Football clubs compete for a place in the FFA Cup

Magpies’ Michael Lyall and Wanderers’ Josh Drinkwater go in to head the ball in the FFA Cup round.

FOOTBALL: Magpies Football Club wants to go one better and make the final 32 in the FFA Cup this year.

Last season they missed out, falling at the final hurdle in a 6-1 loss to Far North Queensland Heat.

They will take on West United FC on March 14 as the Mackay Zone competition begins.

Coach Richard Carroll said the team was looking forward to the game.

"We've probably drawn the easiest first game you could, looking at it on paper," he said. "Obviously we'll be hoping to win the game."

The Wanderers and Lions game should be the match of the round - with the traditional rivals both looking good in the off-season.

Lions' coach Troy Mundy said Wanderers would be the team to watch this year and it would be a tough game.

"We've got a few different combinations that we want to work on and I think we should nut that out over the next two to three weeks before the game," he said.

Mundy said seeing Magpies do so well in the competition last year gave more of an incentive to close the gap and perform well.

Whitsunday FC will play Country United SC while Crusaders and Brothers will play the final game of the round.

Mackay's teams will play each other to qualify to play the best other team in central Queensland. This team will then play a north Queensland team to become the northern regional qualifier.

Teams which qualify for the FFA Cup play against A-League clubs like Melbourne Victory and Brisbane Roar.

LOCAL SPORT
Territory minnows primed for FFA Cup round
DOUG BOOTH
NT NEWS
FEBRUARY 22, 2015 2:26PM
POTENTIAL giant killers Borroloola and Shamrock Rovers can make a name for themselves in the next two months after Tuesday’s draw for the NorZone preliminary rounds of the FFA Cup.

New club Shamrock Rovers, who have only been in existence for about three months, will go into their first round clash with Premier League club Casuarina as underdogs.

But the cup-tie, set down for 5pm on March 28 at the Marrara Football Stadium, could produce an early shock.

Modelled on England’s FA Cup, the Australian equivalent is only in its second year and its inaugural year in the Territory, but it has already captured the hearts and imagination of fans of the World Game.

Casuarina coach Michael Dionysiou admitted that he knew little about the Shamrocks, only what he had read in the NT News on Monday.

“They are a bit of an unknown,” Dionysiou said.


“I need to concentrate on our preparations between now and March 28.”

Steve Tsakinis, the coach of Hellenic who will play Borroloola in Darwin on April 22, said he may need to make the 12-hour trip to mind out more about the Cyclones.

“Some people may say it is a good draw but I am always sceptical of a team that I know nothing about,” Tsakinis said.

“The match is not until April 22 so it will give us some time to do some homework.

“We may send out some scouts and have a look. It’s their chance to shine and knock off the big boys.”

Hellenic will have a potent weapon upfront on show for the first time … last season’s leading goalscorer in the Premier League, Geoffry Lino.

Tsakinis confirmed that the young striker has signed with his former club, transferring from Port Darwin.

Borroloola club officials watched the draw, at the Double Tree by Hilton on The Esplanade, via Skype.

The draw was made by long-time Darwin resident Mike Trebilcock who became a legend on Merseyside in 1966 when he scored twice in Everton’s come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup Final at Wembley.

Borroloola are believed to be the only all-indigenous team among the 600 club teams expected to take part in the national competition.

“Their 12-hour road trip into Darwin for each preliminary round should afford the Borroloola FC coaches and players plenty of time to talk tactics – as they seek to avert the long trip home empty handed,” FFA chief executive Craig Chapman said.

The draw: Round 1: Casuarina v Shamrock Rovers, Darwin Olympic v Uni Azzurri (matches to be played on March 28).

Round 2: Casuarina/Shamrock Rovers v Mindil Aces, Borroloola v Hellenic, 1st Brigade v Port Darwin, Palmerston v Darwin Olympic/Uni Azzurri.

The NorZone 2015 Westfield FFA Cup draw was concluded last night with four Darwin based teams competing in the first preliminary round.

This national knock out competition has captured the imagination of Australian football fans and sports fans alike.

In local proceedings, Casuarina FC have been paired against newcomers Shamrock Rovers, followed by 2014 NorZone champions Darwin Olympic who will be out to thwart University Azzuri’s aspirations of progressing to round 2. On Saturday 28th March, Larrakia Park will be abuzz with these inaugural Westfield FFA Cup matches scheduled to kick off at 5pm and 7.30pm.

Meanwhile local NorZone Premiere League teams Palmerston FC and Mindil Aces will be waiting in the wings, as they drew round 1 byes but will play in round 2 against the winners of the above matches.

Booraloola FC, the 2014 Cyclones Cup champions, also drew a bye in round 1 but will make the 12 hour road trip into Darwin for their April 22nd round 2 match against Hellenic AFC.

Australian Defence Force team 1st Brigade will be ready for action when they meet up with Port Darwin FC in round 2 on Tuesday 28th April.

Booraloola FC, the 2014 Cyclones Cup champions, also drew a bye in round 1 but will make the 12 hour road trip into Darwin for their April 22nd round 2 match against Hellenic AFC.

SPORT
No rush to play washed-out cup games after Cyclone Marcia

Guy Williams (25th February 2015 12:01 PM)

SOUTHSIDE United players are eager to play some football, but coach Tony Zanda said there was no urgency to replay the washed-out local FFA Cup fixtures.

Zanda's side were finalists of the Central Queensland leg of the Australia-wide club competition last season in the competition's inaugural year.

Southside United lost the CQ final 3-2 to Clinton, which headed to Mackay after the win but returned with a heavy 7-0 defeat at the hands of Mackay Magpies. Only six Central Queensland Premier League clubs have nominated for the 2015 edition of the competition, forcing two teams to automatically advance through to the fourth round of the knockout competition.

Reigning CQ Premier League champions Frenchville joins Southside United and Bluebirds United as Rockhampton's representatives in the FFA Cup.
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Gladstone-based clubs Clinton and Yaralla have entered the competition, while Emerald Eagles are flying the flag for the Central Highlands.

Southside United was meant to host fellow Rockhampton-based club Bluebirds United at Jardine Park on Saturday night for the opportunity to tackle Emerald Eagles.

Clinton was to push its claim for a place in Round 4 with a match against Yaralla at Brian Nevin Park on the same night, with the winner to take on Frenchville.

Cyclone Marcia forced both matches to be postponed.
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Zanda said the Central Queensland division champion would need to be decided before a May 30 showdown with the Mackay region winner.

"We've got plenty of time to play it," he said. "We were supposed to host it, but it'll depend on how things go during the recovery.

"There's plenty of weekends left before we've got to get it done, so I'd say they'll give clubs a fortnight or so to get back on their feet and then have a look at it."

FFA Cup Qualification (Gold Coast Zone - Round 1)

Wednesday March 18th 2015
Murwillumbah v Surfers Paradise
Mudgeeraba v Coomera
Tugun v Magic United
Broadbeach United BYE

Makes the Victorian teams look pretty silly for forfeiting their games due to travel.

Bit of a cup run forming. Thats 3 rounds so far.

Tipsters would have been wrong Feb. 25, 2015, midnight
FRENETIC PACE: Tigers player Nick Chapman closing down a long ball from the Macleay Valley Rangers.
FRENETIC PACE: Tigers player Nick Chapman closing down a long ball from the Macleay Valley Rangers.

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AFTER­ qualifying for the next phase of the Westfield FFA Cup by defeating the Taree Wildcats, the Tigers were drawn to play FMNC Premier League stalwarts the Macleay Valley Rangers, with the match held on Saturday on the surprisingly good Forster Sports Complex pitch under rainy skies.

The Tigers had never beaten the Rangers at first grade level in recent years, and most observers would have been tipping a MVR win in the Cup on Saturday.

The visitors certainly settled more quickly, with some very early pressure on the Tigers goal, but almost with their first attack the Tigers took the lead through Jack Yeates with a good close range finish.

Before the celebrations had finished though MVR punished a cheap turnover of possession in midfield, quickly playing the ball out wide to MVR’s Daniel Saul, who had gotten goal side of the Tigers wide defence. Saul composed himself well, and finished calmly past Curtis Jones in the Tigers goal to level the score with only 10 minutes gone.

The frenetic pace continued, and the Tigers were in front again before the 15 minute mark when a great passage of play involving Matt Scarff, Dylan Nash and Mitch Minors saw Minors beat his marker and beat the MVR keeper with a very composed finish.

For the rest of the first half MVR tried to lift, and just as Taree did the previous week, enjoyed a spell of dominance, but couldn’t find a clear shot at goal.

The Tigers defensive unit of Aquilina, Goonan, Thompson and Scarff were well organised, and great pressing up the park from Yeates, Croker, Camilleri and Minors made it difficult for MVR to play many penetrating passes.

The game was getting more physical as time went on and Brendan Aquilina had to be substituted after only 27 minutes, a sickening head clash putting an end to what was looking like a man of the match performance. Fortunately the Tigers medical team was quickly able to organise scans to clear the defender of any fracture. As the half went on, MVR were visibly tiring, and more chances started falling the Tigers way.

At this point it became obvious that MVR have found an exceptional replacement for the evergreen Col Willis in goal, the keeper pulling off some exceptional saves from Camilleri, Minors, Nash and Yeates, as well as tipping wide a long distance screamer from skipper Jason Ward that had the crowd celebrating a shade too early.


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Just before the end of the half the Tigers were lucky to escape what might have been a reasonable shout for a penalty by MVR, but the referee was unsighted and the first half ended 2-1 to the Tigers.

The home side was quickest to find their rhythm in the second stanza, and the relentless pressure on the MVR defence quickly told when Josh Croker ended a goal mouth scramble with his first goal in Tigers colours at 48 minutes to make the score 3-1.

Great combination play between Nash, Minors and Scarff again peeled open the MVR defence to create the chance. With Dave Hardy in for Aquilina, the Tigers remained resolute in defence, and great shielding play from Nash and Ward in front of them kept chances for the visitors at a minimum.

At the other end MVR’s keeper was keeping them in the match with several superb saves in one on one situations and from on-target strikes from the Tigers attack.

One particular phase of play saw the MVR keeper make four reaction saves from well directed shots in quick succession.

He could do little to keep out the Tigers fourth from Jack Yeates, who headed home the rebound off the crossbar after Jason Ward’s superb, goal-bound free kick was tipped onto the bar by the keeper.

By this stage the Tigers had brought on young guns Jaidyn Kianou and Nick Chapman, and they continued to harass the MVR defensive line right through to the final whistle.

The Tigers did have to survive another penalty shout after Hardy appeared to accidentally handle the ball in the box, but even if it was awarded it was clear that there would only be one winner in this game, with the final score TFFC Tigers 4, Macleay Valley Rangers 1.

This win means that the Tigers now have to lie in wait for their next opponents in the Cup to be decided, after completion of the Northern Inland Football qualifiers sometime in early May.

A win in the next round would see the Tigers potentially up against a semi-professional National Premier League side from Newcastle.

“That would be interesting,” coach Jonathon Newman said.

“But we will just continue to take this tournament one match at a time. The FMNC Premier League starts before then, and that will be our main focus from here on in.”

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Blockbuster planned for local soccer fans with FFA Cup rejig
MICHAEL WARREN FOOTBALL
THE CAIRNS POST
FEBRUARY 26, 2015 11:35AM

TRIPLE THE FUN: Cairns football fans could be in for a blockbuster, triple header on March 14 with FNQ Premier League football boss Duncan Sims keen to play two local FFA Cup Round 2 fixtures and an NPL Heat match on the same night at Stratford Football Ground.
CAIRNS football fans could be in for a blockbuster, triple header on March 14 with FNQ Premier League football boss Duncan Sims keen to play two local FFA Cup Round 2 fixtures and an NPL Heat match on the same night at Stratford Football Ground.

The concept already has merit, with FNQ Heat GM Kevin Maher confirming the club has already switched its March 14 NPL clash from Barlow Park against SWQ Thunder to the community ground.




The idea comes after yesterday’s Far North Queensland Football’s FFA Cup draw where Southside Comets drew Innisfail and Leichhardt the John Dillon-coached Edge Hill outfit.

Both Stratford and Mareeba gained second round byes while Marlin Coast opted not to nominate a team to participate in the Cup.

Sims said he was hopeful the Super Saturday proposal can come to fruition.

He will meet Maher this morning to further discuss the merits of staging the two curtain-raiser fixtures before the Round 3 NPL clash.

“While we are yet to confirm things, it’s something we’re looking very seriously at doing,” Sims told The Cairns Post.

“The clubs are keen to do it, so it’s about sorting the logistics of it all to ensure everyone is happy so it can go ahead.”

Stratford president Rowan Coates is also known to be more than willing to ensure Super Saturday becomes a reality, telling The Cairns Post it has his club’s full support.

Bartlett scores six as Singleton Strikers humble Muswellbrook Feb. 26, 2015, midnight
The Singleton Strikers flexed their muscles over local rivals Muswellbrook in their FFA Cup Round 1 fixture last Sunday, when they ran up a record breaking 12 – 0 scoreline.




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Muswellbrook, 2 divisions below the Strikers, thought they were in with a chance of an upset with Singleton’s top two goal scorers from 2014 Lloyd Wakewood and Klaudon Ahmataj sitting on the sidelines injured, but the new look Strikers line up proved far too slick for the Muswellbrook defenders.

Singleton started well and dominated the early exchanges but it took 20 minutes to break the deadlock when Dan Bartlett forced the ball over the line from close range. But then the flood gates opened and Singleton piled on six more goals in the 25 minutes up to half time.

Dan Bartlett was proving unstoppable and scored five first half goals. He was ably assisted by Ryan Hartwell and James Bates who also got their names on the scoresheet to bring up the half time score of 7-0.

The progression continued into the second half. Bartlett added his sixth goal of the day before being given a well earned early mark by stand-in coach Warren Gillespie.

Ryan Hartwell took up the goal scoring challenge and added two more goals to score a very impressive hat trick.

Further goals to UK defender Jordan Phelan and new signing Stephen Bramley finished off the scoring at 12- 0 .......an emphatic win for the Strikers.

In a stand out team display, it is hard to single out individuals but Dan Bartlett’s six goals were a fair indication of the headaches he caused Muswellbrook. And the form of the midfield trio of Stephen Bramley, Ryan Hartwell and skipper Jackson Cox was also impressive.

Round 2 of the FFA Cup sees a sterner test for the Strikers next weekend when they take on fellow First Division team West Wallsend.

SPORT
Tigers to unleash roar power in FFA Cup
Matthew Elkerton (27th February 2015 6:00 AM)

NEW FOCUS: Jesse Powell, James Joyce and Daniel Usher gear up for a season with Westlawn Tigers Football Club.
WESTLAWN Tigers FC are deep in preparations for their opening preliminary match in the Football Federation Australia Cup against the Nambucca Strikers FC tomorrow.

Tigers president Peter Fysh is confident of his side's chances in the tournament under new coach James Joyce.

Fysh said his team's main strengths were the players' knowledge of each another and consistent work on development.

"We've retained a lot of our under-16 boys from last year," Fysh said.
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"One of our boys who left mid-season to go to America has come back and he is looking good in training.

"We haven't brought in many new recruits as we're trying to keep a lot of the same boys who know each other to strengthen the playing group's bond.

"We've been getting good numbers down to training each week and the boys are working hard on their development.

"We have a fairly young squad this year which is good to see. We also have a new coach on board with James Joyce."
The Tigers will have to fight it out against many of the local sides they meet in grade football each week before progressing from the preliminary rounds.

Fysh is unsure if he likes the idea of playing known competition as it provides games where everyone has scouted each other thoroughly.

"I do like the format. This year's format is a little different from past years," he said.

"We used to play against different divisions but instead this year we're playing against all the same teams that we usually do and then moving up if we come away victorious.

"I'd rather see it how it used to be. When you play against the same teams that you do week in and week out, you get to know patterns and how they play. I'd rather play unknowns to give that level of difference."

Senior player and new head coach, James Joyce says he was looking forward to the opener against the Strikers and will use it to test his structures and combinations.

"We have no expectation of result in the Nambucca game," Joyce said.

"We have a lot of young guys joining our team from the junior ranks and we just need to get them focused on the combinations and playing as a unit. Commitment to effort will be a big focus."

FFA CUP DRAW

Round 1, Saturday

At Barnier Park, Junction Hill

3pm: Westlawn Tigers v Nambucca Strikers

5pm: Maclean FC v Coffs Coast Tigers

At Ayrshire Park, Boambee

3pm: Boambee Bombers v Woolgoolga Utd

5pm: Coffs City Utd v Northern Storm Thunder

http://www.singletonargus.com.au/story/2909559/bartlett-scores-six-as-singleton-strikers-humble-muswellbrook/#slide=1