Reserve Grade – Sydney FC 1-0 Western Sydney Wanderers
With both sides inches away from some serious points in Round 1, the first Reserve Grade derby between the sky blues and the red and black would be quite the opportunity for both sides. For the Sydney FC side, starting the match with a strong defensive foundation was the recipe for success. Mitchell Albert and Harry Simmons were the duo given that responsibility, and this meant Steven Webb and Jaxon Taylor would have a challenge to break down. And so it proved, with neither side able to break the deadlock before halftime.
Some changes in positions during the break saw the sky blues bring Simmons onto the wing to provide some more attacking punch. This had the risk of opening up their defence, but the combination of Albert and Simmons continued to provide some merit for the sky blues. Finally, Albert found the vital pass that he needed, picking out an open Simmons for a tidy finish. With his job done, Simmons retreated back to the goals to defend a hard earned lead.
Desperate to find a way back into the game, the Wanderers surged once more, but Webb and Taylor’s efforts couldn’t find a chink in the sky blues’ defences. The tactical changes were key to the sky blue’s victory in what was an even battle from start to finish.
Match Statistics
Sydney FC 1 (Simmons 33‘)
Western Sydney Wanderers 0
Premier League – Western Sydney Wanderers 3-1 Sydney FC
The Sydney Derby is always an action-packed fixture and the powerchair football version is no exception. From the first whistle, it was a wave of red and black as Jordan Crane sent a rocket from half-way, smashing through with a spectacular spin to open the scoring in the first minute. Clearly stunned by going behind early once more, Sydney had to endure a flurry of Wanderers’ surges, being pinned down in their own half. The red and black took full advantage with Crane setting up Ben Keyte twice in the space of two minutes, taking advantage of their field position to treble their advantage within 10 minutes.
Most teams would hang their heads when falling to such a deficit so early, but it was a credit to the young sky blues for responding in the best possible fashion. With nothing left to lose, Sydney fought back from the kick-off, managing to find some field position and launching into an attack of their own. Daniel O’Brien sent the ball through to Fletcher Ball who tucked it between the posts for a rapid response.
That was as far as the goal scoring went for the remainder of the match, with Keyte unable to find a third to seal a hat-trick and the sky blues unable to find a further response. Holding out the Wanderers for the remaining 30 minutes of the match was a strong achievement for the young side, but it was the red and black who converted a dominant start into three points.
Match Statistics
Western Sydney Wanderers 3 (Crane 1’, Keyte 7’ 8’)
Sydney FC 1 (Ball 10’)
Reserve Grade – Newcastle Jets 2-0 Hills United
After a tightly fought victory over a competitive Sydney FC side in Round 1, the Newcastle Jets were looking for a more comfortable performance against Hills United. A goalless draw against the Wanderers was well earned the week before, but Newcastle gave the team in yellow no time to settle. Jets’ captain Jake Vidakovic pushed Hills back, battling his way into the box and putting the defence under pressure. Flicking the ball from the left side of the box, Vidakovic found his opening, driving the ball inside the right post for an instantaneous opening goal.
Stunned by going behind so soon, Hills took some time to find a foothold in the match, struggling to gain some territory thanks to the combination of Vidakovic and Jets’ keeper Aseem Soti playing with aggression. Samir Eshani eventually found his range, hitting Finn O’Donovan and Ollie McPhail with some long passes to open the match up. Just as Hills looked to gain more control, the Jets punched the ball long before latching onto a loose Hills goal kick for a dagger blow right before the half, Vidakovic punching the ball right back and sealing his brace.
With the damage done, the Jets were able to play calmly and control the tempo, and despite pushing, Hills couldn’t find the penetration needed to get back into the game. The Newcastle Jets are shaping up as the team to beat in Reserve Grade in 2023.
Match Statistics
Newcastle Jets 2 (Vidakovic 1’ 19’)
Hills United 0
Premier League – Newcastle Jets 1-0 Hills United
Both sides came off completely different matches in Round 1, with the Newcastle Jets having a dominant 4-0 win over the sky blues, while Hills United had to fight off a determined Wanderers outfit to earn a tough point. With Hills regaining their starting goal keeper in Chris Turnbull, a bolstered defence would see Chris Suffield return to the outfield. Not needing any changes themselves, the Jets were looking to build on what was the perfect start to the season.
Early on, it was Newcastle who looked to have the ascendancy, pinning Hills back with a combination of strong passes and eager one on one play, yet Hills’ calm combination of Josh Merkas and Turnbull was a solid wall. Launching a counter attack of their own, Merkas found Suffield lurking on the wing, but a firm pass to Jacob Cross was just tipped away by some desperate defending. Needing something else to find an edge, the Jets brought Luke David on and nearly gained an instant reward. Liolio-Davis found David from a corner, but his shot just snuck past the near post. With match day being a scorching hot one, both sides were glad to have a drink break at the half time interval.
Newcastle came forward with more intent in the second half, using the versatility of David to give him the goal keeper’s bib to ensure the ball remained in their attacking half. This gave Mallows, Cross and Suffield plenty of work to track down passes and opponents. Finally, the crucial chance came, with Ryan Seck finding Chris Hastas for a devastating spin pass which found Liolio-Davis out wide for a delayed spin of his own, placing the ball behind the retreating Turnbull for the winner seconds before the full time whistle. The Jets celebrated their last-gasp victory on top of the table.
Match Statistics
Newcastle Jets 1 (Liolio-Davis 39’)
Hills United 0