Match of the Round
Toronto Awaba 0-1 Kahibah FC
Kahibah FC coach Blair Newham believes defence made the difference in his side’s 1-0 victory over Toronto Awaba at Lyall Peacock Oval on Saturday afternoon.
It was evident from the start what this match meant to the sides, with both teams coming out firing as they looked to walk away with the top spot.
Toronto looked to have opened the scoring when a corner was sent into the box and appeared to be going into the goal, but Kahibah’s Heath Kepreotes denied them the opportunity and headed the ball off the line.
Kahibah’s newest signing Jackson Burston proved to be the difference when he netted his first goal for the club in the 12th minute.
Burston ran the ball down the left of the field as Toronto goalkeeper Drew Olsen came to the top of the box. Burston chipped Olsen and the ball trickled into the back of the net.
The Stags looked to respond when Jarrod Purcell tapped the ball towards the goal, but goalkeeper Jacob Zissis saved it.
The ball spilled out of his hands and on the path of Toronto players but Kepreotes continued his dominant performance and cleared the ball.
As the intensity picked up neither team could find the back of the goal and Kahibah went into half-time leading 1-0.
Toronto went into the second half searching for a goal and continued to push Kahibah defence.
The Rams Liam Whitehead gave away a free kick just outside of the box and Toronto looked to capitalise.
The Stags' Damon Green stood up and launched the ball towards the goal, but Zissis was able to get a hand to the ball and tapped it over the crossbar.
Toronto showed their desperation for a goal when they were awarded a free kick moments before full time.
Olsen ran to join his team in the box and all bodies were on the line as the ball was sent over the sea of players where Zissis punched the ball away to the feet of Kahibah defence before it was cleared.
The two sides could not be separated in the second half and Kahibah would travel home with a 1-0 victory and the top position on the table.
“Three games in a row, three clean sheets. It’s just that our defence is immense,” Newham said.
“To be fair to Toronto, I can see why they’re in the position they are, they had a lot of ball and created a lot of chances.
“Our back four and two sixes and goalkeeper today were just huge.
“It was different for us too to play against a 5,3,2 or a 3,5,2 or whatever sort of style Toronto played, which was a different problem for us to solve.
“Our right winger and left winger, I thought, were terrific in tucking back in and doing a really defensive job, which is something they haven’t been used to in the last couple of weeks.
“Once we organised that at half-time, I felt like it was going to take something really special to beat us and apart from the odd corner or free kick or anything like that from normal play I never felt like we were under too much immediate pressure in front of goal because of the work from our defenders.”
New addition Jackson Burston showed why he got the starting position in his first match and Newham recognised the difference he made.
“It all happened really quickly, and Jackson reached out to us and is someone that I’ve worked with before,” Newham said.
“I really wanted to have him involved this year and at the start of the year it just didn’t eventuate, and the time felt right now to make that final push.
“He just showed today his class and why he’s renowned as a decent player in the NPL.
“One chance, one goal, 1-0, Jackson Burston welcome to Kahibah.”
Despite the defeat Toronto coach Jarrad Hiles could not fault the effort his side put in.
“I can’t question the effort and the intensity, I thought we probably controlled most of the game and created a few chances,” Hiles said.
“It just wasn’t our day again.
“Kahibah’s desperate defence and Jacob Zissis made some good saves, and we had one cleared off the line, the first half from a header.
“I think they had one shot in the first half and scored a goal, that's football.
“I guess similar to last week, they just dropped everyone behind, parked the bus and we just couldn’t break them down.
“But I thought it was a good quality game and Kahibah did really well as well.”
Toronto have fallen to second on the table and will look to regain the top spot when they travel to Johnston Park to face West Wallsend SFC after the break.
Kahibah will be eager to keep the good times rolling and cement their position as league leaders when they host South Cardiff FC at Kahibah Oval in a rescheduled round six clash on Sunday afternoon.
Cessnock City Hornets 1-2 Wallsend FC
Wallsend FC continued their winning ways when they downed Cessnock City Hornets 2-1 at Turner Park on Saturday afternoon.
Wallsend’s Matt Williams opened the scoring for the afternoon when he netted his third goal of the season in the 20th minute.
The Red Devils appeared to be going into half-time leading 1-0 but a penalty awarded for the side in the 41st minute extended the lead.
Bailey Ryan stood up to take the shot and wasted no time finding the back of the net, sending his side into the sheds leading 2-0.
Wallsend’s Ethan Kulupach was shown his second yellow of the match in the 57th minute and given his marching orders.
Cessnock took advantage of having the extra man and netted their first and only goal of the match six minutes later.
Zach Kronholm netted his tenth goal of the season in the 63rd minute and overtook Toronto Awaba’s Nick Roberts as leading goal scorer.
The Red Devils were able to hold on despite being a man down and secured the 2-1 victory.
The win moved them to eighth on the table, two points ahead of Cessnock in tenth.
Wallsend will be eager to keep the good times rolling when they travel to Lydon Oval to take on Dudley Redhead United in a rescheduled round eight match on Sunday afternoon.
The Hornets remain at the bottom of the table, and they will search for their fourth win of the season when they go head-to-head with Lake Macquarie City FC in a rescheduled round 11 match on Friday night.
Lake Macquarie City FC 2-3 Thornton Redbacks
Thornton Redbacks launched themselves to fourth on the table after they defeated Lake Macquarie City FC 3-2 at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility on Saturday afternoon.
Lake Macquarie opened the scoring eight minutes into the match after Markus Wolscher was able to find the back of the net.
Jacob Field extended the Roosters lead in the 12th minute after he netted his third goal of the season.
Thornton’s Liam Kulupach clawed one back for his side in the 25th minute, while Nathan McAllister brought the two sides equal when he found the back of the net in the 40th minute.
One goal in the second half proved to be enough after 57th minute substitute Mamadou Diop netted the Redbacks third goal of the afternoon in the 65th minute.
The 3-2 victory launched the Redbacks to fourth on the table and away from the relegation scrap at the bottom of the table.
They will look to continue their winning ways when they host West Wallsend SFC at Thornton Park in a rescheduled round 10 match. .
Lakes fell to seventh on the table and will look to return to the winner’s circle when they face Cessnock City Hornets in a rescheduled round 11 match on Friday night.
Dudley Redhead United 2-1 South Cardiff FC
Dudley Redhead United kept the good times rolling when they defeated South Cardiff FC 2-1 at Lydon Oval on Sunday afternoon.
South Cardiff’s Charlie Gibson opened the scoring in the 23rd minute when he was able to find the back of the net.
It appeared the score would remain in the Gunners favour as they went into half-time but a 45th-minute goal from Dudley’s Luke Wilson locked the sides up 1-1.
The two sides looked to be sharing the points but a goal by the Thistles Sam Dunkley in the 88th minute locked in the side's 2-1 victory.
Dudley sits at fifth on the table, one point outside the top four.
They will look to secure a top four position when they host Wallsend FC in a rescheduled round eight match on Sunday afternoon.
South Cardiff have fallen to ninth on the table, one point ahead of Cessnock City Hornets in tenth.
They will want to return to winning ways when they go head-to-head with Kahibah FC at Kahibah Oval in a rescheduled round six clash on Sunday afternoon.
West Wallsend SFC 3-3 Singleton Strikers
West Wallsend SFC and Singleton Strikers could not be separated in their 3-3 draw at Johnston Park on Sunday afternoon.
The two sides could not be separated in the first half and went into the sheds locked up 0-0 at half-time.
It was West Wallsend’s Jed Conway who opened the six-goal second half in the 46th minute.
The Bluebells Spencer Clarke doubled his side's lead in the 55th minute after he netted his fifth goal of the season.
Singleton’s Jake Barner clawed one back for his side when he found the back of the net in the 65th minute.
The Strikers equalised through Hayden Nicol in the 77th minute and took the lead two minutes later when Barner netted his second of the afternoon.
The Bluebells did not let the Strikers lead for long when 79th minute substitute Liam Willard found the back of the net in the 81st minute.
Despite persistent efforts neither side could take the lead and walked away with a 3-3 draw.
West Wallsend fell to sixth on the table but remained only two points outside the top four.
They will be eager to secure all three points when they travel to Thornton Park to face Thornton Redbacks in a rescheduled round 10 match.
Singleton remain in third but will need to lock in a victory when they travel to Thornton Park to face Thornton Redbacks after the break.
