Marconi Stallions recorded back-to-back 4-0 wins in a convincing victory over 10-man Hills United in round 13 of the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition at Marconi Stadium on Saturday.
The opening 25 minutes of the game was a cagey affair, with both teams struggling to take a foothold, but in the 26thth minute Anthony Frangie came agonizingly close for Hills United with a splendid curled effort only ended up fractionally wide of the goal.
Ten minutes later, the Stallions came even closer when a ball fell kindly to Domenic Costanzo from the edge of the box, but his well-struck effort smashed the upright of the crossbar.
In the 40’sthminute, the game’s momentum changed when United’s top goal scorer, Japanese import Yu Okubo picked up a second yellow card for a clumsy mistimed challenge on Nathan Millgate, leaving the visitors a man down.
Things went from bad to worse only minutes later for Hills United, when a threatening cross from Franco Maya found Stallions’ talisman James Temelkovski, who quite brilliantly and acrobatically volleyed it into the bottom right corner, making it a third successive game in which he’s found the back of the net.
Marconi doubled their lead early into the second half, when a wicked delivery from a Costanzo free kick appeared to miss the head of the incoming Marko Jesic and ended up making it all the way into the back of the net, despite Ryan Wood’s best efforts to keep it out.
A fantastic bit of build-up play on the left flank, particularly between George Daniel and Costanzo, led to a cross from Costanzo, and this was brilliantly headed into the back of the net by Marko Jesic, who is currently making a habit of scoring with his head, making it his third headed goal in the last two games.
The Stallions remained relentless, and with 15 minutes of regulation time left, Temelkovski disposed of Jordan Lane by the corner flag, and eventually pulled it back to Hiroshima Aoyoma on the edge of the box who cleverly faked his shot to take on numerous yellow shirts, before firing it home to make it Marconi’s fourth, and capping off a comfortable win for the home side.
Marconi Stallions’ head coach Peter Tsekenis reflected on his side’s victory.
“I thought we were pretty poor in the first half, and Hills had a good intensity about them.
“Obviously, they got the ten men, we had the lift a little bit to make the difference, and I thought we did that quite well and could have scored a few more.
“I put the challenge to them at half time to make sure we make that extra man a difference, and I thought we did that and did it comfortably.”
Match Stats
Marconi Stallions FC 4 (Temelkovski 44′, Costanzo 50′, Jesic 56′, Aoyama 76′)
Hills United FC 0
Saturday 4 May 2024
Marconi Stadium
Referee: Craig Fisher
Assistant Referees: Nick Gela & Blake Sanchez-Cruz
Fourth Official: Manwel Limnios
Marconi Stallions FC: 1. James Hilton, 2. Nathan Millgate, 4. Anton Mlinaric (3. Cameron Windust 71′), 6. Domenic Costanzo, 7. Franco Maya (16. Liam Youlley 58′), 8. Daniel Bouman (21. Jakov Malbasa 81′), 9. James Temelkovski (14. Dylan Susovic 81′), 10. Marko Jesic, 11. Hiroshima Aoyama, 18. George Daniel, 23. Brandon Vella (29. Luke Raso 71′)
Unused subs: 24. Mackenzie Syron
Yellow cards: Maya 45+1′
Red cards: nil
Hills United FC: 1. Ryan Wood, 4. Brian Jamba, 5. Daniel Petkovski, 9. Yu Okubo, 11. Anthony Frangie (12. Jordan Lane 65′), 13. Cameron Philp (22. Byron Ginn 81′), 15. Noah Casserly , 17. Caleb Jackson-Brown, 20. Thomas Lopez (24. Sunday Yona 65′), 26. Thomas Makko (19. Glen Kelshaw 46′), 27. Nicolai Muller (7. Wade Giovenali 65′).
Unused subs: 31. William Loucas
Yellow cards: Okubo 32′ 40′, Giovenali 84′
Red cards: Okubo 40′
Player Ratings:
3: Domenic Costanzo (MAR)
2: Nathan Millgate (SEA)
1: James Temelkovski (MAR)
By Liam O’Sullivan (@liamdlosullivan)
