Match of the Round
Toronto Awaba FC 2-1 Belmont Swansea United FC
Toronto Awaba coach Jarrad Hiles was proud that his side kept Belmont Swansea away from promotion for another week after a 2-1 victory at Lyall Peacock Oval on Saturday.
The league leaders entered round 24 requiring a win or a draw to wrap up the premiership race, but it was the Stags who did enough to get the job done.
Toronto struck first in the sixth minute when Jarrod Purcell got in behind BelSwans’ defence and charged onto the end of a pass before tucking away his one-on-one strike.
The hosts had a few more clear chances to double their lead during the first half, but some impressive saves from BelSwans’ goalkeeper Kye Abrahams kept the score at 1-0 at the half-time break.
Toronto kept pushing in the second half and their persistence paid off when Blake Arthur doubled their advantage with a 53rd-minute strike.
The visitors pulled a goal back in the 66th minute when Adam Woodbine scored from the penalty spot.
This goal changed the game as BelSwans could sense the result was theirs for the taking. They created a handful of chances during the final 25 minutes, but the Stags’ goalkeeper Drew Olsen was brilliant between the sticks and kept the hosts ahead.
Olsen conceded a foul inside his own area in stoppage time, which saw Woodbine step up to the spot again, but the Toronto Awaba keeper pulled off his biggest save of the game to deny Woodbine a double and BelSwans a point as the Stags held on to win 2-1.
The victory was a special one for the hosts for several reasons. It was club stalwart Nick Roberts’ 200th game and there was also a minute silence before kick-off to remember Luke Smith, the son of former Stag David Smith, who tragically died earlier this month.
Hiles was delighted that his side could get the job done on a special day for the club.
“It was a pretty emotional day. We had a minute silence for Luke. His dad played for the Stags, and he came down and had a chat before the game.” Hiles said.
“Luke’s family were in the sheds with us after the game to sing the song. There would have been about 15 of them. It was a special day.”
Hiles said he was proud of his side for getting back to their best following back-to-back sluggish performances that had resulted in losses prior to Saturday.
“It was a massive improvement from the past couple of games where we looked a bit flat. The boys gave it everything,” Hiles said.
“There was a lot to play for and they really turned up. You could see it in their faces walking out of the sheds.
“The first half was really good. We started bright with lots of energy and we could have been two or three up at half-time, but Kye their keeper made some good saves.
“We scored early in the second half and went on with it. We did really well.
“Drew stepped up and saved the penalty at the end. BelSwans did hit the crossbar and had some other good chances in the second half, but Drew was very, very good.”
BelSwans’ coach Mick Stafford was disappointed that his side was not able to get the win and officially clinch the premiership, but he was pleased for the Toronto Awaba club and community.
“In retrospect, for Toronto to get the win after a few terrible weeks for the club and community was fitting and meant to be. Credit to Stags for getting the job done,” Stafford said.
“BelSwans send condolences to the Smith family and good luck to Stags on their run home.”
For Belmont Swansea, the loss was just their third all year. They will now get a chance to win the premiership during their old boys’ day at Blacksmiths Oval this Saturday against Wallsend.
The win was the fourth-placed Stags’ second win at Lyall Peacock Oval in eight games this season and their eighth overall. They will go in search of win number nine at The Gardens on Tuesday night when they challenge Wallsend in a rescheduled round 20 clash.
Thornton Redbacks FC 4-0 Wallsend FC
Thornton Redbacks FC co-coach Gerald Carey was delighted for his side to snap their seven-game losing streak on Saturday afternoon when they cruised past Wallsend FC 4-0 at Thornton Park.
Wallsend had the wind behind their backs in the first half but were unable to capitalise as the two sides went into the break locked at 0-0.
It took the hosts just six minutes to score in the second stanza and it was a cracking finish that was deserving of being the opener. Jacob Tudball scored a pearler from a distance to make the score 1-0.
It became 2-0 in the 58th minute when Daniel York found the back of the net, and it remained that way up until the 85th minute when Mamadou Diop tripled the Redbacks’ lead.
Logan Watson completed the scoring in stoppage time when he converted from the spot after Thornton had won a penalty as the final score finished 4-0 to the hosts.
Carey thought that his men executed their plan perfectly on the day and deserved the three points.
“It was nil-all at half-time and we scored four fairly comfortable goals in the second half,” Carey said.
“The boys played to the plan. We chose to go against the wind in the first half and we chose to defend deep.
“We tried to contain them, and we knew that classically they go long so we were wondering if they would, given the wind, and they still did to a certain extent. I thought they switched the play pretty well.
“They caused us some problems in that first half but we were able to contain them.
“We changed our tactics at half-time, given we were running with the wind in the second half. We didn’t want to be knocking it long; we wanted to play to feet. Everything paid off, and stuff we worked on Thursday night at training worked well.”
The win was Thornton’s sixth of the season as they remain in seventh place on the table. They have the bye this weekend and will then line up against Wallsend again in a rescheduled round 15 match the following Sunday at The Gardens.
Wallsend continues to sit last on the table with four points following their 16th loss of the season. They will line up again on Tuesday night when they host Toronto Awaba at The Gardens in a rescheduled round 20 match.
Kahibah FC 1-2 Cessnock City Hornets FC
Cessnock City Hornets caused an upset away from home over Kahibah FC after a 2-1 victory at Kahibah Oval on Sunday.
They may not be able to qualify for the promotion playoffs this year but the Hornets showed that they are going to make life difficult for everyone they play during the run home.
Cessnock opened the scoring in the ninth minute through Thomas Sowden to enter the half-time break with that one-goal advantage.
The hosts hit back in the 74th minute when Dan Byrne made it 1-1 and ensured an exciting finish would unfold.
It was Cessnock who found the winner as they were awarded a penalty in the 89th minute.
Leading goal-scorer Zac Kronholm stepped up to the spot and calmly converted the shot to secure the three points.
The win was Cessnock’s sixth of the season. They are eighth on the table and are five points behind seventh-placed Thornton with two games in hand on them.
Their next challenge is this Saturday when they host South Cardiff at Turner Park.
Kahibah’s loss saw them slip to third as West Wallsend joined them on 32 points but climbed above them on for and against difference.
Kahibah will return to their home ground this Wednesday night to play against Westy in a rescheduled round 14 clash.
South Cardiff FC 0-2 West Wallsend SFC
West Wallsend SFC extended their undefeated run to nine games and climbed to second place on the table when they beat South Cardiff FC 2-0 away from home at Ulinga Oval on Sunday afternoon.
James Lowe opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a classy strike and the Bluebells took that 1-0 lead into half-time.
South Cardiff pushed hard to find an equaliser but it was the visitors who struck again when Spencer Clarke rose highest at a corner kick and headed the ball into the back of the net to double West Wallsend’s lead.
The Bluebells were up to the task defensively on the day and were able to keep a clean sheet as they earned the three points following a 2-0 victory.
Bailey Cox’s men entered the day in fourth place but rose to second following the win. They are now locked on 32 points with Kahibah, who is their next opponent as the two sides prepare to meet on Wednesday night in a rescheduled round 14 clash at Kahibah Oval.
South Cardiff remains sixth on the table and is now three points outside the top four. They are away at Turner Park this Saturday when they challenge Cessnock.
Singleton Strikers FC had the bye.