Sydney United 58 Lose First Game Of The Season To Bulls

28th March 2022, By Adrian Talevski

Sydney United have suffered their first defeat of the season to Northbridge Bulls in a goal fest at Sydney United Sports Centre in round 4 of the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition. 

It was Sydney United who came out firing in the opening minutes and took the lead in the 7th minute from a penalty. 

Chris Payne was tripped in the box by Eddie Caspers from Northbridge Bulls and it was Payne who then stepped up to place the ball into the bottom right corner even though Bulls’ shot stopper Levi Kaye guessed the right way. 

Shortly after in the 11th minute, United nearly had a double through Yianni Perkatis. It was a well worked end to end passage of play that even the crowd enjoyed but Perkatis’ first time strike just outside the box was merely wide of the post.

The game seamlessly slowed down after those early chances with both sides enjoying spells of possession but neither had nothing to show for it. 

It was evident the Bulls favoured coming down the left hand side, with Jed Drew looking the most dangerous player for Northbridge when he got on the ball. 

The last chance of the half came in the 39th minute for United’s Kyle Cimenti, after Glen Trifiro delivered a near post corner to Cimenti who brought it down to turn and shoot but Kaye was able to deny United doubling their lead before the break. 

At the break, United remain in the lead while Northbridge hadn’t created any real chances yet.

The second half started off with a bang as Rory Jordan from the Bulls hit the left side post after an audacious attempt from a long distance free kick in the 48th minute. 

4 minutes later the Bulls came calling again when half-time substitute Mason Wells found Jordan’s run into the box who then angled his shot across goal, hitting the inside post and in, to bring the score level 1-1. 

United struggled to find a response to the Bulls’ uplifted performance in the second half. 

This proved to be the case when the Bulls took the lead in the 59th minute, through Jordan who just inside the box who skipped past the defender and drove his shot low at the near post beating Danijel Nizic. 

In the 65th minute, Drew doubled the Bulls’ lead by scoring a third goal. Drew came dribbling down the left side of the field into the box, with a cheeky nutmeg to beat his defender and then slot the ball into the bottom right corner. 

At this point Northbridge Bulls are running away with the 3 points without a fight. 

United finally found a response to Bulls dominance in the 71st minute, when Payne scored into an open net after capitalising on Cimenti’s rebounded shot off the post to make the score 3-2, with plenty of time for United to score again. 

Northbridge continued to dominant going forward and it was Diego Bonilla who saw his curling effort just inside the box rattle the crossbar in the 88th minute but a minute later United conceded a penalty, allowing Rory Jordan to score a hattrick and seal the victory for the Bulls 4-2.

Northbridge Bulls definitely turned it up in the second half and have come away with a shocking win other Sydney United.

United with a poor performance but thankfully it is still early in the season with time to change things around, and hopefully bounce back next week away against Blacktown City. 

MATCH STATISTICS

NORTHBRIDGE BULLS: 4 (Jordan 52’, 59’, 89’pen, Drew 65’)

SYDNEY UNITED 58: 2 (Payne 7’pen, 71’)

@ SYDNEY UNITED SPORTS CENTRE

SUNDAY, 27TH MARCH, 2022

3:00PM KICKOFF

Northbridge Bulls

Coach: Mile Sterjovski

20. Levi Kaye, 3. Nathan Dimou (12. Marcus Sparacino 80’), 6. Moudi Najjar (4. Anthony Sparacino 46’), 8. Brodie Clarkson, 10. Rory Jordan, 13. James Cakovski, 14. Charlie Ragg, 15. Eddie Caspers (19. Lachlan Sepping 57’), 16. Oliver Jones, 17. Jed Drew (21. Diego Bonilla, 80’), 18. Michael Ruhs (7. Mason Wells 46’)

Subs not used: 40.Griffin Barry

Yellow Cards: Jones 79’

Red Cards: Nil

Sydney United 58

Coach: Joe Haywood

1. Daniel Nizic,  3. Jordan Roberts, 4. Adrian Vlastelica, 6. Chris Payne, 8. Kyle Cimenti, 9. Patrick Antelmi (15. Tariq Maia 57’), 11. Yianni Perkatis (10. Devante Clut 46’), 14. Andre Agememnonos,  17. Matthew Bilic (13. Jordan Ivancic 75’), 18. Glen Trifiro, 22. Yianni Fragogiannis (5. Anthony Tomelic 75’)

Subs not used: 19. Michael Marcic, 55. Goran Palecek

Yellow Cards: Vlastelica 90+2

Red Cards: Nil

Referee: Craig Fisher

Assistant Referees: Logan Rhys Jones and Samuel Quinn

Fourth Official: Brodie Merchant