Stallions show their class in devastating display over hapless Saints

The Marconi Stallions crushed St George FC with a 4-0 victory at Marconi Stadium on Saturday night and made a statement to the rest of the National Premier Leagues Men’s NSW competition.
The hosts pleased fans at The Palace with a dominant display that saw Domenic Costanzo open scoring in the 14th minute and Marko Jesic double the Stallions’ advantage before the half-time break.
Jesic was back in action when play recommenced, scoring his second and Marconi’s third at the 50-minute mark before James Temelkovski secured a fourth goal in the 75th minute.
An injury early in the match saw St George’s Nikola Skataric make an early exit from the match, being replaced by Jesse Spang.
Marconi threatened in the 10th minute of the match as Brandon Vella and Franco Maya played off each other to send the ball into the area, however Daniel Bouman’s effort flew over the bar.
They came asking again in the 14th minute as Costanzo took a shot from afar, however his effort skewed wide for a corner that didn’t amount to much for the hosts.
Moments later their efforts paid off as pressure from Maya and Marko Jesic’s pressure saw them recover the ball and play to Costanzo, who confidently fired it home to finish at the 15-minute mark.
Costanzo applied more pressure in the 20th minute, sending the ball into the box for Maya, however his effort skimmed wide of the woodwork.
St George looked poised to get themselves into the match in the 22nd minute after a Peter Grozos sent a shot from afar towards the target, however Hilton was able to deny.
The resulting ball popped in front of substitute Spang, who fired it over the bar.
A corner minutes later saw the visitors with another opportunity from a corner as the ball came close to crossing the line but was kept out by Marconi.
Troy Danaskos tried his luck at a goal in the 40th minute, breaking forward into the box, however he directed his effort directly at Marconi ‘keeper James Hilton who denied.
Marconi Captain Jesic netted a second in the 44th minute, doubling Marconi’s advantage just before the break.
A cross into the area from James Temelkovski met Jesic in front of the goalmouth, who nodded it over the line.
Having given his team a boost before the half-time break, Jesic took the Stallions just five minutes into the second stanza.
A ball from defender Nathan Millgate started the play, meeting Maya on the right flank.
Maya timed his cross well, and his effort met the head of a diving Jesic, who guided the ball over the time for a second time in the match in the 50th minute.
St George came close in the 65th minute as Danaskos sent a cross in from the left flank, however his effort couldn’t meet a teammate and went out of play.
The visitors tried to move the ball through Marconi to create chances, however their efforts couldn’t get through an alert Stallions side who were applying pressure to maintain control of the match.
The hosts took their lead to four in the 75th minute through Temelkovski, who met a well-placed ball from Jesic in the area and took a touch before sending it into the target.
Nicholas Kalogeou saved St George from a fifth goal against them in the 90th minute, clearing a ball from substitute Milislav Popovic off the line.
Marconi coach Peter Tsekenis was pleased with the intensity of his side and the strong result they achieved.
“I think we had some good intensity, that’s what I was looking for, and we were hungry in both boxes,” he explained.
“I think that we weren’t perfect, I think we took the wrong options at times and could have scored a few more, but I’m just proud that we got four good goals, and we put them under a lot of pressure.
“We pretty much strangled them to force errors and we scored the goals and it’s a good result for this whole time of the year.”
St George FC coach Jané Talcevski credited his opposition for their performance.
“It’s always going to be a tough task coming here to Marconi, against a team with that much quality,” he explained.
“I felt that we had our moments earlier on in the game that we could have capitalised on, but ultimately they were better in the boxes and took their chances.
“Naturally when Skataric came off we had to change out style a little bit and I think that affected us until we adapted.
“I think in the second half we controlled the ball well, controlled the spaces well, however the game was dead and buried by that stage.”
Match Stats
Marconi Stallions 4 (Costanzo 14’, Jesic 44’, 50’, Temelkovski 75’)
St George FC 0
Saturday 27 April, 2024
Marconi Stadium, Bossley Park
Referee: Stephen Lucas
Assistant Referees: Patrick Teleki and James Makris
Fourth Official: Joshua Kermond
Marconi Stallions: 1. James Hilton, 2. Nathan Millgate, 6. Domenic Costanzo, 7. Franco Maya (7. Milislav Popovic 68’), 8. Daniel Bouman, 9. James Temelkovski (21. Jakov Malbasa 78’), 10. Marko Jesic (14. Dylan Susovic 81’), 11. Hiroshima Aoyama (16. Liam Youlley 68’), 18. George Daniel, 23. Brandon Vella, 47. Anton Mlinaric (3. Cameron Windust 68’)
Substitutes Not Used: 24. Mackenzie Syron
Yellow Cards: Aoyama 35’, Tsekenis 38’, Daniel 57’
Red Cards: Nil
St George FC: 1. Andrew Di Blasio, 2. Caio De Godoy, 3. Troy Danaskos (30. Justin Poon 65’), 5. Nicholas Kalogerou, 6. Patrick O’Shea, 8. Conor Quilliganx, 9. Peter Grozos (10. Harry Jones 76’), 18. Mark Rodic, 19. Nikola Skataric (7. Jesse Spang 8’), 23. Evangelo Souris, 27. Jayden Seeto
Substitutes Not Used: 11. Anthony Morabito, 20. Daniel Axford, 22. Aidan O’Shea
Yellow Cards: Seeto 43’, Rodic 79’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings
3 – Marko Jesic (MS)
2 – Domenic Costanzo (MS)
1 – James Temelkovski (MS)
-By Madeline Riley