Match of the Round
Lake Macquarie City FC v West Wallsend SFC
This match was abandoned in the 51st minute and the remainder of the game will be played at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility on Tuesday night.
Kahibah FC 2-1 Singleton Strikers
Kahibah FC completed the fairytale finish when they downed Singleton Strikers 2-1 at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility on Sunday and secured promotion.
In the club’s 100th year the Rams dreamed of securing the premiership and automatic promotion to the NPL Men’s NNSW competition and their ninth consecutive win completed that dream.
Jackson Burston secured the lead for Kahibah 15 minutes into the first half when he netted his fifth goal of the season, and the score would remain 1-0 as the sides went into half-time.
The mood for Burston would quickly change in the second half when he was shown a straight red card in the 54th minute.
Despite being reduced to 10 men the Rams persevered and extended their lead to 2-0 when Daniel Byrne found the back of the net in the 73rd minute.
Singleton were not backing down and were determined to claw one back.
The moment came just five minutes later after Josh Frazer Whitten netted his fourth of the season in the 76th minute.
The Strikers were unable to find the equaliser, and the score remained 2-1 when the final whistle blew.
The win for Kahibah locked in the top spot and they will look to end the season with their 10th consecutive win when they host Cessnock City Hornets on Saturday afternoon.
Singleton remained third on the table and they will look to lock in their spot in the Promotion/Relegation Play-Off Finals series when they host South Cardiff FC on Saturday afternoon.
Wallsend FC 3-1 Dudley Redhead United
Wallsend FC secured their fifth win of the season when they downed Dudley Redhead United 3-1 at Ladbroke Gardens on Wednesday night.
The two sides took the pitch three days earlier than the rest of the competition to ensure their game went ahead with the wet weather.
For the first time in two matches, Wallsend’s Bailey Ryan was unable to find the back of the net within the first 10 minutes.
Both teams remained scoreless in the first 45 minutes, but it was Wallsend who broke first in the second stanza.
The Red Devils second leading goal scorer Cody Halpin netted his sixth of the campaign in the 54th minute before Matt Williams doubled his side’s lead in the 60th minute.
The Thistles found the back of the net in the 63rd minute through Sam Dunkley and pushed to find an equaliser for the remainder of the match.
But that proved to be made harder when Hamish Meldrum found the back of the net in the 80th minute
Wallsend were able to keep the lead until the final whistle and secured the 3-1 victory.
The win saw the Red Devils remain eighth on the table, two points clear of Cessnock City Hornets.
But the Hornets will play their round 17 match on Tuesday night and if they win Wallsend will fall to ninth.
Wallsend will be eager to end their season with a victory and escape relegation when they travel to Thornton Park on Saturday afternoon to face Thornton Redbacks.
Dudley remained fourth on the table but could fall just outside of the top four when Lake Macquarie City FC and West Wallsend SFC play the remainder of their round 17 clash on Tuesday night.
They will fight for a spot in the Promotion/Relegation Play-Off Finals series when they go head-to-head with West Wallsend at Johnston Park on Saturday afternoon.
South Cardiff FC 2-1 Toronto Awaba
South Cardiff FC inched away from the risk of relegation when they downed Toronto Awaba 2-1 at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility on Saturday night.
Both sides needed a victory to keep their respective hopes alive, but it was the Gunners who were hungry for all three points.
The two sides fought to open the scoring but could not be separated as they went into half-time locked up 0-0.
But it was Toronto’s Blake Arthur who broke the deadlock. Substituted on in the 60 minute, Arthur was able to find the back of the net in the 61st minute and secure his side the lead.
South Cardiff would not let the Stags hold onto the lead for long after Elijah Nyman scored the equaliser in the 62nd minute.
With so much to fight for, both sides continued to push to take the lead, and it was the Gunners who broke free.
Justin Banek was substituted into the match in the 71st minute and netted the winner in the 86th minute to secure his side their first win in six matches.
The win moved the Gunners away from relegation to ninth on the table, but they will have to wait to see the result of Cessnock City Hornets and Thornton Redbacks on Tuesday night as they sit only one point ahead of the Hornets.
As the risk of relegation remains South Cardiff will be determined to defeat Singleton Strikers on Saturday afternoon in the final match of the season.
The loss saw Toronto fall seven points short of the premiership and automatic promotion, but they will look to end the regular season on a high when they go head-to-head with Lake Macquarie City FC on Saturday afternoon.
Cessnock City Hornets v Thornton Redbacks
This match was postponed due to wet weather and will be played at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility on Tuesday night.
