St George FC starve off relegation win memorable victory
St George FC took full points to secure their survival and avoid relegation in the penultimate round of the competition against fellow relegation candidates Central Coast Mariners at the redeveloped Barton Park on Saturday.
Both the Saints and Mariners were desperate to get something out of this game which Football NSW match caller Tony Tannous justifiably dubbed a “six point clash” but, in the end, a wicked own goal in the first half and great goal to Yelchan Chan in the second made the difference in the 2-0 win.
The first note occurred in the 13th minute when a cross from the left by captain Troy Danaskos could have been so much more for the Saints had some of his team-mates latched onto it from the centre of the box but instead it trickled wide.
In the 16th minute Bailey Brandtman for the Mariners replied when he created some great space on the left before firing straight at goal, but he was spectacularly denied by the home side’s goalkeeper Mackenzie Syron who punched away the danger.
Midway through the first stanza of play a cross from Brandtman from the left beat all and sundry before reaching Arthur De Lima on the far side, but the youngster couldn’t steer his sliding shot on target and it ended up just wide of the post from close range.
However, St George FC opened the scoring a minute later in the 23rd with a comical own goal and a rare error seen at this level of football. A back pass from Sasha Kuzevski was completely missed by goalkeeper Dylan Peraic-Cullen who basically took an air-swing at the ball that bobbled in front of him and, unfortunately, ended up in the bottom corner of the net.
The first opportunity of the second half was from a Mariners corner in the 48th minute. It was a training-ground move that ended with a shot from Lucas Scicluna that took a deflection and finished wide.
Two minutes later it was Scicluna again who fired from outside the box for the visitors but his forceful attempt was high of the mark.
On the hour mark a beautiful diagonal attempt from Taye Hedley from the right brought out the best in ‘keeper Syron who once again didn’t find himself caught out between the sticks.
In the 61st minute however St George FC, who had absorbed the early pressure, doubled their lead with another goal that appeared to come from an innocuous move.
It was a powerful shot towards goal by Justin Poon that was flicked on by Chan Yelchan who happened to be in the right-spot-at-the-right time to connect with the ball. The newly acquired player from Western Australia celebrated in style with a spectacular cartwheel to send the Frank Arok Stand into a long round of applause.
In the 66th minute Yelchan should really have made it three after he slalomed his way from halfway with a great run past a number of defenders before firing towards goal, but he was denied by a brilliant save from ‘keeper Peraic-Cullen.
In the 74th St George FC came close again when Anthony Morabito’s shot was blocked but only as far as Jaden Casella in the middle who brought the best in the visiting goalkeeper.
With approximately eight minutes left on the clock the Mariners were left to play the remainder of the encounter with ten players. As Yelchan sprinted towards goal, defender Rocco Smith held him back and experienced referee Stephen Lucas had no hesitation in brandishing a straight red for the professional foul.
The Mariners could have had one back in the 83rd minute when a majestic free-kick from Hedley crashed into the crossbar and rebounded ferociously into the field of play.
St George FC replied a minute later with a Yelchan cross from the right that reached Jesse Spang in the middle, but his glancing header was across the face of goal in the last real chance of the evening.
After the game in the St George FC dressing room the mood was buoyant and coach Steve Karavatakis was very happy with the result.
“I am just so happy for the club,” he said.
“We really wanted the club to stay up because there is a lot of history at this club and we’re staying up, which is job complete.
“As a coaching staff we work well together and I am happy for the boys and the club. Tonight was another clean sheet and we are also scoring goals.
“We have been playing good football and it showed again tonight. We are structurally strong and they couldn’t break us down and we now look forward to playing Sutherland next week.”
On the other side of the fence the coach of Central Coast Mariners Lucas Vilela was disappointed but still paid credit to St George FC.
“That’s football where anything can happen,” he stated. “We were a little bit unlucky but today they had a good strategy to defend and it worked.
“I am happy with how my team tried, the boys worked well and it was hard to break lines when the opposition sits deep, but we tried our best and the attitude was good. St George away is always difficult and especially when there is so much on the line in the game.”
Match Stats
St GEORGE FC: 2 (Kuzevski o.g. 23’, Yelchan 61’)
CENTRAL COAST MARINERS: 0
Saturday 17th August 2024
Barton Park, Kyeemagh
Referee: Stephen Lucas
Assistant Referees: Aaron Bloch, Matthew Harris
Fourth Official: Rory McFarlane
St GEORGE FC: 99. Mackenzie Syron, 3. Troy Danaskos, 5. Nicholas Kalogerou, 6. Patrick O’Shea (12. Dylan-Goran Bozicevic 89’), 8. Conor Qulligan (7. Jesse Spang 75’), 10. Harry Jones, 17. Thomas Brown, 23. Evangelo Souris, 30. Justin Poon (11. Anthony Morabito 69’), 33. Jaden Casella, 38. Chan Yelchan (16. Sebastian Cerecedo 89’).
Substitutes not used: 20. Daniel Axford, 37. Jakov Malbasa
Yellow Cards: O’Shea 48’, Jones 58
Red Cards: Nil
CENTRAL COAST MARINERS: 40. Dylan Peraic-Cullen, 4. Parker Williams, 5. Harry Menham (3. Cher Deng 86’), 6. Jordan Small, 7. Arthur De Lima (13. Yani Nassis 86’), 8. Lucas Scicluna (12. Haine Eames 59’), 9. Nicholas Duarte, 11. Donatian Niyonkuru (10. Taye Hedley 46’), 22. Rocco Smith, 27. Sasha Kuzevski, 37. Bailey Brandtman (17. Jai Rose 69’).
Substitutes not used: 30. Daniel Vickers
Yellow Cards: Rose 78’
Red Card: Smith 82’
Player Ratings
3 – Chan Yelchan (StG)
2 – Troy Danaskos (StG)
1 – Mackenzie Syron (StG)
By National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s reporter Joe Russo
