Late Hatch winner breaks Sharks hearts
Sydney United 58’s Matthew Hatch was the hero as his 87th minute goal turned out to be the match winner in his side’s 2-1 victory over the Sutherland Sharks on Saturday at Seymour Shaw.
A foul strewn opening ten minutes did little for fluent football with the visitors having the better of play without creating a meaningful opening.
Neither ‘keeper was worked as both sides sought to control the game although United 58 had a shot blocked on the edge of the area and a Peter Grozos free-kick was fired straight into the wall at the other end.
That all changed in the 14th minute from a corner for the Sharks that was met by Ikke Arimoto who created an opportunity with his back to goal to loop the ball into the net. It was an inventive effort that left both the ‘keeper and defence looking on as the ball floated over their heads for the first goal of the match.
Aidan Milicevic was the first United 58 player to test former Reds keeper Daniel Nizic with a long range effort the gloveman turned around the post midway through the half. But it was Mason Wells who took up a spot at the back stick in the 25th minute to level the scores with his fourth goal of the season.
Patrick Antelmi felt he had put the visitors ahead seven minutes later but the strike was disallowed when the normally prolific marksman had strayed offside.
The visitors, buoyed since their goal, were producing the better football and created opportunities far more readily against a Sharks defence that had looked compact and solid throughout.
Mason Fernandez was forced to make a goal-line clearance to keep the game all square shortly after as United 58 ended the first-half in command.
Sutherland, finding themselves under almost constant pressure, clung on to reach the half-time break on level terms. It had been entertaining with the promise of much more to come.
Antelmi slipped a side-footed shot wide from close range from a whipped in Leory Jennings cross on the left as play resumed, United 58 picking up where they left off before Lachlan Fields headed over at the other end from another Sharks’ corner.
United 58 skipper, Adrian Vlastelica, felt the full force of a rasping shot when being struck on the head by the ball. Thankfully, after treatment, he was able to carry on after missing the last game for his side through injury.
Mario Shabow entered the field for goal scorer Wells as United 58 looked to change things slightly in the middle of the pitch and Maki Petratos replaced Rueben Awaritefe, who had seen little of the ball in truth, for the home side.
Mo Ahmed denied Antelmi in the 68th minute when blocking the effort that forced a corner, eventually falling to Bailey Rule outside the area who lashed home a low shot that found it’s way through to Nizic who held the ball comfortably.
It was pretty football from both, entertaining and fast paced yet clear cut openings were at a premium.
Carlos De Oliveira tested Nizic with another shot from distance that the Sharks’ gloveman managed to turn onto the post before being cleared.
United 58 were knocking on the door. Antelmi attempted to cushion a header toward Jennings that didn’t quite come off and the home side breathed a huge sigh of relief. Sutherland, to their credit, showed they are able to soak up pressure and transition quickly albeit finding it difficult to find the telling pass in the final third.
Nizic kept Sutherland in the game with another fine save down low to his right from a Michael Glassock header after a corner from the left came in with just six minutes remaining.
The visitors then struck the bar late on but the winning goal remained elusive until a long lazy cross from the right was met by Matthew Hatch who lashed the ball home and complete the comeback for the visitors.
It was a bitter pill for the Sharks’ to swallow but the goal celebration of the visitors proved just how much the strike meant.
Sutherland barely had stoppage time to rescue anything from the match and they flung everything forward however, it was the turn of the Reds to cling on and settle the tie and, in doing so, consigned the Sharks to another heart-breaking defeat.
Match Stats
Sutherland Sharks: 1 (Ikko Ehode Arimoto 14’)
Sydney United 58: 2 (Mason Wells 25’, Matthew Hatch 87’)
Seymour Shaw Park Saturday, 24th May, 2025
Referee: Reece Edwards
Assistants: Hayden Kaye and Patrick Teleki Fourth Official: Charlotte Flynn
Sutherland Sharks: 1. Danijel Nizic, 2. Lachlan Macdonald, 4. Lachlan Fields (3. Jordan Roberts 75’), 6. Mohamed Ahmed, 7. Peter Grozos, 9.Reuben Awaritefe (10. Yerasimakis Petratos 61’), 12. Ikko Ehode Arimoto, 15. Matthew Moric, 21. Jerry Skotadis, 22. Kotaro Katsuta, 23. Mason Fernandez (17. Richard Shoueiki 74’)
Subs not used: 30. Sebastian Arranz, 40. Riley Fowler, 44. Tye McGowan
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
Sydney United 58: 1. Tristan Prendergast, 3. Bailey Rule, 4. Adrian Vlastelica, 5. Anthony Tomelic, 9. Patrick Antelmi (37. Luke Zuvela 85’), 10. Carlos De Oliveira, 11. Matthew Hatch, 17. Michael Glassock, 19. Aidan Milicevic, 23. Mason Wells (8. Mario Shabow 58’), 32. Leroy Jennings
Subs not used: 6. Thomas Makko, 14. Liam McGing, 22. Stephan De Robillard, 31. Josip Orlovic
Yellow Cards: Michael Glassock 75’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings
3 – Leroy Jennings (SU58)
2 – Ikko Ehode Arimoto (SS)
1 – Matthew Hatch (SU58)
By NPL NSW Men’s Reporter Micky Brock
