Rockdale fight the heat and Sharks to record remarkable stoppage time victory
Rockdale Ilinden claimed derby bragging rights following a stunning and epic 3-2 victory against the Sutherland Sharks at the Ilinden Sports Centre with Alec Urosevski clinching the victory in stoppage time via the spot on a hot and steamy Sunday evening.
The match was originally set for Seymour Shaw Park but was not ready due to the Sharks’ home pitch still going through an upgrade, it was Ilinden’s own palace that played host to a quality encounter between two quality outfits.
Brae Ovens had the game’s first chance in what was a fast tempo start to the match with a super dribble and shot that slipped past the woodwork when flashing across the face, all before eleven minutes were on the clock as Sutherland, recovering from the early set back with a decent spell of possession, were yet to register an effort in anger.
With both sides making many changes to their starting line-ups through injury, it didn’t take long for the game to spark.
The Sharks, to their credit, did play a couple of balls over the top but each time a late flag signalled them offside.
Despite the conditions, the tackles came thick, fast and hard in what, over the years, has been a hotly contested and quite typical derby. Thankfully, the mid-half drinks break came at the right time to quench the thirst and cool the niggly turn the match had taken. Referee Adrian Arndt doing exceptionally well to keep a tight lid on things.
Mason Fernandez weaved into the area and attempted to tee up Richard Shoueiki who stretched out a long leg but was unable to connect enough with the ball to level the game. It was better from Sutherland on the half-hour with the same player having a shot blocked on the line from a corner moments later. After back-to-back defeats in the past two games, the Sharks were digging in and starting to show the form of their opening three rounds.
Shoueiki was set free in the 35th minute, rounded Nick Sorras between the sticks and from what looked to be a simple tap-in into an open goal, Matthew Keremelevski hared back into position with an inch perfect tackle inside the box to nick the ball off the foot of the Sharks’ striker and out for a corner. It had to be perfectly timed and was, leaving Sutherland to ponder what they had to do to restore parity.
Urosevski believed he had his second of the night on the stroke of half-time but the ball had crossed the line for a corner before being played back in but it was a close call however, it was a Grozos super strike free-kick in stoppage time that squared the ledger. It was a goal worthy of the entry fee alone and an early contender for the end of season highlights reel.
It was a lightning start to the second stanza when Urosevski fired in a cross from the left to be met by Oliver Puflett but the effort struck the crossbar inside 10 seconds of the whistle.
If it was a portent of what was to follow it didn’t disappoint when Sutherland went up the other end and slotted home to take a 2-1 lead through Shoueiki. A solo run and low shot across the body of Sorras finally finding its mark to give the striker his first senior goal for the club.
With a lead to hold onto, Sutherland would be a tough nut to crack but their transitional play was rapid and worried the Rockdale defence on occasion. Defend in numbers, break with speed was the order of the day.
Jacob Garner timed his challenge on Urosevski to perfection when the Ilinden skipper was found with a delightful defence splitting Cholakian through ball on the hour mark. The resulting corner was cleared efficiently but Giorgio Speranza sent an effort agonisingly wide from an Isaac Danzo pull-back before Nizic managed to clear another Urosevski attempt at the second time of asking.
There was plenty of life left in this game as Sutherland found themselves under an increasingly sustained bout of pressure.
The exertion took its toll and Rockdale were visibly wilting from the effort as wayward passing and sloppy turnovers gifted Sutherland possession going into the final motions of the game but Cholakian pushed himself to the limit and restored parity after Moudi Najjar set him up. It was certainly reward for the tremendously hard fight back, almost looking dead on their feet at times in keeping Sutherland penned into their own half for long stretches, neither side leaving anything in the tank.
A score draw looked odds on for the two battle weary teams.
Or so it seemed until Maki Petratos conceded a heart breaking stoppage time penalty when bringing down Blake Ricciuto which, of course, Urosevski thumped home to win the game.
Urosevski’s goal sparked a remarkable turnaround for a team with the ‘never say die’ attitude instilled by the coaching staff although Sutherland can be justly proud of their showing – gutsy, daring, flowing but, ultimately, being consigned to a third straight defeat.
Rockdale Assistant Coach, Paul Dee was true to his statements saying his side got away with this match at the death.
“We got away with another one,” he said.
“I’d rather we settle games a little earlier, (he laughed). It would save our nerves a bit.
“The one thing we do have is a very fit and confident team. In all of the games we’ve been down or needed a spark, they have believed in themselves and been able to find it.
“We had a lot of the ball in the second-half but in scoring as late as we did, I suppose you’d say we got away with it but we kept battling until the end and we got what we deserved against a very decent side in Sutherland.
“We are happy with the points in what was a tough afternoon for football.”
Match Stats
Sutherland Sharks 2 (Peter Grozos 45+1′, Richard Shoueiki 47′)
Rockdale Ilinden 3 (Alec Urosevski 5′, 90+2p’, Brendan Cholakian 81′)
Ilinden Sports Centre
Sunday, 16th March, 2025
Referee: Adrian Arndt
Assistants: Matthew Harris and Joon Park
Fourth Official: James Makris
Sutherland Sharks: 1. Danijel Nizic, 2. Lachlan Macdonald, 6. Mohamed Ahmed, 7. Peter Grozos, 15. Matthew Moric (8. Nicholas Sullivan 82′), 17. Richard Shoueiki (10. Yerasimakis Petratos 73′), 20. Jacob Tresoglavic, 21. Jerry Skotadis, 23. Mason Fernandez (14. Dylan Susovic 73′), 26. Jacob Garner (5. Takahide Umebachi 62′), 87. Thomas Stobierski (3. Jordan Roberts 82′)
Subs Not Used: 30. Sebastian Arranz
Yellow Cards: Jacob Tresoglavic 16, Mo Ahmed 41′, Jordan Roberts 85’
Red Cards: Nil
Rockdale Ilinden: 1. Nick Sorras, 2. Hunter Elliott, 4. James Nikolovski, 5. Giorgio Speranza, 6. Isaac Danzo, 7. Alec Urosevski, 10. Brendan Cholakian (16. Michael Marcevski 90+6′), 11. Lachie Constable (9. Moudi Najjar 73′), 17. Brae Ovens (24. Ali Auglah 73′), 23. Oliver Puflett, 99. Matthew Keremelevski (22. Blake Ricciuto 54′)
Subs Not Used: 19. Jason Graoroski, 20. Ronan Mulgrew
Yellow Cards: Hunter Elliott 6′, Isaac Danzo 81′, Brendan Cholakian 93′
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings
3 – Alec Urosevski (RI)
2 – Peter Grozos (SS)
1 – Brendan Cholakian (RI)
By NPL NSW Men’s Reporter Micky Brock
