It was a wet and wild affair at Cromer Park on Friday night as a gutsy Marconi stunned league leaders Manly United to go top with a 1-0 victory.
The win makes Marconi the only side to defeat Manly United at home in the 2022 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s season.
The only goal of the match came from Marconi defender Nathan Millgate, as he knocked away a header to secure victory for his side.
The weather conditions were less than favorable at Cromer Park as top of the table Manly United hosted Marconi Stallions in a fixture billed as ‘Match of the Round.’
With just two points separating the hosts and Marconi in fifth place, three points would prove to be vital for both sides in the race for the premiership.
In a cagey opening as both sides acclimatized to the fast pitch, it was the home side who created the first chance of the night in the 5th minute through Seiya Kambayashi who was unconventionally playing from right back.
Driving forward, the Japanese native found his Manly compatriot Bruno Mendes whose shot from inside the area only found Marconi keeper Nenad Vekic.
The period of play that followed was one of frustration for both sides, with neither being able to obtain a sustained period on the ball with the consistent rainfall beginning to play more and more of a role.
The next chance of the match came in the 32nd minute via a Matthew Sim dead ball situation.
Delivering a looping cross, the midfielder found centre-half Alen Aganovic however his header flew agonisingly over the bar.
Four minutes from half time, Manly came as close as one could come, striking the post.
Coming from a Thomas Fay move down the left, his inch perfect cross found Aganovic’s feet.
The defender’s composure came to the fore with a deft layoff to Sim, however he could only find the woodwork from six yards out.
The second period began how the first ended with neither side being able to maintain meaningful possession as the rain somehow managed to fall at an even heavier rate.
It was becoming more and more evident that dead ball’s were going to be the best route to goal at Cromer Park – a notion that almost came to fruition in the 53rd minute for Marconi.
Coming from a high cross, looping cross, Millgate managed to get his head on the ball amidst a crowd of bodies.
Unfortunately, his header was denied by Jack Greenwood who didn’t know much about it all.
Six minutes later, the deadball notion was realized for Marconi, again from Millgate.
The centre-back was picked out at the back post from a pinpoint Domenic Costanzo cross, and made no mistake with a powerful header that custodian Greenwood could do nothing about.
With 71 minutes on the clock, Manly came centimeters from an equalizer from the left foot of Thomas Fay.
Free at the back post, the winger’s curling strike was cleared off the line by Connor Evans.
Up in arms, Manly head coach Adam Griffiths was adamant Evans had cleared the ball with the help of a stray hand however referee Craig Fisher waived away the claims ringing around Cromer Park.
With 10 minutes to play, Kristian Santich was brought down outside the area gifting a golden opportunity for Sim from 25 yards.
The midfielder’s exquisite goal-bound effort was matched only by the outstretched hand of Nenad Vekic who did magnificently to tap the ball onto the post and out of play.
With the final whistle drawing near, Sim found himself through on goal off the back of a lofted Mendes through ball.
Incredibly, Vekic was on hand to deny Sim, again quite spectacularly, this time from close range.
This would be the final chance of the match, resulting in a mammoth three points for Marconi on the road the Marconi, who momentarily leapfrog a group of four, including Manly, to sit top of the table.
Match Stats
Manly United FC
Marconi Stallions FC 1 (Millgate 59’)
Friday, 1st July, 2022
Cromer Park, Cromer
Referee: Craig Fisher
Assistant Referees: Amber Kocbek & Joon Park
Fourth Official: Amber Morris
Manly United FC: 4. James Oates, 5. Thomas Fay (17. Daniel Fabrizio 76’), 7. Seiya Kambayashi, 8. Dominic Ferguson (6. James Georgaklis 53’), 11. Matthew Sim, 12. Finn Ashton (31. Max Martinello 85’), 15. Kristian Santich, 19. Alen Aganovic, 20. Jack Greenwood, 22. Bruno Mendes, 27. Hunter Elliott
Substitutes Not Used: 24. Mitchell Mattison, 29. Marcus Lal, 42. Hugo Mckay
Yellow Cards: 12. Finn Ashton (20’)
Red Card: Nil
Marconi Stallions FC: 1. Nenad Vekic, 2. Nathan Millgate, 3. Giorgio Speranza, 4. Roberto Speranza, 6. Domenic Costanzo, 7. Christopher Hatfield (17. Martin Fernandez 68’), 8. Connor Evans, 9. Thomas James (23. Brandon Vella 85’), 10. Marko Jesic, 16. Liam Youlley, 22. Taylor McDonald
Substitutes Not Used: 13. Samuel Gulisano, 19. Zach Cairncross, 20. Dion Shaw, 35. Justin Vidic
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil