crossed the line and in a close encounter referee Kurt Ams called the goal from Speranza.

During the action a diving Jack Gibson was injured and subsequently stretchered off the field with a round of applause and replaced by substitute goalkeeper James Hilton.

The action continued end to end, however the next dangerous chance came in the 42nd minute.

Marconi looked primed to score from a free kick but it went out for a corner, giving them another shot at equalising.

Costanzo sent the corner kick to the back post and Nathan Millgate was able to flick it back in front of the goal from the goal line where it seemingly came off the boot of Benjamin Van Meurs to level the score and give the visitors some relief.

The Stallions kicked into gear after the equaliser, creating plenty of attacking pressure for the remainder of the half.

They came agonizingly close in the first minute of injury time for the first half as Kyle Cimenti made a dangerous forward run, but he sent his effort wide.

Costanzo had a chance to break ahead minutes later as Millgate headed the ball to his feet from an Hirokai Aoyama corner, but the attacker couldn’t meet the target, instead sending the ball soaring over the crossbar.

The tables turned in the fourth minute of injury time as McGing earned himself a yellow card defending a forward-running O’Donovan, giving the hosts a free-kick opportunity that they blasted high and wide of the goal.

Marconi looked to capitalise early in the second half as they came close from a header from Cimenti in the 50th minute, but it was just off target.

They came back just moments later in the 51st minute, this time able to convert their chance through an impressive Costanzo play.

The young Stallions attacker weaved through Olympic’s midfield to create some space before sending a shot towards the target from range that bounced under a diving Nicholas Sorras to give the visitors the lead.

Olympic managed to get their way back into the game in the 59th minute as Jakob Cresnar sent a ball across the goal face to Politis, who fired from the edge of the 18-yard box to level the score yet again.

The hosts were in their element after their equaliser and came close again in the 68th minute as Oliver Pufflet stole the ball from Aoyama and fired at the target, but it flew wide.

The action continued and just two minutes later Marconi took the lead yet again, this time through Cimenti, whose consistent effort paid off.

Costanzo sent a lovely ball into the area from the left flank, which met the head of Cimenti to guide past an outstretched Sorras.

A speedy Parkhouse came rushing down the left for the hosts in the 75th minute before feeding a brilliant ball to Pufflet in front of the goal, but his header skewed just wide.

After plenty of back and forth, substitute Chris Hatfield put the final nail in the coffin in the 93rd minute as he jumped on a ball from Justin Vidic that he was able to send to the back corner of the goal, leaving the game to finish 4-2 to the visitors.

 Marconi coach and former Olympic legend Peter Tsekenis was pleased his side was able to put on a strong display without some of their key players.

“It’s no secret that we’re short on troops and we’ve had to sort of tinker a bit,” he said.

“We started a certain way and it wasn’t working so we had to change and once we changed that, the boys changed another gear, went another level, and I think it was a deserved result in the end.

“It’s a team and you saw young Aleks (Duricic) come in in the middle of park where he doesn’t normally play, and Chris (Hatfield) has been away, and he scores a goal.

“We’re a team and they know that and everyone’s going to be required for the 30 games so everyone’s going to get an opportunity and I’m just glad that while some troops are out that boys are standing up and that’s a good sign.”

With the injury of ‘keeper Jack Gibson, Tsekenis said the team was dedicating the game to him.

“We don’t know [the status of Gibson’s injury],” he explained.

“It’s a heavy knock, we’re worried about his neck and he’s got a bit of concussion.

“We said at half time ‘let’s go out and get the win for him’ and he’s put his body on the line so that’s attributed to him.”

Football NSW would like to wish Jack Gibson a speedy recovery following his injury.

Match Stats

Sydney Olympic FC 2 (R. Speranza OG 9’, Politis 59’)

Marconi Stallions FC 4 (Van Meurs OG 42’, Costanzo 51’, Cimenti 70’, Hatfield 93’)

Saturday 16th May, 2023

Belmore Sportsground, Belmore

Referee: Kurt Ams

Assistant Referees: Patrick Teleki & Alexis Johnson

Fourth Official: Mujtaba Ebrahimi

Sydney Olympic FC: 1. Nicholas Sorras, 2. Peter Politis, 4. Benjamin Van Meurs, 5. Zygmunt Gordon, 8. Sam McIllhatton (6. Jack Simmons 83’), 9. Oliver Puflett, 10. Darcy Burgess, 11. Adam Parkhouse, 22. Fabio Ferreira (29. John FitzGerald 67’), 23. Jakob Cresnar, 99. Roy O’Donovan

Substitutes Not Used: 3. Michael Neill, 12. Matthew Buettner, 20. Christopher Parsons, 24. Hagi Gligor

Yellow Cards: Puflett 78’

Red Cards: Nil

Marconi Stallions FC: 20. Jack Gibson (24. James Hilton 15’), 2. Nathan Millgate, 3. Giorgio Speranza, 4. Roberto Speranza, 5. Liam McGing, 6. Domenic Costanzo, 8. Hirokai Aoyama, 13. Aleksandar Duricic (7. Christopher Hatfield 86’), 17. Martin Fernandez (21. Justin Vidic 71’), 19. Kyle Cimenti, 23. Brandon Vella

Substitutes Not Used: 14. Dominic Brischetto, 15. Luke Raso, 22. Taylor McDonald

Yellow Cards: McGing 45+4’, Costanzo 78’

Red Cards: Nil

Player Ratings

3 – Domenic Costanzo (MS)

2 – Brandon Vella (MS)

1 – Adam Parkhouse (SO)

-By Madeline Riley