Urosevski at the double as Rockdale defeat NWS Spirit
Rockdale Ilinden kept its sights on the 2024 National Premier Leagues Men’s NSW Premiership prize following a 3-1 victory over the NWS Spirit FC at the Ilinden Sports Centre on Sunday.
Goals came thick and fast in the early stages as the 2023 Player of the Year and Golden Boot award winner, club captain Alec Urosevski opened the scoring for the hosts in the 9th minute thanks to a great ball from Giorgio Speranza.
Four minutes later Jake Chidiac equalised for the visitors and it was game on.
Brendan Cholakian came close to restoring Rockdale’s lead four minutes later but his curling effort from outside the box went narrowly wide of the upright for the home side.
A thrilling run from Ollie Wiggins ended with a shot from fully 25-yards out that Ilinden ‘keeper, Harrison Devenish-Meares, had covered but gratefully watched as it headed over the bar. Spirit were encapsulating their name with some enterprising football in their best spell of the match midway through the half just prior to the drinks break on a hot Autumn afternoon.
Cholakian skied a free-kick over the bar after thirty minutes before Urosevski forced a fine save out of Chris Marques with his feet. The ball fell invitingly for Bai Antoniou following in but he flashed the ball wide of the woodwork from an acute angle.
Antoniou, busying himself in the box, was afforded time and space to turn and fire goalward from a corner that Marques was able to grasp and hold as the ball arrowed in toward the angle of bar and post.
Ilinden, as expected at home, slowly gained the ascendency as the half wore to a close but with no additional scoring it remained 1-1 at the break in a finely balanced tussle.
The hosts hit the lead in the 52nd minute as Ante Bakmaz, a hero for Spirit FC last week, handballed in the box which awarded Rockdale a spot-kick.
Up stepped Urosevski and the “Baker” made no mistake as Ilinden hit the lead once more. It was his eighth of the year and a goal that drew him on level terms with Western Sydney Wanderers’ Nathanael Blair.
Lachie Constable was replaced immediately afterwards by Blake Ricciuoto, a virus having ripped through the team midweek with several players as well as the assistant coach Nick Stavroulakis feeling the effects.
Antoniou rippled the side netting soon after as Rockdale were feeling a third goal would settle the tie, as the home side pressed forward.
Things got a whole lot harder for David Perkovic’s men as Chidiac received his second caution of the game for a foul on Mathieu Cordier after 62′ minutes leaving NWS Spirit with 10-men for the remainder of the match.
Kyah Williams replaced Kyle Shaw but was unfortunate to turn the ball into his own net moments later to extend Rockdale’s lead as it was 3-1 and quite literally game set and match at that stage.
Urosevski, spotted Marques off his line and attempted an audacious lob from just inside the half that caught on the breeze and sailed wide of the mark in the 75th minute preceding a number of chances that should have been buried by Urosevski, Jason Cakovski and So Kataoko with the two goal skipper given the early mark when replaced by Brae Ovens.
It proved a gallant yet ultimately fruitless showing from the visitors but found themselves overwhelmed by a high flying Rockdale side leaving Coach, David Perkovic, to comment after the whistle.
“I thought we defended really well in the first-half, apart from the opening goal obviously,” he said before continuing.
“And we responded well to get the quick goal back.
“I don’t think Rockdale asked too many questions of us in the opening 45′ minutes, I can’t recall our ‘keeper having to make any outstanding saves.
“They did have the advantage of field position but it was mainly in the centre of the park and didn’t really threaten us but the own goal and Red Card really made a hard task that much harder but Rockdale are a good side and we put in a good performance.”
Rockdale Ilinden coach Paul Dee was happy with his side securing three valuable points following a tough run during the week with players falling ill.
“It was a good win and I was happy with the way we kept going, especially after the week we’ve had internally (a virus going through the group) but we don’t use that as an excuse,” he stated.
“We stuck to our principles and stuck to our game against a tough opponent today.
“Happy we scored three goals and got the win as that was always the aim of course plus I’m happy with our defending today and attacking threat so there are plenty of positives to take from the game, particularly as in the latter stages we created enough chances to win the game more emphatically but we didn’t take them.”
Match Stats
Rockdale Ilinden 3 (Alec Urosevski 9′, 52p’, Kyah Williams 68og’)
NWS Spirit FC 1 (Jake Chidiac 13′)
Ilinden Sports Centre, Rockdale
Sunday 31st March 2024
Referee: Brodie Merchant
Assistants: Aaron Bloch and James Makris
Fourth Official: Rowan Fisher
Rockdale Ilinden: 1. Harrison Devenish-Meares, 3. Lachie Griffiths (23. Hunter Elliott 78′), 5. Giorgio Speranza, 6. Isaac Danzo, 7. Alec Urosevski (17. Brae Ovens 82′), 8. Dean Pelekanos, 9. Bai Antoniou (19. Jason Cakovski 78′), 10. Brendan Cholakian (16. So Kataoko 78′), 11. Lachie Constable (22. Blake Riccuito 53′) 14. Brayden Sorge, 66. Mathieu Cordier
Subs not used: 20. Ricardo Rizzo (Gk)
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
NWS Spirit FC: 1. Christopher Marques, 3. Kyle Shaw (36. Kyah Williams 65′), 4. Jarred McKinlay (14. Jacob Sullivan 85′), 7. Richard Darko (9. Gianni Bouzouklis 46′), 8. Grant Cornwell, 11. Ollie Wiggin, 13. Simon Nicholas, 16. Ante Bakmaz, 17. Jake Chidiac, 19. Jesse Michael (21. Luiz Lobo 60′), 20. Jarod Lum
Subs not used: 12. Titus Macharia, 31. Joel Wade
Yellow Cards: Ante Bakmaz 52′, Jake Chidiac 56′
Red Cards: Jake Chidiac 62′
Player Ratings
3 – Alec Urosevski (RI)
2 – Giorgio Speranza (RI)
1 – Ollie Wiggin (NWS)
By NPL NSW Men’s Reporter Micky Brock
