Resilient Rockdale sink energetic Mariners in Premiership charge
Rockdale Ilinden’s 2-1 victory over Central Coast Mariners on Friday night at Pluim Park have boosted them to the top of the National Premier League NSW Men’s competition at the halfway point of the season albeit until the Western Sydney Wanderers play their match against Marconi on Saturday.
Donatien Niyonkuru’s opener in the 13th minute lifted the hosts in front of their faithful, though Paul Dee’s men failed to roll over in the second stanza, scoring a goal inside the opening four minutes via Lochlan Constable, before snatching victory in the closing stages thanks to Constable once more.
Mariner Bailey Brandtman sent warning shots early as he questioned Harrison Devenish-Meares decision to lurk from his line with a strike from range that sailed right.
Their youthful energy from the outset brought with them the opener in the 13th minute.
Harry Menham provided an excellent crossing ball to the feet of Niyonkuru to finish in traffic before he celebrated fashionably with a spectacular backflip.
Rockdale came close to equalising five minutes on, though an incredible save from a fully outstretched Dylan Peraic-Cullen prevented Isaac Danzo from finding the top-right corner.
Peraic-Cullen would earn his keep in the first half, coming up with two more difficult stops to evade a late equaliser.
His backline would front his efforts with crucial scrambling efforts to withstand a mountain of attacking pressure, leaving the visitors without answers to their lively opponents.
Despite the majority of the contest played inside the hosts’ half, Lucas Viela’s men would go into the sheds full of confidence with a slender 1-0 advantage.
Banging on the door for an age, Rockdale finally broke Mariners’ defensive wall inside four minutes of the second stanza.
Brendan Cholakian was released in behind, before he cut across the face to Constable to slice it home and level proceedings.
Alec Urosevski pushed his attempt wide minutes later, before Peraic-Cullen was called upon again with another top-shelf save up close.
Urosevski remained dangerous and was gifted a perfect one-on-one opportunity to hit the front in the 70th minute.
To everyone’s surprise, the competition’s leading goal scorer squandered the moment, leaving the scores deadlocked with a quarter hour still to play.
In the 80th minute, it was ‘anything you can do, I can do better’ as Devenish-Meares served up a point-blank save on Nicholas Duarte, before Paul Dee’s men hit the front instantly.
A costly turnover from Lucas Scicluna handed Rockdale a shot at goal before the deflected loose ball fell to Constable to bag a brace and take the lead. It was the midfielder’s fourth goal of the 2024 campaign.
The goal would sink the hearts of the young Mariners outfit, unable to return serve in the final ten minutes as Rockdale held on for a resilient 2-1 victory on the road.
Rockdale’s Paul Dee said the victory over Central Coast was a resilient performance, noting on the strength of academy systems in the competition.
“We created a number of chances, and we kept persisting right to the death and got the win so I’m happy with the result,” said Dee.
“When you come up academy team’s, there is plenty of talent in the sides and are well organised which certainly showed in the Mariners today, their position on the ladder isn’t respective of their ability.”
“This is a tough competition, there are no easy games.”
For Mariners’ Lucas Vilela, identified the importance of learning from mistakes and emphasised that his team must sustain their energy for the entire match in order to compete against the experienced. teams.
“A couple of mistakes, remaining energised, and maybe some better decisions may have helped us avoid conceding but that’s what happens for these young boys to grow,” said Vilela.
“What I take from this game is the way the boys fought against an experienced side. If you want to be a top player, you need to go through these tough moments.”
Match Stats
Central Coast Mariners 1 (Donatien Niyonkiuru 13’)
Rockdale Ilinden 2 (Lochlan Constable 49’, 80’)
Friday 17th May 2024
Pluim Park, Lisarow
Referee: Danny Horstead
Assistant Referees: Lindsay Edmonds & Hugo Fonseca
Fourth Official: Gerrod Young
Central Coast Mariners: 4. Andre Parkes, 5. Harry Menham, 8. Lucas Scicluna (C), 11. Donatien Niyonkuru (39. Adam Hall 78’), 12. Taye Hedley (7. Matej Busek 78’), 13. Yanni Nassis (9. Nicholas Duarte 56’), 22. Rocco Smith (2. Michael Paragalli 56’), 34. Parker Williams (42. Alexander Gountounas 87’), 36. Jordan Small, 37. Bailey Brandtman, 40. Dylan Peraic-Cullen
Unused Subs: 20. Jai Ajanovic,
Yellow Cards: 37. Bailey Brandtman 45+5’, 22. Rocco Smith 53’, 9. Nicholas Duarte 87’
Red Cards:
Rockdale Ilinden: 1. Harrison Devenish-Meares, 2. Daniel Collins, 5. Giorgio Speranza,6. Isaac Danzo, 7. Alex Urosevski (C), 8. Dean Pelekanos, 10. Brendan Cholakian, 11. Lochlan Constable, 14. Brayden Sorge, 22. Blake Ricciuto (3. Lachlan Griffiths 88’)
Unused Subs: 4. Roberto Speranza, 15. Olayinka Sunmola, 20. Ricardo Rizzo, 23. Hunter Elliot, 77. So Kataoka
Yellow Cards: 14. Brayden Sorge 23’
Red Cards:
Player Ratings:
3: Dylan Peraic-Cullen (CCM)
2: Brayden Sorge (RI)
1: Lochlan Constable
By Mitchell Roese (@mitchroese on Instagram)
