Tropical Concord too hot for City

Inter Lions 1 Blacktown Cty 1

A scorching hot day in Sydney’s Inner West made a difficult task even more challenging as Blacktown City were held to a draw by next week’s opening day opponents Inter Lions at Majors Bay Reserve. Leading through a trademark Zoe Thompson strike, the City midfield went walkabout in the second half allowing Giuliana Le Greca to equalise. From then on, the game was anybody’s, but despite some enterprise from both teams as player ran out of steam, there was no winner on the day. A fascinating encounter, and plenty of work to do for both teams ahead of their repeat meeting in seven days’ time.

The Blacktown City players looked relaxed despite a week of turmoil that saw their squad numbers reduced due to late transfer activity; their opponents Inter Lions looked more like a unit, and the pre-match war-cry in the huddle was much more pronounced from the home team. Captain Andrea Michael was involved early on, but it was Thompson who forced the Inter defence into conceding a throw-in on the right so the action could begin. Sarh De Sousa’s pressure won an early corner for the visitors, Rachel Fry swinging in a corner that was half-scrambled away, Thompson giving Inter goalkeeper Kavitha Varatharajan an early test from distance.

Central defensive partnership Montana McCormick and Matilda Ryan had their hands full, but it was Inter who fashioned the first real chance, livewire Bronte Smith making a nuisance of herself up the left to feed Zara Gard in space, but her shot was well wide of the target. City were trying to play the ball around, but the accuracy of the passing was an issue, the ball finding touch instead of the player, Dom Ashton forced to concede a corner on the stretch as Inter looked to find the net early on the game. The football at times was low quality, neither team able to maintain possession or break upfield with any sort of belief, but to be fair the oppressive conditions were not conducive to top-notch running football.

An uncharacteristic giveaway from City captain Courtney Kitching then saw Ashton clatter into her striker on the edge of the area, the watching crowd expecting a penalty, but the referee called a free kick, only to be over-ruled by his assistant who signalled a corner. It was certainly a let-off for the visitors. Good play by Michael saw her tee up Marie Hasapis for a long-range effort that was pushed away smartly by City goalkeeper Courtney Mackenzie.

Kitching then burst out of defence and slid a ball through for De Sousa, who advanced on goal, but her shot was well saved. The resultant corner from Ashton was cleared, but this in turn led to the opening goal. A throw from the left by Emilie Chandon, a deft touch by Emily Jackson to tee up Thompson, and the expert striker did the rest, firing in a shot from outside the area that seared into the net for 1-0. It was perhaps not a reflection on the play at that point, but City had their tails up. Mikayla Gadd checked back on the right and recycled the ball through Aurelia Smith and then on to Jackson, who fired in a shot which was well fielded by the Inter goalkeeper.

A disastrous free kick by City then left spectators scratching their heads as a communication breakdown turned attack into defence – some work is definitely needed on attacking set-pieces. A drinks break was called on 22 minutes, the players gladly accepting the opportunity to cool down and assess their vitals in the horrible humid heat of late summer in Sydney.

When play resumed, Evdokia Papafilopoulos battled well to win the ball on the left and fed Jackson, who fired in a long-range effort that only just cleared the crossbar. Gadd was then sliced down unceremoniously by Renee Penitani after the ball had gone and took some time to get to her feet. Papafilopoulos poked a ball through for Thompson, but the flag was up quickly; Thompson then stole the ball from Eva Milkovic, winning a throw-in. From the resulting throw in, Thompson fed Sienna Bell on the rampage, but her low cross across the face of goal couldn’t be finished off by the incoming cavalry.

Good play by Fry on the left then set up Thompson for a shot, but she was well closed down by the alert Lions defence. Papafilopoulos then pounced on a loose backpass, the shot deflected wide for a corner. Fry’s delivery was superb, Papafilopoulos just unable to steer the ball in on the volley. A swift throw-in from Chandran then saw Papafilopoulos turn beautifully to set up Thompson, but the shot flew past the post. The half ended with City in possession, Thompson controlling well to set up Bell, but her effort summed up the first half, scuffed harmlessly along the ground.

A change of ends and a change of scene, the advantage of the breeze now with the hosts, and Inter Lions brought on goalkeeper Sienna Froggatt. The home team were straight on the attack, Michael playing in Madeleine Cheng, but the ball ran out of play. Blacktown’s Papafilopoulos was looking lively and she turned her defender and was held back, the referee spotting the shirt pull and awarding a dangerous free-kick in a central position. Alas, the set-piece malaise that had blighted City’s first half saw Ashton place a shot well wide of the goal and Inter were given a let-off.

Penitani was set free on the right and her pace took her through on goal, Kitching in hot pursuit, but the shot was blazed past the post, and again Penitani raced up the left hand side and flashed a cross in that was bundled wide at the far post. At the other end, Fry intercepted a casual ball across the back to feed Thompson, but the shot was easy for Froggatt. All of a sudden it was 1-1; Blacktown were caught short in midfield, the home team swarming forward, and Cengigh was given way too much time to pick her spot, Mackenzie beaten by the pace of the shot and the Inter players celebrating their fortune with the scores now level.

The pace of Penitani was causing City many problems, and from one of her many raids, Michael played in La Greca whose shot was well saved by Mackenzie. Inter Lions looked the most likely to go on and win the game at this stage, but Bell had other ideas, marauding up the right hand side to be taken out with an off-the-ball shoulder charge. The free-kick from Ashton was whipped in towards the incoming attackers, De Sousa being held as she went for the ball, but there was no intervention from the officials as the ball flashed across goal and out for a goal kick. La Greca was then free on the left, but the cross was dealt with by Kitching, and McCormick drilled in a long-distance effort that flew wide of the goal. The game was scrappy now, both teams starting to run out of energy in the horrible conditions, and a second drinks break was most welcome for the players and referees to recharge for one last push.

The visitors were reinvigorated when play resumed. De Sousa embarked on a great run up the left to win a corner, but a series of corners paid no dividends. Papafilopoulos then played in Jackson but her low shot was palmed away. Papafilopoulos and De Sousa then combined to set up Fry, her effort just wide of the goal. City were winding up for the big finish; Bell stole the ball on the right and whipped in a cross that Froggatt did well to smother, and a throw-in on the right saw Fry and Jackson combine, Jackson beating her player but the shot curling away past the far post.

Bronte Smith continued to be a danger for Inter Lions on the left, but the end product wan’t there. Bell was running on empty but still managed to dart up the right on a powerful run, but her cross was cut out, leaving her on the ground in a sweaty mess. The home team then had a good opportunity, Zoe Gibson’s run cut out by Kitching for a corner, but any late drama, with the home team stacking the penalty area, was denied when the corner found the side-netting.

There was time for one last foray for Blacktown, and what a moment it was. Echoes of Maradona in the Mexico World Cup as Jackson picked up the ball inside her own half. Off she ventured, into the Inter half, weaving past challenges, shimmying past players, and time stood still for a moment as she carved a route into the penalty area. Just as the City midfield maestro shaped to shoot, two defenders lunged in and forced the ball away for a corner to deny what would have been an outrageous conclusion to the game.

With both teams profligate from corners today, that was the last action and the referee brought the torment to a close, two depleted and sizzled teams relieved to be ending ninety minutes of torture and heading into the changing rooms to escape the relentless summer sushine.

A final pre-season hit out for both sides, and we reconvene here next Sunday for the opening fixture of the inaugural GYL Under 18s season. There will be lessons learned from this game, none more than the lack of stamina from City; despite the challenging conditions, it was Inter Lions who coped better with the sapping heat and that was a factor in the game turning after the break in their favour. We also saw players turning their backs on the ball, missing out on opportunities to intercept, and coupled with misjudged headers and set-piece impotency, these were facets of the City performance that suggested a big week of training ahead.

The season starts here. With the shirt presentation on Thursday night ahead of the opening fixture on Sunday, excitement levels will be peaking, and we look forward to seeing our girls excel on and off the field this year.

Thanks for reading. Shout out to Nichola for clarifying the Inter Lions team numbers – the team sheet was a little difficult to follow! If there are any other inaccuracies and spelling mistakes, these can be changed at the press of a button. I await the inevitable messages and I thank you for your interest!

Tigers caught behind the eight ball

Camden Tigers 0 Blackown City 8

Blacktown City’s pre-season preparations took an interesting turn on Sunday when they went goal crazy at Ron Dine Memorial Reserve. Once Liliana Waterhouse had popped the cork midway through the first half, the goals flowed against Camden Tigers, Courtney Kitching, Sarah De Sousa and Dominique Ashton also on target before the break. Any chance of respite for the beleaguered home team in the second half was dashed when Zoe Thompson scored twice, and Lara Green and Waterhouse again added their own embellishments to the scoreline before the end. A gameplan that may have been better served during the season, City at least now know that they have goals in them with the GYL2 season just around the corner.

When the Camden Tigers huddle only had ten players, with shouts to the bench to get another player on, the signs were ominous. Goalkeeper Natalya Robertson and central defensive pairing Matea Saba and Charlotte Warner were in for a busy afternoon in the late summer sunshine, but they were relaxed and made it look easy early on. Robertson fielded a weak shot by Waterhouse, Evdokia Papafilopoulos was putting herself around in the challenge for City, but Camden looked comfortable.

A superb ball from midfield by Aurelia Smith for Rachel Fry to run on to was a sign of things to come. Emily Jackson then launched a long ball for De Sousa to sprint on to, but Robertson was quick off her line to deal with the danger. Mikayla Gadd and Waterhouse combined well up the right, but the impetus was interrupted when an injury stopped play on the Camden left. The Tigers took the initiative and sprung attacks up both wings, Alice Stephenson up the right and the lively Annabelle White on the left. That was only to be a brief break from the Blacktown attacks.

Jackson released Emilie Chandran on the burst up the left, and when she combined with Fry, the cross was good but dealt with well by Robertson. Gadd played in Waterhouse, but the ball ran away from her, and then Chandran embarked on a lung-busting run upfield, creating a shooting opportunity for Papafilopoulos but the ball flew past the post. De Sousa was having trouble measuring the through balls, and Camden attacked, Hayley Purkiss and Diana Maracic combining well with no end result.

Could City make the breakthrough with their domination of the possession stats? Jackson’s ball through for Chandran was exquisite, but the flag was up and the Blacktown players knew they had to be patient. Sure enough, when Thompson and Fry combined on the left, Thompson fired in a cross-shot that fell perfectly for Waterhouse, and despite calls for offside, the assistant referee waved play on and the City flyer finished well past Robertson to open the scoring.

Camden hit back immediately, Qynesha Riley bursting through on goal when the Blacktown defence coughed up possession, and it took a sensational tackle, Kitching launching herself out of nowhere, to block the shot and goalkeeper Courtney Mackenzie was relieved to see the ball out for only a corner. Jackson then advanced up the left and delivered a cross that was controlled by De Sousa, and with an intricate turn to wrong-foot her defender, she got the shot away, but Robertson pushed the ball away for a corner. Fry’s excellent corner hung in the air, the Camden defence was static as Kitching was the only player tracking its flight and her bullet header from close range at the far post nestled in the net for 2-0. City were now in command.

Thompson slipped a ball through for Smith, whose shot was in vain with the offside flag raised, and at the other end, Riley went on a searching run up the left, but was marshalled well. Blacktown pounced again, Gadd’s superb through ball sent De Sousa away for a one-on-one with Robertson, and despite getting a hand to the shot, the ball bounced into the net for 3-0.

The source of much of City’s attacks, Jackson then slipped in a glorious ball for De Sousa but Robertson was quick to clutch the dangerous cross and snuff out another chance. Camden then enjoyed a period of pressure, Purkiss raiding up the right but Chandran scrambled the ball away. A free kick from Stephenson caused alarm in the Blacktown penalty area, and White’s ball for Riley sent her clear, but the cross was blocked. De Sousa then raced up the right and delivered a tasty cross for the incoming Green, but the close-range effort was bundled away. Robertson then gifted the ball to Ashton, whose shot was blocked, and Jackson smashed the ball wide from the rebound.

Camden were consistently offside, such was the high line of the Blacktown defence, but Riley slipped away up the left and cut inside, but Olivia Sleap’s last-ditch tackle saved a certain goal. Green and Ava Carney were having their own battle royale on the City left as City ended the half strongly, Ashton racing away up the right hand touchline. When her cross was cleared, she picked up the rebound and tried again, the floated cross becoming a shot as it swirled in the air, and the hand of Robertson was in vain as the ball looped into the net for a freakish fourth goal. Ashton will tell us it was a shot, and if it was, it was a good finish.

Blacktown 4-0 up at the break, and dominating possession. Would the breeze have a factor in the second half and bring Camden back into the game?

No it wouldn’t. Thompson looked hungry as the second half started with Blacktown in attack, battling well on the left to win a ball, and then unlucky to see Ashton’s through ball find the hands of the out-rushing Robertson. When Green advanced out of defence, the Camden defence was caught flat and the precision through ball sent Thompson clear on goal. She still had a lot to do, but waited for Robertson to commit and went around the exposed goalkeeper to roll the ball ito the empty net for 5-0, an expert finish from a striker in form.

Eva Russell then appeared to pass the ball back to her goalkeeper who picked up the ball. De Sousa was convinced it was the true definition of a backpass and appealed, leaving a shoulder in on Russell and earning a ticking off from the referee for her over-exuberance. Green then teed up Jackson for an effort on goal, but the shot was just wide. Camden then found some possession at the other end, White battling well to win a corner, then Maracic and White combining, but Mackenzie plucked the ball out of the air to avert the danger.

Blacktown then fashioned almost a carbon copy of the fifth goal, Green coming out of defence with her head up, and when Thompson made the run, Green’s expert through-ball sent her away on goal, and she fired the ball low past Robertson with a first-time shot under pressure to bring the scoreline to 6-0. Stephenson then took out Papafilopoulos for a free kick on the left, but Jackson’s free-kick amounted to nothing and a good chance went begging. Green was then taken out by Maddison Mackenzie, the free kick played into the penalty area but the flag caught City offside. The series of free kicks continued when Gadd took down Purkiss on the Camden left, and Stephenson’s curled effort was not far past goalkeeper Mackenzie’s left hand post as she watched it wide.

Thompson controlled the ball dropping back in midfield and returned the favour to Green, racing up the left. She had a lot to do and, despite a suspicion of offside, outfoxed her defender to cut inside and drilled a low shot inside Robertson for an excellent goal, the score blowing out to 7-0 with no sign of City easing the pressure. Camden’s offsides in attack were frustrating, while at the other end, the Green / Thompon combination was beating the offside trap, this time Thompson firing just wide.

Charlotte Warner was forced into goal when Robertson limped off, and City attacked, Chandran out to Waterhouse and her long-range effort was brilliantly saved by the newly installed Warner. A shot from De Soua was then palmed wide. The corner from Fry caused an almighty scramble, but the ball fell to Waterhouse, who thrashed the ball into the roof of the net from an acute angle to make it 8-0. Jackson squeezed a through-ball in for De Sousa who won a corner off Warner. Fry’s corner kick was palmed over for another corner from the other side, this time the ball met by Kitching with a thumping header that smacked off the crossbar in one of the game’s most thrilling moments.

Jackson then cut inside and stung the palms of the busy Warner, Papafilopoulos was played in by Fry but couldn’t beat Warner, and then Smith lined up a long-range shot when the corner was cleared, but the ball sailed wide of the post. Gadd then played a superb through ball for Papafilopoulos, but Warner was out in a flash to smother. City were finishing with a flourish, but the last word went to the home team, Purkiss getting a rare shot on goal with the last kick of the game, but the ball went past the post and the final whistle brought the game to its conclusion.

What did we learn today in this pre-season encounter? We definitley saw Thompson at her devastating best in front of goal, Kitching was dominant in the air all day and Jackson was the pivot in midfield whose vision was the source of much of the Blacktown attacking play. The final game of pre-season next weekend should present more of a test as City head to Majors Bay Reserve for a season-opener dress-rehearsal against Inter Lions. Will they go for the jugular again, or will this be a final chance to try new patterns ahead of the opening day at the beginning of March? Whatever the case, this season is shaping up to be exciting; from what we’ve seen in pre-season, there is quality across the park in the squad. Despite losing two players during the week as pre-season transfer market dealings took their toll, there is a sense of hope for a great season ahead. Let’s go City!

Thanks for reading. As always, any inaccuracies, let me know; it will be a strange week if we don’t find any!

Sydney held in AFC monsoon

Sydney FC 2 Bangkok United 2

A goal in additional time, confirmed by VAR, was the dagger in Ufuk Talay’s heart tonight. Succumbing to a ridiculous penalty thanks to the enigmatic Harrison Devenish-Meares, the second half was off to a bad start, but things got better once the flair players were introduced and another Douglas Costa-inspired comeback saw Adrian Segecic score twice and Devenish-Meares make amends with some inspired goalkeeping. There was however one last twist, Sydney picked apart leaving a player unmarked to finish at the near post, and after a lengthy check in the bunker, the Bangkok fans at the far end could begin their celebrations. Despite a fun night for the fans, this was a great opportunity wasted for the team, and we fully expect Sydney FC to pay the price in Thailand next week.

  • Wrong side of the stadium
  • Tropical Moore Park
  • Tyler Childers. Who are ya?
  • Dance party
  • Hey, we’re not there any more are we?

Wednesday night football, and the 7pm kick offs always mean an early start to the journey. This time we were playing at Allianz, the social media storm from the club suggesting that this was a big game, but we had our doubts based upon who we knew was actually going. I was in the city and at Michelle’s work by 5.45pm, and by the time we’d driven the streets of Moore Park looking for the elusive non-1P parking spot, we had 20 minutes to get from the Entertainment Quarter to the stadium, enough time to get there comfortably for kick off. Three groups of people crossed paths at the precinct formerly (and still) known as Fox Studios, the cowboy boots of the Tyler Childers fans heading to the Hordern Pavillion (never heard of them), the drum and bass aficionados heading to the rave in the padel courts next door, and of course the Sydney FC fans. Each group was looking at each other as if to say “what the f*ck are they going to?”; after all this was a Wednesday night.

Even though the sky was blue, we copped rain en route, finally able to find shelter alongside the club shop before entering. There was very little in the way of a crowd when we entered through our usual Gate 3, and looking down from Cove Heights, our super capo eventually made the call for everyone to bunch up in the Cove (there’s a chant in there somewhere) and start making noise.

  • Quiet Driver Avenue
  • Last minute sales for our Thai visitors
  • Up the famous steps
  • Shelter from the rain
  • Cove numbers
  • Looking better now!
  • And we’re off and running

The AFC rules made for a strange atmosphere. There were seats in the Cove, not safe standing. There was no advertising and no sponsorship on the shirts. There were different people looking after each bay. There was security telling people that they couldn’t bring in their water bottles. It felt like an away game but at home, maybe like Western United must have felt every time they hosted at AAMI Park. Rumours were of a 10,000 crowd, but there was not a hint of that yet, empty seats all around and only moments from kick off.

The Cove were roaring by kick off, making lots of noise despite midweek ACL2 numbers, and this strong Sydney FC side looked to make their presence felt. Patryk Klimala blazed wide from a good position, Joe Lolley fired one just over the bar, and Sydney looked in control. At the other end, in front of us, Devenish-Meares plucked one out of the sky to build his confidence. The surface was extra-slippery, lots of Bangkok players losing their footing at the wrong time, and Anthony Caceres brought up sods of turf at the far end when he turned his man. The Bangkok keeper looked as though he had borrowed a Matildas shirt to wear tonight, the exact same hue of egg-yolk used in his goalkeeping jersey, but he was well protected by his burly central defenders and by some quite thunderous tackling.

  • Clouds a-coming
  • Come On You Boys In Blue
  • Action up our end
  • Minimalistic scoreboard
  • Here comes the rain
  • Absolute deluge

Anas Ouahim was taken out as he went to shoot up at the far end; it looked a penalty, but the whistle-free referee waved play on to everyone’s surprise. Sydney huffed and puffed but couldn’t make a breakthrough, the usual good approach play, but very little in the way of creating chances. The Cove was in full voice, the call and response magnificent, even from both sides of the deserted stadium, the crowds at this sort of game always happy to join in the fun. And this was fun. Devenish-Meares cleared up some danger but then Sydney gave the ball away immediately, the crowd urging their goalkeeper to get back in his goal as Bangkok tried to find the shooting opportunity on the open goal. The Sydney keeper also gave a fist-pump when Bangkok missed a great chance, the mini-celebration no way a reflection on the poor passage of defending that had led to the chance.

Such was the low crowd and the noise from the Cove, the chants were crystal clear. Now I know that it’s ‘Stand and defend our city, stand as one’ instead of the ‘Stand and defend us, as we sing as one’ that I had been singing for the past however many years. At least that’s what I think it is! We sat and watched a security guard confiscate a Coca-Cola can from someone in Cove Heights, and this was after we’d seen people forced to put their water into a cup and throw out their branded water bottles. Quite unnerving really, knowing that we were being watched by hawks from above.

The heavens truly opened at the break, the subs warming up in heavy rain.

  • It’s a penalty
  • The sky brooding
  • Amazing cloud formation for hte weather geeks in the crowd
  • Half time sprinkler system
  • Heavy flow
  • Late drama we hope

Sydney FC came out in the second half with renewed purpose, but they were looking a little shaky when they lost the ball. Which they did on one occasion too many, and with only a couple of minutes gone since half time, Devenish-Meares, only sporting the Devenish part of his surname tonight, dithered like he did at Central Coast when a ball over the top sent Bangkok away. He was late on the scene, taking out his player for a stone-wall penalty. Somehow he escaped a red, the yellow card deemed enough punishment given the penalty award, and he did well to get a hand to the spot kick. We were a goal down now, a goal conceded at a familiar phase of the game, and we were looking shaky in this two-legged tie.

Sydney FC did their usual subs, Costa and Segecic brought on along with Joel King, and it paid dividends almost immediately. Costa played Segecic in on the burst, and he got lucky with a ricochet off a defender, somehow squeezing his shot inside the post for a delicate equaliser in front of the Cove. Ouahim then got flattened by another meaty challenge from the fearless Thai midfield, no free kick given when it looked like a proper assault. Segecic played a lovely ball across the area for Jordan Courtney-Perkins in space, but his shot was wildly over. The referee was run into, but still managed to play on, the makeshift central defensive pairing of Kyle Shaw and Rhyan Grant somehow got themselves out of trouble after fannying around with the ball at the back – captain Grant relieved to finally see the ball booted into touch after selling his partner short twice.

A Mexican wave was attempted on the eastern side. Thankfully it was over before it started – are you not amused? Enjoy the f*cking game, you muppets, it’s better than your shit-house Mexican wave. Leo Sena hit the deck after getting studs down his shin; it was all too theatrical for the referee who again waved play on as the Brazilian hopped off the field in disgust. Of course, he was fine, but seemed to have a cut on his leg as a result, and was very angry about it. Suddenly, Sydney FC were in the lead. The rain was absolutely thrashing down. Segecic received the ball with his back to goal on the edge of the area, turned, and smashed the ball home with unerring precision. What a goal! What a player. The ‘na na na na, Sydney’ chant, which had been going for a minute already, continued with gusto for another four minutes, etting louder and louder. Sydney continued knocking on the door, but Bangkok showed plenty of skill and flair to match their crunching tackles, knocking the ball around like Brazil, playing Sydney at their own game.

There was a good chunk of stoppage time to come, Devenish-Meares made a great save to deny a Bangkok breakaway goal, but then the unthinkable – Sydney left the door open in midfield, the quick passing of the United team found a player free in acres of space on the right and he drilled the ball inside the goalkeeper’s near post for a stunning equaliser. The flag went up – we had no way of knowing, as it was up the other end. And we’d had no replays all night on the big screen. Incredibly, we got a ‘decision pending’ style message on the scoreboard. Up until that point, with Ouahim’s non-penalty award in the first half and some crunching tackling from the United team, we had simpy assumed that VAR was not in play. How wrong we were, and after an eternity, the goal stood and the fans at the far end of the stadium erupted once again. What a disaster. Ufuk had a face of thunder.

The game ended with bizarre moments. Now that we knew VAR was in play, a Segecic rocket seemed to be handled, albeit accidentally, by the United defence, the ball deflected for a corner. We’d seen those given plenty of times, both for and against us, and Costa kicked the ball towards the penalty spot when he found that it was being checked. When it came back negative, he slowly made his way back to take the corner, the only player in the stadium who was taking his time. There was no Grant header and Caceres finish, so we had to be content with a draw, the whistle ending a very entertaining game.

  • Fair play lining up again for more handshakes
  • Thanks for coming, all 5,000 of you
  • Costa con’t stop applauding
  • Bangkok players applaud their support

The players were required to be in the centre circle for a ‘fair play’ handshake with their opponents, a nice touch. They then came over to the Cove to show their appreciation. The mood wasn’t quite as buoyant as Saturday’s draw, but everyone in the home end had enjoyed the game and had given their all in support of the players.

The rain had stopped as we got outside and retraced our steps to Moore Park, and we were back home in the northern suburbs by about 10:15pm, not too late for a school night, the only positive of the 7pm kick off.

This game had been exciting. Bangkok had a lot of good players – they also had a couple of not-so-good players, but the way they passed their way out of trouble towards the end of the game, we could see there was a lot of class about them. We may well rue that last-minute equaliser when these teams meet next Wednesday in Bangkok in totally different circumstances, but let’s worry about that next week. No more games for a few weeks now, both men’s and women’s on the road. We’ll be back soon though. If you don’t normally go to the games and you like what you read here, get your ticket bought for the next match and see what you don’t see in the three-minute highlights. You will not regret it!

The very definition of insanity

Sydney FC 1 Western United 2

Oh, for heaven’s sake. Another home loss for the Sky Blues, and this was almost a carbon copy of the last one. If the intensity and desire had been there in the first half as it was in the second, this may have been a completely different story, but once again Sydney FC were picked apart and made to pay by superior opposition. An early goal from Chloe Logarzo, under the body of new goalkeeper Bethany Mason-Jones, was way too familiar, but when Mackenzie Hawkesby strode through to finish well, hopes were up. The home team were poor, again the passing was dreadful, and we went back to the bad old days of corners that hit the side netting and players measuring careful passes to absolutely no one. Totally unacceptable for a team full of players with Premiership and Championship winning experience. Sydney succumbed again just before the break when another former Sydney FC player Kahli Johnson found a yard to pick her spot, but the increase in vigour in the second period was obvious and Sydney just couldn’t find the goal that would have made this more palatable. In the end, a 2-1 defeat was the right scoreline on the day, but the stony faces of the players at the end told the real story.

  • New car parking spot
  • The real hill at Leichhardt
  • Death alley
  • What we came for
  • Who are we?
  • United geting ready
  • Relative strangers

Sunday is football day from now on, my own game in sweaty conditions in the morning, a delayed NPL GYL U18 Division 2 pre-season hit out at lunch time and then a race to see if we could make it for kick off from Marconi Stadium, no chance of any pre-game at the Orange Grove Hotel. Parking was ferocious at the stadium car park, think Christmas Eve at Woolworths, so Michelle ventured inside while I surprisingly jagged a spot down the hill next to the water and ventured up the steep grassy hill and through the alleyway to Leichhardt Oval. We used to go that way years ago, but haven’t had the need since; a spot of reminiscing before the big game.

The Cove were in full voice when I arrived. Sydney had a new goalkeeper in Mason-Jones, and with both of our usual goalkeepers not even on the bench, that underlined the lack of faith that multi trophy-winning coach Ante Juric has in them. When Logarzo got lucky, the ball falling for her perfectly from a shinned pass, she shot straight at the debutant keeper and all eyes went to the skies as the ball went under her body and into the net for a soft opening goal. Conceding a goal mid-chant is never a great feeling, but the Cove persevered, and Sydney were back on level terms with a goal of incredibly similar fortune. Lucy Johnson’s tackle in midfield almost escaped the touch of Maddie Caspers, and the lucky flick found Hawkesby through on goal on the left of the penalty area. There was little hesitation as she fired goalwards, and the Western United goalkeeper couldn’t keep it out, another disappointment for the keepers union.

The moment that we’d all waited for, a chance to sing our Hawkesby Venga Boys chant! Finally!

  • We Are Sydney
  • The SYdney Cove, we are here
  • Drum and bass
  • Lovely conditions
  • There’s a game on, you know?
  • Empty seats

Sydney then served up a horrible half an hour of football. Hawkesby gave the ball away in defence under no challenge, Shay Hollman was guilty of playing the ball to no one, and almost every ball was picked off by eager opponents. Western United were keen to test Mason-Jones, and the shots rained in. The bright spark was the trickery of Indiana “Maxi” Dos Santos, whose spaghetti legs were bamboozling the visitors’ defence. It was her corner from the right that Jordan Thompson thumped against the bar and over, as the game opened up into cup-tie mode. Mason-Jones may or may not have got a touch to turn a shot onto the underside of the bar as United tried to unsettle the goalkeeper, and why not – she’s not particularly tall. Hawkesby wriggled free in Princess Ibini’s position on the left but her shot was parried away, Dos Santos lurking as the ball was hacked clear.

And then, just like that, Sydney were behind again. It looked from our position that Logarzo had taken Nat Tobin out in the box, but in reality it was a cheeky back heel to set up Johnson, and she took a touch before firing into the net from the edge of the area. Again, half way through a chant, the drums going, the curse of active supporter groups around the country, and the singing was interspersed with muttered swear words. 2-1 down at the break then, we would need to see a marked improvement in the second half to get anything out of the game.

  • Main stand
  • Warming up in front of the Cove
  • Heads go up
  • Split the bay, amuse yourselves

The Cove had fun. Splitting bay and chanting to each other was better than watching the game, and it was a fun atmosphere in the corner with smiles and laughter all round. Sydney had come out firing, as they did in our heart-breaking loss last time out. Just looking at the body language of elder stateswomen Tobin and Hawkesby, we could tell they’d been given an injection of urgency. Sub Millie Farrow was busy, but succumbed to injury not long after. We were all looking at each other as play continued with Sydney down to ten players, and it took maybe three minutes for Amber Luchtmeijer to come on. What was that delay about?

  • Which side was loudest?
  • Junior flag bearer
  • Down tools. Enough.
  • At least the cuddles are good

The intensity went up and the game became stretched. The mood in the Cove was sensational – we just wanted an epic comeback like we’d seen the previous evening at Allianz, and the singing got louder and louder. Western United somehow won a penalty when Thompson slid in on her striker to clear. It was doubtful, even from 100 yards away, and the anger on the Sydney defender’s face was clear to see. What a crock! Never fear, Mason-Jones palmed away the spot kick and the game was still there for the taking. The new keeper made another good stop, tipping one over, to enhance her chances of retaining the number one spot going forward.

Seeing Caley Tallon-Henniker continuing to warm up was a reminder of the Corica era of meticulously timed and horrifyingly predictable substitutions. Ninkovic on, Burgess off on 67 minutes every f*cking week. This season it’s a sure bet that livewire Tallon-Henniker will be the last sub off the bench and be given a maximum ten minutes to save the game, and the fact that Caspers stayed on for so long despite having a totally underwhelming game suggested that there’s an element of tactical staleness about the women’s team. As we look for any signs of Matildas star Kyah Simon making an appearance this season, and we watch on as Margot Chauvet and Shea Connors continue to play a supporting role from the stands, the season already feels like a complete write-off.

There were chances late on. Luchtmeijer was fouled right in front of us as she raced for a ball in the penalty area, a sure-fire penalty that was somehow waved away, Ibini and Luchtmeijer both got in good positions down the left, and a series of corners led to nothing. It was exciting, Luchtmeijer keeping a ball in despite it looking over the line, but there was no one in support, and Hawkesby winning a corner despite the ball clearly comig off her on the way out. Ibini performed miracles on the touchline to keep a bouncing ball in with a clever header to sustain an attack. Try as they might though, there was no magical moment, and the late game management of the green and blacks strangled the life out of the game and the final whistle went after a huge chunk of added time.

  • Stunned players
  • Thank you for your attendance
  • Words of encourageme
  • Back to the grind of signing and smiling

The Cove were left to contemplate yet another defeat. More support in vain. It’s starting to grate. The players came and stared at their active fans in a line in an awkward moment, but it was a good opportunity to show our support, and We Are Sydney was belted out to show that we really do care and that we’ll be here forever more. Captain Tobin was in tears as she shared her frustration with capo MMTV, and there was a lot of respect between the embattled players and the patient fans. When the chips are down, we’ve got to pick each other up.

The hard part done, the players then moved on to their civic duties, smiling and interacting with the young crowd to sign autographs and take selfies. We left while some players were still out there, from both teams, Tallon-Henniker still with her family and Kahli Johnson’s local crew beaming after her team’s win. It was discouraging to see coach Ante hot-footing it out of the stadium while players were still interacting with the crowd. Clearly no post-match words, and perhaps he deemed it more useful to not be there (hey this isn’t the EPL, let’s be honest, he probably had something else on) and maybe it would be more appropriate to address the performance when everyone’s head was clear.

  • Youth signing for the youth
  • Ever noticed the seats?
  • Why is no one upset?
  • The Tori Tumeth section
  • So, that first goal…
  • At least someone won

We left the car park soon after and were back in the northern suburbs by 8.30pm, the end of a huge day of football and a second 2-1 defeat for the day. Lots to digest after this one, and the fact that we have no home games for the rest of the month for the men’s or the women’s teams is a tough pill to swallow. We’ll support you every more, Sydney FC, but far out, you make it hard for us sometimes.

Reflecting on another home defeat as the sun sets over Leichhardt

See you on Wednesday night.

Mini marvel bosses City

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!

Three-one, and you f*cked it up

Sydney FC 3 Western Sydney Wanderers 3

At 3-1 down at home to their fiercest rivals and playing like Steve Corica was back in town, a remarkable comeback had Allianz Stadium rocking as Sydney FC almost snatched a dramatic late win after eight minutes of added time. It had all looked so good when Patryk Klimala had rifled Sydney into the lead but the game looked well and truly beyond the hosts just after the break when Zac Sapford had his second and the Wanderers’ third. Cue Adrian Segecic with a superb shot from the edge of the area with time running out, and a last gasp poacher’s finish from Anthony Caceres had the Sydney fans in raptures. What a finish, and what was going to be a dreadful defeat in the Sydney derby turned into a glorious evening in front of an adoring crowd for the Sky Blues.

  • Never get lost here
  • Looming in the distance
  • Them’s power darts
  • Nova 969 and queues
  • Perth Glory mascot?
  • A warm welcome to East Sydney

Rails was keen to drive for this one, once it was established that buses replaced trains in our area, and there were memories of epic bus rides following mammoth wait times en route whenever we’d taken those buses in the past. Choosing our favourite parking spot in deepest Paddington, it was a brisk uphill walk to civilisation, and we stopped in for a bite at an old haunt, scene of birthday parties when we’d take a big group of kids to the games ten or so years ago. It was hellish warm, that sort of sticky, murky heat that gets you sweating even while sitting still. The players would surely feel it tonight.

Leaving Michelle to pop in to the pub for a swift half before the game, we took in the activations outside our gate before heading inside. There were a lot of people. This was not your everyday Sydney FC Allianz Stadium experience. The Cove was being policed outside – no wristband, no entry – and we were happy to see the same happening at the other end as we did a lap of the stadium concourse. It was good to see no segregation other than that, and everyday Wanderers fans walked freely amongst Sydney FC fans, some couples and families sporting shirts of opposing sides, much like when Everton play Liverpool in the EPL.

All the food and drink outlets were open, and refreshingly there were more on top, with pop-up stores for mid-strength Stone and Wood, face-paiting inside the stadium and even additional merchandise stores. The Cove were already in place, whereas the RBB hadn’t yet appeared, but there was a feeling of busy-ness and we headed up to our seats in Cove Heights, above the throng of Bay 23 below.

  • Queues for merch
  • The royal ‘we’
  • Names not down, you’re not coming in
  • Wanderers watching on
  • More merch than ever
  • Nah, no entry then

Walking past some screens on the way, we saw Newcastle Jets v Melbourne Victory still going with some ridiculous amount of added time, and this would soon turn into a delay in our game. The RBB arrived to a chorus of “F*ck you Western Sydney scum”, Anthony Caceres received an award for his 200 games, the fire shooters added unwanted heat to an already sweaty atmosphere, and some irresponsibly provocative footage of biff in previous Sydney derbies, including fans on the pitch, amped up the atmosphere even more. There were already shirts off down in the active section, the players emerged, and to be honest, the music could have been cut right there and then to allow us everyone to experience the raw atmosphere, the animation and the passion from both sets of fans. But no, boom boom boom as usual.

  • Late entrance
  • Who’s number one?
  • Hot fire on a sweaty day
  • Top part empty
  • Smoke clearing on the Cove
  • Perfect evening for football

Kick off was amazing, Klimala went straight in on a Wanderers player, wrestling him to the floor in an off-the-ball moment and was then remonstrating with another. This was what we wanted to see. Sydney weathered some pressure before striking early, an exquisite and unexpected pass from Caceres finding Klimala in an advanced position at the other end of the stadium, and his finish was instant. As we celebrated in shock, he had jumped the advertising hoardings and was lording it up in front of the RBB; this man knows what a derby is all about, and what a glorious goal!

The baiting of the West Sydney fans done, and the Cove trying to get an SFC chant going again, the unthinkable happened. Wanderers broke upfield and the impish Jack Clisby fired in a dangerous cross. Our maligned goalkeeper Harrison Devenish-Meares opted to get down to push the ball away, but only succeeded in pushing the ball straight to Zac Sapsford, who finished into the empty net and gave some Klimala back to the Cove. It was a horror mistake by our goalkeeper though, echoing some of the challenging moments we’ve seen in the A-League Women this season. In retrospect, he could have easily left the ball and the danger would have gone.

The game was set up now, early goals and everything to play for. Wanderers looked lively, and were quick to cut out any pass that wasn’t precise. There was a farcical moment when Nicolas Milanovic was about five yards offside, but play was allowed to continue, the RBB getting their moment to celebrate before the inevitable VAR intervention. That was one of the stupider ones – it was clearly offside for all to see, why not call it straight away?

Something was going on in the Cove with about ten minutes to go of the half, everyone was turned around watching, but we couldn’t tell what it was. Sydney FC were struggling going forward, it felt like the Sydney FC of two years ago, passing the ball around to no effect and then losing it when they tried to find the final pass, and it was no surprise when the visitors did take the lead, and what a bizarre goal again. We’d already seen Devenish-Meares almost caught off his line, we’d seen moments where the Sky Blue defence were two defenders against three attackers in the penalty area, but this time they were caught out on the left side of defence, young Kyle Shaw up against the tricky Milanovic, who brought in Sapsford to play in another teasing cross, Milanovic almost fluffing his lines as he finished at the far post. The sight of the assistant referee’s flag being raised was something to cling on to, but it couldn’t have been for the final touch. Turns out it was, and there was no offside, and what’s more, it wasn’t even Milanovic that got the final touch, it was our captain Rhyan Grant. What a fizzer.

So, 2-1 down at the break, and with it all to do in the second half. Sydney FC had looked jaded and uninventive, and were lacking in the basics too – Leo Sena made every junior coach’s blood boil by letting the ball run past him with no notion of what was behind him, and the subsequent rash challenge to try and win the ball was a justified yellow card.

We were off on another lap of the stadium as the half-time whistle sounded. So many people. So busy, but we could still walk through the Wanderers end unchallenged and it didn’t feel threatening at any stage. It took so long, due to the crowds, that the players were out by the time we got to our seats and play had just re-started.

  • Cove Heights view
  • Something’s happening down below
  • Half time RBB
  • Light show a la Qatar 2022

A lot of people would have missed the next goal. It was almost exactly the same as Klimala’s goal, at the same end, but this time it was the Wanderers who celebrated in front of their fans, Sapsford with the Klimala run onto Brandon Borrello’s Caceres through ball, but the flag was quickly up. It would be close though, and the Wanderers players were celebrating before VAR could confirm the goal. It took about three minutes for the decision to be made. Terrible experience for the fans but ultimately the right dedision. Sydney were dead and buried.

And it looked to be getting worse when Milanovic tied the Sydney defence in knots, Devenish-Meares with another Brianna Edwards parry, and the home team had Rhyan Grant to thank for throwing himself in front of Sapsford’s shot, not once but twice, the second time a suspicion of handball before Shaw hacked he ball off the line. This was Sydney at their most desperate, and the exposed Zac De Jesus was sacrificed for the main man Douglas Costa as Sydney changed shape. And I’m not sure what kind of shape that was. Almost immediately Costa was ordered off the field for wearing an earring, at first trying to put it in his sock before being told to take it off the field, and then being denied re-entry. You couldn’t make this shit up.

The ineffectual Anas Ouahim – it just wasn’t his game tonight – made way for Adrian Segecic and we at last found some zest. Wanderers did their best to take the steam out of the game, plenty of subs, players on the ground and some low-quality game management that eventually saw goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas booked for switching the ball to the other side of the penalty area for a goal kick. The final roll of the dice was made by Ufuk Talay, and Joel King’s introduction brought puzzled groans, but Jaiden Kucharski was on now, and Sydney would go for broke. Some people around us were leaving, hoping to beat the rush and cut short the agony. Sydney had been building, though. Costa was getting the ball often from his teammates, as if they had been told to give it to him at any opportunity. The corner count was mounting. But still there was no final reward, Segecic going the closest as Thomas turned his shot around the post with a brilliant save.

  • Expensive flare
  • Action stations as Sydney surge
  • Cove Heights off their seats
  • A frantic finish
  • We did it!

There was maybe a minute left on the clock when Segecic picked up the ball from Costa and simply turned to fire into the corner of the net for the simplest of goals. Suddenly there was hope. Sydney piled forward, Caceres and Costa dictating the play, the whole of Cove Heights was on their feet. Grant blazed over, and with confusion over how long was being played in addd time, the nervous excitement created an incredible atmosphere in the stadium. Costa was brilliant, flicking an outrageous pass out to his left, before tormenting his defender on the Sydney right. And then came the moment that lifted the lid on the place. Costa was fortunate to win a second corner after they’d botched the first. Klimala picked up a water bottle thrown from the crowd, unscrewed he lid and drank it. Costa then fizzed in another of his wildly spinning corners, the unlikely sight of Grant out-jumping his defender to power in a bullet header saw time stand still. Thomas got across to make the save, but the ball popped into the path of the in-rushing Caceres, who lashed the ball, under heavy pressure, into the roof of the net.

Not since that late Kucharski winner to nick the derby in the last minute have we seen scenes like this at Allianz Stadium, in fact I don’t remember the whole of Cove Heights rising as one to suck the ball over the line. It was just spine-tingling. There was still time to win the game, and Sydney poured forward, but ultimately time ran out with the Wanderers players sinking to their knees in disbelief at the final whistle.

This felt like a win. The sight of the visiting players trudging to their fans added even more joy to the occasion, the Sydney players coming over to applaud the Cove, who serenaded them with This City Is Ours and F*ck You Western Sydney Scum. The scenes in the concourse were incredible. Hugs and smiles, chanting and singing, a swarm of people heading for the exits into the rain without a care in the world. To say that football can alter your mood is an understatement. This was as big an emotion swing as you could ever have, down and out and disgusted to re-energised and celebrating within ten minutes.

  • Packed concourse
  • Sweaty in the Cove
  • A draw? More like a win

The rain was persistent as we made the walk back over the hill and into Paddington, and after dropping Carla home, we were back home just after 11pm, still pumped from what we had just experienced at Allianz Stadium. And driving probably saved us an hour on the bus.

This was peak A-League, for all the right reasons. It was the Brisbane Roar fightback in the Grand Final, it was Wellington’s last minute equaliser against Victory in the semi-final, it was everything you could ask for, with the good guys making a rousing comeback and sending the evil baddies packing to fight another day. Who’s up for some more A-Leagues action? See you at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday to see if Sydney FC women can begin their long-awaited revival. Forza Sydney FC!

Tales of the unexpected

Sydney FC 4 Adelaide United 1

Sometimes Sydney FC come up with the goods. Today was one of those times. The season hasn’t been smooth sailing, we’d lost as many as we had won before today, and the visit of high-flyers Adelaide United would present an enormous task for a Sydney team on the back of two poor defeats. Following some hairy moments at the back where our makeshift defence hung on, Sydney took the lead through a neat goal by Joe Lolley. The goals flowed in the second half, at one point the visitors looking odds-on to equalise and take the game by the scruff of the neck, but an impressive display from our midfield maestros Anas Ouahim and Anthony Caceres led the Sky Blues to a handsome victory, with a debut to remember at centre back for NWS Spirit FC product Kyle Reilly Shaw. All smiles at Allianz Stadium after a game that could have been so different.

  • We’re not the only ones running late
  • Clock watcher
  • Already packing away
  • Cove crew engrossed in the action
  • The corporate Cove

Too much going on this Saturday led to us leaving home from the Northern suburbs of Sydney at 4pm and straight to the station to catch a train to Central. By the time we boarded the light rail, the time was approaching 5pm, and we were resigned to missing the opening action as we alighted at Moore Park. It’s not the first time, nor will it be the last. Surprisingly, we weren’t the only ones running late – I would expect the stadium precinct to be deserted at ten minutes past kick off, but no, we were one of many parties running unfashionably late, the 5pm timeslot perhaps catching a lot of people out.

We arrived just as Sydney FC gave the ball away in defence and Adelaide missed a sitter in front of goal on ten minutes, confirming that we were going to be in for a tough game. Sydney were playing a dangerous game, only two defenders covering three attackers at the far post on numerous occasions and Adelaide United were finding the weaknesses in our flimsy rearguard. Livewire Dylan Pierias fired over when well-placed. Yet-to-be-proven goalkeeper Harrison Devenish-Meares gifted a ball to Adelaide and then made a blinding save to prevent an embarrassing gift – a touch of Bruce Grobelaar about that one, especially with the crowd loving the save. Stefan Mauk and Archie Goodwin had glorious chances to give the visitors the lead, Devenish-Meares equal to their efforts one-on-one. It was exciting, and Sydney had a couple of chances too – Anas Ouahim dribbling through a sea of legs a la Maradona to have his left-foot shot tipped over the bar and Anthony Caceres smashing in a right-foot shot that was saved in a similar fashion.

The goal was coming. Patryk Klimala wrestled the ball from the keeper at the far end, allowing Ouahim to stroke the ball goalwards, but it was cleared off the line. All of a sudden, Sydney took the lead, and it was a delicious move. Caceres in to Klimala from the right, who turned and showed poise to drag the ball back into the path of Joe Lolley, and his low shot, once he had recovered from the shock of Klimala passing up the opportunity to shoot, was expertly placed for 1-0. Get in! Almost immediately Devenish-Meares showed his benevolence again and gave the ball to the opposition, but made two excellent stops to keep the score at 1-0.

Half time was welcome, and instead of the lap of the stadium, it was time to catch up with some fellow footballers; with preparations underway for a new season, there was lots to discuss. The half-time toddler race was won by a speedy wee kid who should have been pipped by a slightly bigger kid, but the bigger kid missed the goal with his kick and speedy Gonzales won the coveted title. NWS Spirit players were on the field at half time, their club mates all in the corporate area on the Eastern side in a tight bunch, dubbed the Corporate Cove. It was probably pure coincidence, but for Spirit to have their shirt presentation on the very day that their product Kyle Reilly Shaw made his debut was excellent timing.

  • Field fills up quick
  • Toddler mayhem at half time
  • One hundred years of football experience in one photo

I was just climbing back over the sets to get back to my own for the second half, when Sydney scored right from kick off. The initial pass to Joe Lolley looked offside, but he continued and squared for Klimala to score the second. The puce face of Carl Veart couldn’t be seen from our vantage point, but he would have been fuming. Sydney then did what Sydney do and conceded straight away, Pierias racing down the right and beating Devenish-Meares at his unguarded near post. Criminal. We were leading still, but the second-half entertainment was only just getting started.

Lolley raced away up the right and the ball eventually fell for recent sub Adrian Segicic who took advantage of the space and the player playing everyone onside to finish smartly in front of the Cove. It was no more than Sydney deserved, but it could have been ruled out for a couple of fouls, by Segicic on the line and Klimala with his trademark shoulder in the lead up; they got away with it, and the VAR check confirmed a third Sydney goal.

  • Goal!
  • Celebrate tightly
  • Starsky and Hutch
  • Action
  • More cornrer action
  • Celebrations
  • Lots to be happy about

Klimala was substituted, making his way off with a run that was slower than the average walk, and it took a while to realise that it was Douglas Costa coming on. We had resigned ourselves to not seeing him again for a while. Incredibly, Sydney went 4-1 up almost immediately when Caceres cut in and placed the most beautiful shot just inside the far post and there were still ten minutes plus stoppages to play.

There was still plenty to come. Costa went for glory instead of playing in Segicic and only just missed. The intricate passing from Caceres and Leo Sena was joyous, and even Jordan Courtney-Perkins looked like he had silk in his boots. It could have been more, but we were delighted with 4-1, and the final whistle, to the background of the Lo Lo chant, confirmed an excellent win that hauls us up to fourth in the table. Dizzying heights.

  • Ready to celebrate
  • Celebrating
  • Celebrated

The players filed across to Bay 23. The absence of advertising hoardings made things easier, and the players joined in with the SFC Viking clap, new boy Shaw pushed to the front to dance with the Cove. He’d had a steady game, only once completely missing a kick with an air swing but the situation was rescued by his captain Rhyan Grant, and he was full of smiles as the players and fans celebrated together.

  • It’s called fah-shion
  • Michelle has found her true love
  • Caceres ever-popular
  • Redders didn’t even play but he was still mobbed
  • Must be Anas’ brother!
  • Influencers, at least we think so.
  • One last tunnel signature

Bay 23 was a happy place to hang out after the game. Everyone was full of smiles. Costa had the crowd in a frenzy as he walked towards his adoring fans at the fence, only to turn around and start his warm down – such is the life of a late substitute. The players were in good spirits, the fans were loving all the interaction with their heroes, and there was a turnout of some sort of influencer group / band / Love Island contestants who were getting a lot of attention from the Sydney FC management. One of them had to be Anas Ouahim’s brother, but we were just making it up. Could have been anyone.

We made our way to the light rail and on to Central, and I left Michelle, off for a night out in Newtown, while I took my Feb Fast-following self back home to the Northern suburbs for a carb-free dinner. This had been a different experience – no pre-game, missed the kick off, but we enjoyed all the important action in a fine Sydney FC performance. The run in to the finals has started, grand final in Auckland, lock it in! Forza Sydney FC.

Cove desafionado as Sydney stir

Sydney FC Women 2 Adelaide United 3

The most rousing finish to a football match saw our embattled Sydney FC roar back from a two-goal deficit only to throw the game away with almost the last kick of the game. Scenes of devastation fell upon Leichhardt Oval as the players trudged disconsolately to the home end to thank their raucous fans, but every Sydney FC fan will have been encouaged by what they saw in the closing stages and will be looking forward to seeing that effort and determination for the rest of the season. An amazing spectacle that was preceded by an hour of turgid football as the visitors out-fought and out-thought the reigning A-League champions, and perhaps the result was the correct one, but oh how close we came.

  • Everyone’s a winner, babe
  • Hooligan
  • The singing has started en route
  • Historical Leichhardt

Friday night footie for Sydney FC women! We left home at 4.30pm and, after parking up and seeing Caley Tallon-Henniker’s hair-braiding session in the Leichhardt Leisure Centre car park, we were in our traditional pre-game boozer The Orange Grove Hotel just afer 5pm. A little more than an hour later, the Women’s Cove regulars were walking out of the pub with their spoils after a super-successful meat raffle. We were already winners tonight, this was maybe the day when everything went right.

The personal touch of the Sydney FC membership manager greeting every fan as they walked through the main gate is always something that sets this club aside from the others, and after seeing Shea Connors in her club tracksuit, it was clear that she had been omitted from the matchday squad. Tough to see a talented striker overlooked.

  • Hugs for Shea
  • Away team warm up
  • Refs getting ready
  • Final prep
  • Pre-game music lesson

We were earlier than usual, and that gave us a chance to catch the end of the warm-ups, the Sydney FC players disappearing down the tunnel with a spring in their step after a final drill had them hollering and whooping. Our expert Cove drummer for the day was undergoing final checks to see if he was match-fit; the crowd was incredibly sparse for a Friday evening, the hill bare apart from a clump of picnic blankets in front of the scoreboard. But the mood felt good and we were hoping to see Sydney FC finally turn the corner and play some attractive football.

  • Pressure and flap
  • Concerned viewers
  • Get up

From the very first kick off we knew that was not going to be the case. Sydney FC kicked off and immediately played the ball to absolutely no one in blue, and there were already groans from the crowd. The first 20 minutes were perhaps as bad as Sydney have played all season, and that’s saying something. A string of misplaced passes, balls played aimlessly in the general direction of a teammate, and it was horrible to watch. Adelaide’s right wing back was having a field day, Faye Bryson absent on more than one occasion, and that led to the first goal. Lucia Leon played in a teasing low ball towards goal. Brianna Edwards, who had already flapped at a couple of dangerous crosses earlier, was caught in no man’s land when she could have been assertive and smothered the ball, the ball instead ricocheting off Margaux Chauvet and landing perfectly at Emily Condon’s feet for her to stroke the ball into the empty net for 1-0. The knowledgeable souls in the main stand were crying for offside for the initial through ball for Leon, but it was in vain and ultimately meaningless without VAR.

So, a goal behind, Sydney looked to get back into the game, and were dangerous down the left with birthday girl Princess Ibini lively, but the end product was absent and any effort on goal was fielded easily by the under-employed Adelaide goalkeeper. The Cove songbook got a work out and, despite some timing difficulties with the percussion section, there was plenty of atmosphere. A goal behind at the break was definitely the right scoreline, but the visitors had not exactly been world-beaters themselves.

  • Just to stress – Megan was NOT in the Cove
  • Music school continues

The second half was underway once the half-time heroes left the field, and it was more of the same, and no surprise when Abby Lemon, Bryson’s replacement at the break, was comprehensively beaten on the right, and Edwards pushed a tame shot right to the feet of Condon who rolled the ball into the gaping net for two. Echoes of Central Coast away on the opening day. Absolutely horrific defending from the Sky Blues, and just as we were mid-song too, which is never a good time.

That’s when something came over the Sky Blues. It was as though the team collectively took in a sharp breath and said “Fuck it, let’s go for broke.” Millie Farrow almost got lucky, charging down a goalkeeping clearance that went behind for a goal kick instead of in the goal. Super captain Nat Tobin galloped upfield when the Adelaide midfield parted, Princess Ibini took over, looking to cut in and shoot, but instead played the ball to the far post for Indiana Dos Santos. Time stood still as the Max Burgess-like trickster took the ball down, side-stepped the goalkeeper and rifled the ball into the net to halve the deficit. Sydney FC were on fire now. The grit and guile that has seen them beat all-comers in previous seasons had returned. The players looked a yard quicker than their opponents. Ibini shot over, Mackenzie Hawkesby left a through-ball for Dos Santos when she was well-placed, the ball instead running out of play. Late substitution Tallon-Henniker tried as she might, but she couldn’t win a corner on the right, the ball somehow staying in twice to deny her good work. Dos Santos swung in a corner from the other side which was hacked off the line. Time was running out.

All of a sudden, a speculative clearance by Lemon saw Farrow turn her player, and she was off on a run. If you’ve ever seen the 1981 FA Cup final replay between Tottenham Hotspurs and Manchester City (watch here), you’ll understand when I say that Millie Farrow was possessed by the spirit of Argentinian star Ricky Villa and weaved her way into a shooting position to slot the ball home to equalise two minutes into injury time. Farrow was off and running after scoring, the bench trying their best to restrain themselves to the technical area. It was a wonderful moment. Sydney back on level terms after being dead and buried half an hour earlier.

Of course the scoring wasn’t over, despite the clock ticking further into added time. Sydney FC had their tails up, they were going for the win. There was just about time. Tallon-Henniker was suddenly through, but couldn’t find the final ball. As quickly as Sydney had equalised, they were behind again though, and it was once more that damned self-destruct button. Shay Hollman delayed a ball upfield and instead tried a risky ball inside that went straight to an Adelaide player. It looked ominous as the Reds broke upfield, and when Chelsea Dawber received the ball, she turned inside and shot from the edge of the area, Edwards slow to get down and then looking on in horror as the ball beat her at her near post and Adelaide had snatched a dramatic win from the jaws of defeat. What a finish to the move. What a finish to the game.

Naturally there was disbelief in the home end. The players couldn’t believe it, and Farrow was distraught as the final whistle blew. Ante Juric had to help her up. Her big moment was in tatters. The Cove continued to sing defiantly despite a horrible feeling of deja vu, and the players awkwardly came across to thank their active fans, who had sung noisily as the players pushed hard in the second half. So noisily in fact that they had been told to turn down the volume as the swearies could be heard to clearly. The players watched on with tears in their eyes as they were serenaded and told in song and in spoken word by our fearless capo that the Cove will always be here for them.

  • Indiana in a hurry
  • It’s all over
  • Words of wisdom from our capo
  • Stunned and shocked players
  • All apologies
  • Emotional

Princess Ibini’s happy birthday rendition fell on deaf ears as her happy birthday banner had done earlier, but the mood was lightened when the players realised they had to do the meet and greet with the junior members at the front of the main stand, and tears of frustration turned to smiles. Chelsea Dawber was interviewed and looked thrilled. Millie Farrow was then interviewed and was understandably less so.

  • A happy interviewee
  • Bri tries to be cheery
  • “You’ll never guess what happened next…”

We had seen something special here tonight. An hour of low-quality mistake-ridden football followed by the awakening of the Sydney FC beast that sent blood coursing through the veins of every player and had the fans on their toes for the final pulsating thirty minutes.

Sydney FC’s run of dreadful form continues though. Individual mistakes cost us again and it’s hard to say, but the lack of confidence shown by our number one goalkeeper is affecting her performance and spreading to her teammates. Whilst Nat Tobin and Jordan Thompson were as solid as ever in their duels, there were times when you’d be asking where they were and how the Adelaide attack had so much space. At least we saw goals scored, and if anyone gets a good shot of Mia Farrow’s face after she scored, it has Marco Tardelli written all over it.

After picking up our raffle prizes from the pub on the way home, we were back home in the Northern suburbs by 9:45pm, and the first steaks were on the table by 10. A fantastic evening’s entertainment, and more to come tomorrow as the men also take on Adelaide at Allianz Stadium in the late afternoon slot. We hope for drama of a different kind. See you all there.

Book review : Get you t!ts out for the lads

An intriguing read, especially for a man like me, immersed in the same beautiful game, Sally Freedman’s “Get your tits out for the lads” is a difficult one to describe. Without having read the back cover, but with having knowledge of the book and its premise prior to picking up this title in Fair Play Publishing’s pre-Christmas sale, I knew we would be delving into the murky world of sexism in football. Released around the time of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023, before the antics of Luis Rubiales in front of a massive viewership on stage at Stadium Australia, this book could almost thank the disgraced Spanish manager for the perfect advertising pitch. Sexism is rife in football.

The book seems to be split into two parts, and I’m not sure if it’s intentional. Firstly, we have a timeline of the author’s life in football, and it is a fabulous read. This is someone who has followed their dreams, played and supported football all her life and made life-changing decisions to forge a successful career in the game at the highest level. Migration from England to Australia and then to Switzerland, she is a determined person willing to make huge sacrifices to get to where she wants to be in life, but that path is littered with challenges; we read about those challenges regarding sexism, and this serves to open our eyes to the minor and major struggles encountered being a woman in a male-dominated domain.

By chapter five (of eleven) we are almost up to the present day, or at least up to when the book was written, and the book moves into chapters that vary from accounts of football matches, lists of sexist stories from the media, some of which you will have seen and other that you wouldn’t, and a chapter on the 2022 (Men’s) World Cup in Qatar. These are well-written, and the first-hand accounts of the 2022 Champions League in Paris, along with the earlier account of the Euro 2020 final in London, confirm a lot of what has been reported in the media about these events. Some of the stories don’t seem to be connected to the theme of the book, but they make for good reading all the same.

It would have been easy for me to put this book down once the flavour of the theme became too strong. As a man, surrounded by strong women who I admire, it is slightly off-putting to be made to feel like part of the problem. After all I am a white male, so just like all the others perceived to be controlling football, and I’m sure I’d be capable of some of the mistakes outlined in the book. At no point is it uncomfortable though, and the author does acknowledge that we can go too far the other way with the quip : “Sometimes I do think we need to calm down, and not make mountains out of molehills.” I mean, if you’re watching a men’s game and the commentator tells you that the goal scorer has just become the leading scorer for their country, you’re probably going to assume it’s for the men’s team, aren’t you?

There were a couple of odd moments – “chatting with a male friend in Nyon in October 2022”, we go on to hear about his lack of knowledge of the women’s game but his intimate knowledge of female tennis players. Somewhere earlier in the book we have the same story (I have the paperback not the eBook so I can’t easily search) and there are also two parts that repeat regarding 1921 and the banning of women’s football from top-flight stadiums in the UK. Either that, or I had read something in between the very few sittings I took to consume the book. It doesn’t detract from the excellent writing though, and the editing is tight. I only one noticed one minor mistake and that’s probably because I proof read a lot these days.

Overall, this was a very entertaining read. What I thought was going to be high and mighty condemnation of sexist male behaviour in football was more of a call to arms for everyone to do better, and for everyone to have a think before they act. Sure, we all like an anecdote of a Scottish “period dignity officer” and the use of models instead of players for the Irish women’s rugby kit launch, and this keeps it punchy. But the underlying message that football, as well as society in general, must do better when it comes to equality, is welcome and remarkably fresh.

Have a read. Sally Freedman’s life in football would be the envy of thousands of people, men and women alike, and she is not afraid to tell it how it really is. Congratulations on the book, and I hope that anyone seeing the title will be tempted to read it. I have, after all, been in crowds at games in the 1980s that sang that very song.

The St James’ Park whodunnit?

“Right,” said Coral (name changed for anonymity), the St James’ Park tour guide, holding a coat hanger aloft, “A shirt has gone missing and we need it returned immediately.”

The famous stadium tour had reached the home dressing room, and the participants were making the most of the short time in Eddie Howe’s black and white bunker to picture themselves with their heroes’ shirts. The famous post-win squad photos were being imagined, there was a feeling of euphoria in the air. We were stood in the scene of many magical post-match celebrations, Champions League nights, Premier League hidings. It was almost time to move on to the next part of the tour. But for now no one was going anywhere.

The line up

“Whoever has taken the shirt, just return it, no questions asked,” said a member of the security team a moment later. “Otherwise we call the police.”

Eyes were darting around the room. Eyebrows raised. Wow, this was for real. The big group of Dutch visitors in the tour congregated to take a group photo, the rest of the early afternoon tour group standing around the perimeter of the palatial dressing room or peering into the warm-up area to see just how this wonderful club functions on match day. Coral had been superb from the start, and everyone in the tour had warmed to her Geordie sense of humour and friendly demeanour. But even Coral had a serious look on her face now as the mysery unfolded. From what was being said and from what we could see outside the dressing room, we could work out that a shirt had gone missing from the away dressing room.

The away dressing room had been a really interesting part of the day, and we had listened intently as we were told of the history of the room and how it compared with others in the premier league. There were shirts of each of the EPL teams spaced around the room, and Michelle had been keen to take a photo with the Liverpool home shirt. After all, she is a nailed-on Liverpool fan and was due to head to Anfield the next day for the FA Cup third round game with Accrington Stanley. As she left the room, there was some playing with the light switches and someone was told off for touching them. All eyes on the big Dutch group of ten or so strapping lads on a football weekend, camped at the end of the room. They’d not been listening too much, any mention of Feyenoord or Bobby Robson would elicit comments from the non-Feyenoord fans in the group; it was a group of young blokes on an away day weekend and Coral was incredibly patient with them, trying to corral them like toddlers at one point after they ventured out of bounds.

Rails and Texi atop level 7

“Okay, we’re not going anywhere until this is resolved,” said the security team member.

It was like school. If the whole class was told off for something that one person had done, you were all responsible. The feeling of responsibility felt like guilt and you started wondering if you were part of it. A long wait in the dressing room, with the police turning up and interviewing everyone on scene, and the culprit being led away in handcuffs was not out of the realms of possibility. This was juicy drama.

A few moments later, there was more activity in the corridor outside. We’d already been told how many security cameras were in place in the stadium, so there would be no surprise if there were security cameras everywhere inside. A few members of the group were talking with security, showing photos they’d taken of the away dressing room, confirming that it was the Liverpool shirt that had gone missing, the one that was at the far end of the away drssing room, the furthest from the door. Perhaps the internal investigation was coming to its conclusion.

One strange friendly match souvenir

In strode another member of the security team, who walked straight over to one of the bins, maybe a laundry bin, that was blocking the way between the dressing room and the shower area. He reached in and pulled out a red shirt and walked back out of the room without saying a word. We all looked at each other. How did they know? Had someone confessed? Was there security footage?

Coral walked in, her friendly face switched back into tour-guide mode.

“Follow me,” she said, and the tour continued to the tunnel area as if nothing had happened, and the mystery of the missing shirt had been erased from memory.

This was a magnificent display of internal policing, diffusing what could have been an uncomfortable situation, and resolving the matter with no further action. It was swift and professional, and the tour continued and the smiles and laughs continued.

The lads

We said goodbye to Coral with a smile as the tour concluded at the main entrance; this had been a brilliant afternoon at the home of Newcastle United, and our two tour guides had given us an experience filled with insight and personal experience. There was conjecture in Shearer’s Bar afterwards where some of our fellow group members discussed what had just happened, and it was widely accepted who the culprit was. But we’ll never know for sure!

I’ve now done the stadium tour four times. This was by far the best, not only because of the Agatha Christie-style whodunnit scene in the home dressing room, but because I had my family with me. The kids will have a much richer knowledge of this splendid stadium, and tuning in to watch at ridiculous hours of the night back in Australia will be more likely to rouse the kids to watch it with me.

The offending item

I look forward to joining the stadium tour again in the future. It really is a great initiative by the club and I was worried when this week was blocked out before the FA Cup draw brought us a home game, and the club re-opened bookings. The incredibly tough task of securing tickets for the FA Cup game with Bromley now happily negotiated, we’ll be back there on Sunday to experience the stadium filled with fans for what is hopefully not a fairytale cup upset. I believe this will be my first FA Cup home game since Gazza smashed a rocket into the Gallowgate top corner to win 1-0 against Crystal Palace back in the eighties. Since then, I’ve had a mixed bag of Pemier League games and Championship matches, including a 0-1 against Manchester City when Jonjo Shelvey passed the ball to the City keeper from kick off, a thrilling 0-0 with Bristol City and a 6-2 thrashing of Norwich. The life of an overseas Toon fan makes every trip to St James’ a privilege, and even though I was forced to watch the Leeds game in our first Premier League season through the window of the outside broadcast van in the stadium car park in Baltic conditions, I’ve had some good fortune in the ticket lottery.

Bobby Robson’s seats

Thanks for reading. It was an exciting afternoon at St James’ Park, for sure! Get on the stadium tour, I’m already looking forward to my next. Howay the lads!