The Suns were faced with a tough away trip to Bonnyrigg and while many teams have played defensively against the White Eagles this season, Mark Rudan?s men put Bonnyrigg?s backline to the test.
A Bonnyrigg own goal gave Rockdale the lead before Dylan Macallister gave the Suns a 2-0 lead which made Tynan Diaz?s late free-kick stunner a mere consolation for the hosts.
It was the home side that began with the greater urgency, though, as Diaz whipped in a dangerous free kick that forced an early save from Rockdale ?keeper Ryan Norval.
Diaz looked lively in the midfield and he helped Bonnyrigg settle in the opposition half for the opening 10? minutes.
The midfielder created Bonnyrigg?s first real chance when he sent a cross into the box on 10? minutes, but Ben Spruce?s header was plucked out of the air by Norval.
That allowed Rockdale to break on the counter for the first time in the match and Alec Urosevski took a direct approach through the midfield but his long-range effort sailed over the crossbar.
As the Suns persisted in pushing the ball forward, Bonnyrigg looked to sure up their defence and they reduced Rockdale to hopeful shots from distance.
Although they were under the pump for the opening 20? minutes, Rockdale continued to surge forward and Urosevski came close to grabbing a goal when he headed on a Takuya Muruyama cross that went just over the crossbar.
Rockdale?s execution in the final third of the pitch left much to be desired and Bonnyrigg were keen to make the Suns pay for their wasted chances.
A deft chip from Adrian Ucchino put Diaz through but the Bonnyrigg number 7 had his shot blocked by a Rockdale defender.
Bonnyrigg continued their raid on the Rockdale goals and Chris Payne almost latched onto a Robbie Younis pass but the ball was taken from his feet by Suns ?keeper Norval.
A series of strong challenges and yellow cards brought the vocal Bonnyrigg crowd into action and they were soon on the edge of their seats when Younis found himself in a good position just inside the area, but he blasted his shot over the bar.
As the half-time whistle approached, Bonnyrigg were desperate to have something to show for their efforts and Tynan Diaz came incredibly close to scoring with a powerful shot that hit the under side of the crossbar and was cleared off the line by Rockdale?s defence.
Both sides emerged from the break hungry for no less than three points, which opened the game up immensely. Tommy Cirjak broke away for Rockdale in the 51? minute and drove to goal but he was chased down by a resilient Ucchino.
Just 2? minutes later, Rockdale hit the back of the net through Dylan Macallister but the forward was in an offside position.
The crossbar again wreaked havoc for Bonnyrigg in the 63? minute when Norval spilled Ben Spruce?s header and the ball rebounded off the bar following a goalmouth scramble.
Bonnyrigg regained possession from the clearance and Chris Payne sent a strong header towards goal that forced a fingertip save from the Rockdale number 1.
The pressure didn?t faze the Suns and Macallister broke away to release Urosevski but Adrian Ucchino proved vital in defence with a goal saving tackle.
It was Bonnyrigg?s turn to have a goal disallowed in the 76? minute when Alex Canak followed in a Tynan Diaz shot but he was ruled to be offside.
Lady Luck had already cast a cruel spell over the White Eagles and their woes were compounded when a Rockdale shot was parried away by Bonnyrigg ?keeper Andrew Bazi, only for the ball to rebound off defender Ben Spruce for an own goal in the 79? minute.
With 10? minutes left on the clock, Bonnyrigg sent all guns blazing in search of an equaliser, but Rockdale proved impenetrable at the back.
The game was then put beyond doubt when Dylan Macallister tucked away a neat shot into the far post to give Rockdale a 2-0 lead in the 88? minute.
Tynan Diaz sent a trademark curling free kick into the top corner to pull one back for the home side but it was too little, too late as Rockdale moved into fourth position.
Bonnyrigg coach Brian Brown believes his side was far less eager than they were during last week?s 4-1 win over Manly:
?We didn?t get into a rhythm tonight, the game stopped and started a lot but I still feel we had enough chances to put the game away,? Brown said.
?I don?t think we panicked, we just didn?t hold our shape the way we have been doing.
?We started throwing too many forward and at times we were attacking with four or five players and they were catching us on the break.
?We?re only four points clear at the top now and we said from day one this will go right down to the last game, we just have to be ready for our next game.
?There is plenty to work on, it?s about more or less keeping the boys focused on what their role is in the team.?
Knocking off the first placed White Eagles is a feat only two other teams have managed this season and Rockdale coach Mark Rudan said the most important thing was to take the game to Bonnyrigg:
?They are doing awfully well this year but the intention was to win the game and in the second-half we did more of what we worked on during the week,? Rudan said.
?We took a couple of knocks in the first-half but that happens, we really toughed it out, we kept our discipline and I thought we were really courageous.
?Players continued to do their job until the 90? minute and they always wanted the ball.
?You can see why they (Bonnyrigg) are the league leaders, they put us under a lot of pressure particularly in the first-half.
?Our boys do it every training session and every game, we work awfully hard to put a game plan in place so I couldn?t be prouder.
?I really believe in these boys so it?s good to see they are starting to believe in themselves.?
Match Stats
Bonnyrigg White Eagles 1 (Tynan Diaz 90?+2?)
Rockdale City Suns 2 (Ben Spruce Own Goal 78?, Dylan Macallister 88?)
Saturday 21st July, 2012
Bonnyrigg Sports Centre, Bonnyrigg
Bonnyrigg White Eagles: 20.Andrew Bazi; 13.Nikola Stanojevic, 6.Nikola Zonjic, 11.Ben Spruce, 5.Chris Tadrosse, 23.Mitchell Long, 7.Tynan Diaz, 18.Adrian Ucchino, 8.Aleksander Canak, 9.Robbie Younis (19.Harris Gaitatzis 84?), 15.Chris Payne
Substitutes Not Used: 21.Ken Chun, 10.Jordan Simpson, 2.Alex Mansueto, 44.Vincent Veneri
Yellow Cards: Robbie Younis 42?, Chris Payne 72?, Alex Canak 78?
Red Cards: Nil
Rockdale City Suns: 1.Ryan Norval; 2.Takuya Muruyama, 3.Giorgio Speranza, 21.Ricky Perinich, 23.Askin Oygur, 8.Paul Kohler (17.Sash Tirovski 89?), 5.Pece Cvetanovski, 15.Tommy Cirjak (11.David Talevski 90?), 16.Anthony Perri, 18.Alec Urosevski, 9.Dylan Macallister
Substitutes Not Used: 10.Jason Naidovski, 12.Huseyin Jasli, 22.Aaron Liddell
Yellow Cards: Takuya Muruyama 19?, Giorgio Speranza 23?, Askin Oygur 56?, Anthony Perri 75?, Sash Tirovski 90?
Red Cards: Nil
-By Mitchell Grima
Archives for July 2012
Costa’s family connection with APIA Leichhardt Tigers
Even though this is his first year with the Tigers, he wouldn?t have it any other way.
For Costa, APIA has a family connection and therefore he has an amazing sense of pride in the pulling on the famous jersey.
?It was always an interest of mine to come here because my grandfather, Mario Costa, played in the first team at APIA,? he said. ?When I came here there was a bit of pride and family history involved.
?Also, the Manly United game on Sunday will be a big game for me because I am up against my cousin, Adam Foti, who is the striker for Manly United.?
Anthony Costa has been somewhat of a journeyman in his career so far. He reluctantly trialled and made it as a St George junior before moving to other clubs and overseas.
?I was never going to go down to the trials but Paul Scott, my first coach, said just to go down to the trials and I started my career there,? he said.
Costa?s junior career spanned from St George, to Eastern Suburbs, to Sutherland Sharks, and then Sydney University. His first stint overseas was in Cyprus.
?I went to Cyprus to trial and did quite well but came back because I was knocked down with glandular fever, so I was a bit unlucky,? he said.
?I came back for one more season at Sydney University, then I moved Parramatta FC Eagles for two more seasons in the Super League ? we went well and got the minor premiership. Then I went overseas again: firstly to Wales and then to Spain.
?When I finally came back to Australia I re-joined Parramatta FC and then moved to APIA this year because they gave me an offer I couldn?t refuse.?
APIA Leichhardt Tigers in the NSW Premier League is a natural home for Costa at the moment who is very much enjoying his time at the historically famous football club.
?There?s a really good dressing room of boys,? he said. ?On our day we know that we are one of the best teams in the competition but we have been unlucky lately. We are looking at fighting for a finals spot in a very tight competition at the moment where every game counts.?
Costa is also ambitious like many other players in the NSW Premier League.
?I have been chasing my personal ambition for the last six years,? he stated. ?Perhaps a contract in the A-League and my dream has always been to go to Italy. I know that I am getting older but not for a goalkeeper. However, to crack it over there I would have to get my foot in the door very soon.
?I love playing in the NSW Premier League but I do have bigger ambitions just like any other goalkeeper in this competition.
?There are opportunities there; Vedran [Janjetovic of Sydney United 58 FC] got an opportunity this year and congratulations to him because he has been working very hard for that opportunity.?
-By Joe Russo
NSW Premier League Update – Bonnyrigg White Eagles v Sydney United 58 (Round 17)
The Round 17 clash scheduled for this weekend at the Bonnyrigg Sports Centre will only be open to accredited members of the Bonnyrigg White Eagles Football Club, Corporate Sponsors, home Club Life Members, home Club Season ticket holders, Sydney United 58 Club Directors and Football NSW guests.
The number of person which falls into this category is approximately 500 individuals.
The arrangement for match day entry has been agreed between Football NSW, Bonnyrigg White Eagles and Sydney United 58.
This will protect the match from any outside influences not connected with the sporting contest between these two iconic clubs.
All media groups have also been restricted access to the game.
A match report and photographs of the match as well as television highlights will be available through Football NSW – Live Facebook updates will also proceed on the day for the match so LIKE the NSW Premier League (www.facebook.com/nswpl) to get a live updates of the match.
The same procedures also applied when both clubs meet at the Sydney United Sports Centre for their Round 6 fixture earlier in the year.
Football NSW would like to thank both Clubs for their cooperation and support during the coordination of these fixtures.
For any media enquiries please contact Media Manager Mark Stavroulakis (8814 4416)
APIA and Sutherland battle out a tight contest
Both sides were very conscious not to give or concede much to each other given that only 10 days earlier in the final of the Waratah Cup Sutherland Sharks had dished out a lesson to the Tigers.
APIA, clearly motivated by that loss, were determined to not let it happen again and Sutherland were certainly not going to come to a rather barren looking Lambert Park and expect a picnic.
APIA-Leichhardt had only just finished playing out a scoreless draw three days earlier at the same venue against Parramatta FC and tonight?s encounter was almost a carbon copy with perhaps even fewer chances.
After the game, APIA Leichhardt?s experienced coach John Turner was pleased that his team had now gone three games undefeated.
However, he was also realistic in his appraisal to recognise that in 180? minutes of football, even though his side hadn?t conceded a goal, they hadn?t scored one either.
?I thought that we were the better side on the night,? Turner said. ?We had far more possession and at least we tried to play some football. They played a lot more direct with long balls.
?We should have got something more out of our corners. There wasn?t a lot of goal action ? I?ll say that to you ? but across the park, I think we were better than Sutherland.
?Ten days ago they beat us 4-1 but we also knew that we still had a sniff of the semi-finals. If we can play with the commitment that we showed tonight, then I think we?ll be there somewhere around the mark.
?There were some opportunities for us to have a shot at goal tonight and against Parramatta FC, but some of our players still want to walk it in; we are working on that. However, we are creating chances and I would be more concerned if we were not creating.
?It?s very important to also recognise that we haven?t conceded goals either with two clean sheets in a row. It?s our third competition game unbeaten and not many teams in the NSW Premier League can say that. I think these positive results will take us a long way.?
After some lovely lead up play in the 19? minute APIA-Leichhardt had the first real chance of the game. Michael West whipped in a beautiful cross which Franco Parisi met with a powerful header that finished just wide of the net.
Sutherland Sharks replied a short time afterwards when an accurate pass from midfield workhorse Nick Stavroulakis, who never stopped working on the night, wonderfully set up Nikolas Tsattalios. However, when Tsattalios was faced with only the goalkeeper Anthony Costa to beat, he tried to chip the ball into the net but unfortunately for the Sharks it finished just over the crossbar.
The first-half, while not offering a lot of goalmouth chances, was a really close contest between two sides that were not prepared to give an inch.
The second-half was perhaps even tighter. The small field of Lambert Park often lends itself to a battle of attrition.
Early in the second-half, a free-kick from APIA Leichhardt was partially cleared by the Sutherland defence before it reached Mun Soo Gil who shot just wide with his attempt.
In the 59? minute a long ball from Paul Cotte made its way towards Tsattalios who fired over the crossbar. It was half a chance but, in games like these, chances need to be converted.
In the 77? minute Ethan Galbraith, from close range, fired a rocket into Hayden Morton. Luckily for the visitors the defender was well placed to deny the tall New Zealander and deviate the ball away for a corner.
Robbie Stanton, the coach of Sutherland Sharks and himself a former APIA Leichhardt player, was somewhat philosophical about the whole encounter.
?I was happy with my players because they put the right effort in,? he said. ?We had to change the way we play because we couldn?t play our normal game.
?It was a scrappy game but that?s what you have to do sometimes. We had to change because of the pitch – slipperiness and dimensions ? but we set ourselves a goal at the start of the year to always play football, but we found it difficult to play here.
?There were a few half chances. We knew it was going to be a different game to the Waratah Cup final. On a good pitch you would see that we are a very good football team and a very good passing team.
?This game was one of those things that sometimes happen in football,? he concluded.
Match Stats
APIA-Leichhardt Tigers 0
Sutherland Sharks 0
Wednesday 18th July, 2012
Lambert Park, Leichhardt
Referee: James Lewis
Assistant Referees: Lance Greenshields and James Tesoriere
APIA-Leichhardt Tigers: 21.Anthony Costa; 3.Adel El Jamal, 4.Mun Soo Gil (12.Andrew Bevin 64?), 5.Michael West, 7.Stephen Kayes, 8.Adam D?Apuzzo, 9.Ethan Galbraith, 10.Franco Parisi, 14.Adam Casey, 16.Michael Hawrysiuk, 18.Brendan Reilly.
Substitutes Not Used: 22.David Bradasevic, 15.Bradley Bartels, 17.Sam Salameh, 20.Gyu Re Lee
Yellow Cards: Galbraith 71?
Red Cards: Nil
Sutherland Sharks: 1.Nathan Denham; 2.George Souris, 4.Yianni Fragogianis, 5.Paul Cotte, 6.Matt Gordon, 8.Chris Price, 12.Hayden Morton, 13.Nikolas Tsattalios, 14.Nick Stavroulakis, 17.Pat Savor (11.Todd Halloran 80?), 23.Panni Nikas
Substitutes Not Used: 3.Tyson Rhodes, 9.Hussein Salameh, 25.Ben Cornish, 22.Simon Jaeger
Yellow Cards: Nikas 48?, Tsattalios 75?
Red Cards: Nil
-By Joe Russo
APIA and Parramatta share the points in scrappy affair
The home side did have the better of the chances in the first-half and this was clearly noted by Lee Sterrey after the game.
?I want to give APIA a lot of credit,? he said very sportingly. ?In the first-half, how we walked in at 0-0 at the break was unbelievable. To be honest I just laughed at my players because without Nashy [Matthew Nash] it would have been four.
?They [APIA] played in the conditions a lot better than us; they were first to the ball every time. We knew it was a two touch type of surface and we needed to play the ball forward.
?A couple of substitutes helped turn it around for us. I thought Daniel Gullo won a lot of stuff for us in front of the defence.
?We changed the system around. We went to a diamond because we tried to play two up front in the first but we were still not winning the ball.
?I think young Devante Clut, who is only 16 years of age, is an exceptional talent. He has just won the Nike thing to go to Barcelona in August. He has mainly played under 20s and three games already in first grade when his rightful team is the under 16s.
?We just need more composure in front of goals and more faith in our ability. We had our chances to win the game late on but didn?t take our chances,? Sterrey concluded.
In the 11? minute the Tigers came close to scoring when a ball from the right reached Michael Hawrysiuk standing at the far post, but he couldn?t turn it in from close range.
APIA-Leichhardt were then forced to part with Mark Byrnes due to an early injury as the game continued to be an arm wrestle more or less in midfield.
In the 30? minute Masaki Nomoto tried his luck with a speculative free-kick that was lobbed over the crossbar.
The best chance of the half belonged to Andrew Bevin in the 35? minute when a corner kick reached the young New Zealander just outside the box and his powerful left foot shot brought out the best in Matthew Nash against his former club.
A few minutes later Parramatta FC almost snuck a goal when Akiyoshi Nomoto with a great free-kick beat all and sundry, but then he saw the ball hit the post after threading it through a myriad of players.
In the 40? minute Ethan Galbraith met a cross with a nice header that once again saw Nash called into action. APIA-Leichhardt peppered the opposition again when Bevin set up very nicely Hawrysiuk, but his powerful driving shot finished just wide of the intended target.
The first-half ended goalless despite the flurry of good chances towards the end.
The second-half was another battle of attrition. In the 60? minute Adam Casey charged dangerously into the box only to be denied by the ever alert Nash who was clearly relishing the outing against his former club.
Late in the game there were a few half chances to Parramatta FC but, on the whole, the second stanza of play was a dull affair that dragged on far too long for all involved.
John Turner, APIA Leichhardt?s coach, was very disappointed after the game.
?It?s the most comprehensive draw I have ever been involved with,? he said. ?It?s disappointing because we played well. If we had have put two out of our four chances away in the first-half, the game would have been over.
?They probably had three chances at the end of the game when we had ten men [Danial Cummins received his second yellow card in the 83? minute]. Losing Mark Byrnes early on didn?t help either.
?I didn?t think we deserved to get nothing out of that game and I am disappointed for the players. The effort was there, we were organised but didn?t win.
?I want to play Sutherland on Wednesday ? I don?t want to leave it too long so that the Waratah Cup loss doesn?t fade from our memory [a catch up game that was previously washed out will played at Lambert Park on Wednesday evening between APIA Leichhardt and Sutherland Sharks].
?I?d rather play them quickly because you often don?t get the same result ? just ask Marconi: we beat them 5-0 in the Cup and then lost a short time later in the NSW Premier League,? he said with a smile on his face.
Match Stats
APIA-Leichhardt Tigers 0
Parramatta FC 0
Sunday 15th July, 2012
Lambert Park, Leichhardt
Referee: Kurt Ams
Assistant referees: Michael Robertson and Lee Corey
Fourth Official: James Tesoriere
APIA-Leichhardt Tigers: 21.Anthony Costa; 2.Mark Byrnes (6.Danial Cummins 11?), 3.Adel El Jamal, 4.Mun-Soo Gil, 7.Stephen Kayes, 8.Adam D?Apuzzo, 9.Ethan Galbraith, 10.Franco Parisi, 12.Andrew Bevin (14.Adam Casey 47?), 16.Michael Hawrysiuk (20.Gye Re Lee 73?), 18.Brendan Reilly.
Substitutes Not Used: 22.David Bradsevic,
Yellow Cards: Cummins 51?, D?Apuzzo 70?, Lee 77?, Galbraith 79?, El Jamal 81?
Red Cards: Cummins 83?
Parramatta FC: 1.Matthew Nash; 3.Andy Matloub, 4.Domenic Trimboli, 5.Mark O?Reilly (16.Daniel Gullo 27?), 7.Patrick Dixon, 9.Aaron Peterson (18.Nicholas Napoli 66?), 10.Akiyoshi Saito, 11.Bruno Pivato, 13.Joel Wood, 15.Masaki Nomoto, 17.Luke Grima (14.Devante Clut 72?).
Substitutes Not Used: 6.Graziano Trimboli, 40.Michal Sakowicz
Yellow Cards: Grima 14?, Dixon 90? + 2, Matloub 90? + 3
Red Cards: Nil
-By Joe Russo