Spirit secure hard earned point at Rockdale
NWS Spirit FC have continued their unbeaten run but dropped points to go level with Marconi at the top of the ladder in a 1-1 draw with Rockdale Ilinden on Sunday afternoon.
It was an intense start to the match, with the first big chance of the game coming to Rockdale’s talisman Alec Urosevski.
A good pass from Giorgio Speranza found Brendan Cholakian inside, who played an expert first time pass in behind to Ali Auglah.
The winger whipped in an inviting ball, which found a free Urosevski in the box.
However, against his usual form, the striker couldn’t find the target with a first-time volley, and an early chance for the home side went begging.
The home side were looking threatening with their sharp combinations – particularly in wide areas – but couldn’t string a long period of dominance together, with Spirit remaining competitive and looking threatening off long throws.
But in the 26th minute, the match changed, with Rockdale awarded a penalty off a Jordan Perez handball.
The opportunity came off a great pass from Lochlan Constable inside to Cholakian, who played Auglah in on the left.
The winger waited before finding the overlapping run of Giorgio Speranza in behind, who played a dangerous low cross into the box.
Cholakian received the ball and promptly found the feet of Moudi Najjar, whose deflected shot fell into the path of Urosevski.
Perez blocked the striker’s shot with his hand, and Rockdale were given the chance to open the scoring from 12 yards.
Naturally, it was Urosevski who stepped up, and Rockdale’s talisman made no mistake in converting, firing it down the middle of the net to give his beloved side the advantage at Rockdale Ilinden Sports Centre.
Rockdale had a strong overall first half, pushing to double their lead, but in stoppage time, Spirit found a reply somewhat out of nowhere, with a long throw providing the goods for the away side.
The ball was hurled in from Perez, and after a small clearence, it was hooked straight back in from Corey Kavanagh on the edge of the box.
Despite Rockdale’s heavy numbers in their box, Yu Okubo somehow found himself free, and made Rockdale pay, converting clinically to equalise the scores just before the break.
Similarly to the first half, it was a tense start to the second stanza, with Spirit showing more threat early thanks to the brilliant hold-up play of Okubo.
In the 66th minute, Spirit had the best chance of the second half, as a strong aerial win from Kavanagh allowed for a quick interchange to release Okubo in behind.
From the edge of the box, Spirit’s star striker shot a powerful effort towards goal, but Nicholas Sorras prevailed in the longer range 1v1, parrying the ball clear with a good save.
The middle part of the second half was dominated more by Rockdale, with the home side starting to pin their opponents back, but were struggling to find a way around Spirit’s back five.
Meanwhile, Spirit continued to threaten off set pieces, with a Perez corner in the 82nd minute finding the head of Frankie Ljucovic at the front post, forcing a good save from Sorras.
The away side had a strong period towards the end of the game, with their structure and duel winning piling pressure on Rockdale’s defence, who struggled to clear their lines or threaten on transition.
In the 89th minute, a Takumi Ofuka volley went close from the edge of the box after another strong period from set pieces, as Spirit looked to find a dramatic late winner at Rockdale Ilinden Sports Centre.
As the game entered stoppage time, it was the home side who did the pushing, but neither could find a breakthrough, and the match ended 1-1.
“It was a tough game,” said Rockdale assistant coach Paul Dee.
“With the momentum we had in the first half, we probably should have been in a better position going into halftime.
“It was a game that had intensity, but probably the quality dropped off.
“Both teams wanted to win and overall, we go away with a disappointing point.”
“It’s always a really tough place to come to,” said NWS Spirit head coach David Perkovic.
“I felt that, in the first half, Rockdale was the dominant team.
“In the second half, it balanced out a little bit.
“It was a battle between two top sides – there was moments of good football, but it was a battle more than anything else.”
Match Stats
Rockdale Ilinden FC 1 (Urosevski 27’)
NWS Spirit FC 1 (Okubo 45+2’)
Sunday 6 April, 2025
Rockdale Ilinden Sports Centre
Referee: Declan Woods
Assistant Referees: Cameron Wright and Jackson Mackie
Fourth Official: James Makris
Rockdale Ilinden FC: 1. Nicholas Sorras, 2. Hunter Elliott (14. Brayden Sorge 90’), 4. James Nikolovski, 5. Giorgio Speranza, 6. Isaac Danzo, 7. Alec Urosevski (C), 9. Moudi Najjar (17. Brae Ovens 87’), 10. Brendan Cholakian (22. Blake Ricciuto 79’), 11. Lochlan Constable (88. Christopher McStay 79’), 24. Ali Auglah (23. Oliver Puflett 79’), 99. Matthew Keremelevski
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Ronan Mulgrew
Yellow Cards: Nikolovski 61’
Red Cards: None
NWS Spirit FC: 1. Christopher Marques, 4. Bradie Smith, 5. Jordan Perez, 6. Corey Kavanagh (C), 7. Frankie Ljucovic (8. Grant Cornwell 87’), 9. Yu Okubo, 13. Simon Nicholas, 15. Jamie Percevski, 17. Jacob Chidiac (14. Marco Arambasic 77’), 19. Zayne Ahluwalia, 22. Takumi Ofuka
Substitutes Not Used: 3. Kyah Williams, 12. Robert Fanella, 16. Charlie Broomhead, 20. Austin Oates
Yellow Cards: Perez 26’, Percevski 71’
Red Cards: None
Player ratings:
3 – Yu Okubo (NWS)
2 – Jordan Perez (NWS)
1 – Brendan Cholakian (RI)
By Jack George (@JackGeorge0004)
