Luddenham United’s Riley Keayes a star in the making
11.04.11 09:43


Luddenham United’s Riley Keayes
Luddenham United have transformed itself from perennial whipping boys into division two title contenders in a matter of two years and they have done so behind a focus on youth development.
Nowhere is this more evident than the rise and rise of 15-year-old goalkeeper Riley Keayes.

Keayes is a mild-mannered Year 10 Mitchell High School student by weekday and the last line of defence in a credentialed State League side by weekend, and the teenager is lapping up the high-pressure role asked of him in first grade football.

But even Keayes admits to pinching himself every now and then, particularly as goalkeeping was a position he least expected to cover when he joined Prospect United’s U6 team just on a decade ago.

“I never thought it would happen like this,” he said. “I used to play midfield/striker when I first started and it was dad [Trevor] who talked me into being a goalkeeper when I was about 13. I thought he was crazy at first but it turned out that I liked it. I like being under pressure and I guess I do see myself as the last line of defence.”

“[As goalkeeper] you never get much of the raps; it’s always the goalscorers that get remembered, not the ones who save it.”

Keayes’ passion for the number one jersey seemed to fit like, well, gloves, and it was a seamless progression into a Mount Druitt Town Rangers youth side before he wound up at prestige NSW Premier League club Sydney United in 2009. It was there he met coach Nino Padjen who ushered the tall athletic footballer toward a trial with Luddenham at the start of this year.

Up against more experienced keepers such as Bojan Radmillo, Keayes thought he might be in with a shot at the reserve grade job but impressed coach Andrew Montgomery with a maturity beyond his years.

“We had about 5-6 keepers trialling and Riley did outstandingly well. I didn’t realise he was 15 until I asked him. He looked very composed, whether it was coming out to collect the ball or shot stopping, and he showed the sort of confidence you would expect from young adults,” Montgomery said.

“Initially I was looking for a reserve keeper and even a third keeper to bolster the squad but he proved to be a real gem of a find, doing extremely well in the trials and pre-season matches.”

“Of course he still has to improve on a couple of things, but I certainly have no hesitation at all in throwing Riley onto the field. He’s still young, so it’s important to make sure that he’s always learning and enjoying himself as well as being focused on making sure the team does well.”

Keayes was thrilled to be handed the reserve grade spot but it wasn’t long before even that turned into a platform. With Radmillo missing in action against Fairfield Wanderers in round three Keayes was promoted into a first grade side that won 4-1, making him one of the youngest goalkeepers – if not the youngest – to ever start a State League match.

“I wasn’t really daunted about playing with senior players. It is a lot of pressure but they have helped me through the mistakes I make and I’ve learnt quite a bit already this season about what I should and shouldn’t be doing,” Keayes said. “Andrew trusts me and that helps me be more confident on the field.”

The well-spoken youngster’s team ambition is underlined by a distinct individual target. “I think I’d rather keep a clean sheet than have a 2-1 win as it looks better for me,” he said. “But there’s no point in me doing well if it’s not helping the team do well, so I’m just happy to contribute to the team’s success.”

The Blacktown resident and keen baseballer and touch footballer also has some advice for other aspiring youngsters trying to make it in football. “Just train as hard as you can and take the opportunity when it comes along and try your best,” he said.

“Making the first grade team has been my greatest moment so far [outranking winning the U11 competition with Prospect] and I do have to thank my dad – he does a lot for me and gets my head back up when I’ve made a mistake – and Andrew and Jim Fraser international goalkeeping academy for teaching me everything I should know about goalkeeping. And I’m also really grateful for the opportunity the club [Luddenham] has given me.”

The unabashed Manchester United fan listed Socceroo evergreen Mark Schwarzer, Dutch custodian Edwin van der Sar and Italy shotstopper Gianluigi Buffon as his favourite keepers and said he would love to end up in any of the top leagues around the world, even in the A-League.

But for a few more years at least he will still have to wade through the well-intentioned jibes that Aussies are renowned for. “There’s always a bit of a ribbing from the older players, like your mum called or have you got a jacket for when it gets cold and things like that,” Montgomery said, “But the older boys around him are always there to help him and one of the best things about Riley is that he always asks questions, and that will keep making him a better player.”

-By Daniel De Nardi

Round 5 predictions:

Hakoah 3-0
Luddenham 1-0
Draw 2-2 (Springwood v Hurstville)
Bathurst 2-1
Prospect 4-0
Northbridge 2-1
Wanderers 3-2

time shall tell....

State League Two Round 5 Preview
06.04.11 08:54



Round five of NSW division two starts with Nepean taking on Hakoah at Cook Park, St Marys, on Saturday afternoon (3pm kick-off).
Nepean are yet to win this year but have taken three draws from the four games so far to prove they can match it with their competition counterparts. They certainly do better when they keep all their players on the field but they will still need to be near their best to topple a Hakoah side laden with talent but with just the one win to its name in 2011. More is expected of the long-standing club.

Competition leaders Hawkesbury City face Luddenham United in a Saturday evening blockbuster at Benson Lane Field (5pm). Unbeaten Hawkesbury have well and truly shaken off last year’s disappointments in a terrific start to 2011 and they will be keen to maintain their lofty position with a good showing against Luddenham, who have been up and down like the proverbial yo-yo. United do have history on their side and can boast a three-game winning streak over City, making this weekend’s match-up extra spicy.

Springwood United and Hurstville City Minotaurs will be both be out to claim their first victory of the season in a battle royale at Summerhayes Park on Saturday night (7pm). Hurstville and Springwood finished top-six last year and won’t want to stall their 2011 campaign for much longer if they wish to figure in the finals, so this game is almost a must-win for both sides. There is a healthy rivalry between the two combatants with the last four fixtures going the way of the home team. However, the last three results have been 1-0 victories, indicating that another tight tussle is on the cards.

Round three winners Chopin Park Rams and Bathurst ’75 meet under lights at Alec Lamberton Field on Saturday night (7pm) in what promises to be an exciting affair. Chopin Park broke through for their maiden win last week while Bathurst smashed Gazy 6-0 for both to sit on six competition points after four rounds. This will be the undefeated Rams’ first trip out west and should provide a stern test for Radek Czerwinski’s men. Bathurst would love to string back-to-back wins together to show they have what it takes to be a contender this year.

Highflyers Prospect United play Belmore Hercules at William Lawson Reserve on Sunday afternoon (3pm) in a pivotal match for both clubs. Prospect are second on the ladder with a game in hand and can maintain their solid start to the year with yet another good performance this weekend – they’ve scored eight goals in their past two matches. Belmore, however, have lost a bit of momentum following their first-round victory and will want to get the wheels back on the wagon this weekend. They did win the last encounter between the two sides 1-0 and last year’s corresponding fixture (played precisely a year before this Sunday’s clash) finished 1-1.

Gazy Lansvale take on Northbridge in an intriguing match-up at Northbridge Oval on Sunday afternoon (3.30pm). Gazy were pole-axed 6-0 in Bathurst last weekend while winless Northbridge picked up its second draw of the year against competition leaders Hawkesbury, so both teams will be keen for a much-needed victory. And with the scores thrown up after the first month of football this is a hard result to call.

In-form Roosters FC greet a rejuvenated Fairfield Wanderers at Hill Sports High on Sunday evening (5pm) in what looks to be the match of the round. A two-week Wanderers wobble was arrested with a fine 2-1 win over Hakoah in round four while Roosters pipped Luddenham 3-2 to seal back-to-back wins. But Roosters will be wary of their past few meetings with Wanderers, who have crafted two 4-0 thumpings either side of a 1-1 draw to hold the stick over their opponents. This is match that could go either way and has the potential for multiple scoring.

There will also be plenty of midweek action with three matches featuring division two sides taking place on Wednesday night. Gazy Lansvale and Hurstville City Minotaurs will attempt to play their round two catch-up game at Cherrybrook Park (which will leave just the Springwood versus Prospect encounter remaining unplayed), and in the Waratah Cup Luddenham United tackle Gymea United at Crest Soccer Fields (7.15pm kick-off) while Fairfield Wanderers clash with Olympic Eagles at Knight Park to make up for last week’s abandoned preliminary round fixtures. Round one of the Cup will be played on April 13 following this week’s official draw.

-By Daniel De Nardi

the end result doesnt always paint the picture of the game

if u r your own worst enemy but missing chances then makes thing 10x as hard....

i just looked at draw its a bloody long season same amount of round as the NRL wonder how burnout and injuries will go with some teams, whoever can keep players fit (or core of there team) will go far...

Yeah was very very harsh. With the goal that wasnt given the linesman even started running back to halfway! theres so much dodgy shit that goes on with refs in our division its not funny! Should luddenham have won? yes and very comfortably with the chances they had but did they deserve to win? nope. Sounds strange but they were woeful and when you miss that many sitters you dont deserve to win.

thats harsh loyalist would of at least given luddenham a point that sucks!

wow what an unpredictable comp so far hard to get a guage on form teams....

the bloke who writes up the footballnsw reports is really good compared to div 1 and super league reports really goes into alot of detail...

Luddenham should have scored 7! had a deadset goal chalked off and missed a heap of sitters. Plus Roosters had a dodgy penalty

crazy results again this week... we should have finished the opportunities we has against nepean.. they battled hard, but we missed our chances and they made us pay for it... DAMMMM another draw...

didnt expect gazy to get belted the way they did, nor did i expect luddenham to lose and the chopin park result came as a surprise...

Round 4 Prediction
Nepean 0-2 Springwood i think we can do this, good result against hakaoh last week.
Bathurst 0-2 Gazy
Northbridge 0-0 Hawkesbury
Chopin Park 1-1 Belmore hahahahahaha, c'mon chopin park 4 1-1 draws in a row
Wanderers 1-2 Hakoah
Luddenham 3-0 Roosters
Prospect 1-2 Minotaurs

Nope i just know that Luddenham have been very very lucky.

My predictions:
Springwood 2-1
Bathurst 2-1
Hawkesbury 1-0
Draw 2-2
Hakoah 3-1
Luddenham 2-1
Draw 1-1

wow 6-0 to roosters loyalist have you heard some info about them this yr???

Round 4 Prediction
Nepean 1-0 Springwood
Bathurst 1-0 Gazy
Northbridge 2-2 Hawkesbury
Chopin Park 1-2 Belmore
Wanderers 3-3 Hakoah
Luddenham 0-6 Roosters
Prospect 4-1 Minotaurs

State League Two Round 4 Preview
29.03.11 10:24



Round four of NSW State League division two sees winless Nepean against undefeated Springwood United at Cook Park, St Marys, on Saturday afternoon (3pm kick-off) in an important match for both sides.
Nepean have played some attractive football this year but need to compete for the full 90 minutes if they want to break their duck against a solid Springwood outfit that has two draws to start the season. A 2-2 draw between United and Hakoah last week will have the mountain men brimming with confidence and Nepean will have to be at their best to beat them.

Northbridge take on highflyers Hawkesbury City at Valentine Sports Park on Saturday night (7pm). Northbridge are winless this season and face an unbeaten Hawkesbury unit that has won both its road games this year. The signs are promising for Joe Haywood’s men, who have scored five goals in the past two games without victory, and they will be keen to impress on home turf for the first time. City must be getting cosy at the top of the leaderboard and will retain top perch with another good showing away from home this weekend.

Bathurst ’75 play a rejuvenated Gazy Lansvale under lights at Alec Lamberton Field on Saturday night (7pm). Gazy were unstoppable in a 4-2 win over Belmore last week but play their first away game this weekend against a Bathurst side that troubled competition leaders Hawkesbury in a tight 2-1 loss at home in round three. Despite a strong start to the season Lansvale manager Safet Alispahic will also be aware that they have only won one of the past three encounters between the two sides, ’75 claiming a 2-1 victory the last time they met at Alec Lamberton Field.

Chopin Park Rams meet Belmore Hercules in what should be a great game at Chopin Park on Sunday afternoon (3pm kick-off). The Rams have endured three consecutive 1-1 draws to start the year, letting slip game-winning situations in all three matches, while Hercules have a win and a draw from three away outings to date and will be keen to take some more points from their early season travelling excursion (Belmore play their first six games on the road). You can bet both teams will be trying desperately to get the win.

A sluggish Hurstville City Minotaurs face pumped-up Prospect United at Punchbowl Oval on Sunday afternoon (3pm). Last year’s beaten grand finalists the Minotaurs have a solitary point to their name after three rounds and meet a Prospect side that drilled four goals past Nepean last week to post their first win of the year. There is extra motivation for United after they lost the 2009 elimination final to Hurstville and, actually, they have not beaten the Minotaurs since a 6-2 thrashing almost two years ago. Hurstville will just be keen to grab their first win in 2011.

Big winners last week Luddenham United and Roosters FC meet at Luddenham Oval for a Sunday afternoon blockbuster (3pm). Luddenham belted Wanderers 4-1 while Roosters snuck up on Northbridge 4-3 in round three to set up a tantalising affair this weekend, and there’s plenty of history to add spice to the match. United pipped Roosters 3-2 in last year’s elimination final to end a three-match winning-streak by Roosters over Luddenham that included an embarrassing 6-2 rout at Mona Park 12 months ago. With Roosters finding a bit of form this will be a match that shows the true character of both sides.

A shellshocked Fairfield Wanderers tackle heavyweights Hakoah in a big match-up at Knight Park on Sunday afternoon (3pm). Wanderers were dreadful in a 4-1 loss at home to Luddenham last week and will want to end their four-week Knight Park run to start the year on a positive with a better showing against a Hakoah side full of stars and confidence. But Hakoah will also have to end a three-match losing sequence to Wanderers if they are to continue their terrific start to the new competition, as if they needed any extra motivation.

It will be a busy week for division two clubs as they start their Waratah Cup knockout campaigns on Wednesday night (March 30). Fairfield Wanderers take on Olympic Eagles at Heffron Park (7.15pm), Hurstville City Minotaurs play Bass Hill at Walshaw Park (7.15pm), Luddenham United tackle Gymea United at Crest Soccer Fields (7.15pm), Northbridge meet Mosman at Christie Park (6.30pm), Nepean host Pacific Hills at Cook Park, St Marys (7.15pm), Gazy Lansvale face Dee Why at Cherrybrook Park (7.15pm), Prospect United welcome Canterbury Association side Enfield Rovers to William Lawson Reserve (7.15pm), Chopin Park Rams visit Lansvale United at Hartley Oval (7.15pm), Hawkesbury City host Glebe Wanderers at Bensons Lane Field (7.15pm), and Springwood United take on Glenmore Park at Summerhayes Park (7.15pm). On Thursday night (March 31) Hakoah play Roosters in a division two derby at Hensley Athletic Field (7.15pm), while Belmore Hercules and Bathurst ’75 have preliminary round byes.

It would be great to see division two sides break past the Cup’s third round (when Premier League clubs enter the fray) this year, with Hawkesbury reaching that mark twice (in 2010 and 2008), while Springwood, Roosters and Prospect were all knocked out in the third round in a productive 2009 tournament.

-By Daniel De Nardi

hawkesbury must have very different side to last year as they struggled goin by the table....

new teams into the comp generally struggle, well thats my observation anyway, so dont think chopin park will be much of a threat as time goes on

davies??

hhaahahahaha, we must be talking about the wrong bloke then...

Hes definatly better than Kaan

matt wasnt getting much of a run with us... i thing he was a little dissapointed to be benched.. i wouldn't say he was one of the better players we had... good luck to him though..

Sorry mate.
Hey i heard that Springwood lost one of their best defenders to Luddenham, Matty?
Last years grand final winners were Fairfield Bulls they beat Minotaurs in the gf but they shouldnt have been there anyway. In the semi they had a greek referee who was dodgy as f*%k and disallowed 2 goals in the first 20 mins that would have put them 2-0 down! Their striker is sensational great player but the rest of the team is pretty second rate.

And what makes you so sure about luddenham? do you know someone there? they got hammered 6-1 by a team you drew against?

go easy there loyalist we played them in round 1..
also they played last seasons grand final winners last weekend... they cant be too bad.. what i saw of them they looked good..

as for luddenham coming last, no chance... that wont be happening..

Chopin park haven't played anyone decent yet.
Nepean are junk! Made up of rejects from other clubs,guys who couldn't get a run.
Hawkesbury sound like they have the goods but have they got the bottle to stay there?
I heard wanderers had 7 players out on the weekend and had 2 goals disallowed so I wouldn't read too much into the luddenham result
I think it will be a battle between luddenham and nepean for last place

interesting round...

we certainly had to battle hard to get the draw against hakoah.. they have a strong squad and thanks to our keeper we came away with a point..

nepean got hammered (could be the whipping boys of the comp)
hawkesbury continue to play well (solid squad i hear)
chopin park get another draw (as i mentioned before will def be a tough nut to crack)

Edited by pommy: 28/3/2011 03:29:25 PM

Table After Round 3 POS TEAM P W L D F A GD PTS
1 Hawkesbury City SC 3 2 0 1 6 4 2 7
2 Luddenham United 3 2 1 0 7 7 0 6
3 Hakoah 3 1 0 2 9 4 5 5
4 Prospect United 2 1 0 1 5 1 4 4
5 Gazy Lansvale 2 1 0 1 5 3 2 4
6 Fairfield Wanderers FC 3 1 1 1 6 6 0 4
7 Belmore Hercules 3 1 1 1 7 8 -1 4
8 Chopin Park Rams FC 3 0 0 3 3 3 0 3
9 Roosters FC 3 1 2 0 5 7 -2 3
10 Bathurst 75 3 1 2 0 3 5 -2 3
11 Springwood 2 0 0 2 3 3 0 2
12 Nepean FC 3 0 1 2 2 6 -4 2
13 Hurstville City Minotaurs 2 0 1 1 1 2 -1 1
14 Northbridge FC 3 0 2 1 5 8 -3 1

State League Division 2 Round 3 Review
27.03.11 21:01


FC Gazy Lansvale recorded a good victory over Belmore Hercules over the weekend.
Luddenham rebounded with a fine 4-1 win over Wanderers while Prospect overpowered Nepean 4-0 and Gazy downed Belmore 4-2 in a round three full of goals in NSW State League division two.
Hawkesbury won 2-1 in Bathurst to top the leaderboard, Roosters battled back bravely to beat Northbridge 4-3, while Springwood and Hakoah drew 2-2 and Hurstville scored a last-minute goal to consign Chopin Park to its third successive 1-1 stalemate. In all, an explosive 31 goals were scored over the seven matches, the highest division two round total since 2009’s shenanigans.

Prospect pummel Nepean

Three goals in a 10-minute avalanche helped Prospect United demolish Nepean 4-0 in an entertaining affair at William Lawson Reserve on Saturday evening. A bit of luck and a red card also aided Prospect’s cause in what was an evenly matched game for the first 50 minutes. Both teams had chances to impress early and only some terrific goalkeeping, particularly from Nepean keeper Jeremy Lawrence, and stubborn defence kept the scoreline at 0-0 for 60 minutes – but then the game turned on its head.

With Prospect on the break five minutes into the second half, Nepean fullback Brayden Hunter brought down Luis Freitas as he was heading towards the penalty area and was duly sent off for being the last defender. The United striker picked himself up off the pitch, pulled up his socks and edged a shot off the tip of the wall that bounced over the Nepean keeper and into goal for the opening score. It didn’t take long for Prospect to consolidate their advantage with Paul Curjak and Luke Isbister netting twice more in a frantic 10-minute period, and another goal from Freitas in the 70th minute completed a 4-0 rout for the home side.

Interestingly, United only managed to find seven goalscorers in their side for the entire 2010 season (the second lowest yield in the league) – they’ve already found four in two games this year.

Prospect coach Tony Caruso was pleased to get his first win of the year but thanked the football gods for smiling over him. “We got a little bit of luck today with the bounce of the ball… up until the sending off it was a well balanced game,” he said. “Nepean moved the ball around really well and there were some great saves from both goalkeepers. In the end I was very happy with the way we finished off our chances, but the scoreline doesn’t reflect the closeness of the game. [And to an undefeated start to the year] So far so good.”

It was Nepean’s first loss of the season and coach Carlos Camacho remained diplomatic about the crucial send-off of Hunter. “It was quite unfortunate as it was a very well balanced game. Both teams held possession and created a similar amount of chances. Unfortunately it [the send-off] turned the game,” he said. “But we have a young defence and it’s good experience for them to try and adjust in those circumstances. I have to give the other team credit; they played a great tactical game after the send-off against 10 men. The match was played in good spirits.”

“It’s always hard after a defeat but I think it’s really important to learn from your mistakes and improve. You always get your turn eventually. Poet Ralph Waldo Emerson said that in the darkness you can see the stars and I think this is where we can take a good look at ourselves and see where we can go from here. I truly believe we’ll be hitting our straps in the next 4-5 weeks, but it will come with hard work.”

Prospect United 4 (Luis Freitas 50/70m Paul Curjak 52m Luke Ibister 54m) Nepean FC 0

Reserve grade: Prospect United 3 Nepean FC 2

Hawkesbury down Bathurst

Pack a swag and hit the road for Hawkesbury City have done it again away from home, this time dismantling a solid effort from Bathurst ’75 2-1 at Alec Lamberton Field on Saturday night. Hawkesbury, who beat Hurstville in round one, can thank a sloppy Bathurst defence for their first goal when Hakan Celic pilfered the ball and slotted home nicely around’75 keeper Chris Moase for the opening score on six-minutes.

But Bathurst bounced back and pressed up the pitch to get themselves back into the game, a Ricky Guihot freekick ricocheting into the back of the net off City midfielder Tony Judge to level scores up before the half-hour mark. The home side was probably unlucky not to grab another goal soon after and they were left to rue their missed chance after the break when halftime substitute Rhys Alchin slammed home a rebounded corner kick within minutes of the restart to send Hawkesbury back into the lead, which they managed to hold onto until fulltime.

City coach Gary Lewis was understandably delighted to win his second game away from home to start the year. “It’s always tough going to Bathurst. They’re a strong, physical side and hard to break down, and they can also be quite mobile and play on a lot of confidence, so I’m extremely pleased with the outcome,” he said. “I think the good start to the season goes back to the depth in the squad. We’ve had to field different teams each week and every player is still performing so, yeah, I’m quite happy with how things are going.”

Bathurst coach Mark Rooke knew his team could still offer more. “We had quite a few half-chances, but it was disappointing we didn’t create more genuine ones,” he said. “Hawkesbury controlled the match a little bit more after their second goal. For us it’s about learning and, being a young side, we just need to be more consistent if we want to figure in anything at the end of the year. Credit to Hawkesbury though, they came up here and scored a couple of goals for the win.”

Hawkesbury City 2 (Hakan Celik 6m Rhys Alchin 47m) Bathurst ’75 1 (Ricky Guihot 28m)

Reserve grade: Hawkesbury City 2 Bathurst ’75 0

Springwood, Hakoah epic draw

Springwood United played brilliantly to hold heavyweights Hakoah to a 2-2 draw at Summerhayes Park on Saturday night. Hakoah may have smashed Luddenham 6-1 last week, but the home side was quicker out of the blocks, scoring first after 15-minutes when a pinpoint Peter Henderson cross found Craig Small’s head for the opening goal. Their joy was shortlived, however, as a Hakoah freekick was only partially cleared and a second lofted pass found its intended target in Marc Kanen to restore parity in the 20th minute.

Hakoah were a menace all game, especially from set pieces, and it took some staunch action from United keeper Geoff Abrahams to keep all of their raids at bay. But Springwood went ahead again just before halftime, Henderson again the provider as his pass in floated dreamily behind team-mate Craig Small who, with his back to goal, volleyed home superbly to make it 2-1 at halftime. With plenty of goalmouth action at both ends it was another Hakoah freekick that drew them level a second time 10 minutes into the second half, Adam Joseph netting to tie proceedings up at 2-2. Both keepers proved their worth in a thrilling encounter, fulltime blowing with the scores unchanged.

Springwood coach Errol Warwick-Day didn’t want to give too much away in his match synopsis. “After watching them, a 2-2 draw was a good result for us. They’re a very good team and it could’ve gone either way. Geoff [Abrahams] pulled out 2-3 match winning saves for us and their keeper [Adam Sonnabend] parried one onto the post,” he said. “We have some quiet confidence in our own ability. I know we should be competitive against every team, that’s our aim, and this match see-sawed both ways.”

“We knew Hakoah were a completely different team to last year and I think the players gave them their due respect. They have a well-structured game plan and at halftime I told the boys that we had to play a similar style. They are very, very good at their set pieces. They target the far post, not just for the goal but for another headed ball back across the goal, and they caused a lot of trouble in that area… but I don’t want to give too much away and spoil it for the other coaches.”

It was the third year in a row that Hakoah has grabbed points at Summerhayes but fill-in coach Alex Robertson was disappointed not to come away with another victory. “I think we missed quite a few chances to be honest and dominated most of the game. Their keeper [Abrahams] had a couple of excellent saves, so I see it more as a point dropped than a point gained,” he said. “But travelling all the way from the eastern suburbs to the Blue Mountains on a cold, wet Saturday night and coming away with a point isn’t too bad.”

Springwood 2 (Matt Salmon 15m Craig Small 42m) Hakoah 2 (Marc Kacen 20m Adam Joseph 54m)

Reserve grade: Springwood 2 Hakoah 1

Luddenham trounce Wanderers

Luddenham United bounced back into the winners circle in emphatic fashion in a 4-1 demolition of Fairfield Wanderers at Knight Park Sunday afternoon. It was a terrible display from an unusually quiet Wanderers outfit as United rode rampant throughout the majority of the match, turning a one goal halftime deficit into a three-goal victory to erase any memory of last week’s 6-1 loss to Hakoah.

United were dominant without reward from the opening whistle but were left shellshocked and red-faced when one of Fairfield’s rare runs upfield resulted in a freekick a minute out from halftime. Up stepped Mauricio Sanchez 20m out from goal and he delivered a real humdinger of a strike that didn’t stop until it hit the back of the net for an unlikely halftime lead to the Wanderers.

Some reassuring words from Luddenham coach Andrew Montgomery at the break had the desired effect as Ercan Topal beat two players and cut towards the penalty area, sending the ball into the path of Huso Merdanovic, who faked and watched a defender slide by before pulling the trigger on a beauty of an equaliser with 20 minutes still to play. The sharpshooter – in his first game back following last year’s late suspension – was in the thick of the action again when he peeled off his defender from a throw-in and laid the ball into the box for Dujon Webster to score in the top right-hand corner.

With time running out United made sure of the win in spectacular fashion when midfielder Angelo Martino nutmegged a defender and crossed the ball to the far post edge of box for Michael Wood to volley in a side-on scissor kick to make it 3-1, and the dynamic duo paired up again for the final goal when Martino beat two players and again slid the ball into Wood to slam home in injury time. Luddenham have beaten Wanderers twice in a row at Knight Park following last year’s 2-1 win in the elimination semi-final.

Montgomery dipped his hat to a great team performance. “[At halftime] I reinforced to them to not get frustrated [with the missed opportunities] and to stick to the way we were playing and we would come over the top of them,” he said. “I expected more out of them [Fairfield] but we just didn’t give them the ball today, We dictated the play and I was ecstatic that we showed that killer instinct; it was great positive signs for us and proved last week’s result was a blip,” he said. “A lot of the players were quite embarrassed about last week’s performance [6-1 loss to Hakoah] and I thought several were outstanding.”

Wanderers coach Leo Maturana was succinct. “We just didn’t turn up to play in that second half. The game plan went out of the window and we played silly football. They got on top of us and played really well,” he said. “We will take what positives we can and work on the negatives; I think once we control the game by having the ball, we’ll do okay. We’ll be alright and will use this as motivation to do better next time.”

Fairfield Wanderers FC 1 (Mauricio Sanchez 44m) Luddenham United 4 (Huso Merdanovic 69m Dujon Webster 73m Michael Wood 88/90m)

Reserve grade: Fairfield Wanderers 3 Luddenham United 2

Chopin Park draw with Hurstville

Hurstville City Minotaurs got their first point of the year while Chopin Park Rams had to endure a third successive draw when their match ended 1-1 at Chopin Park on Sunday afternoon. The home side started briskly and were rewarded in the 23rd minute when Matthew Pritchard waltzed past three defenders and laid the ball off to Henry Martinez to shrug off a defender and smash the ball into the top right hand corner for the game’s opening goal.

Hurstville struggled to get back into the game – Haissan Morhi kicking straight at the Rams keeper in a one-on-one before Alex Obeid headed the ball out from in front of goal – and it took a halftime rev-up from The General Peter Sarikakis to get his players motivated. But they left the equaliser pretty late when substitute Nick Andreou’s clashing header found the back of the net in stoppage time after a series of attacking raids on the Chopin Park goal.

Rams coach Radek Czerwinski wasn’t happy his players let slip a game-winning position a third time in a row. “I thought we were all over them the whole game as they didn’t really test our keeper,” he said. “We could have put more goals in and had three chances in second half to seal the win but didn’t do that. The only positive from a third draw in a row in games that we have dominated is that we have proved we can be competitive.”

Sarikakis happily took the point with star striker Michael di Meglio missing in action. “We had a terrible first half and I went wild at them [the players] at halftime. We attacked a lot more in the second half and they defended quite well, so it was a bit rewarding to get a goal and get a point. A draw is not as good as a win but I’m happy we came back and put the effort in and I think we can build on that. We’re not playing good soccer yet.”

Chopin Park 1 (Henry Martinez 23m) Hurstville City Minotaurs 1 (Nick Andreou 92m)

Reserve grade: Chopin Park 1 Hurstville City Minotaurs 3

Roosters peck Northbridge

Roosters stormed home to steal a thrilling 4-3 victory over Northbridge at a bubbly Hills Sports High on Sunday afternoon on the back of a leading performance from player-coach Musti Akca. The visitors got off to a solid start when Daniel Hillege caught the Roosters defence flatfooted and scored the game’s opener on seven minutes only for Akca to fire in a scorcher from the top of the penalty area to restore parity 10 minutes later. The applause had only just dead down when Hillege answered back with another goal from a neat through ball from the midfield and the fans knew they had a game on their hands.

Northbridge came out firing again in the second half and increased their lead when Ry Hardy headed home from a freekick 10 minutes after the restart before a double Roosters substitution (bringing on wingers Gurkan Girgin and Perin Emik) reaped immediate dividends. With a quarter-hour to play, Akca looped a nice ball over the top for new signing Baturay Akin (from Rockdale) to whip past the Northbridge keeper, and Hulisi Orhan equalised minutes later via a header from a set-piece to lock the game up at 3-3.

But just as the game looked headed for a draw up bobbed Akin again, running perfectly onto a beautiful lob from Girgin and coolly slicing it into the top right hand corner for what proved to be the match-winning goal. It was an incredible comeback from Roosters, who broke a two game losing streak to claim the club’s first win this year.

Akca was relieved the Roosters had broken their duck in such admirable circumstances. “At halftime [down 2-1] everyone was looking at everyone else’s faces and asking how badly we really wanted it. We believed in ourselves and played on top of them in the second half,” he said. “Our substitutions on both sides of the ground [Girgin and Emik] came in fresh and had a big impact, and we finally played the football we wanted to. We were under pressure going into the match but the boys knew this is where we were going to bounce back.”

Roosters FC 4 (Musti Akca 18m Hulisi Orhan 77m Baturay Akin 82/84m) Northbridge FC 3 (Daniel Hillege 7/18m Ry Hardy 56m)

Reserve grade: Roosters FC 1 Northbridge FC 2

Gazy stave off Belmore

Gazy Lansvale were too good for Belmore Hercules, winning 4-2 at Cherrybrook Park on Sunday afternoon. Lansvale started the game on fire when Ibrahim Hammed scored in just the third minute of the game and Elvis Ibric doubled the advantage in the 20th minute before Tayfon Turgut made it 3-0 with a goal minutes out from halftime.

Belmore came out a little better in the second half and pulled one goal back when a James Kalantzis shot deflected into goal, but they then had to overcome a double sending off from clumsy challenges, Con Paradisis gaining a second yellow card while Nick Mertzanakis received a straight red card for his more maligned effort. Despite creating a few clear chances the mountain was too high for Hercules to climb and Gazy made sure of the win when A Smajovic netted in the 87th minute, although Kalantzis did score a consolation goal near the end of the match.

Belmore coach John Kyriazopoulos was at a lost to where his team was in the first half but praised their second half fightback. “The boys got off to a really bad start and just didn’t follow instructions… but the second half was a bit better,” he said. “I think we did better with nine players on park, the boys really dug in deep after the send-offs, so full credit there in the second half but unfortunately it was a bit too late.”

Gazy Lansvale 4 (Ibrahim Hammed 3m Elvis Ibric 20m Tayfon Turgut 45m A Smajovic 87m) Belmore Hercules 2 (own goal, James Kalantzis 90m)

Reserve grade: Gazy Lansvale 2 Belmore Hercules 0

Round 3 scores

Prospect United 4 (Luis Freitas 50/70m Paul Curjak 52m Luke Ibister 54m) Nepean FC 0

Hawkesbury City 2 (Hakan Celik 6m Rhys Alchin 47m) Bathurst ’75 1 (Ricky Guihot 28m)

Springwood 2 (Matt Salmon 15m Craig Small 42m) Hakoah 2 (Marc Kacen 20m Adam Joseph 54m)

Gazy Lansvale 4 (Ibrahim Hammed 3m Elvis Ibric 20m Tayfon Turgut 45m A Smajovic 87m) Belmore Hercules 2 (own goal, James Kalantzis 90m)

Chopin Park 1 (Henry Martinez 23m) Hurstville City Minotaurs 1 (Nick Andreou 92m)

Roosters FC 4 (Musti Akca 18m Hulisi Orhan 77m Baturay Akin 82/84m) Northbridge FC 3 (Daniel Hillege 7/18m Ry Hardy 56m)

Fairfield Wanderers FC 1 (Mauricio Sanchez 44m) Luddenham United 4 (Huso Merdanovic 69m Dujon Webster 73m Michael Wood 88/90m)

Reserve grade:

Prospect United 3 Nepean FC 2

Hawkesbury City 2 Bathurst ’75 0

Springwood 2 Hakoah 1

Gazy Lansvale 2 Belmore Hercules 0

Chopin Park 1 Hurstville City Minotaurs 3

Roosters FC 1 Northbridge FC 2

Fairfield Wanderers 3 Luddenham United 2

Next week’s games

Round four of NSW State League division two sees Northbridge take on Hawkesbury City at Northbridge Oval on Saturday afternoon (3pm kick-off), Nepean versus Springwood at Cook Park, St Marys (3pm), while Bathurst ’75 play Gazy Lansvale under lights at Alec Lamberton Field on Saturday night (7pm).

On Sunday afternoon, Chopin Park Rams meet Belmore Hercules at Chopin Park, Hurstville City face Prospect United at Punchbowl Oval, Luddenham United play Roosters FC at Luddenham Oval, and Fairfield Wanderers tackle Hakoah at Knight Park (all first grade games at 3pm).

-By Daniel De Nardi

My Tips for w/end:

Prospect 3-1
2-2 Draw
Hakoah 3-0
Draw 1-1
Belmore 2-0
Draw 1-1
Luddenham 2-1

but who knows????

State League Two Round 3 Preview
22.03.11 08:41


Action shown between Hawkesbury City v Belmore Hercules. (Photo by Bera Simone)
Round three of NSW State League division two kicks off with Prospect United taking on Nepean in an interesting match-up at William Lawson Reserve on Saturday evening (5pm kick-off).
While both teams remain undefeated neither team has tasted victory either, Prospect drawing 1-1 with Hakoah while Nepean has savoured 1-1 draws with Gazy Lansvale and Chopin Park. To say the three points on offer this weekend will be treasured by both coaches is an understatement.

Hawkesbury City tackles Bathurst ’75 at Alec Lamberton Field on Saturday night (7pm) in a match destined to be hard-fought. Bathurst beat Roosters 2-0 on home turf last week to take a place at the top of the leaderboard next to Hawkesbury, who pipped giants Hurstville in round one before coming back from two goals down at halftime against Belmore with just 10-men on the park. The two sides have shared recent spoils, winning two encounters each over the last four meetings – all of them taken by the home side.

Springwood United welcomes high-flyers Hakoah to Summerhayes Park on Saturday night (7pm). United drew with Chopin Park in round one but will be fearful of the Hakoah dreadnaught that destroyed heavyweights Luddenham 6-1 last weekend. History is with Springwood, who have won two of their last three encounters, but they have not beaten their opponents at home in three years, Hakoah drawing 1-1 at Summerhayes last year following their 4-2 upset of United at the same venue in 2009.

Chopin Park Rams host Hurstville City Minotaurs in a big game for both sides at Chopin Park on Sunday afternoon (3pm kick-off). Chopin Park have let two game-winning situations slip through their fingers following two draws to start the season, while Hurstville are yet to get going after their round one defeat to Hawkesbury. The Rams will be eager to turn good football into maximum points but face a Minotaurs side that will be hungry to get back to where they feel they belong – at the top of the ladder.

Gazy Lansvale will have revenge in mind when they face Belmore Hercules at Cherrybrook Park on Sunday afternoon (3pm). Lansvale started the season with a draw against newcomers Nepean and have watched Belmore skip ahead on the back of a round one win over Roosters and a hard-fought draw with Hawkesbury last week. But Gazy will remember losing 2-0 twice to Belmore last year, defeats that virtually cost them a chance at finals football later in the year. You can expect fireworks at this one.

Roosters FC tackle an improving Northbridge FC at Hills Sports High on Sunday afternoon (3pm) in a game where both sides will be desperate for their first win of the year. Last year’s finalists Roosters have suffered two first-up defeats and can’t afford to drop a third on the trot, while Northbridge will have no excuses for not turning in a good performance as they will be at full strength with all of their international players now cleared to play. This will go a long way to showing what both teams could be capable of in 2011.

Fairfield Wanderers meet Luddenham United in a Sunday afternoon blockbuster at Knight Park (3pm). While Fairfield have enjoyed a solid start to the new season, following a first-up win over Belmore and last weekend’s draw with Northbridge, pre-season favourites Luddenham were smacked 6-1 by Hakoah last week to be left shaken but not stirred. United does hold the wood over Wanderers, winning a thrilling elimination semi-final 2-1 last year following two 1-1 mid-season draws, but Fairfield will remember better days when they won both of their 2009 encounters against Luddenham, albeit by just the one goal both times.

-By Daniel De Nardi

chopin certainly did put the pressure on and the springwood keeper pulled off some great saves.. chopin do move the ball very well, the captain had a massive game for them, very good organiser and very physical..

I heard the same thing, but springwood did have a player sent off so dunno how much can be taken from that........

Was told that if it wasnt by a man of the match performance from the springwood keeper choppin would of won

Even though its extremely hard to tip at the moment with only 1 round gone, here's my go:

Prospect 2-1
Draw 2-2
Roosters 2-1
Hawkesbury 1-0
Hurstville 3-1
Wanderes 2-0
Luddenham 2-0

Haha you tipped northbridge to beat luddenham but this week your tipping them to beat a better side in Hakoah?
My Tips
Prospect 2-0
Draw 2-2
Roosters 1-0
Draw 1-1
Draw 0-0
Draw 1-1
Hakoah 7-0