Raiders Rise to the Occasion: Letta Leads Crucial 2–1 Victory Over Blacktown City
SD Raiders FC have continued their strong run of form, securing back-to-back victories with a hard-fought 2–1 win over a struggling Blacktown City FC side at Landen Stadium.
The Raiders started on the front foot, pushing high early and looking to expose a Blacktown defence that has shown signs of vulnerability in recent weeks. Travis Major came close to opening his account for the season in just the sixth minute, his effort nearly turned into the net off SD Raiders’ Cooper Hanagan.
The hosts responded soon after, with Noah Chianese delivering a dangerous cross into the area, but there was no one on hand to apply the finishing touch.
Against the run of play, it was Blacktown City who struck first. Jett Long delivered a long ball into the box, where Mitchell Malia’s volley bounced awkwardly and looped over SD Raiders goalkeeper William Loucas to give the visitors the lead.
However, the advantage was short-lived. SD Raiders hit back almost immediately, capitalising on a defensive error, with a deflected effort falling kindly for Chianese, who made no mistake in the 11th minute to restore parity.
The Raiders then looked the more dangerous side for the remainder of the half, creating several chances but failing to convert, either through misfortune or resolute defending led by Nathan Grimaldi.
Blacktown City appealed strongly for a penalty late in the first half, first for an alleged foul and then for a suspected handball, but referee Adrian Arndt waved away both claims.
Despite those appeals, it was SD Raiders who went into the break ahead. Captain James Letta proved the difference, reacting quickest from a corner to volley home past Cayden Henderson and give his side a 2–1 lead at halftime.
The Raiders carried that momentum into the second half, clearly determined not to rely on a slender advantage. Thomas Makko tested Henderson early after the restart, but his powerful strike was well deflected away.
Letta was fortunate to escape further punishment after bringing down Travis Major, with Blacktown players calling for a yellow card that was not forthcoming.
Blacktown’s task became even more difficult just after the hour mark, when Grimaldi was forced off with an apparent quad injury. With Nick O’Brien unavailable due to suspension following last week’s defeat to Sydney United 58, Major was pushed back into the defensive line.
Substitute Riley Nolan injected some much-needed energy into the Blacktown attack, combining with Skataric to drive the visitors forward in search of an equaliser.
They came agonisingly close in the final stages. Julian Rodriguez delivered a dangerous ball to Kodai Tanaka, whose effort was saved by Loucas. The rebound fell to Major, but he took too long to get his shot away, allowing the chance to slip by—much to his visible frustration.
In the end, SD Raiders held firm to claim a crucial victory, making it two wins in as many weeks. The result lifts them clear of the relegation zone, while Blacktown City find themselves in unfamiliar territory near the bottom of the table in what has been a difficult campaign for the once-dominant club.
Match Stats
Blacktown City FC 1 (Mitchell Mallia 9’)
SD Raiders FC 2 (Noah Chianese 11’, James Letta 45+2’)
Sunday 29 March, 2026
Landen Stadium
Referee: Adrian Arndt
Assistant Referees: Sean Lacy and Adam Maher
Fourth Official: Wael Arabi
Blacktown City FC: 1. Cayden Henderson, 3. Lachlan Tilt, 7. Travis Major (c), 10. Maksim Jez, 11. Kodai Tanaka, 14. Mitchell Mallia (17. Julian Rodriguez 70’), 15. Caleb Jackson-Brown (9. Nikola Skataric 57’), 19. Sebastian Hayward (Adam Berry 57’), 22. Jacob Maniti, 23. Jett Long, 27. Nathan Grimaldi (16. Riley Nolan 63’)
Substitutes Not Used: 18. Jake Briggs, 20. Cooper Rogers, 21. Aiden Renshaw
Yellow Cards: Lachlan Tilt 45’, Adam Berry 80’
Red Cards: None
SD Raiders FC: 4. Cooper Hanagan, 5. Jett Mccue-Shore (22. Yonatan Sebhatu 78’), 6. Lachlan Everett (7. Mihael Marcic 57’), 8. James Letta, 9. Jakov Malbasa (18. Charlie Ragg 65’), 10. Luka Knezevic, 12. Lachlan McGrath, 14. Noah Chianese, 17. Martin Fernandez (19. Riley Cox-Barlow 65’), 23. Thomas Makko (21. Sebastian Malfara 57’), 40. William Loucas
Substitutes Not Used: 1. Michael Figueira, 47. Ethan Beaven
Yellow Cards: Mihael Marcic 78’, Cooper Hanagan 81’, William Loucas 90+4’
Red Cards: None
Player Ratings
3 – Noah Chianese (SD Raiders FC)
2 – Cooper Hanagan (SD Raiders FC)
1 – Riley Nolan (Blacktown City FC)
-By Katrina May
