Reserve Grade – Sydney FC 1-0 Newcastle Jets
A winless few rounds for the Newcastle Jets had them in a precarious position against the surging Sydney FC. Both teams had a similar goal difference, so snagging a victory in this crucial match-up would send the sky blues to the top, or widen the gap for the Jets once more. A real six-point match was a tantalising prospect, and it was clear from how both sides set up that this game was truly important. Opposing centres, Shannon Anlezark for Sydney and Jake Vidakovic for Newcastle looked to find their wingers, but more often than not, the play descended into one on one tussles. The defensive prowess of both sides was clear to see, with the able assistance of Aseem Soti for the Jets and an all-around effort from the sky blues kept scores level as half-time came and went.
With 20 minutes gone, the contest was set to tighten up substantially, the passing lanes being shut down and each effort under more and more pressure. Keeping the status quo would leave Newcastle with an advantage in the final third of the season, so the sky blues were the team who wanted to shake things up even more. Anlezark continued to feed his wingers promising balls, and finally Harry Simmons was able to find an opening to surge forwards. Fighting through defenders, the young attacker found the gap he wanted and scored a crucial goal with 10 minutes or less remaining. With the crucial advantage, the sky blues were able to shut down the match and stifle any chances the Jets had with a composed resolve, surging to the top of the table. Leading into the final break of the season, Sydney were finding form, while the Jets needed to rediscover it.
Match Statistics
Sydney FC 1 (Simmons 31’)
Newcastle Jets 0
Premier League – Newcastle Jets 4-0 Sydney FC
As the form team in the competition over the last month, the Newcastle Jets were in a prime position to set up their run towards another title, but up against them was a Sydney FC team fresh of their first victory of the season. Both teams had strikes in the first 10 minutes in the prior round, but the early play from the Newcastle side had been devastating of late. Ryan Seck found his captain, Dimitri Liolio-Davis in the early stages, the combination reaping an instant reward before an increase in pressure from the Jets following their opener saw James Kim, the goal keeper, preventing a counter attack and finding Liolio-Davis for his second. His fine form saw Liolio-Davis streaking into double digits for goals scored on the season only for Seck to find him once more before the half to seal an impressive first half hat-trick.
Finding themselves in a considerable hole at the interval was something the young sky blues would not have been happy with, but the Jets refused to give them time to fight back. Luke David came on from the bench to add extra firepower and another target for Seck, quickly adding a fourth goal for his side and well and truly ending the match as a contest. Still, the final 15 minutes provided an opportunity for the sky blues to test themselves, and the slight drop off in pressure from the Newcastle side allowed the youthful side to link up with some aggressive passing. The Jets have been a difficult side to break down for the entire season, and this proved to be the same in this encounter as well. Taking a small win, the sky blues were glad to prevent any further damage from the rampaging Jets with a more composed final stanza. For the Jets, a dominant performance and their rivals slipping up in prior rounds had them in a commanding position with 5 rounds to go.
Match Statistics
Newcastle Jets 4 (Liolio-Davis 3’ 10’ 18’, David 25’)
Sydney FC 0
Reserve Grade – Hills United 1-1 Western Sydney Wanderers
With the earlier results seeing the order at the top of the table flipped, the Wanderers were in a difficult position where they badly needed a win to remain within touching distance of the top two. A match against the struggling but revitalised Hills United was a vital encounter for the red and black, but the yellow team had proven difficult to break down with the Wanderers yet to register a goal in the match-up this season. This fact was quickly erased when Steve Webb surged into the box after a cagey opening sequence, turning this way and that before darting about Ollie McPhail, the defender’s dogged defending unable to prevent an early goal for his opponents. A dominant 10 minutes from the Wanderers had the Hills side under pressure, and some adjustments with their goal kicks saw them mitigate the pressure and navigate the remainder of the half with no further damage despite some dangerous efforts from Webb and co.
The second half began in a more composed manner from the Hills United team, with Samir Eshani and Lachlan Ninham working together nicely to work the ball upfield. Getting into position was one thing, but Jaxon Taylor and Webb were a difficult duo to break down and strong enough to launch counter-attacking moves from their own box. This led to chances from Julian Pereira and Jonathan Reyes, but the Hills side were determined to fight. Prayaag Sharma exemplified this effort with some powerful challenges, and despite picking up a card, he set the tone for a fast finish. Finally Hills generated a clear cut chance, a rapid passing move seeing Eshani find Ninham for a tidy finish with only 5 minutes to go. Both sides would go home with a hard earned point, but it would be Hills United more pleased with the result, while the Wanderers could have let an opportunity slip by.
Match Statistics
Hills United 1 (Ninham 34‘)
Western Sydney Wanderers 1 (Webb 12‘)
Premier League – Hills United 6-1 Western Sydney Wanderers
Two disappointing results from the two sides looking to chase down the Newcastle Jets in the previous round had this contest looking like a battle for second place and neither side held back in the opening exchanges. The Wanderers were keen to make amends quickly, taking the ball from the kick-off, passing it from side to side before ripping right through the Hills defence. Abdullah Karim found Jordan Crane out wide who crossed to Ben Keyte for a tap in 30 seconds into the match. Not even allowing the red and black to manage their lead, Jacob Cross launched a shot from well inside his own half, the ball curling late to sneak inside the post for an improbable leveller within 2 minutes. Both sides had a few moments to breathe as the match settled into a more regular pattern, and it looked like the red and black had Hills struggling to clear the ball before once again, Cross picked off a Wanderers clearance and scored another from inside his defensive third.
The halftime interval gave both sides a chance to reset, but Cross was in no mood to relax. For the third time, he slammed the ball home from range, this time closer to half-way to seal the most unlikely of hat-tricks from a team who had been struggling to score. The red and black were stunned by the onslaught, and this was the opportunity Hills needed to relax and control proceedings. A few changes from the Wanderers did little to stem the flow, with Cross finding Chris Suffield inside the box from a free kick, the striker rattling the ball between defenders mid-way through the half. Moments later, Cross played a pass out wide for Suffield who played a reverse spin cross across the box for Matt Mallows to finish. Mallows than claimed his brace with another tap in to complete the rout. The final few minutes saw the Wanderers providing some minutes for Taylor and Webb from their Reserve Grade side, leading to some promising moves, but the damage had well and truly been done in a dominant performance from Hills United.
Match Statistics
Hills United 6 (Cross 2‘ 13‘ 23‘, Suffield 31‘, Mallows 32‘ 34‘)
Western Sydney Wanderers 1 (Keyte 1‘)