Match of the Round
West Wallsend SFC v Kahibah FC
The match was postponed due to wet weather.
Toronto Awaba FC 0-1 South Cardiff FC
South Cardiff FC returned to the top four following a 1-0 win against Toronto Awaba FC at Lyall Peacock Oval.
The Gunners entered the weekend fifth on the table and managed to replace West Wallsend in fourth place after a Tom Walker strike in the 59th minute was enough for them to earn all three points.
The Stags’ pursuit of an equaliser was dealt a major blow in the 83rd minute when Damon Green was sent off following a second yellow card.
But both teams finished the game with 10 men as South Cardiff’s Jordan Clark was handed a straight red card in the 87th minute.
The result saw the Gunners earn their second clean-sheet victory over a top-three side in as many weeks following a 2-0 win a week earlier against Belmont Swansea and coach Perry Mellon liked what he saw from his men.
“We played really well and we were in control for most of the game, really,” Mellon said.
“They didn’t threaten much at all really. I can’t remember Izaac (Terry) having to make a great save to keep us in it.
“We didn’t create a heap of chances either, but we created a few more half chances than they did. The big chance we created, we scored.
“It was a real grind; a midfield battle similar to when we played them out there in a night game early in the season (in round five, when Toronto Awaba won 1-0)”.
South Cardiff’s second win on the trot saw them join third-placed Toronto Awaba on 27 points and go one clear of West Wallsend (26).
But Southy have played 18 games while the Stags and Bluebells have only played 16.
The Gunners will take on another top-three team when they meet second-placed Kahibah this Thursday in a rescheduled round 23 fixture.
Toronto Awaba will have the chance to bounce back from Saturday’s loss when they host Singleton Strikers at Lyall Peacock Oval on Wednesday night in a rescheduled round 18 fixture.
Belmont Swansea United FC 2-1 Thornton Redbacks FC
League leaders Belmont Swansea United overcame their worst half of football all season to earn a 2-1 victory against Thornton Redbacks at Blacksmiths Oval on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors went into the match on a six-game losing streak but stunned BelSwans when they took the lead in the fifth minute through Albert Whitney and went into half-time ahead 1-0.
But BelSwans put their foot on the gas early in the second stanza with two goals from the counterattack by Adam Woodbine in the 48th minute and the returning Ethan Hall in the 53rd.
The hosts maintained their one-goal lead until the final whistle as the match finished 2-1.
BelSwans’ coach Mick Stafford said Thornton deserved credit for their half-time lead and admitted his side were well below par in the opening 45 minutes.
“Credit to Thornton. They started full of energy and deserved to lead 1-0 at half-time,” Stafford said.
“We were very flat from a busy schedule and it was probably our worst half of football that we’ve produced all year.
“I had to give my first good dressing down of the year (at half-time) and I got an instant reaction. The players stepped up quite well and definitely created enough chances to take the three points.”
The win was Belmont Swansea’s 16th of the season in 20 matches and saw them finish the weekend on top of the table with 50 points, 21 clear of second-placed Kahibah.
They will take on Toronto Awaba at Lyall Peacock Field this Saturday to further cement their position in the promotion zone.
Thornton will also be in action on Saturday afternoon when they host Wallsend at Thornton Park.
Wallsend FC 0-2 Singleton Strikers FC
Round 23 wrapped up at Wallsend Park on Sunday afternoon where Singleton Strikers FC downed Wallsend FC 2-0 to move within striking distance of the top four.
The two sides were locked at 0-0 at half-time after a scoreless 45 minutes in the first half and it was not until the hour-mark that the deadlock was broken when Jake Barner netted his fifth goal of the season.
Teammate Lachlan Nichol then scored his fifth goal of the campaign just three minutes later to put Singleton ahead 2-0.
The Strikers’ coach Doug West thought his men deserved all three points.
“I think we controlled the game from the start to the finish,” West said.
“We were well-structured, we defended well and we played with a lot of intensity. In all honesty, we created a lot more chances and it could have been more.”
The win saw the sixth-placed Strikers move to 25 points, two behind third-placed Toronto Awaba and fourth-placed South Cardiff.
They can go ahead of Toronto Awaba this week when they travel to Lyall Peacock Oval on Wednesday night to challenge the Stags in a rescheduled round 18 clash.
Wallsend will be looking to bounce back from their loss in the local derby on Tuesday night when they host West Wallsend at the Gardens in a rescheduled round 21 fixture.
Cessnock City Hornets FC had the bye.
