Match of the Round
Belmont Swansea United FC 2-2 Toronto Awaba FC
Belmont Swansea United and Toronto Awaba shared the points at Blacksmiths Oval on Saturday afternoon following a 2-2 draw.
The wet and slippery pitch played its part in both of the opening goals as both sides struck during the first half.
Toronto landed the first blow in the 26th minute when a clearance from deep inside their half landed just over the halfway line and skidded over the top of the BelSwans defensive line and into the path of striker Jarrod Purcell. He volleyed a first-time strike from outside the 18-yard box past Kye Abrahams and into the back of the net to make the score 1-0.
It was 1-1 five minutes later when Adam Woodbine curled a free kick from the left edge around the wall and into the bottom left corner with the assistance of the slippery surface.
It remained one apiece at half-time and the visitors broke the deadlock again in the second stanza when Purcell won and converted a penalty in the 56th minute. He calmly slotted it into the bottom right corner while sending Abrahams the wrong way.
It became 2-2 in the 68th minute when Woodbine found the back of the net from another free kick, this time from much further out as he curled the ball into the box and it beat everyone, including Stags goalkeeper Reef Parker.
That was the final goal of the contest as it remained 2-2 when the full-time whistle sounded.
BelSwans’ coach Mick Stafford was proud of his men for fighting back from two deficits to earn a point against one of the best teams in the competition.
“It was a pretty even game between two quality football sides in atrocious conditions,” Stafford said.
“The pitch made it hard for both teams to play, but I thought our boys competed quite well and still tried to play our natural game.
“End product in the top third was well off, but we did really well to nullify their attacking threats.
“It’s a super result after the week we’ve had as a group and it shows a lot of resilience coming from behind twice to equalise. (Adam) Woodbine should have had the winner at the end too.
“I’m super happy with the players. It’s a step in the right direction.”
Toronto Awaba’s coach Jarrad Hiles was pleased that his men were finally able to get back out onto the park following five washouts and a bye during the previous seven rounds, and he was happy with the performance they produced.
“I was really happy with my boys. I was a bit wary going into it because of the lack of footy but I think we played well and battled hard,” Hiles said.
“In the end, it was probably a fair result, but I’m just disappointed with the way we conceded the two goals, both from set pieces.
“Overall, I’m just happy we were able to get out there and get something out of the game.
“I guess I’m disappointed not to hang on though after we led twice, but it was really tough conditions for all of the players out there. It was wet and windy and the ground was deteriorating at one end.
“I’m happy with the way the boys played.”
The draw was Toronto Awaba’s third on the trot and saw them end the weekend in fifth spot, just two points outside the top four. They now have five washed-out games to make up and the first of those will be played on Wednesday when they host Wallsend at Lyall Peacock Field.
For BelSwans, the result saw them drop points for just the second time this year. They have now played 11 games for nine wins, a draw and a loss and they are nine points clear at the top of the table. They have a chance to extend that lead on Wednesday when they host second-placed side South Cardiff at Blacksmiths Oval in a rescheduled round 13 match.
West Wallsend SFC 0-3 South Cardiff FC
South Cardiff FC made it two from two over West Wallsend SFC this season when they travelled to Johnson Park on Saturday evening and scored a 3-0 win.
It was the first time the 2023 grand finalists had met at the venue since Westy won the championship there in September last year, but it was Southy who stunned the Bluebells on their home turf this time around.
Tom Walker opened the scoring in the fifth minute when he charged onto the ball just outside of the 18-yard box and blasted a fine volleyed strike into the top-left corner, and 1-0 was the way it remained at half-time.
The second half was 12 minutes old when the Gunners found their second goal and it was Jay Troyer who got onto the end of a Sam Modderno cross from the left for a back-stick tap-in.
The Gunners struck again with the last kick of the game when Vincent Asembo got onto a Justin Banek cross from the left and slotted it home from the penalty spot to make the final score 3-0.
South Cardiff’s coach Perry Mellon thought that his side excelled despite the less-than-ideal conditions as a result of the wet weather.
“It was really good, probably our best performance since I’ve been at the club really,” Mellon said.
“The conditions were horrendous. The pitch was boggy and wet as there was a big southerly and it was raining most of the time, some of the time it was torrential.
“Our work rate was really good and we dominated pretty well from start to finish. We scored three and could have scored five.
“It was our first clean sheet since the prelim final against Singleton last year, so that was really good too.”
The win saw South Cardiff stretch their unbeaten streak to six games. They have picked up 16 points in that run and are second on the table, now just nine points behind Belmont Swansea with a game in hand on them. The Gunners will take on the league leaders in a rescheduled round 13 match on Wednesday at Blacksmiths Oval.
West Wallsend dropped out of the top four as a result of their loss and finished the weekend in sixth place. They are also in action on Wednesday when they challenge Thornton in a rescheduled round 11 match at Thornton Park.
Cessnock City Hornets FC 1-3 Kahibah FC
Kahibah FC came from behind on Sunday afternoon to secure a 3-1 victory over Cessnock City Hornets at Turner Park.
The hosts opened the scoring in the fourth minute when their leading goal-scorer Zac Kronholm netted his 10th of the season to make the score 1-0, but it quickly became 1-1 after Kahibah’s Riley Ferguson won and converted a penalty in the ninth minute.
Daniel Keelan hit the back of the net in the 40th and 66th minute to put the visitors in front 3-1.
Kahibah could have had a fourth with about five minutes to go if it wasn’t for a brilliant Blake McDonnell save to deny a Robbie Turnbull penalty kick.
Kahibah was ahead 3-1 when the final whistle sounded and Mat Moncrieff’s men re-entered the top four as they leapt West Wallsend and Thornton to finish the weekend ranked third. Their next fixture is Saturday night away from home against Singleton at Howe Park.
Cessnock remains seventh on the and their next game is on Sunday when they travel to Ulinga Oval to challenge South Cardiff.
Wallsend FC v Thornton Redbacks FC
The match was postponed due to wet weather.
Singleton Strikers FC had the bye.