Northbridge’s title hopes remain alive after a remarkable fightback at Montview Oval, recovering from three goals down to win 4-3.
Lindfield delivered a dominant performance in the Match of the Round, while Kissing Point continued to apply pressure with another impressive win. Willoughby Dalleys got an important result, and Berowra and West Pymble shared the points in a hard-fought 1-1 draw.
Knox United 1 – 3 Kissing Point FC
Knox United have become the giant killers in recent weeks, but faced their toughest challenge yet against a Kissing Point side that has climbed back into the top two.
After a strong opening at NTRA, it was George Mannion who struck first, finding the net for the third consecutive game to give Kissing Point a deserved 1-0 lead. Knox responded before the break in spectacular fashion, with Ricky Chapagain producing one of the goals of the season with a volley just outside the box to level the contest.
Determined to regain control, Kissing Point came out firing in the second half. Just two minutes after the restart, Timothy Dennis restored their advantage with the go-ahead goal. Lachie Marlin then added a third in the 63rd minute, moving joint top of the Golden Boot standings and putting Kissing Point firmly in command.
The score remained unchanged at 3-1, with Kissing Point strengthening their hold on second place, sitting six points behind Northbridge and continuing to build momentum as title challengers.
North Sydney United 1 – 4 Willoughby Dalleys
Both sides entered this clash sitting 8th and 9th on the ladder, making the three points on offer crucial to climb up the standings.
The opening half at Cammeray was a tight contest, with both teams searching for the breakthrough. It was Dalleys who struck first in the 27th minute, as Thomas Kundevski found the back of the net to give the visitors the lead.
Dalleys carried that momentum into the second half and doubled their advantage soon after the restart, as Andrew Ferrara made it 2–0.
North Sydney United pushed hard to respond, knowing the next goal could shift the momentum of the match. Instead, Dalleys delivered another decisive blow, with Benjamin Morrison extending the lead to 3–0 and putting the visitors firmly in control.
Thomas Kalogerou gave the hosts a glimmer of hope with a goal to reduce the deficit, but any thoughts of a comeback were short-lived. Just two minutes later, James Laming restored Dalleys’ three-goal cushion as they sealed an impressive 4–1 victory.
Dalleys will take confidence from the result as they look to finish the season strong.
Berowra FC 1 – 1 West Pymble FC
Both sides came into this clash looking to halt a difficult run of results after showing promising form earlier in the season, with a valuable three points up for grabs at Berowra Oval.
The opening half was evenly contested, with both teams creating opportunities but unable to find the breakthrough. Neither side could capitalise, and the match went into halftime locked at 0–0.
West Pymble looked to change the momentum after the break, introducing Flynn Covey at halftime – a move that paid immediate dividends. Just four minutes after his introduction, Covey found the back of the net to give the visitors a crucial 1–0 lead.
West Pymble worked hard to protect their advantage and looked set to take all three points home, but Berowra had other ideas. In the 76th minute, sustained pressure forced an own goal to bring the hosts level and set up a tense finish.
Both sides pushed for a late winner as the intensity lifted in the closing stages. Tempers eventually boiled over just before full-time, with both Zac Bovis for Berowra and William Taylor for West Pymble receiving second yellow cards and their marching orders.
Neither side could find the decisive goal, with the points ultimately shared in a hard-fought draw.
Hornsby Heights FC 3 – 4 Northbridge FC
In the next step of Northbridge’s title challenge, they faced Hornsby Heights at Montview Oval. Needing all three points to maintain their advantage at the top of the table, Northbridge entered full of confidence, while Heights sensed an opportunity to land an upset.
The home side delivered a near-perfect opening half. Heights controlled the contest and struck at exactly the right moments, with Oliver Hing and Harry Frederick landing two quick goals ten minutes before halftime to open up a 2–0 lead.
Heights came out after the break and looked ready to finish the fight, extending their advantage to 3–0 just five minutes into the second half through Jamie Matuschka. Northbridge looked down and out, but just as it seemed like Heights had delivered the knockout blow, Benjamin Dreger helped them get up off the canvas through a quick response in the 54th minute.
Just as quickly as they were back on their feet, they were delivering blows of their own with Derek Karapetian striking a quick one-two in the 63rd and 65th minutes to bring Northbridge level. They rode this momentum, with Matthew Chung delivering a fatal blow to Heights in the 72nd minute, leading the game 4-3.
Northbridge showed their professionalism, keeping Heights at arm’s length and seeing out the game 4-3 to claim a crucial 3 points that keep them at the top with a big lead.
The Player of the Round goes to Derek Karapetian, who continued his red-hot form with a quickfire double to help secure a huge three points in the title race. With six goals in his last four matches, he is proving unstoppable in front of goal.
Chatswood Rangers 2 – 7 Lindfield FC
The Match of the Round delivered a huge clash under lights at the fantastic Charles Bean Synthetic. Rain throughout the day created the perfect football setting – a chill in the air, light drizzle falling, and a slick surface that kept the ball moving quickly and made for a fast, exciting contest.
Lindfield got off to a flying start, racing to a two-goal lead inside the opening seven minutes through Matin Abroon and James Ferris. Tom Ventura added a third before Aaron Allan pulled one back for Chatswood, sending the sides into halftime with Lindfield leading 3-1.
The second half began much like the first, with James Ferris striking again in the 47th minute to extend the advantage. Ferris completed his hat-trick in the 75th minute, while Luke Ventura and Harry Gleeson also found the scoresheet.
Euan Spiers scored the final goal of the match for Chatswood, but Lindfield’s dominant display saw them run out convincing 7–2 winners. Lindfield now have four wins in a row and will be feeling confident as they take on Northbridge next week.
League Table
