For the first time in many weeks, every match was able to be played in the two flagship competitions.
It was a mixture of blow-outs and tight contents, with a number of positions on the table up for grabs.
Bill Brackenbury Cup
Goals, goals, and more goals was the story of the day in the Bill Brackenbury Cup. One player scored four goals in a losing effort while another scored seven goals over the weekend.
LFC Sports 4-6 Balmain DFC
Balmain came in looking to consolidate a position in the upper half of the table after a 2-0 victory against Enfield last time out. Lakemba performed very strongly last season so the team was aware of their attacking prowess, and both teams knew they were in for a good battle.
There was a frantic start to the game with LFC Sports scoring from kick-off through Francesco Giannetto before Balmain equalised in the second minute through Benjamin Ferreira.
That set the tone for a game with a lot of attacking thrust and general defensive disorganisation.
Ryan Chomphunut scored Balmain's second after a brilliant run by Ferreira, before turning in a shot after a brilliant assist from James Pepper for Balmain's second.
Chomphunut completed his first half hat-trick when he won and converted a penalty.
Despite a 4-1 lead, LFC Sports gave themselves some hope when Giannetto scored his second to make it 4-2 at the break.
The goals kept flowing in the second half with Giannetto scoring twice in quick succession to take the game to 4-4. Balmain then lifted to get a foothold back in the game with Chomphunut's back post header off a Liam Denver free kick put the away team up 5-4.
Chomphunut added a fifth off an Alexi Barnstone through ball to cap off a hectic game with a 6-4 Balmain win.
Cooks River Titans 7-0 Burwood FC
It was a must win game for Cooks River Titans if they wanted to cement themselves in the top four. They were up against a Burwood FC team that were missing some players from their squad had only won a single game all season.
Cooks River were able to move into third place on the ladder with a dominant performance.
Titans took the lead early in the first half with a long range chest and half volley from Nicholas Dimakos and after that the flood gates opened for a scoring spree from Cooks River.
John Argyris scored just before the break with Dimitri Aronis getting a second half hat-trick along with strikes to David Da Cruz and Daniel Curro.
APIA Leichhardt 1-4 Balmain DFC
Balmain came into the game as strong favourites after two wins on the trot – including one only a few days prior. Feeling confident, they looked to extend their winning streak against an APIA Leichhardt team struggling to get away from the bottom of the table.
Playing on the beautiful lambert park pitch under lights, the game played out as might have been expected, with Balmain dominating possession and APIA looking to hit on the counter-attack.
Both teams initially tried to take control of the ball but Balmain gradually wrestled control of the ball and the game, stringing together some passing moves before Sebastian Ferreira put a cross on the plate of Ryan Chomphunut, who made no mistake in opening the scoring.
Sebastian Ferreira then repeated the feat after a neat one-two with Alexi Barnstone, teeing up chomphunut for his second. Balmain kept pushing for a third but went into the half up 2-0.
It was much of the same into the second half with Balmain dominating possession and APIA looking to hit on the counter.
Liam Denvir took a stroll into the area, winning and then converting a penalty to put Balmain up 3-0.
Balmain appeared to be cruising but a Griffin Taylor own goal in the 80th minute set up a nervy finish before Chomphunut settled the nerves in the 88th minute with a dagger on the counter to complete his hattrick and seal a 4-1 win for Balmain.
It was his seventh goal of the weekend.
Marrickville 0-4 Enfield
It was a straight forward affair for Enfield as they disposed of bottom-of-the-table Marrickville with ease.
A hat-trick to Anthony Foti and a second minute strike from Adrian Livio did the job. Marrickville had a single one-on-one chance in the match but were unable to convert.
Hurlstone Park 2-1 Inter Lions
Neither club was able to supply match information in time for publication.
Grace Martin Trophy
All games this week were decided by only one or two goals, displaying the close nature of the competition.
Concord B 2-1 Cooks River Titans
This was a highly anticipated contest between two teams who were battling for the third position on the ladder.
It was Concord’s first game of a double-header weekend, and both Concord and the Titans were low on player numbers.
The first half started with numerous stray passes with the mid-afternoon sun impeding the players’ vision not helped by the two jersey colours that looked similar in the Autumn light.
The game was evenly poised for most of the first half, with both sides creating half chances that were not converted to goals.
However, in the 27th minute a quickly taken throw in by the Titans caught the Concord defence napping, and the ball eventually passed along the goal mouth for a Claire Whitehouse tap-in to take the lead.
Cooks River celebrations were short lived however, when, one minute later Concord moved the ball through the centre of the field and Ellen Wlodarczyk found Michaela Bourbous in the 18 yard box. Bourbous turned and had her initial shot blocked by a defender but was able put her laces through the loose ball to drive it above the keepers outstretched fingers and beneath the cross bar to level the score at 1-1.
Although the rest of the first half remained scoreless, both sides continued to create chances. Of note were the runs by Steph Malik down the right flank, combining with Concord’s wingback Natalie Lopes to create scoring opportunities and constant headaches for the Titans defence and goalkeeper. Additionally, Concord’s keeper Bec Eldridge kept her composure to thwart and diffuse Titans attacks to ensure that the first half ended 1-1.
The second half saw the home team on the front foot, with Concord’s midfield strengthened with Eldridge moving back into her natural position.
Their ball movement were almost rewarded on many occasions with shots either being saved by the acrobatics of the Titans keeper or missing the post by a whisker. These chances included 20 yard shots by Amy Falson, Arzu Tasdemir, Bourbous, and Wlodarczyk - and a solo run by Bourbous that marginally missed the left post when she shot with oncoming keeper blocking majority of the goal.
On the 67th minute, Eldridge was fouled about 30 yards from the goal, centre field. After having to fight off couple of the Concord players to take the free kick, Eldridge lined up the shot and connected sweetly to see the ball sail over the Titans wall and drop just below the cross bar to take Concord into the lead.
For the next 30 minutes Concord’s defence was put under a lot of pressure, as Cooks River moved the ball well, creating many chances, however the goal scoring opportunities were kept to a minimum by defenders Lucinda Ward, Olivia Femia, Alana Carling and Kyla Gray.
Although on two occasions, Titans created clear chances with the attacker left with the Concord keeper to beat, these goal bound shots were both blocked by the well placed Amanda Coral, ensuring that Concord’s lead remained intact.
Concord A 1-0 Strathfield
On a brisk and sunny Sunday afternoon at Strathfield Park, what transpired in the Grace Martin Trophy provided an insight into just how close the 2022 competition is becoming. It would take a single swing and turn of a ball that would decide this tight contest.
The synthetic field was immaculate and the game started with an open midfield contest. Some tremendous football was on show by the Strathfield FC team only to see Concord return fire with their version of how to take control.
Concord possibly shading the home team for the first half with defences from both teams playing particularly well.
With under 10 minutes remaining in the first half, amongst lots of traffic in the Strathfield penalty box Chelsey Johnson chipped over the keeper and broke the deadlock.
The second half continued the same vein as the first half with attacks from both sides halted by tenacious defence. Despite one tackle on the Strathfield keeper which resulted in the ball trickling past the left-hand post and a close range shot by Strathfield at the other end there were no further goals.
Enfield 0-1 Concord B
It was a bitterly cold match on Monday night with a classic game of two halves.
Enfield had a full team and three reserves with Concord fielding only 10 players with both teams having already played the day before.
It left Concord with a titanic battle to maintain their top three spot.
As soon as the opening whistle blew, Enfield dominated the game with their extra player advantage, moving the ball at will and using overlap runs to find themselves behind Concord’s defence for plenty of scoring opportunities.
However, every Enfield shot was either stopped by Concord’s goal keeper, Olivia Femia, or just off-target.
Concord appeared to be fighting a losing battle as their players were tiring and they were glad to hear the whistle blow for half time with the scores at 0-0. The halftime score line felt like a small win for Concord, but a huge frustration for Enfield.
With some changes to Concord’s formation to free up Ellen Wlodarczyk in the second half, Concord were able to control the midfield and the game at the same time.
Even with 10 players and at various stages only having nine players due to injuries, Concord were able to dominate the second half.
The Concord players were fighting for every ball and closing down the Enfield players at every opportunity, one would have been tricked into thinking Concord were the team with the extra players throughout the second half. This was achieved by the momentous field coverage each Concord player had to make to turn defence from deep in their half into attack.
At the 50th minute, a low hard cross by Wlodarczyk was just out of reach of the Enfield goalkeeper and was met by Steph Malik with an open goal, but her shot narrowly missed the left post.
Malik’s predatory instinct was rewarded at the 57th minute when Arzu Tasdemir took a quick throw in near the Enfield’s goal line, which was controlled by Michaela Bourbous, who turned on the inside of a defender and crossed into the Enfield goal mouth to be tapped in on the volley by Malik for Concord to take the well-deserved lead.
Concord were not settled on the single goal and continued to intense pressure with more goal scoring opportunities from shots by Amy Falson, Bourbous, Tasdemir and Wlodarczyk.
This was complimented by Concord’s defence holding their line with the pace of Natalie Lopes and Lucinda Ward preventing Enfield’s attackers from cutting into 18 yard box, and forced to cross or shoot from distance into the safe hands of the Concord’s keeper Amanda Coral.
Coral was at her best completing some Starsky and Hutch rolls after some of her saves. Concord’s defence was also grateful that Bec Eldridge worked tirelessly and dropped back to help, and was instrumental in stopping a number of Enfield’s attacks through the middle.
The game ended at 1-0 to Concord. The small crowd that put up with the single digit temperatures were not disappointed by the entertaining game.
Leichhardt Saints A 2-0 Hurlstone Park
Neither club was able to supply match information in time for publication.
Balmain A 1-3 Canterbury Juniors
Neither club was able to supply match information in time for publication.
Russell Lea 4-3 Balmain B
Neither club was able to supply match information in time for publication.
Leichhardt Saints B 4-2 Enfield
Neither club was able to supply match information in time for publication.
Feature image credit: Photographed with Love
