Wilson silences the Shire as Manly record valuable victory
Super sub Sam Wilson was the hero firing home the winner for Manly United in a tense 1-0 victory against Sutherland Sharks at Seymour Shaw on Saturday night.
United scooped all three points after Wilson’s incredible 89th minute winner which broke the hearts of Sutherland fans as the game looked destined for a draw.
The Sharks struggled to find their rhythm against a robust Manly side with their key playmakers unable to find the quality which could’ve been the difference.
From the opening whistle, both sides got into their work. Much of the play came through the midfield as both sides struggled to create clear cut chances in the opening quarter on a crisp night at Seymour Shaw park.
It seemed like the set piece was the best avenue to find an opening. Manly United FC had two terrific chances from free-kicks but they flew harmlessly wide, the latter from the head of Leigh Egger.
The home side were similarly stunted. Nicholas Olsen found himself in some promising positions but there was a lack of end product which saw them be wasted.
Sutherland’s best chance was a half one where Adrian Vranic dipped a first time effort over the bar as the sides headed into the break locked at 0-0.
Coming out from half-time, the game opened up as Dylan Macallister cleverly responded to a knockdown before he arrowed an effort inches wide of the post.
Still the contest relied on set pieces for the majority of action.
Brendan Cholakian hammered one into the wall on the hour mark then down the other end, Jacob Tratt had his effort cleared off the line then the follow up bounced wide.
Tratt continued to be right in the thick of the action as the defender lept high in the air to thump a header over the bar.
Sutherland started to sense that the three points was right in their grasp.
They produced the movement of the contest on 66 minutes when a sweeping move ended with Ryoga Suyama on the edge of the box.
The attacker tried to place his effort but saw it bounce frustratingly past the post.
That was the best it got for the Sharks.
The final fifteen minutes were peppered with shots by an increasingly desperate Manly United side.
Macallister and Cholakian started to find space, testing Sharks keeper, Ryan Norval with a pair of efforts before Travis Oughtred and Dom Ferguson roamed from their defensive position in search for the winner.
Ultimately there was a goal coming in the contest.
It came only 60 seconds before injury time as Norval produced a superb save that fell directly to Manly substitute Sam Wilson.
He calmly slotted home to hand the visitors a 1-0 victory.
Following the result, Manly United coach Paul Dee was full of praise for his side’s effort.
“It was a real dogfight that game.
“You saw both teams were desperate for the win. There was high intensity but it compromised the quality,” he said.
“We’re real happy to get a goal near the end there. We’re a fit team so we’re motivated to get out there, worked our way into the game. That was a really good weekend for us, and it’s a cliché but we’re gonna take a week at a time.”
The loss was a bitter pill for Sutherland Sharks coach Grant Lee to swallow.
He knew his side was in for a tough contest against Manly but lamented that his side has fallen to the visitors twice this season in late circumstances.
“It’s where we are.
“In saying that I thought we were the better team tonight. I would’ve been disappointed if we got the draw but football is a cruel game, but that’s what beautiful about it too,” he said.
“That is the sort of game you have against them [Manly], we had a similar contest against them earlier this season which we also lost at the end. It is never a free-flowing game against them but I thought we stayed in our systems well tonight, but couldn’t find the goal.”
Match Stats
Sutherland Sharks 0
Manly United FC 1 (Wilson ‘89)
Saturday 21 July 2018
Seymour Shaw, Miranda
Referee: A. Mansour
Assistant Referees: A. Giev, J. Park & K. Humphreys
Fourth Official: M. Bailey
Sutherland Sharks FC: 1. NORVAL Ryan, 2. TRATT Jacob, 5. BARTELS Bradley, 6. EVERETT Lachlan, 8. PATRAMANIS Evan, 9. VRANIC Adrian (11. TANOVSKI ‘85), 15. LITTLER Nicholas, 16. SUYAMA Ryoga (3. STEWART ‘88), 17. JENNINGS Leroy, 20. HAYASHI Keisuke, 22. OLSEN Nicholas
Substitutes not used: 12. BROWN Blair, 21. LOE Niklas, 26. SUTHERLAND Harry
Yellow cards: Bartels and Littler
Red cards: nil
Manly United FC: 1. MITCHELL Dylan, 2. PAULL Kieran, 3. LOBB Jamie, 4. OUGHTRED Travis, 6. FERGUSON Dom, 8. MACURA Sasa, 9. MACALLISTER Dylan (11. TANESKI ‘76), 10. CHOLAKIAN Brendan, 12. EGGER Leigh, 13. BALDERSON Scott (7. CHENG ‘79), 23. ALESSI Daniel (5. WILSON ‘45)
Substitutes not used: 14. ROOKE Mitchell, 20. CATLIN Shaun
Yellow cards:
Red cards: nil
-By National Premier Leagues NSW reporter Justin Davies
Sharks slayed by red-hot Murray
A stunning Jordan Murray hat trick has helped APIA Leichhardt Tigers score a comprehensive 6-2 thrashing of Sutherland Sharks at Lambert Park on Sunday.
The competition’s top scorer with 19 for the season put APIA ahead early before the hosts were pegged back by Ryoga Suyama.
However, the Tigers pushed out to a 3-1 lead at halftime and never looked like going behind as they laid on another three after the break.
The result was a serious message of intent from the Lambert Park based side as they leapfrogged Sydney Olympic and move closer to an incredible defence of their Premiership title.
Tasuku Sekiya made APIA’s intentions clear in the opening minutes with a hopeful chip that clipped the top of Ryan Norval’s crossbar and dropped over for a goal kick.
Jordan Murray followed up shortly after, cutting in from the left to send a curling shot across the goal and towards the far post for Norval to slap away with an outstretched palm.
Knocking at the door as they were, it was little surprise when APIA went ahead inside ten minutes: Jordan Murray broke through the centre and pushed past the onrushing Norval to give himself an open goal, with a late intervention from a Sutherland defender not enough to stop the ball crossing the line.
Sutherland had shown little in possession before going behind but Murray’s goal seemed to galvanise the visitors, and they rallied to hit back less than ten minutes after conceding.
Lachlan Everett pushed through a gap in the APIA backline and hit his shot at Ivan Necevski, but the goalkeeper could only pop the ball up for Ryoga Suyama to follow through and equalise.
Sekiya had another shot well saved by Norval before Howard Fondyke saw a shot blocked after a strong run down the left flank by Corey Biczo.
APIA looked likely to score again sooner or later, and sooner it was: Murray headed against the post and a few moments later the ball came back to Fondyke, who sliced a volley up into the top right corner to give APIA the lead.
Sutherland might have hoped to get into the sheds at 2-2 but found themselves behind by two when Sekiya latched onto a ball into the box from the left and hooked a volley back across the goal for Murray to head into an unguarded net.
The hosts picked up in the second half where they left off in the first, and Murray nearly turned provider when he skinned his man on the byline and cut the ball back to Corey Biczo, only for the shot to be blocked away.
It was a missed opportunity of little consequence, as APIA would have a fourth less than five minutes later: Sean Symons took a shot after being put through in space on the left, and the ball deflected off Nicholas Littler to settle in the net.
Nicholas Olsen pulled one back for Sutherland a few minutes later, bursting through the defence to and sticking his shot to the keeper’s right to give the Sharks real hope of a comeback with half an hour remaining.
Unfortunately for the visitors the match became bogged down in the midfield, and neither side had a chance of any real note until Jordan Murray popped up to complete his hat-trick.
Picking the ball up from Sekiya, Murray calmly rolled the ball past Norval for his 19th of the campaign.
Adrian Vranic might’ve scored another consolation goal after being played through by Jacob Tratt, but Necevski made a smart double save to keep the Tigers in front by three in the last few minutes.
They weren’t finished yet, either; Sekiya picking up a thoroughly deserved goal in extra time to give the match its final 6-2 scoreline.
Billy McColl was delighted with another strong performance from his side.
“It was good to score six but if we were going to score ten then it was going to be today – we missed so many chances. Jordan Murray is playing very well – he’s a young man on a mission,” he said.
“It was an entertaining game – it’s good when you get two teams who really want to play. Different styles, but it was good entertainment and that’s what you want in this competition.”
A bitterly disappointed Grant Lee said schoolboy errors cost his side against an opportunistic APIA outfit.
“It was just poor. Nothing against APIA, who played well, but they scored six goals and they all came from nothing. We gave it to them on a platter,” he said.
“They’re a good side and they’ve got good players, but we’re trying to be too cute and too smart, taking risks at the wrong time, and it just invites trouble. It’s so naive.
“To say that we made schoolboy mistakes is nasty to a schoolboy.”
Match Stats
APIA Leichhardt Tigers FC 6 (Murray 9’, 45’, 78’, Fondyke 31’, Littler OG 55’, Sekiya 90’)
Sutherland Sharks FC 2 (Suyama 18’, Olsen 59’)
Sunday July 8, 2018
Lambert Park, Leichhardt
Referee: R. Mattei
Assistant Referees: M. McOrist, P. Teleki
Fourth Official: J. McFarlane
APIA Leichhardt Tigers FC: 8. Corey BICZO (10. Franco PARISI), 7. Howard FONDYKE (3. Paul GALIMI), 11. Jordan MURRAY, 2. Nathan MILLGATE, 19. Brandon LUNDY, 15. Themba MUATA-MARLOW, 1. Ivan NECEVSKI, 20. Tasuku SEKIYA, 4. Joshua SYMONS, 16. Sean SYMONS (17. Sam GULISANO), 18. Adrian UCCHINO
Substitutes not used: 5. Stephen ADDATINI 22. Blake TUXFORD
Yellow cards: J. Symons 24’
Red cards: N/A
Sutherland Sharks FC: 16. Ryoga SUYAMA (9. Adrian VRANIC), 6. Lachlan EVERETT, 15. Nicholas LITTLER, 20. Keisuke HAYASHI, 1. Ryan NORVAL, 2. Jacob TRATT, 22. Nicholas OLSEN, 17. Leroy JENNINGS, 12. Blair BROWN (8. Evan PATRAMANIS), 10. Joshua DA SILVA, 5. Bradley BARTELS
Substitutes not used: 21. Nicholas LOE
Yellow cards: Littler 80’
Red cards: N/A
-By National Premier Leagues NSW reporter Max Grieve
White Eagles woes deepen as Sharks strike
Sutherland Sharks have put space between themselves and the bottom of the table pack with a 2-1 victory against Bonnyrigg White Eagles at Seymour Shaw.
Nicholas Olsen marked his return to the Sharks starting line-up with a well taken second goal for the home side after captain Jacob Tratt thumped home a 19th minute header.
The Sharks held off a late flurry in a tense second half to record their first victory in a month.
For Bonnyrigg White Eagles, besides David Vrankovic’s header that sparked a revival in the second half, they were unable to create much pressure on the Sharks goal. Experienced midfielder Raymond Miller was a standout as the White Eagles face a tough task to stave off relegation.
Both sides came off last start losses, so they looked to assert themselves early in the contest. For Sutherland they looked to damage the visitors from the set piece as a fourth minute effort almost rolled in.
Much of Bonnyrigg’s best work in the first half came from Raymond Miller. The experienced midfielder linked up well with Shervin Adeli, as the latter strode into the box and feathered a shot right at Sharks keeper Ryan Norval.
The Sharks would find the opener in the 19th minute. From another set piece, Lachlan Everett lofted it into the box for Jacob Tratt to rise highest to thump the ball home and make it 1-0.
That goal gave the Sharks the ascendency in the contest, as they dominated possession and the chances. Returning Nicholas Olsen featured heavily in their build-up as Nicholas Litter sliced high.
Bonnyrigg had their biggest spell of possession as the clock ticked past 25 minutes, but an errant pass allowed Olsen to stream forward, stave off a defender before the attacker slotted home in his return. 2-0 to the home side.
Olsen had a chance to double his delight five minutes later. Again he broke into the box but this time his effort fell comfortably into the hands of White Eagles keeper, James Chronopoulos, as the Sharks were firmly in control.
Once again the Sharks threatened on the set piece. Litter tried to connect with a header but it fell safely then the promoted Hristijan Tanoski sliced an effort in the one-way first half.
Miller created a pair of chances for the White Eagles. Firstly he found Bradie Smith in space for the former’s effort to be smothered then the midfielder himself fizzed an effort wide to get a goal back before the half.
Fresh from a half-time talk from Brian Brown, Bonnyrigg created the first chance of the second stanza. Jeewok Woo released in the box but thrashed the volley wide.
They continued to show greater threat going forward. Tynan Diaz volleyed wide in the 57th minute as the White Eagles pushed forward in a vital clash for the Club Championship.
Their lifeline arrived right on the hour mark. Miller roamed down the left, teased in a wicked cross for David Vrankovic, the defender nodded home, making it 2-1 with plenty of time to go.
Brown rung the changes, sending on Asmir Kadric and Aaron Peterson searching for an equaliser. They racked up the corner count but couldn’t force Ryan Norval into meaningful saves.
The Sharks edged the chances again, as Olsen had a volley crash against the post then another easily gathered by Chronopoulos. Next Tanovski forced the keeper into a diving push as the home side looked more likely.
In the end, the Sharks held firm against the White Eagles and secured a vital three points in their quest to get themselves away from the bottom of the ladder.
Afterwards Sutherland Sharks coach Grant Lee praised his side’s first half display although he marked their second half for improvement.
“Three losses on the trot is never nice. That mentality can creep In, although we conspired to hurt ourselves. So tonight was good,”
“I am pleased with the first half, the second half less so. Mostly disappointed with the goal we conceded and some our play in the second half,”
On Nicholas Olsen in his return tonight. ”[he was] unbelievable. Could’ve had a hat-trick tonight, and we’re not a club that has a lot of reserves so we’ve missed him in the last few weeks. So with him and a few other boys returning we’re on track.” finished Lee.
For White Eagles coach Brian Brown, the first half performance was a concern in a tough period for the side.
“I think our first half wasn’t the best. We played better in the second half, creating a few more chances. We knew tonight would be a tough battle, and I think they showed a bit more desire,”
“Blacktown and Bonnyrigg regardless of where they are in the league is always a tough game, so we’re looking forward to that now.” finished Brown.
Match Stats
Sutherland Sharks 2 (Tratt ‘19, Olsen ‘26)
Bonnyrigg White Eagles 1 (Vrankovic ‘60)
Saturday 30 June 2018
Seymour Shaw, Miranda
Referee: Kris Griffith Jones
Assistant Referees: L. Greenshields & P. Teleki
Fourth Official: M. Howarth
Sutherland Sharks: 1. NORVAL Ryan, 2. TRATT Jacob, 5. BARTELS Bradley, 6. EVERETT Lachlan, 10. DA SILVA Joshua (16. SUYAMA ‘79), 11. TANOVSKI Hristian (VRANIC ‘82), 12. BROWN Blair, 15. LITTLER Nicholas, 17. JENNINGS Leroy (7. HAYES ‘90), 20. HAYASHI Keisuke, 22. OLSEN Nicholas
Substitutes not used: 7. KAYES Stephen, 21. LOE Nikolas, 27. QUIRK Harry
Yellow cards: Olsen
Red cards: nil
Bonnyrigg White Eagles: 1. CHRONOPOULOS James, 3. VRANKOVIC David, 7.DIAZ Tynan, 10. ADELI Shervin (11. KADRIC ‘59), 13. MCKENZIE James, 14. SMITH Bradie, 15. MILLER Raymond, 16. GALLAWAY Samuel, 17. O’ROURKE James, 18. GIL Mun-Soo (9. PETERSON ‘67), 22. WOO Jewook
Substitutes not used: 2. AVERY Aaron, 20. TOSI Benjamin, 21. BRADASEVIC David
Yellow cards: O’Rourke, Gallaway
Red cards: O’Rourke
-By National Premier Leagues reporter Justin Davies
Sharks no match for red hot Sydney United 58
Sydney United 58 cruised to a 3-1 win against Sutherland Sharks at Sydney United Sports Centre on Saturday night.
Goals to Glen Trifiro, new recruit Tariq Mair, and Mathew Sim helped the home side collect all three points in their second three goal effort in as many weeks.
Nick Littler netted a late goal for Sutherland but it proved to be mere consolation for Grant Lee’s side.
United almost opened up the Sharks defence inside the first minute, however Sam Perre’s cross had too much on it and fizzed across the face of goal from a Panny Nikas lay-off.
Mathew Sim then sent in a tantalising cross that eluded his team mates with no-one quick enough to tap home.
The home side were on the offensive and Chris Payne had a shot blocked by Sharks keeper Ryan Norval. the Sutherland keeper was called into action moments later when he denied a curling effort from Trifiro.
Perre forced a save out of Norval in the 15th minute for yet another United corner. Sutherland were coping with the pressure but they were yet to muster an effort of their own at the other end.
The Blues were struggling to break out of their half and the long balls forward were easy pickings for the United defence.
A Jacob Tratt free-kick was Sutherland’s first real chance on goal but his effort sailed over the bar.
A neat short corner routine from United saw Nikas centre to Trifiro some 25-yards out, and his rasping effort certainly warmed the hands of the Sharks’ gloveman.
Tratt had another free-kick but once again he failed to convert after a save from Manos.
Despite their early domination, United had nothing to show for it at the break with both sides going into the sheds locked at 0-0.
Sutherland had an appeal for a penalty waved away on the resumption when Joshua Da Silva went down in the area. Their shouts falling on deaf ears and play continued but it was a positive starts for the visitors.
Da Silva forced a fine save out of Manos when striking a fierce left-footer from 30-yards out that swirled and dipped in the air.
The breakthrough came in the 55th minute when a dipping Nikas free-kick rattled the bar and fell invitingly for Trifiro to rifle home. It was little more than United deserved but was well taken by the midfielder.
Adrian Vranic attempted to level the scores in the 62nd minute but screwed his shot wide of the upright in reply as the reds pushed to extend their lead and left gaps at the back.
Nikas was unlucky not to find himself on the scoresheet with a curling attempt that crept the wrong side of the post in the 66th minute.
Tariq Mair added a second for United 58 with a thunderous shot from 25-yards leaving Norval with no hope.
Nikas chipped over the defence for substitute Patrick Antelmi who attempted to lob Norval but the ‘keeper just managed to get a fingertip to the ball.
Sim added the third for United when a defensive slip saw him tap home into an empty net to put the result beyond any doubt.
Sutherland hadn’t played badly but they had been out-enthused by a very determined Sydney United 58.
Sutherland did manage a consolation goal when Nick Littler netted after a Tratt free-kick was pushed clear by Manos but a quick-fire centre left him wrong-footed and stranded to find the central defender lurking with intent at the back stick to poke home.
A downtrodden Sharks coach Grant Lee rued the mistakes which cost his side the game.
“It’s what we’ve been saying all year. It’s our naivety that is costing us at critical times in games,” he said.
“We make stupid mistakes when the game is in the balance.
“It must sound like a broken record but it’s the same stupid errors in games.”
Miro Vlastelica praised a much improved second half performance from his United 58 side.
“I felt we dominated the first-half of the game and we could have done a lot better in the final third,” he said.
“We had a lot of chances, but we came in at half-time, had a char and adjusted a few minor things and it paid dividends in the end.
“The boys worked hard as they have all week and we take each week at a time. We will just keep doing what we are doing and see where it take us.”
Match Stats
Sydney United 58 3 (Trifiro 55’, Mair 70’, Sim 75’
Sutherland Sharks 1 (Littler 85’)
Sydney United Sports Centre, Edensor Park
Saturday, 23rd June 2018
Referee: Michael Weiner
Asst. Refs: Daniel Stack & Matthew Riedy
Fourth Official: Katie Patterson
Sydney United 58: 21.Thomas Manos, 2.Christian Gonzales, 6.Christopher Payne (3.Jordan Roberts 86’), 8.Mathew Sim (7.Mohammad Rahimi 80’), 11.Yianni Perkatis, 12.Shannon Cole, 13.Sam Perre (9.Patrick Antelmi 65’), 15.Tariq Mair, 18.Glen Trifiro, 22.Yianni Fragogiannis, 23.Panni Nikas
Substitutes not used: 1.John Hall, 14.Nick Stavroulakis
Yellow Cards:
Red Cards:
Sutherland Sharks: 1.Ryan Norval, 2.Jacob Tratt, 6.Lachlan Everett, 7.Stephen Kayes (28.Noah Chia 79’), 9.Adrian Vranic, 10.Joshua Da Silva, 12.Blair Brown, 13.Robert Watson (5.Bradley Bartels 79), 15.Nick Littler, 17.Leroy Jennings, 20.Keisuke Hayashi
Substitutes not used: , 11.Hristijan Tanoski, 18 Juan Felipe Zapata, 21.Nikola Loe
Yellow Cards: Kayes 24’
Red Cards:
-By National Premier Leagues NSW reporter Micky Brock