Manly United and Sydney FC shared points in a 0-0 draw on a chilly Friday night at Cromer Park in a tight 90-minute display of defence.
Touted as the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s ‘Match of the Round’, Manly United played host to Sydney FC with a win for either side set to momentarily catapult them into first place on the ladder.
With an incredible 65 goals between the sides, the early action certainly lived up to the billing as Manly started fast, coming close to an opener in the 4th minute through a Bruno Mendes header that was saved well by Adam Pavlesic.
Although dominating field position, Manly struggled to pierce the Sydney defence early. As the game headed towards the midway point of the half, it was the away side who began to find a way forward through the ever tidy Adam Segecic.
After the contest plateaued with both sides entering into a midfield arm wrestle, it was the away side who created their first real chance in the 33rd minute through Jaiden Kucharski – the forward meeting a pinpoint cross although failing to direct it goal-bound with his head.
With five minutes left in the half it was Finn Ashton who came closest to an opener after his whipped cross into the ‘corridor of uncertainty’ nearly caught Pavlesic out who did well to palm the ball wide.
Manly began the second period as they did the first, dominating field position however to very little avail.
As such, Adam Griffiths turned to his bench in the 53rd minute bringing on Matthew Sim & James Georgaklis in hope of igniting the home side’s attack.
In the 60th minute it was Manly’s defence who came close to conceding after a cheap turn over of possession.
Kucharski, at the heart of it again for Sydney, lashed a low strike that turned goal bound off a deflection however goalkeeper Jack Greenwood was on hand to clean up the mess.
Seven minutes later Sydney’s Clayton Taylor found himself in acres of space out wide.
Taking it up, the midfielder unleashed a low drive from 25 yards that stung the palms of Greenwood as the side began to make inroads on goal.
In the 73rd minute Manly broke clear via a deft Mendes through ball that found Sim clear through on goal.
Steadying himself inside the area, his goal-bound effort was blocked by Hayden Matthews who did well to make up ground on the former A-League midfielder.
In the 85th minute, the Manly faithful went up in arms after Kieran Paull went down in the area.
To their dismay, referee Ben Abraham waived off all claims, headstrong in the decision that Sydney defender Nathan Grimaldi did indeed win the ball fairly.
This would ultimately be the final moment of note in a match that ultimately failed to deliver with a point each a fair result for both sides at Cromer Park.
Match Stats
Manly United FC 0
Sydney FC 0
Friday, 10th June, 2022
Cromer Park, Cromer
Referee: Ben Abraham
Assistant Referees: Jackson Mackie and Emma Kocbek
Fourth Official: Rebecca Mackie
Manly United FC: 2. Kieren Paull, 4. James Oates, 5. Thomas Fay, 7. Seiya Kambayashi, 8. Dominic Ferguson (6. James Georgaklis 53’), 12. Finn Ashton, 15. Kristian Santich (11. Matthew Sim 53’), 18. Lucas Rainbird (27. Hunter Elliott 80’), 19. Alen Aganovic, 20. Jack Greenwood, 22. Bruno Mendes
Substitutes Not Used: 17. Zenden Hart, 24. Mitchell Mattison, 29. Marcus Lal.
Yellow Cards: 2. Kieren Paull 43’, 4. James Oates 78’,
Red Cards: Nil
Sydney FC: 4. Nathan Grimaldi, 6. Aaron Gurd, 9. Ben Gibson (15. Luka Smyth 75’), 10. Jaiden Kucharski, 11. Adrian Segecic, 13. Clayton Taylor (38. Brae Ovens 85’), 14. Jake Girdwood-Reich, 16. Matthew Scarcella (29. Alen Harbas 63’), 18. Oscar Priestman (C), 30. Adam Pavlesic, 37. Hayden Matthews.
Substitutes Not Used: 1. Gus Hoesfloot, 27. Dejan Bakrdanikoski, 33. Zane Schreiber.
Yellow Cards: 29. Alen Harbas 81’,
Red Card: Nil
-By Joseph Esposito
