Match of the Round
Dudley Redhead United 1-4 Kahibah FC
Kahibah FC continued their 13 game unbeaten streak when they downed Dudley Redhead United 4-1 at Lydon Oval on Saturday afternoon.
The two teams battled it out as they looked to take home the inaugural Matt Smailes Cup but could not be separated for the majority of the first half.
But it was Kahibah FC who broke the deadlock first after Riley Ferguson netted his first of the day in the 40th minute and sent his side into half-time leading 1-0.
Ferguson doubled his side's lead in the 54th minute after the Rams were awarded a penalty. He wasted no time stepping up to the spot and calmly slotted it into the goal.
Kahibah’s Jackson Burston netted his third goal of the season and the third of the game in the 65th minute after he was able to find the back of the net.
Damian Cox was able to claw one back for Dudley in the 76th minute but Burston put the nail in the coffin in the 77th minute.
Both sides pushed to add another to the scoreboard but the score remained 4-1 when the final whistle blew.
While Kahibah walked away with the 4-1 win, the sides shared the spoils for the Matt Smailes Cup.
The cup was awarded to the winning club based on the aggregate scores of reserve and first grade over home and away regular season games.
A notable addition for the Thistles’ was on show when Matthew Tull returned to the field after playing for Dudley in Zone Football League One for numerous years.
Kahibah remained at the top of the table and will look to keep the good time rolling when they host Singleton Strikers at Kahibah Oval after the break.
Dudley remained in the top four but are only two points ahead of West Wallsend SFC in fifth.
They will look to extend that gap when they travel to Ladbroke Gardens to take on Wallsend FC after the break.
Singleton Strikers 2-0 Lake Macquarie City FC
Singleton Strikers handed Lake Macquarie City FC their ninth loss of the season when they downed them 2-0 at Howe Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Strikers opened the scoring in the seventh minute after Jackson Cox netted his third goal of the season.
Cox was not slowing down and doubled his side’s lead just three minutes later after he found the back of the net in the 10th minute.
The Strikers could not add to their tally for the remainder of the first half and went into half-time leading 2-0.
Both teams pushed to add to the scoreboard, but dominant defence from both sides continued to deny each other opportunities.
Cox’s first half efforts proved to be enough and secured his side the 2-0 win when the final whistle blew.
The victory saw Singleton move back to third on the table after slipping as low as fifth in recent weeks.
They will look to keep the good times rolling when they travel to Kahibah Oval to face league leaders Kahibah FC after the break.
Lake Macquarie fell to sixth on the table and will be eager to return to the winner’s circle when they host West Wallsend SFC at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility after the break.
Thornton Redbacks 3-3 South Cardiff FC
Thornton Redbacks and South Cardiff FC could not be separated on Saturday afternoon when they had a 3-3 draw at Thornton Park.
South Cardiff entered the match determined for three points to escape the risk of relegation, but it was Thornton who opened the scoring.
Redbacks Mamadou Diop netted the first goal in the six-goal thriller in the 13th minute.
The Gunners responded in the 29th minute after Zayne Morphew-Watson found the back of the net and gained the lead in the 38th minute through Harry Bailey.
But the moment did not last for long after Caleb Walz equalised for the Redbacks in the 39th minute and sent the sides into half-time locked up 2-2.
Thornton’s Jett White took the lead back for his side in the 60th minute after he netted his fourth goal of the season.
South Cardiff were not going down without a fight and the moment came in the 74th minute after Thomas Walker found the back of the net.
The two teams pushed to take the lead, but that proved to be made harder for Thornton after Samuel Rossi was shown a straight red card in the 90th minute.
The sides could not be separated and walked away sharing the spoils in the 3-3 draw.
The draw looked to be enough for the Gunners to move off the bottom of the table but a win for Cessnock City Hornets on Saturday pushed them back to tenth.
South Cardiff will be eager to replicate Cessnock’s upset when they face Toronto Awaba at Ulinga Oval after the break.
Thornton remained in seventh on the table, three points outside the top four.
They will look to return to the winner’s circle when they go head-to-head with Cessnock at Turner Park after the break.
Toronto Awaba FC 1-2 Cessnock City Hornets
Cessnock City Hornets further escaped the risk of relegation when they defeated Toronto Awaba FC 2-1 at Lyall Peacock Oval on Saturday afternoon.
The two teams battled from the first whistle with so much on the line for both sides.
Cessnock broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute after Sam Hudson found the back of the net for the first time this season.
They looked to be heading into half-time leading 1-0, but an own goal equalised for Toronto in the 40th minute.
The two sides went into half-time locked up 1-1 but the fight from Cessnock was not done yet.
Toronto pushed to take the lead for the first time in the match but proved to be harder when they were reduced to 10 men in the 61st minute after Kade Howland was shown a second yellow card.
The Hornets followed suit and were reduced to 10 men after Flynn Reeks was shown a straight red card in the 74th minute.
Cessnock were determined to down the Stags and the moment came in the 88th minute.
Leading goalscorer Zach Kronholm stepped up for his side and netted his 13th goal of the season.
Kronholm’s effort proved to be enough for his side to secure a 2-1 victory and move to eighth on the table.
They will be eager to keep the good times rolling when they return from the break when they host Thornton Redbacks at Turner Park.
It was Toronto’s third loss of the season, and they will look to return to the winner’s circle when they take on Wallsend FC at Ladbroke Gardens this Sunday in the round 11 rescheduled match.
Wallsend FC 1-1 West Wallsend SFC
Two sides determined for a win could not be separated when Wallsend FC and West Wallsend SFC walked away with a 1-1 draw at Ladbroke Gardens on Sunday afternoon.
It took Wallsend just four minutes to open the scoring for the afternoon after their leading goalscorer Bailey Ryan netted his ninth goal of the season in the fourth minute.
It appeared the Red Devils would go into half-time leading 1-0 but a goal in the 35th minute from West Wallsend’s James Lowe sent the teams into the sheds locked up 1-1.
Both teams pushed to take the lead and take bragging points away from the Wallsend derby but could not capitalise on their chances.
The Bluebells goal scorer Lowe, was shown his marching orders in the 82nd minute after he received a second yellow card.
The challenge for West Wallsend proved to be made harder after head coach Bailey Cox was shown a straight card following Lowe’s.
The Red Devils were also reduced to 10 men after Hamish Meldrum was shown a second yellow card in the 86th minute.
The sides could not be separated when the final whistle blew and walked away sharing the points.
Wallsend will look to secure their first win since the end of June when they host Toronto Awaba FC at Ladbroke Gardens on Sunday afternoon in the rescheduled round 11 match.
The draw proved to be enough to move West Wallsend to fifth on the table.
They will look to break into the top four when they go head-to-head with Lake Macquarie City FC at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility after the break.
