Match of the Round
Thornton Redbacks FC 0-3 Toronto Awaba FC
Toronto Awaba FC coach Jarrad Hiles believes his side can be better than what they produced in their 3-0 win over Thornton Redbacks at Thornton Park on Saturday afternoon.
Toronto continued their winning ways with their first goal of round four coming in the seventh minute.
The Redbacks keeper Joel Magnee caught the ball off a corner but fumbled it to the feet of Nick Roberts who wasted no time to hit it into the back of the net.
Thornton’s Mamadou Diop tried to find the equaliser through fancy footwork and a shot on target, but Toronto’s Drew Olsen continued his impeccable form and denied him the opportunity.
Toronto’s Jarrod Purcell found the Stags second for the afternoon in the 27th minute when he chipped Magnee who came to the top of the box chasing the ball down and tapping it in.
The Redbacks continued to work to claw one back before half-time when Zac Skippen headed the ball towards the net off a corner before the save by Olsen dropped to his feet and sent it over the crossbar.
Damon Green came out firing in the second half looking to add to his side’s tally for the afternoon as he launched a long range shot towards goal before being denied by Magnee.
Thornton’s efforts to get on the scoreboard didn’t slow down in the second half when they launched the ball into the box hitting the crossbar and dropped to Nathan Mcallister saved by Olsen.
The Stags found their third and final goal of the day in the 82nd minute, when Sam Maxwell launched the ball from the top of the box finding the back of the net for the first time this season.
But the mood for the Stags went from celebration to disappointment in the 83rd minute when Kade Howland received a straight red for violent conduct, sending his side down to 10 men.
Despite having an extra man on the pitch, Thornton was unable to get a name on the scoreboard sending Toronto home with a 3-0 victory.
Hiles believed his side was sloppy despite going home with all three points.
“It was sloppy today, it wasn’t really an inspiring game where I was sitting,” Hiles said.
“I thought we can play much better, again to just take three chances and score and again keep a clean sheet but we can do a lot better than that.
“I thought the first 20 was okay, got the first goal but then simple little passes we usually make, and we just weren’t making them and just simple little things.
“It wasn’t poor decisions; it was just the execution that let us down.”
The win for the Stags means they are still the only side yet to drop a point this season.
“The boys are buzzing at the moment, but we know our next run of games are only going to get much harder,” said Hiles.
So, in the next month or so we’ll find out where we’re really at.”
Howland’s red card was the first for Toronto this season and Hiles is positive it won’t create a ripple effect like 2024 when his side got five red cards in five matches.
“It was not called for, he deserved it, but I don’t think it’s going to be an issue going forward.”
Thornton’s assistant coach Trent Partridge believes slow starts to matches contributed to their third loss of the season.
“I think it just came to the end and we weren’t up for it,” Partridge said.
“All the goals they scored were our own mistakes; we’re just starting games really slow and it’s not helping our cause at the moment.
“We have to go back to the training board and talk about the importance of following through on our chances because we don’t get many moments like that in the game.
“We’ve just got to learn to take better shots on target, better chances and take those chances, that’s the difference.”
Despite the loss Partridge walks into next week with confidence.
“We definitely take away some confidence, regardless of the loss,” Partridge said.
“We have to take confidence from it because there were times where we did compete and were better than them.
“But at the end of the day it comes down to taking your chances and we gave all three of them to Toronto and they took them.”
Toronto will be determined to continue their streak when they travel to Kahibah Oval on Saturday afternoon when they go head-to-head with Kahibah FC.
Thornton will continue to search for their first win of the season when they welcome Lake Macquarie City FC to Thornton Park on Friday night.
South Cardiff FC 1-2 Cessnock City Hornets
Cessnock City Hornets coach Josh Maguire was pleased with his side when they defeated South Cardiff FC 2-1 under the Friday night lights at Ulinga Oval.
It was a physical match from start to finish as the two sides went head-to-head in search for their second wins of the season.
The sides couldn’t be separated for much of the first half until Hornets Zach Kronholm scored his fifth of the season in the 36th minute.
Kronholm sent a long range shot towards the goal that nestled into the top right corner and sent his side into half-time with a 1-0 lead.
Each side came out firing in the second half as they looked to secure all three points.
The Gunners appeared to have equalised just before the 70th minute when the ball was headed into the back of the net off a corner.
But was disallowed moments later for a foul on the Hornets keeper.
Cessnock doubled their lead in the 87th minute when Flynn Reeks netted his first of the season when confusion amongst the Gunners allowed him to tap the ball in just over the line.
The Gunners clawed one back moments before the final whistle when miscommunication and a goalkeeper miscalculation from the Hornets landed to the feet of Zayne Morphew-Watson who tapped the ball into the net.
Despite each side desperate for a goal at the end of the match neither team could produce another for the evening with Cessnock walking away with their second win of the season.
Maguire believed their efforts in the first half contributed to the win.
“I’m very pleased with the three points because South Cardiff had a really good spell there for at least 20 minutes at the back end of the game,” Maguire said.
“It probably could have gone either way in the end, they had a few chances but having said that our foundation in the first half probably put us ahead.
“I think both sides had a fair crack at it tonight.”
For the first time this season the Hornets found the back of the net first and weren’t chasing to equalise.
“We did chat about us conceding first and what type of team we are if we concede first and there’s a lot of confidence and everyone working for each other,” Maguire said.
“So, it’s something you can’t plan on who’s going to score first in the game, but can you dominate it straight off the kickoff is what we wanted.
“You can see from the first sort of kickoff we wanted to get that 20-minute spell in. That was the first goal, and we ended up doing that.”
Cessnock will be looking to keep the good times rolling when they face Wallsend FC at Ladbroke Gardens in the closing match of round five.
South Cardiff will hope to right their wrongs when they travel to Ladbroke Gardens on Wednesday night to take on Wallsend FC in a rescheduled round three contest.
West Wallsend SFC 1-1 Kahibah FC
Kahibah FC coach Blair Newham wanted a reaction from his side which he got in their 1-1 draw with West Wallsend SFC on Saturday afternoon.
The Rams came out firing scoring their only goal of the match in the eighth minute. Leading goal scorer Daniel Byrne returned to his inform ways after being held scoreless in round three, finding the back of the net for the sixth time this season.
The two sides were unable to the scoreline for the remainder of the second half despite persistent efforts and Kahibah into the sheds at half-time leading 1-0.
Neither side slowed down as they went into the second half, both fighting to take home all three points.
The Rams’ goalkeeper Jacob Zissis added to his penalties saved tally after denying the Bluebells a goal as he saved his third of the season.
Things looked to turn the Bluebells' way when Kahibah scored an own goal while trying to clear the ball out of the box and instead chipped their own goalkeeper.
The Rams' well-disciplined streak came to an end in the 73rd minute when centre back Elliot Paksec was handed a straight red for denying a goal scoring opportunity.
Despite their best efforts, Kahibah and Westy failed to extend their lead with incredible saves made by both goalkeepers which saw each club leave with just one point.
“It was a really good game, both teams were quite good,” Newham said.
“We dominated a lot of possession; I think it was 60-40 with chances in our favour as well.
“I wanted a reaction from the boys, and I got it.
“They played very well but we left two points at Johnston Park.”
Kahibah will look to return to winning ways when they face undefeated Toronto Awaba FC at Kahibah Oval on Saturday afternoon.
The Bluebells will look to secure their second win of the season on Saturday night after their third draw in just as many matches.
They would hope the return of Dain Greentree (suspension), skipper Bryson Cox (wedding) and Blake Redman (wedding) will assist them when they travel to Howe Park to take on Singleton Strikers FC.
Dudley Redhead United 1-2 Lake Macquarie City FC
Lake Macquarie City FC kept the good times rolling when they defeated Dudley Redhead United 2-1 on Sunday afternoon at Lydon Oval.
The Roosters’ Callum Stalling scored his first goal of the season and the first of the match just four minutes into the first half.
It was Lakes’ Cade Thompson who added to his sides’ tally in the 27th minute, finding the back of the net for the second time this season.
Despite their best efforts neither team could add to the scoreline for the remainder of the first half as Lakes headed into the sheds with a 2-0 lead.
The Thistles’ first and only goal came in the 70th minute when Patrick Tappouras found the target and clawed one back for his side.
Dudley couldn’t continue their momentum after the goal and sent the Roosters home with all three points.
Lake Macquarie will hope to continue their winning streak when they travel to Thornton Park to take on Thornton Redbacks FC on Friday night.
The Thistles’ will want to return to winning ways on Sunday afternoon when they go head-to-head with South Cardiff FC at Ulinga Oval.
Wallsend FC 1-3 Singleton Strikers
Singleton Strikers returned to the winning circle after they were victorious 3-1 over Wallsend FC at Ladbroke Gardens in the final match of round four.
The Red Devils scored their first and only goal of the match in the 27th minute when Ethan Kulupach crossed the ball into the box and Cody Halpin headed the ball into the goal.
The Strikers equalised in the 40th minute when Kulupach brought down an opponent which resulted in a penalty.
Joel Barner wasted no time as he slotted the ball underneath keeper Lachlan Watson scoring his first of the day.
The two sides looked all locked up heading into half-time, but the Strikers were awarded a free kick outside of the box moments beforehand.
Strikers’ Ryan Bercli netted his side's second of the afternoon from the free kick extending their lead 2-1.
Despite persistent efforts by the Red Devils, they were unable to equalise in the second half.
Singleton put the nail in the coffin when they netted their third of the afternoon in injury time after a push in the back awarded them a second penalty.
The Red Devils have now conceded three goals in all three matches they have played so far this season.
They will look to complete a full 180 when they welcome South Cardiff FC to Ladbroke Gardens on Wednesday night in a rescheduled round three clash.
The Strikers will look to keep the times rolling when they face West Wallsend SFC on Saturday night at Howe Park.
