St George City outgun NWS Spirit FC in classy display
St George City secured the three points thanks to a 3-0 victory over the NWS Spirit FC in round 17 of the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition played at Penshurst Park on Saturday.
It was Pedro Ferrari who scored early with a rocket from distance before Presley Ortiz put the game to bed midway through the second stanza of play with a somewhat more subtle goal and Maki Petratos then rounded out the scoring late in the encounter.
The three points were no more than the hosts deserved which was a welcome relief after a string of draws in recent weeks.
The action kicked off in the 5th minute as St George City opened the scoring with a truly wonderful goal. A corner made its way out to Ferrari who hit it sweetly first time with some power from distance and a wicked bounce off the inside of the post that beat keeper Jacob Madden. It was the Italian import’s first goal in the NPL NSW Men’s competition.
Shortly afterwards St George City came close again. A free-flowing move saw the ball reach Ferrari once again outside the box and, like previously for the goal, he unleashed a thunderbolt that crashed into the post with goalkeeper Madden well and truly beaten. It could have been 2-0 there and then for the home side.
In the 25th minute a very dangerous cross by Ferrari from the right was cleared by the retreating Spirit defence as the Saints looked to pile on the pressure.
Spirit then replied with a long ball from Jared Lum on the left to Richard Darko in the box, but the latter’s shot was well blocked by the rock-solid St George defence which turned the ball away for a corner.
It was Spirit’s first real foray of the night into the opposition box.
NWS Spirit then came close with a double chance in the 36th minute. A shot by Abuzar Awaz was blocked by goalkeeper Jack Kenny but not held as Ollie Wiggin pounced, yet he couldn’t convert what was indeed a real opportunity missed by the visitors.
Corey Kavanagh then tried his luck from distance late in the half for Spirit but his shot was deflected and finished just wide for a corner.
After the interval St George City coughed up the ball in the 48th minute which allowed Kota Odakura to cross and find Lum, but the captain’s curling attempt from outside the box was well neutralised by Kenny.
St George City replied with a long-range attempt by Maki Petratos that sailed innocuously over the crossbar.
It was then Ortiz who found himself galloping down the left flank and sliding up almost to the near post before the Spirit defence intervened to thwart his path. Both half chances left the Saints wanting more.
And more duly arrived in the 58th minute when Maki Petratos sprinted dangerously and with purpose towards goal before firing just over the intended target.
St George City were left bewildered at how they failed to score in the 68th minute when a Maki Petratos shot was headed off the line by Musashi Kokubo.
They didn’t have to wait too long because a minute later Ortiz found the back of the net to double the Saints lead. He did all the hard work down the left, winning the ball and then forcing it in with a diagonal shot under goalkeeper Madden.
In the 87th minute St George City made it three. Goalkeeper Madden fluffed his lines with a clearance outside the box and was dispossessed by Franco Maya who slammed the ball into the base of the post before Maki Petratos was on hand to steer the spoils into the unguarded net as he celebrated in style.
Post-match St George City coach Mirko Jurilj was delighted with the result.
“I am pretty happy because of our clean sheet and three goals,” he said.
“I thought that overall, we were dominant and in the first half our pressing was sensational.
“We were worthy winners I thought because most of their chances were shots from outside the goal. We hit the post in the first half and again in the second half.
“Our work rate was great and the pressing leads from the front, which makes the job easier for the boys at the back.”
NWS Spirit FC coach David Perkovic on the other hand was disappointed with the result.
“It’s very disappointing as that’s the first time that St George has beaten us in two and a half years,” he said.
“Obviously they were very hungry after three weeks without a win and they were just hungrier than us today.
“We will move forward because we have done it before, and we’ll do it again.
“We have a short turnaround because on Wednesday as we face Sydney United 58 round 7 of the Australia Cup and we’ll start preparing for that match now.”
Match Stats
St GEORGE CITY: 3 (Ferrari 5’, Ortiz 69’, M. Petratos 87’)
NWS SPIRIT FC: 0
Saturday 27th May
Penshurst Park
Referee: Danny Horstead
Assistant Referees: Lance Greenshields and Charbel Geha
Fourth Official: Ayad Naji
St GEORGE CITY: 12. Jack Kenny, 2. Pedro Ferrari, 3. Daniel Alessi, 4. Brendan Hooper, 6. Tarik Ercan, 7. Nathan Roberts (99. Matthew Keremelevski 64’), 8. Dominic Cox, 11. Kosta Petratos, 24. Alexander Kyriacou, 30. Presley Ortiz (23. Franco Maya 77’), 70. Maki Petratos.
Substitutes not used: 9. Marley Peterson, 10. Paolo Mitry, 20. Aiden Mostofi, 51. Salvatore Glinatsis.
Yellow Cards: Cox 10’
Red Cards: Nil
NWS SPIRT FC: 12. Jacob Madden, 3. Musashi Kokubo, 4. Kota Odakura, 6. Corey Kavanagh (2. Blake Ilitch 77’), 7. Richard Darko, 11. Ollie Wiggin (9. Mitchell Davidson, 77’), 13. Simon Nicholas, 16. Kyle Shaw (5. Jordan Gomez 56’), 20. Jared Lum, 21. Luiz Lobo, 22. Abuzar Awaz.
Substitutes not used: 17. Matthew Cahill 19. Dominic Johns, 31. Joel Wade
Yellow Cards: Shaw 38’, Gomez 60′
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings
3 – Maki Petratos (StG)
2 – Presley Ortiz (StG)
1 – Pedro Ferrari (StG)
By National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s reporter Joe Russo
