A HUGE shout out to the boys and my best friends for tomorrow! Every time you walk on the pitch remember what you are defending... GOOD LUCK! Northbridge FC scored an injury time winner at Magdala Park against Gladesville Ryde Magic to hurdle previous league leaders, Dulwich Hill, and snatch the 2013 State League One Premiership in a remarkable final day of the season. A warm and sunny afternoon greeted both teams to Magdala Park, the match crucial for the home side who were in need of a win foremost, and then hoping for two other results in other games to go their way in a bid to sneak into the semi-finals and extend their season by at least one more week.The visitors, similarly, needed a win and prayed for results in two other games to go against both Dulwich Hill and Balmain FC in a bid to snatch the ultimate Premiership prize on the last day of the season proper. As the results of other games filtered through, coach Joe Hayward made some telling late tactical changes to give Northbridge added direction, and his charges delivered the knockout blow and win the title. However, it was Gladesville that started the better in the opening minutes with captain Johnny Martinez forcing Northbridge keeper, Sean Mulhern, to touch a dipping free kick over the bar after Majid Eslami was fouled during a twisting run into the penalty box. Magic were at it again in the 9th minute with striker, Mitchell Smith, racing through the defence and squeezing off a shot from 8 metres that Mulhern just managed to push around the near post. For their part Northbridge were looking to utilize the undoubted abilities of their target man up front, Tom Bentham, with balls to feet and support options in the form of hard-working Ry Hardy, Michael Cole and Paul Orgad. It took until the 25th minute for Northbridge to expose the Gladesville defence and it took an incisive through ball from Bentham in midfield to release Hardy down the left channel. The speedy winger expertly rounded his defender but blasted his shot well over the bar from 8 metres much to the dismay of the travelling fans. However, it was only minutes later that Northbridge struck their first goal of the afternoon when energetic fullback, Lee Jones, ripped in a curling cross to a crowded penalty area. Michael Cole got the slightest of touches with his head on the near post and the ball flew into the 6-yard box where a charging Bentham side-footed the ball into the net, 1-0 Northbridge. Neither side were able to create any further opportunities in the first half, and referee, the experienced Tom Diakos, blew for drinks right on cue as scores started to come in front around the grounds. Both sides started the second half with purpose on the ball and passion in the tackle. Courage and desperation was on show for all to see in the 56th minute when Northbridge’s Lee Jones hit a piledriver of a shot from 35 metres that Gladesville captain Johnny Martinez blocked with his head on the edge of the penalty area. The ball flew into touch as Martinez received attention from the medic and applause for his bravery from the assembled crowd. Later in the half Sean Mulhern, the Northbridge keeper, also required attention for a head wound after colliding with the upright as he desperately dove backwards to clear the ball after a dangerous cross. Jones was in the thick of the action again in the 60th minute when he beat his man out wide during a customary overlapping run, delivering the ball to the feet of Bentham in the 6-yard box. The big striker turned his marker and tapped the ball goal bound but was denied by the feet of Gladesville keeper Kiriakos Tohouroglo as he spread himself to divert the ball to safety. Opportunities were traded equally in the ensuing minutes with Gladesville looking almost certain to score in the 65th minute when Smith and Yavuz Ekinci combined to set Eslami through on goal. The elusive striker lobbed the ball past an outstretched Mulhern only to see it cleared off the line by the retreating defence. Northbridge were next to threaten on 67 minutes when Jones pushed a curling free kick beyond the wall and the goal from the edge of the area after Hardy had been fouled on the edge of the box. Magic almost stole an equaliser shortly afterwards, when some casual passing in defence by Northbridge saw substitute Peter Yannopolous intercept the ball just 12 metres from goal. The young striker moved at pace toward goal but keeper Mulhern did well to close the space and get down low to block the eventual shot. Gladesville eventually levelled the scores in the 69th minute when Cameron Newton launched a tantalizing freekick from the right side of the Northbridge penalty area that beat everyone except Eslami who charged in from the far post to bundle the ball over the line from 2 metres. Northbridge were stunned but were not about to let this game slip from their grasp. From the kick-off and without Gladesville touching the ball a series of quick one-two’s released captain Ricky Woodward on the edge of the area. The hard-working midfielder calmly rounded an on-rushing Tohouroglou to regain the lead for his team with a side foot into the empty net. As legs became tired and challenges more desperate chances at both ends fired up the assembled crowd over the last 10 minutes. Firstly Ekinci launched a teasing cross that bounced off the far upright in the 80thminute, whilst almost immediately, Hardy for Northbridge at the other end sped into the box, drew the cover defence before squaring the ball to an unmarked Bentham who mishit his first time, left foot effort, allowing Tohouroglou to nullify the opportunity. Gladesville’s Yannopolous had been creating some havoc for the Northbridge defence since coming on as substitute. In the 87th minute Smith released him down the right channel where he sped into the box, drilling a low hard shot across the face of goal that beat Mulhern before hitting the inside of the far post and re-bounding into play. However, it was in the 90th minute that Gladesville would eventually conjure another equalizer for the match. Northbridge’s substitute Mitchell Lensink caused an unnecessary and hotly disputed foul on the edge of the box that allowed Ekinci to launch another freekick towards the Northbridge goal. The flight of the ball deceived all players before hitting the inside of the post, rebounding across the goal line and being hammered home by Eslami. In the dying minutes it was Gladesville who threw caution to the wind as they were determined to finish the season on a high. Pushing forward at a tired Northbridge defence it was Gladesville’s Smith who closed in on goal and drove from 12 metres. Northbridge were glad to have a keeper of Mulhern’s quality when it counts and the custodian managed to launch himself at full stretch to push the ball away to safety and deny Smith a possible winner. However, Northbridge were not to denied, and with whispers of a possible Premiership title within reach as scores filtered through from other grounds, it was that man Lensink who emerged as a saviour for his club. Three minutes earlier it was Lensink who had fouled to give Gladesville the opportunity to equalize. Villain one minute, hero the next, as now, in the 93rd minute, he was released down the rightside channel where he sped into the box and slammed a drive from 9 metres into the net, delivering a Premiership title to his club in the process. For the home side, Gladesville Ryde Magic relinquish their 2012 title with their heads held high. A poor start by their own standards, Magic recovered to slowly climb the ladder, point by point, rung by rung, where they kept the top five honest by still being in with a chance for finals football until the final moments of the final day of the season. Northbridge FC can duly celebrate, having themselves recovered from an average start to 2013, turning their season around with some committed displays as they arm wrestled for the Premiership over the final weeks with both Dulwich Hill and Balmain. Hats off to Joe Hayward and his merry men from Northbridge, they take out the first piece of silverware in State League One, and now have the first week of the finals to put their feet up and rest as the top five commence their assault on the Grand Final trophy.
Posted on: Sat, 29 Mar 2014 08:08:05 +0000