Marconi Stallions 2 Blacktown City 1
A sparkling performance from Jaydaleah Browning guided Marconi to a slender victory in a hot and humid pre-season encounter in Bossley Park on Sunday. An early goal from Amber Mitchell and a shot from distance from Faith Bugeja had Marconi in the driving seat at half time. A stirring late revival from Blacktown saw them come close to snatching an unlikely draw, Rachel Fry scoring from the spot with two minutes remaining but City were unable to fashion an equaliser. An intriguing hit out for both teams, and plenty of questions to be asked as both squads take shape ahead of this inaugural Girls Youth League Under 18 Division 2 season.
There was absolutely no notion coming into this game of what to expect, such is the new-ness of the Under 18s competition, and the uncultured hoof upfield into the wind from the kick off by Blacktown gave nothing further away. Marconi had the first half-chance, Browning releasing Mitchell on the left, but the speedy winger was closed down. The visitors were content to take a risk playing out from the back, the type of heart-stopping football that fans are universally uncomfortable with, and when goalkeeper Courtney Mackenzie gifted the ball straight to Browning with a scuffed clearance, it was a surprise that it wasn’t returned with interest, the lively sriker closed down without getting a shot away.
Dominique Ashton delivered a searching ball through the gap to give City a first chance on goal, Zoe Thompson firing just wide of the post. Lujain Gad had a good chance for the hosts, but Mackenzie made a smart save, the teams trading shots but not finding that clear-cut opportunity. City were on top, Sarah De Sousa playing in Thompson, whose shot was well saved down low by goalkeeper Aesha Rosas. City won a series of corners, first Emily Jackson with great work up the left, then Liliana Waterhouse made the same run up the same wing with the same result. One corner by Ashton found the head of Thompson, but the effort lacked power and was easily saved.
Just as Marconi looked to be turning the screw, Angelica Conate won the ball in midfield to feed De Sousa, who took on her defender to shoot, the ball deflected behind for a corner. Again, there was little joy from the set-pieces. At the other end, Matilda Egan’s free kick in a good position was neither a shot nor a cross and City survived a scare. Marconi broke the deadlock soon after though when Sienna Bell was penalised for hand ball wide on the Marconi right. Sofia Fragomeli launched a long ball into the box, the marking was non-existent and Mitchell was allowed time and space to hook the ball goalwards; Mackenzie got a good hand to it, but the ball fell into the net and the Marconi players rushed to celebrate the opening goal.
The game was paused for a much-needed drinks break, the game restarting with a kick off, and Marconi’s Browning continued to terrorise the City defence down the left. A robust foul by Bell then gave Marconi a second opportunity from the same position as the goal, but this time Mackenzie watched the ball into the side-netting. Mia Photiades had difficulty bringing a bouncing ball under control in the City defence, and Browning nipped in, but a glorious opportunity in front of goal was blazed over the bar.
City were struggling with their throw-ins, each one frustratingly intercepted, and were at times playing with three at the back as the players tried to find their positions. All of a sudden it was 2-0, and City couldn’t clear the ball, allowing Bugeja to thrash a shot goalwards from distance. The ball sailed over Mackenzie for an outrageous goal and Marconi were now in full command of this contest.
City rallied, sensing that the game was getting away from them, Mikayla Gadd firing in a shot from distance that went close. Goalkeeper Rosas was winding up the opposition, flopping onto the ball at every opportunity à la Jordan Pickford, but she was having a steady game and always in control. City, on the other hand, looked lost at sea, unable to play out from the back, turning into trouble and persistently taking one touch too many to lose the ball in midfield. A corner from Arbolino wasn’t dealt with after Mackenzie came to punch, and Angelina Putrus fired over when well-placed.
The first-half action concluded when Thompson cut inside and then out, firing in a shot that just cleared the corner of post and bar to oohs from the crowd. A difficult first period concluded, and Blacktown City had work to do in the changing rooms to iron out the kinks in their transition from defence to midfield.
The stiff breeze continued to play its part, and Marconi would have to deal with it in the second half. City went on the attack, Aurelia Smith and Emilie Chandran combining on the left, Gadd electing to shoot when a cross was perhaps the obvious option. At the other end, Browning played in Eden Babakian, who got to the ball first ahead of the on-rushing Mackenzie, but the wily City goalkeeper blocked with her feet to save a certain third Marconi goal. Mitchell blasted the ball wide of the right hand post when she found space out wide, and at this stage the visitors looked devoid of invention, coming out second-best in most duels and proving too slow to make decisions going forward.
Egan showed us how not to take a free kick, reeling in disgust at her own effort as the ball sailed harmlessly out of play on the left and that spurred on the visitors, Jackson slipping a great ball through for De Sousa who raced away to shoot wide of the post. The appearance of Lara Green for the visitors brought some fresh impetus, although there was an element of rustiness to much of the Blacktown play.
City pushed forward looking for goals and started to relax. Jackson swept in a corner that almost paid dividends. At the other end, Jackson was dispossessed, Kitching and Babakian colliding in the area, and the vocal home crowd bayed for a penalty that was never going to be awarded, Babakian too quick to go to ground. The final drinks break was a final opportunity to relay instruction to the players and the final quarter of the game was very open. Browning swivelled beautifully to fire in a shot but Mackenzie saved well. Then Thompson released Green but the roll on the pristine artificial surface took the ball through to the keeper.
Smith tried her luck from the edge of the area, the ball sailing wide, then Green blazed her way up the right, Thompson’s shot was well saved, and De Sousa just couldn’t turn in the rebound under pressure. Another Green raid up the right saw her cross headed goalwards by the unlikely attacking figure of Kitching who had stayed forward, and the ball landed on the roof of the net.
Browning was shoved to the ground for a free kick in a dangerous position, but the effort was easily fielded by the calm presence of Mackenzie. Jackson then delivered a corner that saw Kitching collide with the Marconi goalkeeper Rosas with a meaty crunch, Kitching showing concern for her adversary after a thumping collision. Blacktown finally reduced the arrears as the game approached full time. A good run from Thompson eked a corner from the Marconi defence, and when Jackson’s corner was cleared, Thompson picked up the pieces on the edge of the box and her trickery took her past her player, before being wrestled to the ground. The penalty may have been fortuitous, but Fry stepped up with supreme confidence to place her expert spot kick to the keeper’s left to bring the score to 2-1. There was just enough time for Thompson to fire a cross in which Waterhouse smashed over the bar; with Marconi’s game management on point, the remainder of the game was spent fetching the ball for throw-ins and the final whistle was received with an element of relief by the players of both teams, keen to get out of the oppressive conditions.
Blacktown City had battled well in the second half and shown more intent than their unflattering first half. Whilst this was a pre-season encounter with no points at stake, it was a game played in conditions conducive to the early rounds of the season. The lethargy shown in the first period will be a concern, the inability to make a pass stick coming out of defence and the slow decision-making in midfield can be put down as pre-season stiffness, and what was evident today was that this team will not be able to rely so heavily on the breakaway goal. The Under 18s competition should be strong, and whatever magic formula was in play in the victorious Under 16s team of last season is going to need a sprinkle of another exrta-special ingedient to compete at this level.
Today belonged to Jaydaleah Browning though, head and shoulders above her peers, and looking like a real prospect ahead of an exciting season.
Well done to both teams for a game played in good spirit in tough conditions, and we look forward to seeing two close contests during the 2025 season. More to come next week if the weather forecast is kind, Camden Tigers away on grass will be a different proposition altogether.
Note : With pre-season games not recorded on the Football NSW website, it is difficult to know who was who on the Marconi team. If you can help correct any of the names, let me know! This was pure guesswork!