Round ten of the Bankstown Umbro Premier League was probably our most exciting round of Premier League football to date as we saw both top two teams in the competition drop points as the top of the table begins to tighten up.
The Match of the Round saw a seven-goal thriller as Yagoona Lions knocked over the league leaders in Bankstown Sports Strikers.
Elsewhere, Central Sydney Wolves made it three wins in a row as they defeated Panania Diggers while Georges River Thistle pushed up to fifth position with a win over Padstow United.
Bass Hill Rangers found their first point of the season after they ended all square with Revesby Workers.
Padstow Hornets had the bye in Round 10.
Match of the Round: Yagoona Lions 4-3 Bankstown Sports Strikers
Reserve Grade Score: Yagoona Lions 1-5 Bankstown Sports Strikers
Yagoona Lions came from behind twice to defeat league leaders in Bankstown Sports Strikers as they move one point behind the top of the table.
This week’s match of the round saw all players, referees and spectators stand and observe a minute’s silence before the game for the late passing Zoran Mitrevski who was a former president and life member of Yagoona Lions Football Club as well as a life member of Bankstown Football Referees.
There was a great atmosphere at O’Neill Park to start the match as both teams started fast and looked to battle for possession to gain an early advantage.
The deadlock would be broken in the 20th minute of the match as Strikers Esoghume Dominic found the back of the net to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Going a goal down early into this match looked to spark as ex Bankstown Sports Striker’s attacker, Jamie Bazevski equalised in the 38th minute to bring the game back to 1-1 as the teams went into the sheds at halftime.
The second half was a little quiet as we went with thirty-three minutes with both sides unable to find the winner.
However, in the 78th minute of the match, Bankstown Sports Strikers were given a penalty which Arian Prasad stepped up and converted to give Strikers a 2-1 lead.
Moments later the Lions equalised once again through their number 9, Joshua Briskoski as they game was all square for the second time in this match.
Jamie Bazevski would give Yagoona the lead for the first time in this match as he made it a brace for himself in the 85th minute before Steven Kotevski scored a header off a set piece in the 88th minute which gave Yagoona a 4-2 lead and looked to seal the deal for Yagoona.
Bankstown Sports Strikers in-form Cameron Campisi scored in stoppage time, but it was too little too late as Yagoona Lions knocked over the league leaders 4-3 in a thriller of a match.
Panania Diggers 2-3 Central Sydney Wolves
Reserve Grade Score: Panania Diggers 2-2 Central Sydney Wolves
Central Sydney Wolves made it three wins in a row as they defeated Panania Diggers who suffered their second loss in three matches.
On a cold Thursday night at Kelso Park, both sides were eager for a fast start in a top four clash.
It was the visitors who found the first goal of the match early as Mark Kamara netted his first goal of the season to give Wolves a 1-0 lead early.
Although the match started with an early goal, the game began to settle as Wolves went into halftime with the advantage.
The second half looked to take a turn early into the second half as Panania Diggers started to really dominate the game, creating many chances in the Wolves half.
In the 54th minute of the match, a deflection from Wolves goalkeeper, Cooper Kelly, saw the ball fall into his own net as the scored would be levelled at 1-1.
Panania would then take a deserved lead as their striker Nicholas Vertsonis found the back of the net in the 66th minute of the match as Panania led the game 2-1 with 24 minutes remaining.
Central Sydney Wolves were handed an in-direct freekick in the diggers box which was rolled onto their in-form number 9 Vitor Fernandes Da Guia whose shot found the top left corner of the goal in the 71st minute.
In an exciting match the scores would be all level with just under 20 minutes remaining.
As we headed into stoppage time with nearly the last kick of the game, ex NPL St George City and Bankstown United attacker Kallie Bangura found the back of the net to win the match for Central Sydney Wolves.
The game would end with the visitors knocking over Panania Diggers 3-2 after some late drama.
Georges River Thistle 3-1 Padstow United
Reserve Grade Score: Georges River Thistle 0-4 Padstow United
Georges River Thistle important win over Padstow United sees them back into the top five before their week of in round 11 as they draw the bye.
This looked to be a difficult match for Padstow United as they were without one of their prolific goal scorers Rafa Coutinho for this fixture.
Both teams looked to set up defensively for this match as we looked to be heading into halftime locked up at 0-0.
However, Padstow United’s number 10 Maceon Luc Golder netted his first goal of the season to give the visitors a 1-0 lead going into halftime.
Thistle would come out in the second half firing as they looked to get back into the match at home.
Thistle’s Raywat Harichaikul would equalise in the 50th minute of the match as he brought the score back to 1-1 early into the second half.
This was followed by Thistle’s Jake Cassachia finding the back of the net five minutes later to give the hosts a 2-1 lead.
Thistle continued to pile on the pressure to Padstow United’s defence as they made it three quick goals with Raywat Harichaikul making it a brace for himself in the 60th minute as Thistle’s 3-1 lead had shocked Padstow United.
Padstow United looked to create chances late into the second half but were unable to find a second goal as Georges River Thistle won the match 3-1 after they scored three goals in ten minutes.
Revesby Workers 1-1 Bass Hill Rangers
Reserve Grade Score: Revesby Workers 1-1 Bass Hill Rangers
Bass Hill Rangers managed to pick up their first point of the season as their fixture against Revesby Workers ended all square as both sides look to turn their seasons around in the second half of the competition.
The match had an exciting atmosphere as Revesby Workers celebrated their 60th anniversary on Saturday and they looked up for this match searching for their second win of the season.
Both sides set up very defensively as they both showed improvement in defending their own goal after poor starts defensively to the season.
It was Bass Hill Rangers who found the breakthrough goal in the 32nd minute of the match as Rustam Mia found the back of the net to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
The game went into half time with the Rangers leading 1-0.
It wasn’t long into the second half before Workers had their equaliser as their Number 19, Samuel Thomas finished in great fashion to level the game up at 1-1.
Bass Hill Rangers looked to have more possession and create more chances towards the end of the match, however, both teams were able to break the deadlock as the game ended 1-1.
