Second-half surge sees Marconi extend unbeaten run
Marconi Stallions overcame St George FC in Round 22 of the NPL Men’s NSW competition thanks to two second-half goals as strikes from Franco Maya and Jack Armson kept the hosts on top of the table, with the Stallions now unbeaten since Round 9.
On the other hand, St George FC’s troubles continue with this defeat, and they will need to fight tooth and nail to survive in the top flight.
The clash started as a cagey affair with both sides conceding very little, apart from a few scrappy corners in favour of St George FC. The faithful at The Palace had to wait until late in the first half to see some goal-mouth action, when in the 38th minute a free-kick from Jaden Casella on the right was well held by Marconi goalkeeper Joel Wade.
In the 43rd minute, an acute-angled free-kick from the left by Chris McStay along the ground forced Wade into a brilliant low save, with the Marconi defence eventually scrambling the ball away for a corner.
Marconi replied right at the end of the first half through a Franco Maya free-kick that was comfortably held by veteran St George goalkeeper Vedran Janjetovic. However, the first stanza was best forgotten and ended scoreless.
A long ball forward in the 50th minute reached Damian Tsekenis on the charge towards goal, but the St George defence provided a solid obstacle and the chance went begging.
Marconi did take the lead in the 54th minute, out of nothing. Goalkeeper Janjetovic cleared the ball but only as far as Franco Maya, who unleashed a lethal left-foot strike that rocketed into the net from distance outside the box.
On the hour mark, St George pushed forward in search of an equaliser with an excellent Nikola Skataric effort that sailed just over the crossbar and onto the top of the net.
It was Marconi, however, who doubled their lead in the 70th minute through a neat Jack Armson finish after receiving a delightful assist from James Bayliss. With two goals under their belt, the league leaders never really looked like letting it slip.
St George FC never gave up and continued to push for a response, with Skataric again going close in the 85th minute, but his shot from outside the box was only marginally over.
After the game, Marconi Stallions coach Peter Tsekenis was pleased but not getting carried away.
“I thought we were solid without being great,” he said.
“We were up against a team that was desperate to stay off the bottom of the table and we knew that, so we stepped up a bit in the second half after being sluggish in the first half.
“We scored the goals we deserved, but full credit to St George as they kept coming at us. We haven’t made many changes to our eleven over the weeks and that way everyone knows their job and it’s working for us at the moment.
“Leading the table we are a target, so we know that we have to be at our best in every game and we train to be at our best. Next week here at home we have the Wanderers who are a young team and full of threats, but we will just focus on what we do and do it well.”
In the other dressing room, St George FC coach Brian Brown still found positives despite the disappointment.
“We defended well and played fairly well in the first half but it’s disappointing with those two goals in the second half,” he said.
“At halftime we felt that we just needed to repeat what we had done, but unfortunately there were a few moments where we lost concentration and it cost us the goals.
“The first was great where we worked hard and kept our shape, but at the end of the day we came away with no points again which is a bit of a story that we are creating.”
Match Stats
MARCONI STALLIONS: 2 (Maya 54’, Armson 70’)
St GEORGE FC: 0
Sunday 5th July
Marconi Stadium, Bossley Park
Referee: Michael Weiner
Assistant referees: Patrick Teleki, James Makris
Fourth Official: Nina Cortese
MARCONI STALLIONS: 1. Joel Wade, 2. Tyren Burnie, 3. Cameron Windust, 5. George Daniel, 6. Teng Kuol, 7. Franco Maya (17. Sunday Yona 77’), 8. James Bayliss (19. Ahmad Elhelou 86’), 9. Damian Tsekenis, 11, Matej Busek, 14. Jack Armson, 23. Quinten Blair.
Substitutes not used: 12. Julian Monge, 16. Luca Pecora, 40. Aaron Hage
Yellow Cards: Maya 43’
Red Cards: Nil
St GEORGE FC: 40. Vedran Janjetovic, 2. Rocco Smith, 4. Jayden Seeto, 6. Patrick O’Shea, 9. Nikola Skataric, 10. Jaden Casella (21. Harry Keys 71’), 11. Lachlan Sepping (12. Toshiki Makimoto 68’), 14. Isaac Cunningham, 16. Kaidyn Wright, 20. Kota Toyooka (7. Justin Poon 81’), 88. Chris McStay (24. Edmun Haddad 68’).
Substitutes not used: 13. Sebastian La Luz, 17. Sebastian Kiceec, 25. Harrison Farrow
Yellow Cards: McStay 48.
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings
3 – Jack Armson (Marconi)
2 – Cameron Windust (Marconi)
1 – Nikola Skataric (St George FC)
By National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s reporter Joe Russo
