Youthful Ilinden earn draw against Sky Blues

It’s now eight matches since finals bound Rockdale Ilinden have tasted victory following a thrilling 2-2 draw in the season’s final league match against Sydney FC at the Ilinden Sports Centre on Sunday.

A much changed line-up for linden saw the 2024 Premiers rest a number of its first team players ahead of its Elimination Final against Blacktown City.

It was a brisk start with Rockdale taking the early lead, through Chris McStay, before FC responded almost immediately through a deft finish by Marin France and going on to dominate the next twenty minutes of the game without finding the net again only to find themselves behind once more via Moudi Najjar before the break.

Mathias Macallister was unlucky to see his header take the slightest of deflections that steered the ball wide of the uprights to give FC a corner that Nick Sorras double punched clear, and they felt they should have had a penalty moments later when the same player went down under a challenge around the box that was waived away. The young Sky Blues were certainly making all the running after the early set back.

Taye Hedley tried his luck from distance that had Sorras diving although the effort flashed past the woodwork in the 20th minute.

Rockdale, taking a more measured approach, were finding it difficult to deal with the pace and enthusiasm of Sydney FC’s young charges in the frantic opening exchanges. Jordan Graoroski dragged another shot wide as Ilinden found themselves increasingly under the pump.

The game turned on its head when Oliver Puflett was again on hand to set-up Najjar who saw his effort well saved by Alex Zaverdinos, but the ‘keeper had no answer when McStay bent a cross into the area to find the big number 9 and this time he fired home to restore Rockdale’s lead.

McStay pulled a fantastic save from Zaverdinos when flying low to his right to turn the ball away for a corner as Ilinden began to exert pressure and wrest back control in the midfield.

Puflett created more problems, this time down the left, resulting in a blocked shot that fell for Stefan Simonoski which, unfortunately, the young player skied over the bar before Najjar sent another one agonisingly wide of the post.

The half ended with Rockdale holding the slenderest of leads in what was meant to be a ‘nothing’ game on paper yet turned into a thoroughly absorbing contest littered with pace, one touch passing and a plethora of goal scoring opportunities.

FC made three changes after the break bringing on Nicholas Zdrillic, Dylan Rose and Caelan Marshall-Witte in replacing Lachlan Middleston, Zachary De Jesus and Miles Milliner.

If the first-half was pacey and unpredictable, the second proved somewhat different with Jerry Skotadis going closest with a near post-strike on the hour for Rockdale from a tight angle.

Joe Lacey went down in the box at the other end but again it was a good challenge and the penalty claims were dismissed, much to the chagrin of the Sky Blues.

Mase Musa Swalah McDahrou, a second-half replacement for Rockdale, saw the opportunity opening up to fire goalward only to see the ball slip past the post, Graoroski firing over at the other end in reply.

Another substitute, this time for Sydney FC, saw Dylan Rose restore parity in the 82nd minute with a long range effort that slipped under the body of Steven Kriezis, who replaced Sorras between the sticks.

Graoroski almost found the winner after a goalmouth scramble but once more, his scuffed shot never threatened the goal and the score remained 2-all.

Michael Marcevski could have secured the points for Ilinden in stoppage time but the ball wouldn’t drop quickly enough and leaning back sent it soaring over the bar.

It wasn’t to be and the match ended as it started, all square and points shared leaving Ilinden without a league win since July but the draw was a fair result.

Match Stats

Sydney FC 2 (Marin France 9′, Dylan Rose 82′)

Rockdale Ilinden 2 (Chris McStay 6′, Moudi Najjar 28′)

Ilinden Sports Centre Saturday, 22nd February 2025

Referee: Danny Horstead

Assistants: Ethan Zvargulis and Blake Eastwood Fourth Official: Volkan Aktan

Sydney FC: 12. Alex Zaverdinos, 4. Miles Milliner (39. Dylan Rose 46′), 6. Tyler Williams (26. Oscar Gultekin 74′), 9. Mathias Macallister (23. Junior Conde 65′)10. Taye Hedley, 14. Jared Middleton, 17. Jacob McLachlan, 19. Jordan Graoroski, 21. Zachary De Jesus (44.`Caelan Marshall-Witte 46′), 27. Lachlan Middleton (16.Nicholas Zdrillic 46′), 29. Joe Lacey, 33. Marin France

Subs not used: 1. Jacob Cremen-Cowan

Yellow Cards: Joe Lacey 38′, Dylan Rose 64’

Red Cards: Nil

Rockdale Ilinden: 1. Nick Sorras (28. Steven Kriezis 65′), 4. James Nikolovski, 9. Moudi Najjar (39. Lucas De Sousa 65′), 15. Daniel-Ray Djurovic, 16. Michael Marcevski, 18. Jerry Skotadis, 23. Oliver Puflett (36. Evangelos Kalamvokis 65′), 31. Stefan Simonoski (40. Mase Musa Swalah McDahrou 65′), 46. Paul Kalamvokis, 88. Chris McStay (34.Dean Jovcevski 73′), 99. Matthew Keremelevski

Subs not used: 30. Jake Nacovski

Yellow Cards: Stefan Simonoski 52′

Red Cards: Nil

Player Ratings

3 – Chris McStay (RI)

2 – Joe Lacey (SFC)

1 – Oliver Puflett (RI)

By NPL NSW Men’s Reporter Micky Brock