Sydney FC’s PlayStation 4 NPL NSW 2 Mens side continued their good form as they accounted for Fraser Park 3-2 at Lambert Park on Saturday night.
The result made it eight straight wins for Rob Stanton’s young brigade and they remain top of the table with just over a third of the season completed.
Sydney jumped out to another good start with an early goal in the 4th minute to Bai Antoniou.
A ball down the channel by keeper Mitch Evans caught the Fraser Park backline square and it was Antoniou that was quickest to react and chase down the opportunity. He outpaced the defence and leapt high to meet the ball at the top of its bounce to head over the advancing keeper for a 1-0 lead.
A quarter of an hour later, Fraser Park grabbed an equaliser when the ball fell kindly in the penalty area to Nikola Todoroski to jab home for the visitors and it was 1-1.
A minute later Sydney FC striker Charles Lokolingoy thought he’d added to his fourteen goal tally with a great header only to be ruled offside and the scores remained level.
In the 25th minute Sydney FC took a 2-1 lead when Antoniou unleashed a 25 metre pile driver free kick which curled around the defensive wall and into the top corner of the net.
Despite being behind, and without possession for long periods of the game, Fraser Park put up a determined displayed in a 4-5-1 formation as they tried to block the mobile Sky Blues midfield and front line.
Their efforts were rewarded just before half time when Todoroski was on target again with a lob over Evans from distance and it was 2-2 going into the sheds.
Stanton did not hold back in his half time talk and Sydney FC came out firing in the second period. The tempo increased along with the patience in possession as Sydney FC probed for any openings with dominant ball possession and slick ball and player movement.
The winner eventually came on the hour mark when Antoniou completed his hat trick with another great leap above the pack to head home for 3-2.
Sydney FC had the best of the remainder of the game and but for some wasted chances in the box could well have extended their lead.
In the end the young Sky Blues prevailed to remain ladder leaders after nine rounds of NPL 2 competition.
Sydney FC 3 (Antoniou 3) defeated Fraser Park 2 (Todoroski 2)
Line Up: Mitch Evans (GK); Nicola Kuleski; Patrick Flottmann; George Timotheou; Brendan Curtis (Juan Zapata); Yianni Spyrakis (C); Chris Zuvela; Daniel Araujo; Bai Antoniou; Charles Lokolingoy (Aaron Avery); Cristian Gonzalez
Subs Not Used: Duro Dragicevic (GK); Mani Gonzalez; Matt Green
Sydney FC play their Round 10 fixture on Saturday, 7th May against Central Coast Mariners at Pluim Park No. 1, Tuggerah Street, Lisarow 6.30pm kick off.
Photo by Corina Dodovski – http://capturedbycorina.com.au/
Sydney FC 2016/17 Memberships on sale June. Register your interest by signing up at http://my.sydneyfc.com
