Reserve Grade – Sydney FC 2-0 Newcastle Jets
The 2022 NSWPFA Reserve Grade competition had seen a lot of growth from the entire cohort, and this final encounter gave both sides a chance to show off just how much they had improved. For the Newcastle Jets, Jake Vidakovic had been putting his stamp on things, highlighted by his efforts in securing the win last time out against the sky blues. His combination in midfield with Rumeth Herath was set to continue for another match, the two operating in front of Chris Holmes in goal and beside Cooper Greenwood and Molly Boland interchanging up front. For the sky blues, Daniel O’Brien donned the keeper’s jersey behind Fletcher Ball, Riley Brown and Cameron Moody. Reinforcements on the bench were there to create an impact, with Harry Simmons and Joshua Ryan keen to get out there as well. This was a chance to show off some style with nothing at risk for either side in their final match of the season aside from some pride.
It was Sydney FC who shook off their shackles early in the match, their commitment to passing looking to be challenging for the Jets to handle. The ball moved from side to side with power and intent, and soon Moody played a firm pass into the box for Ball to attack with aggression, sending the ball rocketing between the posts in an impressive scoring move from the sky blues. There was little the defence could do about the shot, the result being one even a Premier League side would have been happy with. Vidakovic looked to respond by working the ball upfield in a more methodical manner, but when the Sydney side looked to pass, it made it difficult for their opponents to cover all the angles. Despite looking the stronger of the two sides, the sky blues only took a solitary goal’s advantage into half-time.
Ringing the changes at the break, Sydney looked to assert their dominance with an aggressive line-up featuring Ryan and Simmons in midfield alongside Brown, with Ball down in defence. This formation looked to continue to pass with the coaching staff calling out for their young team to pass on every opportunity, even when stuck in the battles with Vidakovic and Herath. The combination of Ryan and Simmons was exciting to watch, and the Jets had to be alert, with Holmes having to save Simmons on two occasions near the post. The ball was stuck in the sky blues’ forward half and it was only a matter of time before the second goal came. Another flowing passing move saw Simmons find Ryan out wide for a shot across the box, with Brown there to ensure the ball crossed the line before the defence could respond. With the damage done, the sky blue defence had to do some work, and Ball was up to the task before Ryan was given the job of closing the match out. Their performance would please their coaches and give their opponents plenty to think about in 2023 and a win was the perfect end to their season. In the Newcastle corner, a tough season with their numbers down at times showed their resilience and things would be sure to improve with reinforcements in 2023.
Match stats:
Sydney FC 2 (Ball 10’, Brown 33‘)
Newcastle Jets 0
Premier League – Newcastle Jets 3-0 Sydney FC
The Newcastle Jets had seen their title challenge end in the previous round despite taking a difficult 3 points away from a dogged Sydney FC team, but they came out looking to play an aggressive brand of football to show what they could do on the court. Sydney FC had a difficult season and were still looking for a win this season, but it was clear to see just how much the young team had grown through their trials and tribulations during the 2022 season. The Jets were once again sending out a line-up featuring Dimitri Liolio-Davis in the keeper’s jersey behind Ryan Seck in the centre of midfield and Chris Hastas and Jake Vidakovic on the wings. This formation had served them well in the latter parts of the season and would be a challenge to break down. Sydney sent out their strongest line-up once more, with Harry Simmons in goals and Joshua Ryan supporting him in the centre, while Daniel O’Brien and Mitchell Albert took to the wings to provide that outlet they needed.
As was often the case with the young sky blues, their efforts were strong to begin the match but it was the Jets who were controlling the field position battle. Each time the Sydney side looked to counter attack, this fizzled out the moment Liolio-Davis came into the fray. Operating quite high for this exact purpose, each time the sky blues thought they had a chance to take a breath, the ball was once again in a dangerous spot. The Newcastle side was focusing on pulling their opponents wide, and this looked to be where they would have the most success with only some desperate defending keeping the ball out of the goal. This desperation was eventually what would be their undoing, with Ryan swinging to clear the ball at the top of his box and collecting Seck in the same motion. With a bit of luck, the ball was placed just on the edge of the box but this was short-lived. With defenders having to be careful of their distance from the ball, Seck fired into the middle of the goal with the aid of a clever screen from Hastas for a well-deserved lead.
With barely a moment gone since their first goal, the Jets weren’t done with their attack. Winning the ball down in the forward half, the sky blues were forced to concede a corner which was all the Jets needed. Liolio-Davis found Seck high in the box who then fired it out wide for a quick Hastas, poking the ball into the goal just next to the post. Going behind by two goals so soon after being one down was deflating for the young side, but to their credit they managed to slow the scoring down and maintain the two goal gap at the half. But the story was similar to the first half with the Jets doing their best to keep the sky blues trapped in their defensive half. The pressure continued to mount, with efforts from Albert and O’Brien doing little to crack through the Jets’ resolve. Earning another corner, this time Hastas found Liolio-Davis who expertly passed to Vidakovic at the far post for a well-deserved third goal mid-way through the second half.
The Newcastle Jets wound the final minutes of the match down without relenting, showing their opponents the level they needed to reach to rise to the top of the table. It was a deserved finish to the season for the runners-up who closed the gap to a single point ahead of the final match of the season later in the day, their composed passing giving plenty for other teams to admire and strive to defuse and resulting in some stunning football capped off by some classy goals. Come set-pieces and it was often impossible to know who would score next. Winning some silverware at the APFA Club Championships was the highlight of a wonderful season for the side. For the sky blues, this was always going to be a season full of learning and it was clear that their efforts had improved from the opening rounds. Teams were made to work hard to break them down and it will only be a matter of time before this young side is a problem for all others. Congratulations to both sides for their efforts in an exciting season.
Match stats:
Newcastle Jets 3 (Seck 10‘, Hastas 13’, Vidakovic 32‘)
Sydney FC 0
Reserve Grade – Hills United 1-1 Western Sydney Wanderers
The top two teams from a challenging season were set to face off in the final reserve grade clash for the 2022 NSWPFA Powerchair League season, with Hills United looking to remain undefeated and the Wanderers looking to inflict the first loss on their foes. Illness had reduced the Hills line-up to three players, with Matt Mallows supported by Finn O’Donovan up front and Lachlan Ninham in goals, while the Wanderers fielded a strong line-up of Steve Shadlow in goals behind a midfield of Jye Mokluk, Jaxon Taylor and Steve Webb. If Hills were to continue their unbeaten run, this side would make it difficult for them to fight against. Having secured their ladder positions in earlier rounds, you could have been forgiven for thinking the sides would back off, but this was not going to be the case in a competitive encounter.
The early going was highlighted by the almost constant battle between Mokluk and Mallows, the ball wedged between their chairs for long expanses of the opening minutes. While Mokluk looked to spread the ball wider to his wingers, Mallows had to be more deliberate with his choices. Directing O’Donovan around to give them the best chance to advance the ball occasionally left Mallows exposed, but Ninham was good enough to cover the angles, particularly against a crafty Taylor and an eager to shoot Webb. This in turn gave Mallows time to drive the ball upfield, even when the red and black looked to press from sideline hit-ins and the occasional corner. Their defensive work gave Hills more confidence, Mallows pressing forwards aggressively along the sideline and working into a scoring position. Finally he found the right gap, surging into the box and bullying the ball over the line, taking the goal post with him in the final seconds of the first half.
The Wanderers took their time to regroup during the halftime break, coming out with the energy they needed to change things. Jesse Ezzy started on the wing, roaming forward to give Mokluk a target to aim for, and this new approach soon paid dividends. Firing a long ball forwards after picking off a Mallows pass, Mokluk forced Ninham into making a save in front of the onrushing Ezzy. The ball was cleared right into his path and flew past the stranded keeper, leaving him distraught and his opponents jubilant. The match had shifted in intensity, with the red and black having the momentum and the team in yellow looking to reassert themselves. With time winding down and wanting to protect his team’s undefeated status, Mallows looked to kill time with the ball in the corner of the attacking end of the court, and this was just enough to seal the draw for his side. A fitting battle between the top two sides in the division to end the season, featuring tension and adjustments highlighting the growth of our reserve grade competition, with the standard sure to continue to improve in 2023.
Match stats:
Hills United 1 (Mallows 19‘)
Western Sydney Wanderers 1 (Ezzy 24’)
Premier League – Hills United 4-0 Western Sydney Wanderers
Crowned as back-to-back champions in the NSWPFA Premier League in the previous round, Hills United were looking to finish the season with an exclamation mark against the Western Sydney Wanderers. The red and black had been a tough opponent for the league winners, snatching a win earlier in the season and making their opponents work hard to break them down on a few occasions, but unfortunately not often enough to challenge for the title. With the title secured, Hills United looked to give their starting goal keeper a chance to play in midfield, with Chris Turnbull accompanied by Abdullah Karim on the opposite wing and Josh Merkas in the centre of midfield. Having already filled in down back this season, Chris Suffield wore the bright pink goal keeper’s jersey once more looking to claim another clean sheet. For the red and black, they once again fielded a line-up of Andy Waite in goals, with Jordan Crane and Ben Keyte in midfield along with Jye Mokluk as a striker up front.
The Hills side looked to put their stamp on the match from the start, their passing intent something that would concern the red and black, but the calm approach of Waite was enough to preserve parity. Karim looked to find Turnbull time and time again, but he was just unable to find the target, which was made difficult by Waite and Crane. Suffield had to be alert as Crane looked to send Keyte and Mokluk upfield on the counter, and his first goal kick was concerning when Keyte struck the ball on the charge, but the shot went well wide. The next attempt was far better, with Turnbull being found out wide and sending the ball forward. Despite Merkas being completely in control in the centre, the passes were enough to break past the defence but not enough to find that goal the side needed. A couple of corners won by the red and black concerned the defence, but a composed approach saw the danger negated. Cross took to the field to help seek that extra penetration, but it was a moment of brilliance that was the final impetus for the side. Karim is always dangerous, and the red and black were left stunned when an intercept and dash up the field resulted in a nifty goal right before the half-time break.
The goal late in the half was sure to lead to a change in the discussions at the half, with Hills lucky to be in the ascendancy while the Wanderers would be feeling unlucky to have gone behind so late. It was clear to see that the Wanderers were looking to play for field position when the second half began, but they found themselves further behind when Karim found Merkas sitting near the closest post from a corner, a clever finish doubling the Hills lead. Despite the red and black continuing to surge forwards in the hopes of a response, Suffield and Merkas were comfortable in defence even when their lack of familiarity led to the occasional free kick against them. Still, these just provided more opportunities to counter attack, with Waite moving into more advanced positions. This meant that Suffield was able to clear the ball and the match settled into a rhythm where Hills looked to pass and the Wanderers countered. Eventually the pressure told and Karim was found in the centre of the court on a clearance between Waite and Crane, firing away from inside his own half to end the match on a high note. But Karim wasn’t done, Turnbull finding him late for a third and final strike to really highlight the threat posed by the Hills midfielder.
A slightly demoralising end to the season for the red and black, but their efforts in claiming 3rd place at the APFA Club Championships were a just reward for the side. Fighting through missing players due to illness was tough, but Andrew Kim would have been proud of his team and how they fought for results without him. Crane fit in well with his new side and would have been pleased with how he set up his team mates in scoring positions. Hills United finished the season on a dominant note, and this was highlighted by Karim coming out with one of his characteristic performances in claiming a hat-trick. The resolve of the team when Chris Turnbull was out injured was testament to their spirit, while their defensive efforts were enough to claim more challenging results when required. The league champions were difficult to break down and tough to hold back, coming out on top in a challenging season and leaving plenty for others to chase in 2023.
Match stats:
Hills United 4 (Karim 19’ 37’ 38’, Merkas 25’)
Western Sydney Wanderers 0