SD Raiders 0 Blacktown City 1
A hastily rearranged Thursday night fixture at the beautiful Cirillo Reserve in South West Sydney served up one of the most nail-biting games in recent memory as Blacktown City performed the ultimate smash and grab to seal all three points in the Football NSW League One Women’s Under 20s. An early goal by Brianna Tinney was just reward for a fast start, and despite spurning multiple chances in the first half, the score remained 1-0 at the break. A second half of heart-stopping action saw SD Raiders lay siege on the visiting defence, but goalkeeper Amy Harkin was equal to everything, ultimately claiming a fantastic clean sheet in an action-packed win.
Battling the peak hour traffic and arriving relatively late to this fantastic venue was not ideal preparation for this rescheduled washed-out game from the previous weekend, but there was no doubt that Blacktown City were up for this game. The opening moments saw the visitors get right up in the faces of the Raiders defence and hassle them into turning the ball over. Rayann Shahin was the set-piece specialist for the home side and it was her endeavour that set up the first half-chance of the game, Valentina Riquelme firing wide with a snapshot.
Just as it looked as though SD Raiders were settling into the game, they were prised open by a fantasic move from Blacktown. Hayley Reynolds beat three players on a powerful run up the right, she cut into the box and delivered a low ball into the path of Tinney, who didn’t break stride and passed the ball into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, wrong-footing goalkeeper Caitlin Britton for a fabulous opening goal.
Nicola Ciocca then forced a corner with a direct run on the left, the heads went up as the corner arrived in the penalty area, Reynolds got control of the ball with her back to goal and the goalkeeper in close attendance, but couldn’t get a shot away. The game was wide open, Sophia Furia raced up the left beating two City players but ran out of room for the cross, and Shahin teed up Delta Garifalakis for a shot that was straight at Harkin in the City goal.
Lily Thompson played in Tinney with a defence-splitting through-ball but Britton was quickly off her line. The game then paused as an SD Raiders player was stretchered off the field in obvious agony, and the disruption could have unsettled the flow for the visitors.
However, it was City doing all the attacking, pressing the SD Raiders defence at every occasion. Thompson won a free kick in midfield which Annabelle Gerard lifted in dangerously to the far post, Britton dealing with it well. The home team did have a glorious chance when a corner was hoisted into the area, Maya Farrell all alone to head wide, before a great chance fell to City, Thompson just unable to connect falling backwards as the SD Raiders defence went missing.
The home team were masters of their own downfall, unconvincingly playing out from the back and gifting the ball to their opponents. Gerard released Reynolds with a free kick, but she had gone too soon, the offside flag halting her run. Reynolds then flicked the ball in to Tinney, whose shot was well saved by Britton, and Tinney had another chance, Britton out quickly to face her in a one-on-one, but the City striker’s shot was mis-hit and rolled just past the post.
Thompson then took advantage of more suicidal defending but couldn’t get the ball out of her feet right in front of goal and the chance was cleared. The best chance then fell to Sienna Bell, as Tinney beat Britton to the ball and squared it into her path, in front of goal, but the shot went tamely wide with the goal gaping.
The danger of Furia was always evident, and she turned sweetly up the right to cross, but Harkin made the save, and Niamh Nolan did well to force a goal kick off her attacker as she shepherded a through ball away.
Tinney played in Bell but again the offside flag was up, Reynolds then powered past two players with ease, but her left-foot shot from the left side of the penalty area was straight at Britton. Another clear-cut chance then arrived, Reynolds staying onside to race through, but she overran the ball at the wrong moment and Britton saved easily. The half ended with sustained pressure from SD Raiders, Isabella Sultan instrumental in their forward play, but with the score at 1-0 it was City who were disappointed at the break to have squandered some gilt-edged chances to increase that score.
The second half was only a minute old and a sign of the entertainment to come saw Ciocca race on to her own clever header and lay the ball in for Bell, who fired on goal, Britton making a great save from close-range. Immediately at the other end a corner from the right was cleared and Garifalakis blazed over, but play see-sawed City’s way, Tinney playing in Ciocca who crossed, Elodie Nona clearing for the corner. Reynolds then teed up Tinney who missed the target, before Tinney’s deft flick saw Bell romp through and strike a superb shot that whistled past the outstretched hand of Britton and just past the post, the visiting fans in full voice.
Harkin then had a brain explosion, throwing a ball almost directly to the SD Raiders in a dangerous position, but she was quick to pluck the ball out of the air when it was played straight back in. Tinney was fantastic with her hold-up play, bringing in those around her with her tidy touches but a second goal would not come.
Raiders then turned up the heat. Abby Duggan was adjudged to have fouled Sofija Cubrilo and the ball eventually fell for Farrell who played in Garifalakis but her shot was scuffed wide. Still City looked dangerous on the break without reward, Tinney over the top for Ciocca but Britton was smartly out. Her clearance was wayward though, and Ciocca shot on sight, the ball sailing over, a good bit of improvisation that could have caught out the Raiders’ keeper.
The home team were piling on the pressure now, a handball by Paris Kambouris escaped the referee’s attention in a dangerous position, and a mad panic in the City penalty area saw a shot hit straight at Harkin, who couldn’t believe her good fortune to be able to beat away the close-range shot. The moment that had the crowd in a frenzy came courtesy of a free kick for handball right on the edge of the City area, Duggan harshly penalised. Up stepped Shahin, curling the ball over the wall and pinging the bar; the ball was half-cleared and a shot looked to be sailing over Harkin, but she found an extra centimetre to tip the ball over the bar, an absolutely thrilling save.
Duggan then intercepted in a good position and played in Lara Green but Britton was out to smother at her feet. Both City players had yellow cards by now for inoccuous fouls, and were walking a tightrope withe the local referee. Hearts were pumping in the City faithful, as another free kick from Cubrilo was whipped in dangerously, and Harkin was given some rough treatment when forcing the SD Raider striker to make her pick the ball up. The game management had begun, and nerves were frayed. The home supporters were at fever pitch.
The final ten minutes were a rollercoaster. Aurelia Smith broke up the right to cross, but the ball was adjdged to be out, Duggan was adjudged to have fouled her player right on the edge of the box, but Furia’s free kick was headed away. There was a shout for handball as Green crossed dangerously at the other end, and from the resulting breakaway, Duggan raced back to snuff out the danger, outspacing Furia to force a goal kick.
Emily Jackson played in Issy Saunders but Britton was again off her line in a split-second. Smith won a ball in midfield and Green saw Britton off her line, but the speculator from distance was high and handsome – great vision though. Lucia Franulovic was having the game of her life in midfield, always in the right place to disrupt the breaks and win a loose ball, and from her battling, Duggan raced up the left and set up Jackson for a shot that was well saved. Jackson then played in Saunders who shot first time, but the ball was over the bar.
The final whistle was met with confusion, the assistant referee running onto the field to make sure coach Jake Gomez was booked for some antics on the sidelines. The City players were out on their feet, and once they had received a good rev up from their coach, they applauded the travelling fans and made their way to the changing rooms to regale their first away win of the season with a rousing team song.
What a game. Excitement, thrills, incredible saves, fabulous chances, this was reward for the long journey through Sydney’s clogged roads and was a real kick-start to the 2024 season for Blacktown City. SD Raiders felt that they had dominated the second half and they definitely had the clearer chances, but that early goal was the difference in the end between the two teams. What a game! A most exciting match to welcome the colder weather as we approach winter, and a precious three points for the visitors.
Blacktown City now have a quick turnaround and travel to Sutherland on Sunday, who recently picked up their first point of the season – a potential banana-skin. SD Raiders meanwhile travel to new league leaders Mt Druitt Rangers looking to get back to winning ways. Stay tuned for more heart-stopping football from the NPL’s favourite women’s Under 20s team.
Thanks for reading, please do some sharing of this where you can and let’s put the Blacktown City Under 20s on the map. Grainy night-time photos the best I could do this time, hopefully they capture the excitement of a thrilling game, despite the low picture quality. Any tips for night-time shooting most welcome! As always, any inaccuracies, just let me know. Let’s go City!