Thank you to all participants that attended the trials for the 2015 Sutherland Shire Football Association (SSFA) Regional Youth Conference (RYC) Representative Teams. Congratulations to the following boys that have been selected to represent the SSFA in the RYC in 2015.

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Registration and Uniform fit out will be undertaken on Wednesday 26 November as follows:

Location: Harrie Dening Centre, Bates Drive Kareela.

Times:

• U12 Regional Conference     5:00 pm
• U13 Regional Conference     5:30 pm
• U14 Regional Conference     6:00 pm
• U15 Regional Conference     6:30 pm

Cost: $750 for the season

Payment:  Only Cash or Cheque or Direct Deposit (bank details provided below)

Please also note the acknowledged Eligibility Criteria (copied below) that will need to be satisfied to participate.

Team List U12 Regional Conference

Team List U13 Regional Conference 

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Eligibility Criteria

All RYC players will be required to comply with the following:

• Players must return to and maintain registration at their 2014 club in 2015 if that Club has an A or B Grade team in that Players Age Group or if they played in an older age group and have an A or B Grade team in that Older Age Group (this does not mean that the RYC participant has to be playing in a team graded A or B in the local competition).
• The player must be registered with an SSFA club whilst participating in the SSFA RYC.
• Age restrictions do apply. That is, players must be turning the age of the SSFA RYC team in which they are participating.

Failure to meet these guidelines will result in a loss of RYC place.

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Funds can be deposited to the below bank account prior to Registration night

Bank:                           St George Bank

BSB:                             112 879

Account Name:         SSFA

Account Number:     155 613 952

Reference:                 RYC [Age] [name]

One win and one loss from our two games over the weekend. The season opened for the 14s Regional Conference Side with a 1ST round clash with last years’ champions Riverina . We could not have started any worse conceding a goal within 2 minutes . From this point we found ourselves on the back foot for the remainder of the half. We went into halftime 0-4 down but to the boys credit we had created some goal scoring opportunities which if converted could have seen the game turn around. In the second half the boys showed great character as they matched it with the larger and more physical Riverina. An impressive display where we produced more goal scoring opportunities in a very even half of football but alas the final score stayed at 0-4. Although a disappointing result it was heartening to see the boys lift in the 2nd half against a red hot Riverina side.

On Sunday we were up against Northern Suburbs FA. We commenced with the starting eleven from Saturdays’ loss giving the lads an opportunity to redeem themselves. They did not disappoint showing much better resolve to limit the oppositions scoring opportunities. Our enterprising play enabled us to net a couple of well taken efforts which took us to the break 2-0 up. A much more satisfying effort from a coach’s’ perspective. In the second half we again dominated play but we wasted a number of gold edged scoring chances. A little more composure in front of goal and we could have scored 2 or 3 more. Anyway a much better performance than Saturday but we still have a lot of improvement in us. Well done boys.

U14s Regional Conference vs South Coast FC. 22 March

What a difference a week makes. One of our great concerns was whether South Coast had the ability to improve from the trial game a month ago and whether we would start with the enthusiasm that was lacking against Riverina yet evident against North’s. The boys played a good game and it was enjoyable to watch the Sutherland Shire FA midfield knock the ball around putting pressure on South Coasts defence from the beginning. It was also pleasing to see the midfield maintain their shape supporting each other defensively. South Coast were never really allowed to get into the game. Our attacks down the flanks were fast and penetrating combining with our strike force creating many opportunities eventually finding success in the second half. The boys at the back looked solid all day and commanded their defensive half with just a few half chances afforded to South Coast.  On the downside we conceded a disappointing late goal but fortunately the game was won at this stage. Jay was very pleased with the boys efforts on the day but did comment that there are a number of lads who believe beating a couple of players and mindlessly launching the ball forward was benefiting the team, but in reality they were just giving the ball back to the opposition. So play with your heads up boys and be mindful when making that pass. Overall a great 3-1 result drawn from skill, structure  and discipline.

RYC U13 – 22 March

The 2nd week of RYC was played on the weekend down at Wollongong against South Coast Football.  After the opening weekend where the boys were unlucky to lose 1-0 against Riverina Rhinos and a 2-0 win against Northern Suburbs the boys were keen to continue their progress. The early stages of the match were dominated by Sutherland where they created numerous chances. Unfortunately they were unable to score.  10 minutes into the match Karell Buitendijk slotted the opening goal only for the referee to rule it a “no goal”? Towards the end of the first half Sutherland finally scored their opening goal after good lead up work by the team Jett Black placed the ball in the back of the net.  The second half resulted in no more goals being scored by either teams leaving the end result with a win to Sutherland 1-0.

The 2015 RYC U13’s team consists of:-Jacob Alfaro, Daniel Allen, Thomas Allen, Jett Black, Karell Buitendijk, Nicholas Bush, Cruz Dempster, Max Fantov, Gabriel Ferrazzano, Oliver Hawksworth, Hudson Hick, Timothy Mintilakis, Carter Rowley, Christopher Thomas & Samuel Wild.

Congratulations to the boys for a well-deserved win against a very strong St George side.

It was always going to be a tough match for our boys as our depleted team is ravaged by injuries and wet weather has hampered training sessions.   It was a very boggy pitch the boys played on making running and passing a little tough for both sides but some brilliant passing up front put our team in the lead early in the match.  Seconds before half time St George were awarded a controversial penalty to even the score.

In the second half our boys settled in to play some good football with strong defence and brilliant attacking.  The ball mainly being at our end of the pitch the boys were very unlucky not to score a few times.  Against the run of play St George slipped through the defence to score again and put them in the lead.  To their credit our boys never gave up and two more goals, one just moments before full time saw Sutherland win their fourth game from five this Season.

A very big thank you to the boys from U13s who helped us out – the win would not have been possible without your assistance. Currently sitting in second place on the ladder we are hoping to consolidate the team’s strong form with some good training sessions.

Sunday 2 August saw the Regional Youth Conference teams return to home base at Harrie Denning against Gladesville Hornsby.  After being defeated 3-2 the week before by Gladesville on a very small pitch our boys were keen to avenge the loss.  The wide open spaces of Harrie Denning allowed our boys to play great open passing football.  After being pushed off the ball the week before Geoff Holden changed the team formation to gain control of the midfield.  It wasn’t long before we opened the scoring with a great goal by Karell Buitendijk outside the box.

The midfield led by Daniel Allen, Nicholas Bush, Carter Rowley and Thomas Allen took total control and delivered more opportunities to our front line.  Before half time the boys added 2 more goals, one from Thomas Allen and a cracker from Bushy (Nicholas) to lead 3-0 at half time.

In the second half the boys continued to dominate and surging forward runs by Sam Wild and others added another 3 more goals, one to Hudson Hick, Jacob Alfaro and Carter Rowley to lead 6-0 at full time.  Credit must also go to a solid back line of Jett Black, Tim Mintilakis, Ollie Hawksworth and Max Fantov and organised by Gabe (Goal Keeper) that let nothing past them.

A total team performance with 6 different goal scorers.  The win has placed the boys in 2nd place ready to take on the leaders Riverina when the boys travel to Griffith in a fortnights time ROAD TRIP

On the weekend of 16 August the SSFA RYC teams U14 boys made the road trip to Griffith – with the U14’s heading to the clash of the year against an undefeated Riverina Rhinos side.

Our team has been racked with injuries and it was always going to be a tough match. The Riverina boys put on a very impressive display but our boys must be congratulated on keeping them to a nil all draw.   Sutherland’s defence was nothing short of brilliant and a special mention to our Goalkeeper Will for his lightning fast reactions.  Although a scoreless match the game was anything but dull keeping the parents on the edge of their seats the entire game.

Many thanks to the U13s for helping us out with players on the day.

Sutherland are still second place on the ladder and looking forward to the final game against St George in a fortnight’s time.

Sutherland Shire Football Association (SSFA) is pleased to confirm the following appointments to Womens Premier League (WPL) and Regional Youth Conference (RYC) Representative Coaching positions for the 2016 season.

Womens Premier League (WPL) coaches:

• Senior Squad (1^st & Reserve Grade):  Head/ 1^st Grade Coach- Michael McGovern, Squad/ Reserve Grade – Mark Greenfield.
• Under 17 Girls: Head Coach- Allan Sheldrick, Assistant Coach- Chris Brydon
• Under 15 Girls: Head Coach- Steven Brown, Assistant Coach- TBD.
• Under 13 Girls: Head Coach- Geoff Gidney, Assistant Coach- Georgia Manos
• Under 10 & 12 Girls SAP Head Coach: Jonathan Dmoch

Regional Youth Conference (RYC) coaches:

• Under 13 Boys: Stefan Janic & Brian Carr (Co-coaches)
• Under 14 Boys: Geoff Holden & Mark Houston (Assist)
• Under 15 Boys: Jay Anderson & Steve McAllan (Assist)
• Under 16 Boys: Dragan Blazevic

Congratulations to all of the above coaches.

Sutherland Shire Football Association (SSFA) advises that trials for the Boys Regional Youth Conference (RYC) Representative Teams will be held at Harrie Dening Centre, Bates Drive, Kareela.

SSFA advise that the Competition will be structured as follows:

• FNSW will be operating competitions for Boys Regional Youth Conference Football in the following age groups:  U13,U14, U15, U16.
• Players participating in the SSFA RYC teams will be “dual registered” with their SSFA Club and the SSFA RYC team,
• The season is expected to commence in April with Finals scheduled for September.

• Matches are generally scheduled to be played on Sundays, with flexibility required. That is, the RYC team drawn to play at Home will determine if the RYC matches are to be played on Saturday or Sunday.
• The RYC should not be used to form local Club “super teams”. Accordingly Eligibility requirements (noted below) have been mandated for players to participate in each RYC team.
• Training will be one night per week (on a Monday night).

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 Eligibility Criteria:

All RYC players will be required to comply with the following:

• Players must return to and maintain registration at their 2015 club in 2016 if that Club has an A or B Grade team in that Players Age Group or if they played in an older age group and have an A or B Grade team in that Older Age Group (this does not mean that the RYC participant has to be playing in a team graded A or B in the local competition).
• The player must be registered with an SSFA club whilst participating in the SSFA RYC.
• Age restrictions do apply. That is, players must be turning the age of the SSFA RYC team in which they are participating.

Failure to meet these guidelines will result in a loss of RYC place.

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Trial Dates and Times (all trials will be held at the Sutherland Shire’s Home of Football – Harrie Dening Centre, Bates Drive, Kareela).

All players are expected to attend all trial dates and times for their age group. No Representative (Sharks, SSFA, St George, Met Far South, etc), Academy, FNSW/ SAP gear is to be worn to trials.

Monday   23 November   (open to everyone)

6.00pm – 7:30pm        U13’s

7:30pm – 9:00pm        U14’s

Tuesday 24 November    (open to everyone)
6.00pm – 7:30pm        U15’s

7:30pm – 9:00pm        U16’s

Wednesday 25 November  (open to everyone)
6.00pm – 7:30pm        U13’s

7:30pm – 9:00pm        U14’s

Thursday 26 November  (open to everyone)
6.00pm – 7:30pm        U15’s

7:30pm – 9:00pm        U16’s

Friday 27 November (Invitation only – if needed)

6.00pm – 7:00pm        Age group subject to necessity

7:30pm – 8:30pm        Age group subject to necessity

Monday 30 November   (Invitation only – if needed)

6.00pm – 7:00pm        Age group subject to necessity

7:30pm – 8:30pm        Age group subject to necessity

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On line registration to trial has now closed. Players interested in trialling (i.e. those that have not registered on line) are requested to present themselves at least 20 minutes prior to the stated start time for their age group in order to complete the required documentation. Players will not be allowed to participate in the trials without completing the required documentation.

Note that Players trialling/selected will be required to meet residential and/or playing eligibility requirements as stipulated by FNSW and as noted above

Thank you to all participants that attended the trials for the 2016 SSFA Boys Regional Youth Conference (RYC) Representative teams.

The remaining trial for the U13 Boys RYC and the U14 Boys RYC Squads are by “Invitation Only”. These trials will take place on Friday November 27 at Harrie Dening Centre, Bates Drive, Kareela at the following times:

• 6:00pm to 7:00pm for the Under 13’s, and
• 7:30pm to 8:30 pm for the Under 14’s.

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All participants offered a position in the SSFA RYC are reminded of the following Eligibility Criteria:

• Players must return to and maintain registration at their 2015 club in 2016 if that Club has an A or B Grade team in that Players Age Group or if they played in an older age group and have an A or B Grade team in that Older Age Group (this does not mean that the RYC participant has to be playing in a team graded A or B in the local competition).
• The player must be registered with an SSFA club whilst participating in the SSFA RYC.
• Age restrictions do apply. That is, players must be turning the age of the SSFA RYC team in which they are participating.

Failure to meet these guidelines will result in a loss of RYC place.

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Congratulations to the following players that have been selected to attend the “Invitation Only” trial for the U13 RYC.

Congratulations to the following players that have been selected to attend the “Invitation Only” trial for the U14 RYC.

Thank you to all participants who attended trials for the 2016 SSFA Regional Youth Conference (RYC) teams. Congratulations to the following players who have been selected in each of the below squads:

U13 RYC

U14 RYC

U15 RYC

U16 RYC

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Compulsory Registration (including signing/ checking registration form, payment of fee, photograph (where appropriate)) and Uniform fit out will be undertaken as follows:

Location: Harrie Dening Centre, Bates Drive Kareela.

Dates and Times:

Thursday 3 December

5:00 pm                U13 RYC

5:20 pm                U14 RYC

5:40 pm                U15 RYC

6:00 pm                U16 RYC

Cost:

$750.00 ($350 of which is non-refundable if the player withdraws from the RYC).

Payment:  Cash, Cheque, EFTPOS or Direct Deposit (bank details provided below).

Funds can be deposited to the below bank account prior to Registration night

Bank:                           St George Bank

BSB:                             112 879

Account Name:         SSFA

Account Number:     155 613 952

Reference:                 RYC [Age] [name]

Please note the below Eligibility Criteria that will need to be satisfied to participate in the SSFA RYC:

• Players must return toand maintain registration at their 2015 club in 2016 if that Club has an A or B Grade team in that Players Age Group or if they played in an older age group and have an A or B Grade team in that Older Age Group
• The player must be registered with an SSFA clubwhilst participating in the SSFA RYC.
• Must meet current eligibility rules for Registration(in accordance with SSFA Rule 4.D) at the time of trialling.
• Age restrictions do apply for RYC participation. That is, players must be turning the age of the SSFA RYC team in which they are participating.

Failure to meet these guidelines will result in a loss of RYC place.

Regional Conference Trial Match vs Macarthur Association.

Match Date: Sunday 7^th February 2016.

Under 13s: Sutherland Shire 1 v Macarthur 0.

A cool and bright morning greeted the participants for the opening trial games of the RCL season.  For some in the Under 13s it was their first taste of representative football, whilst for others returning for their second year it was an opportunity to show how far they had come.

Many training sessions through January had led to the optimism for a strong performance against a side new to the competition.

Early signs were good with Sutherland attacking from the outset resulting in a 4^th minute goal to Andrew.  From here the arm wrestle set in and whilst Sutherland remained dominant the first half ended with the score unchanged.

Stefan rallied his charges to dig deep, find the width, and compete for every ball.  The second half saw Sutherland continue to dominate and we were camped in Macarthur’s 18 yard box for most of the second half.  A number of shots on goal were saved well by the Macarthur keeper with a few other just wide of the sticks.

At full time despite being by far the stronger team, the score remained 1- nil to Sutherland.  An admirable result for this team’s first game together, and it provided the coaches with plenty to work on leading in future games.

Under 14’s: SSFA  2 v Macarthur 0

Under 15’s: SSFA  4 v Macarthur 0

Under 16’s: SSFA  0 v Macarthur 0

Our first trial game for the season, played at Kareela on an extremely warm and sunny day. The first half of the game was tightly fought with some good chances at scoring a goal. The first chance came in the 9th minute from Henry. Josh D and Billy also had shots later in the first half. There was some great defending from our backs as well, with our mids run ragged throughout the game. A few instances when the boy’s concentration lapsed, gave MacArthur a few opportunities for a goal, but the shots were wide. Jonathan, our Goalie, got plenty of exercise in the first half (and definitely in the second half too) and did a few great saves. The Ref blew the whistle for half time, much to the relief of the boys… Tongues hanging out for a drink. At the end of the first half it was nil all.

The second half started well and again there were chances for goals early. Henry, Josh D and Billy all had shots at goal, some of them going straight to the Keeper’s hands. We just couldn’t get around that keeper. With an opportunity of scoring from a free kick in the closing 10 minutes, the ball skimmed past the goal. The game ended in a nil all draw.

Although only our first real game together, the boys have pretty much gelled from our training sessions. Overall, the game was a tight fought game, great defence on both sides with only a handful of opportunities missed on both sides. It was a pleasure to play Macarthur as the attitude from both sides kept the penalties low, made the game flow and made it a great game to watch. RYC16 boys should be proud of the game, and I am sure our coach, Dragan, has seen a few things to work on at training.

Match Date: Sunday 21st February 2016.

Under 13s: SSFA 7 v Northern Suburbs 3.

Goals: Andrew 1, Kyle 1, Nick 1, Joel 1, Kristian 2, Daniel 1

After a week’s break the U13s were keen to get back on the pitch and show the Coaches what they had learnt at training.

Northern Suburbs have always been a tough opposition and right from the start they began to knock the ball around with some sharp passing. Our boys looked a little flat as Sutherland struggled to get into the game and keep up with the pace. Sutherland slowly wore Northern Suburbs down and after a great interchange we went up 1 nil in the 9^th minute.

The first half was a great exhibition of U13s football. Both teams playing at a quick pace, with wonderful one touch football, strong defence and using the full width of the pitch. Sutherland certainly had the best of the first 30 and went in at half time 4-2 up.

After half time Sutherland continued where they had left off and was dominant on the flanks and in defence. Within 7 minutes we were up 6 – 2 and the game was safe. Northern Suburbs did not give up and this entertaining game of football finished 7-3. A good result for the 2^nd trial with this new team.

Under 14’s: SSFA  2 v Northern Suburbs 0

Goal Scorers: Hudson Hick (1), Jacob Alfaro (1)

Sutherland boys had the better of the 1st half creating numerous chances only to be denied by NS keeper who was playing out of his skin and the crossbar.  Some wonderfully creative football by the boys gave them a lot of chances in front of goal and bodes well for the season. Bushy, Daniel and Alex held the midfield well giving lots of chances for Michael and Hudson to cross from left and Jacob and Tim going from the right. NS keeper saved numerous shots from Jacob, Hudson, Bushy, Michael and Ethan. The rare NS breaks were cut off well by our goalie Daniel and two centre backs, Jett and Hayden. Nathan and Ollie came on later in 1st half chasing well & fighting for ball but it was to no avail as scoreless at half time as the boys go into the sheds.  A scrappy 2nd half where the boys scored 2 good goals for a well deserved win. After 10 minutes Hudson gets a shot past the NS keeper and Sutherland now have the ascendency with a cracking shot by Bushy coming off post. As 2nd half wore, a bit of fatigue set in and the boys started to play more long balls and through the middle giving the NS boys more opportunity to attack but defended strongly giving NS no real chances to come back. In 20th minute Jacob gets ball on the left in front of goal, shimmies and its 2-0 to Sutherland which remains the final score.  Thanks to boys from 13s for helping out.

Under 15’s: SSFA  5 v Northern Suburbs 0

Goals:  Kane Arduin (2), Charlie Waser (2), Ben Morgan

Today’s game was so enjoyable as I think we are really starting to see the benefits of our training coming together.  Our fitness levels are improving by the week and we are really gelling as a team.

Our quality passing was a stand out for this game but our finishing at times let us down.

A little more communication will help improve our game.

We did very well considering the hot and humid conditions and out-played the opposition.  It was good to keep a clean sheet, well done boys.  We are looking forward to next week’s game and always hoping for improvement leading up to the Round 1 battle with Riverina.

Thank you to Tim from U14s for helping us out.

Under 16’s: SSFA  1 v Northern Suburbs 2

SSFA Goal Scorers:  Henry Fuller

The weather cleared as the morning progressed & the umbrellas were needed to keep the sun away, not the rain, for our usual early afternoon kick off.The game started with teams feeling each other out with the first 10 minutes proving largely uneventful, midway through the first half the opposition began to utilise their direct style of play to effect & our defence lived a little dangerously. Jonathon was forced into a couple of saves one most notably from a well placed free kick, the last 10 minutes of the first half saw the boys gain a better foothold with the midfield beginning to get on top, to no avail however & the scorer was not troubled at the break.

The second stanza saw a reshuffle with Mackenzie succumbing to an injury forcing Will into the defence, the boys resumed their late first half dominance with the ball being moved in free flowing fashion, the pressure was converted into a goal on 42 minutes when some fine lead up play saw Ethan rattle the post & Henry was on hand to calmly tuck away the rebound.

The lead lasted barely a minute when a loose ball was latched onto by the opposition & a fine lob over a retreating Jonathon saw the scores level. The boys came back hard & a handful of chances were created with Billy, Josh, Nick & Henry all testing the keeper however the back of the net proved to be elusive.

The opposition again came back into the game & our keeper was forced to tip a nice strike over the bar as the game appeared to be heading to a draw, with Tom marshalling his defence well. Unfortunately a foul 4 minutes from time inside the box saw Northern Suburbs take the lead from the spot & despite valiantly trying to equalise in the closing stages the final whistle brought the game to an end.

Lots of positives to take out of the game, at the same time lots of improvement will follow, the boys are in good hands & we look forward to the boys playing some positive football in the weeks & months ahead.

Regional Conference League Trial Match vs South Coast

Match Date:  Sunday 28^th February 2016.

RYC 16’s:  SSFA 4 v South Coast 2

Goals: Kristian 4

Our first away game and we were up early to travel to Wollongong.  Brian and Stefan asked to boys to start strong and that’s exactly what happened. Right form the kick off we attacked down both flanks pushing the ball wide and challenging their full backs. Within 5 minutes we were up to 2 nil with great finishes both times by Kristian.  The game then settled into an arm wrestle as South Coast lifted. It wasn’t long until we conceded an easy goal but went into the break at 3-1.

The second half was a bit lack lustre from both teams and whilst we were dominating our passing game was poor and many players tried to go one out when better options were on offer.

A great run from Kailan down the right beating 6 players almost paid off with the cross landing perfectly and a good save by their keeper. Kristian completed his day out with his fourth goal, and a great tackle by JC resulting in a penalty against us.  Final score 4-2.

RYC 14’s: SSFA 3 v Football South Coast 1

Goals; Ethan Fowler 2, Jett Black 1

With half the team getting lost, the RYC U14 finally got down to business against the South Coast on a very hot and steamy Sunday.  The team started well, and dominated the early proceedings and possession. The team created many early chances, but failed to convert. Eventually the boys took the lead, with striker Ethan Fowler scoring after excellent lead up work by Alex Nosatti.

South coast hit back and the teams went into half time 1-1.  Sutherland scored straight after half time to lead 2-1 after continued mid-field pressure. Sutherland extended their lead to 3-1 when

Jett Black scored from another forward raid.  The coach singled out special praise to the back 4 of Tim Mintilakis, Haydn Parker, Michael Mackey and Ollie Hawksworth for their excellent work at the back. Well done boys.

RYC 15’s:  SSFA 3 v South Coast 2

Goals: (2) Ben Morgan (1) Kane Arduin

Our boys made the trek to Kembla Grange to play against Football South Coast on Sunday.  It was an ‘interesting’ game played in fairly extreme heat conditions.  We were up 2 nil and the ball was all our way until a red card was given to South Coast for swearing and our heads dropped.   South Coast were now playing with 10 men and this changed the dynamics of the game.  Although a win – it felt a little disappointing.  Our score line should have been greater but our finishing let us down.  All round it was probably a game we would prefer to forget.  Boys keep working hard – Riverina is getting closer!  No more cross bars!  We can do it!

RYC 16’s:  SSFA 2 v South Coast 2

Goals:  Henry Fuller, Ethan Powers

A sunny afternoon set the scene for a tight tussle between what proved to be 2 evenly matched teams.  The opening 10 minutes saw both teams feeling their way, with midfields working hard to nullify each other’s attempts to create. A nice break down the right saw Henry provide our first real quality ball into the penalty area. Soon after the opposition scored against the run of play but Sutho struck back with Henry lifting one over the keeper’s reach from outside the box. With the midfield muscling up and refusing to be dominated, a couple of unfinished opportunities did come our way towards the end of the half. A debatable free kick to South Coast was taken well, and pushed the score line to 2 -1 in their favour, at the break.  The second half opened with the midfield battles continuing. Billy assisted nicely from the right with Ethan putting away the most clinical of finishes. This equalizer was a real shot in the arm for Sutho, and we dominated the next phase of the game. Our defence was standing strong and up front Josh D found the back of the net, only to be deemed off side. An acrobatic bicycle kick from Will almost grabbed the win for Sutho but travelled just wide.

So as the sun set, reflecting off the domes of the nearby Macedonian Orthodox Church, Sutherland went away with a well-earned draw, and the knowledge that we have the potential to share a great season together.

SSFA WPL 15’s 4 v SSFA RYC 13’s

Match Date: Sunday, 6th March 2016

SSFA Goal Scorers: Leanna Snudden 2, Amelia Rader 1, Jayden Danes 1

With the temperature topping the mid 30’s and facing the boys, we knew it was not going to be an easy match for us. The first half was a highly competitive affair with both teams creating early chances and converting them into goals. The second half continued in a similar fashion, with chances for each team. Our goals were well constructed and Jaydan’s goal from outside the box was beautifully struck. We did not have lady luck on our side and Leanna was very unlucky not to have a hat trick. Amelia had a few good runs down the line and did not waste any opportunity that she was given to attack.

Again Bailey, Zoe, Tahlee, Lauren and Emily were solid in defence and they made the boys work hard for any attacking opportunities in the game. Lana, Jasmine, Ashley, Bianca and Charlotte all worked relentlessly supporting both the defence and the attack thru out the game. It was Shaylee’s first match back from injury and she showed her finesse with the ball when given an opportunity. We were a bit unlucky overall – own goal, missed penalty and a few other unlucky moments.

Special mention to our goalie for the match that we borrowed from the U13’s – Akala Howell -you were brilliant and thank you for your gutsy performance and the saves you made. Awesome! … and bubble soccer!

RYC 14’s

Regional Conference League Bathurst Cup Summary

Sat 12^th and Sunday 13^th March

Well what a weekend the U13s had. Starting off poorly with no goal keeper and a midfielder with a broken toe!

Arriving to a sun filled paddock with the promise of hot weather all weekend, you would be forgiven for thinking the boys were still asleep when our first game kicked off against Woden. Within the first 20 minutes we were down 3 – nil and the shock had set in. We clawed back to 3 all with some fine play but Woden scored a last minute winner.

2^nd game V Wagga started much better with our boys playing the ball wide and showing the passing skills they have trained for. Unfortunately, Wagga came over the top and won 2-1.

Game 3 was do or die if we wanted to qualify and after a refreshing swim and refuelling the u13s showed the wonderful football they can play using the full width of the field, wonderful interchange passing and great finishing. Final score was 8 – nil against a much weaker Bathurst side.

Day 2 Sunday was Finals day and after scrapping into the Quarters by 1-point confidence was low against PL2 side Bankstown. Our boys flew out of the blocks and the passing game was back with a vengeance. SSFA competed for every ball and at full time we had a 1-all draw. Into golden goal we charged, on the attack from the kick off, with Kyle slotting the keepers parry of Kristian’s shot into the net. Sutherland into the Semis!!

The Semi Final saw us drawn against last year’s winners Gladesville. Sutherland boys again competed for every ball showing their speed and moving the ball wide, final whistle blew we won 2 -1 – we were into the final.

The final saw against Riverina. We have previously had 4 draws against this team into what is a very close rivalry. Riverina started quickly with some great passing and playing possession football. By half time they were up 2 nil. The boy’s heads had dropped and Brian asked them for 1 more effort. Within 10 minutes we were back level with 2 great finishes, and by the end of golden goal extra time the teams could not be separated. Unfortunately, the penalty shootout did not go our way and Riverina were crowned Champions, Sutherland runners up for the 2^nd year in a row.

Goal scorers on the weekend: Kristian 6, Andrew 2, Kyle 3, Joel Clements 3, Kailan 2, Luke M 1, Daniel P 1.

All the boys did us proud they were resilient, and gave 100%.

RYC 14’s

Saturday, March 12th

SSFA 3 v Eurobodalla FA 2

SSFA 6 v Bathurst 0

SSFA 0 v South Coast 1

The Bathurst Cup weekend took place at Proctor Park last weekend.  All teams were greeted with sunny, hot and steamy conditions.  The RYC U14’s played 3 pool games on the Saturday a 3-2 win against Eurobodalla FA.  6-0 win against Bathurst District FA and a close  1-0 loss against Football South Coast, which  placed the team 2nd in their pool and qualified for the quarter finals.

After a team bonding dinner the RYC U14’s took on the Riverina Rhinos in the quarter finals, the team that has won the last 2 years at Bathurst.  The team was fired up for the contest and the boys finished the first half 1-1 after fighting  back after falling behind 1-0 early in the game against a tough and physical Riverina team.  The team finished the game 2-1 winners after super sub Nathan Wilson scored the winning goal in a a tight thrilling match.

The semi-final was played against Rydalmere City Lions in a close game and the boys more than matched their opponents.  Unfortunately Rydalmere won the game 1-0 with a penalty goal and continued their run to win the Bathurst Cup in the final.

The coach Geoff Holden was extremely pleased with the boys efforts and performance during the weekend and now has asked the boys to continue into the season with the same attitude for a successful year. WELL DONE BOYS. Congratulations also to the RYC U13’s for making the final.

 Well done boys.

RYC 15’s

Bathurst Cup, Weekend March 13^th 2016

This is one of our favourite weekends away for both players and parents and this year was no Exception. Regardless of the result it is a fantastic weekend of bonding for everyone and a great way to kick-off the Season.

Sutherland 2 v Bankstown 0

The boys were totally shell-shocked in the first game by a very physical Bankstown side. Bankstown scored 2 goals in the first 8 minutes and it looked like we would have trouble containing the score.  Thankfully the half time whistle blew and Jay’s chat was able to inspire the boys to play a little more controlled football, keeping Bankstown to a 0-0 draw in the second half.

Sutherland 4 v Rydalmere 1

Our second match started off badly with Rydalmere up 1 nil within minutes. Our passing was not the usual standard our boys expect of each other and once again it seemed we were intimidated by a more physical opposition.  The second half our boys settled into a bit of a rhythm and two quick goals from Jasper turned the game.  Another two goals from Ben and Kane saw our first win of the Tournament.  We were still playing way below our usual standard and our score line should have been greater but we were hoping to learn from this game.

Sutherland 1 v Wagga Wagga 1

Our final game against Wagga was by far the stand-out performance. Finally our boys played to the standard we have grown accustomed throughout the pre-season and it was just so ‘beautiful’ to watch.   A penalty was awarded to Sutherland for a deliberate trip in the box and Ben was able to slot it in the far left corner.  With 90 seconds to go Wagga scored against the run of play and a draw was good enough for them to proceed through to the finals.  Despite the disappointment our boys showed real determination and we were all so proud of their efforts.

A big thank you to all the parents for your commitment and support of the boys over the weekend. Unfortunately we missed the finals by a whisker but I am sure we all agree we will take plenty away from the Tournament.

RYC 16’s

SSFA 2 v South Coast 2

Saturday, March 12th

We had a good start to this tournament getting away to a two nil lead in our first game against south coast. We scored early and controlled the tempo of this game. In the second half south coast managed to score a bomb free kick thirty meters out. With a hint of panic in our play Coast started to gain confidence, we battled in patches but just couldn’t regain control of the game, Coast with the wind in their sail eventually scored in the last minute to equalise .  We looked like a team out of luck with nothing going our way. Like I always say to the boys” Good technique and determination make you lucky.”

RYC 16’s

SSFA 0 v Bankstown 2

Saturday, March 12th

The four hour gap between games probably didn’t help our cause. After watching the way we warmed up for our second game Connor and I thought how do we lift the team? Nothing we did or said seemed to work. We never really got into this game, it was as if the boys just had enough of football and wanted to be somewhere else. As a result Bankstown beat us two nil.  We did not defend or hold shape as well as we normally do, this is not a criticism of the defence or back third, it is a criticism of the whole team, we need to keep working on this at training. We need to remember to defend from the front, our defence starts from the front and the shape that we play in the front third is just as important as the shape we play in the middle or the back third of the field.  A huge thanks to Hunter, keeper we borrowed from the RYC u15s, who stepped up and did a great job in goals for us on Saturday.

RYC 16’s

SSFA 1 v Rydalmere 1

Sunday, March 13th

Sunday was a new day and we took it as a new beginning. We had a team talk before or game where we discussed that “ Knowing is not enough, You must Apply. Willing is not enough, You must DO!!!” The game against Rydalmere started, we looked tired and half a metre off the pace in the first half, our passes going astray and Rydalmere winning most of the 50/50 contests.  To their credit Rydalmere took the lead with half time seconds away.  During half time we reiterated the pre-game talk which must have finally made sense because with the start of the second half there was a hint of the real Sutherland, we started to move the ball quickly and play forward to feet with some nice passing from our midfield finding our forwards in good positions. We started to battle and we out played Rydalmere, finally scoring a well deserved equaliser. The final ten minutes we camped in their half and had shot after shot, with their keeper making save after save for no result, Rydalmere were still trying to counter attack but our defence was strong. We were held to a draw by a good football team, who went on to win the tournament!

RYC 16’s

SSFA 3 v Central Coast 2

In our last game we were flat to say the least, nonetheless we managed to beat central coast 3:2.

A good team manages to salvage something from games even when they don’t play to their potential. We are a good team with a lot of potential, who were just a little bit flat this weekend.

Team we need to focus at training and give everything that you have at each session and every game, the decision making in this tournament was lacking because we didn’t do the simple things well. Some players over the last three weeks or so have just gone through the motions and are not giving 100% to the team.

I don’t know what some of you are doing outside of RYC football but whatever it is I would suggest that you change your pre-match routine, because you don’t really look interested. It is like you have had too much football during the week and can’t be bothered on game day.  Connor and I don’t care about winning or losing, but we do care about how you play and represent the Sutherland RYC. Even if we had managed to win the tournament, the weekend’s performance would not have been good enough! It is not if we win or lose it is how we win or lose that is important to us as coaches!

We are not the best team in this grade yet and we need to keep working towards becoming the best team in this grade all year, working hard at training and being switched on for game day, right from the minute when we enter the stadium, particularly during the warm up and in all of our game play.

We are the Sharks and we need to play like we are the Sharks, first to the ball and still running hard on and off the ball until the last whistle, many games are won and lost in the dying minutes of the game. A team is only as good as its last touch on the ball and you don’t want that touch to be lifting the ball out of our net.

Good second day to the Bathurst Cup, we will let the first day slide but we should not forget the lessons we learnt from it! We want to take a step forward away from our comfort zone and grow as footballers. Regards Coach Dragan Blazevic

Under 13s: SSFA 8 v Eastern Suburbs 0

SSFA Goal Scorers:  Kyle (2), Kristian (2), Daniel P(1), Kailan(1), Ryan(1), Joel C (1)

After trial games and Bathurst Cup we looked forward to the first game of the competition proper vs Eastern Suburbs at ES Marks Field. Under grey skies and a wet and slippery pitch the boys were excited to get started.

From the opening it was clear Sutherland looked stronger than their opposition and we easily progressed through the middle of the park with slick passing. Lacking was the finishing touch as the ball kept sliding by away from the goals. Through sustained pressure we opened the scoring and before long we had three which is how we went into the sheds at half time.

A change is structure and players proved fruitful early on in the second half and within 10 minutes Sutherland extended the score to 6 goals to nil.

It then appeared that everyone wanted a goal as the passing disappeared and long range shots frustrated the coaches. Final score was 8 nil in a game we were clearing dominant.

RYC 14’s: SSFA 7 v Eastern Suburbs Suburbs 0

SSFA Goal Scorers: Hudson (1), Jacob (1), Alex (3), Nathan (1), Jett (1)

Sutherland started the 1^st half quickly keeping the ball and attacking at will. The midfield interplay between Daniel, Bushie, Jett and Hudson was causing all sorts of problems for the ES defence and giving our strikers, Ethan and Alex lots of chances. A good cross into box to Hudson opened the scoring. More attacking led to a great corner from Hudson & good run from Alex to make it 2-0. Alex was on fire and within a few minutes had scored his hat trick to make it 4-0.There was no major work for back 4 of Ollie, Michael, Hayden & Tim as ES struggled to make any real attacking moves not putting Daniel, our goalie, under any real pressure.  Jacob, Ben & Nathan came on and were getting lots of ball. Nathan got a great through ball in middle, makes a little run & its 5-0 at half time.  A much slower 2nd half with lots of half chances but our intensity & concentration had dropped off allowing ES a few more chances to attack. Eventually a good run by  Jacob to tap in made it 6-0 and a good through ball to Jett made it 7-0. A great game by the boys, especially in the 1^st half when our control of the ball, defence and running into space was 1^st class.

RYC 15’s:  SSFA 8 v Eastern Suburbs FC 0

SSFA Goal Scorers:  Stefan (3), Charlier (2), Jasper (1), Ky (1), Kane (1)

What a great start to the season! All of the pre season training is starting to pay off. As soon as the whistle blew we were flying out of the gates with Jasper scoring in the first 9 seconds!

The game as a whole was very impressive as we were keeping possession of the ball, pressuring the opposition, passing extremely well and scoring some quality goals. We could use a little more communication through the middle of the park and a bit more composure when in front of goal.

Towards the end of the second half we did start to slow our charge however we still did very well keeping a clean sheet which hopefully will give us confidence after the first game for the next two big weeks. We out played the opposition with fitness and skill and of course there is always room for improvement heading into the rest of the season. Overall it was a good result.

RYC 15: Round 2- Sutho v Riverina Draw 1-1

Goal: Ben Morgan

We prepared for this game as if it was a grand final. Our training prior was very good and we went into the game determined and with confidence. The first 10 minutes went our way with the majority of ball in our possession with limited attack from Riverina.

As the game progressed we began to learn how they attack with our defence winning the ball almost 90% of the time. However, Riverina is a good team and they did find a way on occasions to get behind our defences and brought our goal keeper, Hunter having to save some one on ones. Riverina’s goal came about through a miscommunication with the defence and a clearance that went straight to one of their attackers. Our crosses and corners were a bit lazy and went straight to the keeper. Our 6, 8 and 10 were a bit slow to let go of the ball which slowed the play down. We were lucky to have come of the pitch tied as their keeper was very good and Benny managed to get one through his legs.

There were three words that we were told to focus on in our game and work towards as a team which were pride, respect and heart. In the first half we got a pretty average score with our heart at 4. We came back onto the pitch with a new attitude and got to work straight away. Everything that Jay and Steve had talked about at half time we improved by ten. Our crosses and corners improved and the midfielders had started to improve the flow of the play. Our ability and composer to shoot in front of goal still needs improving as we had multiple chances to put one away.

Our defense was rock solid and the whole team put in everything they had in the last moments of the game. Looking at the game as a whole I thought that as a team we deserved to win and that we had shown Riverina that we are the benchmark this year.     Charlie Waser

RYC U14 3-1-victory to Sutherland
Goals: Ethan (2), Hudson (1).

1H – The boys started off quickly, holding the ball well with some great passing through the middle field, which was freeing up our wingers to attack down the flanks. Sustained pressure led to a corner which came back out to Tim who’s cross fell to Ethan’s feet to make it 1-0. Great passing in midfield was creating more chances for us & a cross whipped in from Jacob connected perfectly on Ethan’s head to make it 2-0. A fantastic half from the boys with some wonderful passing & ball skills that created a lot of opportunities & very little pressure on the backs. A well deserved 2-0 lead at HT.

2H – RR came out firing & under pressure some poor passing from boys created a free kick chance for RR & it as 2-1. The boys stood tall withstanding sustained pressure RR with our backs keeping Rhinos at bay. The boys worked hard to get themselves back in the game & the passing & ball control started to come back. Further pressure resulted in a poor clearance from RR goalie & Hudson stayed calm to make it a well deserved 3-1 victory against a quality opposition. Boys should be proud of the way that played today especially in the way they fought to get control of the game back in 2nd half.

Under 13s Sutherland Shire 5 – Riverina 5

Goals: Luke I – 3, Kyle, Kristian.

Up again against our strongest opposition from the Riverina. Having played them 4 times in the past 2 years we have had 4 draws after regular and extra time. Most recently they had defeated us on penalties in the Bathurst Cup final. The stage was set for the decider.

From the outset we put pressure on their back 4, and within 2 minutes we were up 1 – nil. And then we went to sleep. Riverina were kicked into action and showed much more passion and moved the ball around well. Within 10 minutes we had 2 against us, now down 2-1. The arm wrestle started with neither side giving in until errors gifted Riverina a 3^rd. Half time 3-1.

The coaches urged the boys not to give up and they didn’t. Soon after half time we had a 2^nd and then an equaliser and it looked like the drawn games would continue. Riverina lifted again and used the width of Harrie Dening 1 to again score 2 quick goals, we were down 5-3 with 10 minutes left.

The boys didn’t give up, they started to compete much better and also used the width with solid passing and pressure on the Riverina defence. Soon is was 5-4 with Luke I completing his hat trick.

The seconds were counting down and unbelievably Sutherland scored with 40 seconds remaining to make the final score 5 – all and another draw between these 2 teams.

It was a great example of not giving up and playing the game right to the end.

RYC 16: SSFA  (7) v Southern Districts (1)

SSFA Goal Scorers:  Henry Fuller, Ethan Powers, Nick Anagnostiadis, Oscar Watson-Steege and new boy Luke Coogan

RYC16s came up against Southern Districts on the weekend, with Sutherland dominating much of the play.

They started strong and even though some of the boys took many shots the score remained nil all for about the first 15 minutes. The boys continued to pass the ball around – more than they have in any other game, made use of the whole field, often alternating from left to right wings as they played the ball forward. Throughout the game we enjoyed great field position and a great deal of ball possession, with the boys finally appearing to come together as a team.

Our strength only added to the build-up of frustration for the Southern Districts team and a few yellow cards started to mount up for our competitors. This only added to our ball possession and good field position. On a whole our boys managed to keep it mostly together, with Henry being our only recipient of a yellow card.

The goalie was often involved throughout play, communicating well with the team and encouraging the team to take advantage of the 11th player on the field. Especially during defence, the boys often passed back the ball and with time on their side the goalie would return the ball to the front of the field and allow our attacking players further attempts at goals.

Our new addition, Luke, showed off his ball skills and speed, often beating the opposition up the sideline and allowing himself good field position to take a few shots.

Due to the great work of the entire team, constantly working hard to move the ball forward, the boys enjoyed a 7-1 victory.

RYC 13:  SSFA (19) v  Southern Districts (1)

Round 3 saw us take on Southern Districts, one of the new teams in the competition.  We were unsure what to expect so the boys were wary of what was ahead of them.

The warm up was solid (for a change) and this promised to be a good game.

Unfortunately Southern Districts were just not at our level and it was evident very early that this would not be a great challenge.

Our boys to their credit passed the ball around well and found lots of space both wide and through the middle.  At half time we were up 7-nil.

To Southern Districts credit they did not give up all game but a big score was on the cards.

Final score 19 -1, with Southern Districts capitalising on a SSFA mistake to score a late goal.

Goals to Joel C – 6, Luke I -4, Andrew – 3, Daniel P -5 and Kyle.

RYC13. Sutherland Shire (4) – St George (1)

Goals: Kristian 2, Joel, Nic.

An overcast and wet day greeted us a Peakhurst Park for our game against St George. We welcomed back a few players from holidays and had a full squad ready to go. The story of the day was that this is a game of 2 halves.

We started out slow and sluggish and could get to the pace of the game as St George really took it to us from the kick off. They passed the ball strongly and moved through the middle well and we were always just behind in our timing as our passes would not stick. Continued pressure on our back four saw St George capitalise of some nervous passing and we were down 1 nil at half time.

Whatever Stefan and Brian said at half time worked, as Sutherland shot out of the blocks with solid passing, great wide running down the flanks and within 9 minutes we had scored 3 goals to go 3 – 1 up. St George were shell shocked and their coach had nothing more to say as we dominated in every facet in the second half.

Finals score was 4 – 1 with a wonderful second half performance.

RYC14.  SSFA (1) – St George (0)
Goal scorers: Jacob Alfaro
Grey overcast day but a great win against a big physical St George side. Great commitment from boys to grind out a hard fought win.
In the first half we played some great football attacking up the flanks & causing problems for the St George defence. Midfield held the ball well creating some good shot chances for Jacob & Bushy . Finally a great Hudson corner & tap in for Jacob.
In 2nd Half St George attacked more & putting us under more pressure. St George midfield compressed & hassled well. Defence of Tim, Haydon, Jett & Ollie held them out well but we put ourselves under a bit of  unnecessary pressure by a few too many long balls and looked much better when we looked up & passed to free men on the flanks. Overall a great performance & a well deserved win. The win continues an undefeated start to the season

RYC15.  SSFA (8) – St George (3)

Goals:  Kane (3) Ky, Michael, Stefan, Jacob, Charlie

We had a convincing win against St George with a score line of 8 goals to 3.  Our first goal scored within the first 60 seconds gave us a fair indication of what lay ahead.

We kept possession and passed the ball well but our defensive play wasn’t the greatest. We struggled clearing the ball out of dangerous areas. When we were playing the ball out from the back it was very effective and fast.

We need to work hard on our defence for our next match.  We can win games through defence as we have a lot of talent upfront to score goals. Overall it was an ‘okay’ performance but there is definitely room for improvement.              Trent

RYC 16.  SSFA  (1)  v South Coast (0)

SSFA Goal Scorers:  Josh Donnelly

The boys travelled to sunny Kembla Grange to do battle with the South Coast. Even before the start of the game the drama began with boots Keating deciding he would play barefoot again (thank god for Rebel). It was an energetic start by both teams with the hit man JB setting the trend for the game with two massive hits. The boys settled well and with some good passing began to look dangerous. South Coast also had some quick break aways but some dogged defence repelled any genuine attempts. Although looking dangerous there was only one real chance by Henry which was well saved by the goalie. It was a real battle to half time and with the wind picking up in our favour, confidence was high for the second half.

The second half started similarly to the first with both teams probing for an opportunity. Another chance from Henry was again repelled by the goalie. Our second chance came from a break and a nice cross from Oscar to Henry before Ethan pushed it wide of the goal. Some uncharacteristically sloppy passing gave South Coast their first genuine chance with boots Keating saving it well. It was our turn to apply pressure and after some good work at the back the ball was pushed through to Jackson who placed a nice through ball to Josh D who streaked down field and buried it into the back of the net. 1 NIL.

The boys continued to build momentum placing South Coast under massive pressure which they did well to repel. The boys continued to maintain their composure against some heavy defensive tactics. We survived another South Coast break against the run of play with boots Keating making another save. South Coast never really troubled us again with the team controlling the play well and were unlucky not to get another goal after their goalie misjudged the bounce of the ball from a nice header but with the crowd cheering madly the ball just went wide.  Overall a great team effort and a well-deserved win.

RYC 13. Sutherland Shire (2) – Football South Coast (1)

Goals: Kristian 1, Kailan

Relegated to the outside field at Ian McLennan was always going to be a challenge. Coming off a strong win against St George spirits were high for a good performance.

The pace of the game was fast and we were initially dominating along the flanks without being able to convert. A great pass form Joel saw Kristian in space and a solid finish had us 1 nil up after 10 minutes. The boys relaxed a little and we moved away from the game plan. The passes were not sticking and the first touch was poor.

Football South Coast came out strong in the second half and converted after concerted pressure to tie the game at 1-1.

The boys kept trying and we were ahead after 18 minutes of the second half with a strong header from Kailan. The score finished at 2-1 to Sutherland. The boys will have to play better when we travel to Griffith in 2 weeks.

RYC14. SUTHERLAND SHIRE (2) V FSC (1)

Goal scorers: Ethan, Alex

A tough fought win for the boys against a committed physical opposition on a pitch that had seen better days. The late kickoff meant a sleep in for the parents & the cloud cover kept the temperature down.

Our boys started off quickly being ably supported by Tony on the side line. Jett & Hudson were getting forward down the wings & we had quite a few corners in first 15 minutes but couldn’t convert, with some great saves by the South Coast keeper keeping them in the match. An injury to Chris meant a reshuffle in the backs with Jett coming back to centre back. The pitch was making control hard for the boys & an innocuous back pass hit one of the many bumps on the field wrong footing poor Daniel & the ball rolled into the back of the net. Undeservedly we were 1-0 down, which it stayed until half time.

South Coast came out firing in 2nd half putting the backline of Tim, Ollie, Hayden & Chris under a bit of pressure for the first 5 minutes but they held firm. We slowly clawed our way back in the middle field with Bushy, Nathan, Jacob & Michael making some good runs & defending stoutly. A sweet chip from Ethan made it 1-1 & we started getting the ascendency in terms of territory. The South Coast backline stepped up physically & hopefully some of our shirts will shrink in the wash, given how much they were getting pulled. The midfield had its hands full with the SC midfield who seemed to have mastered the bumpy field but we kept attacking & in the last minute of the match Alex slotted the winner for a well deserved victory against a tough & physical opposition.

RYC15. Sutherland Shire 2 – FSC 1

Goals: Ky and Jasper

Sutherland Shire had a very slim victory over Football South Coast today. We started off a little slow and sloppy with possession given away through bad passes and a lack of communication between players.

Within the first ten minutes we settled into the rhythm of the game with more improved sets of passing play, leading to our first goal by Ky. Our heads lifted and confidence was evident – before long Jasper hit a shot from outside the box to score again.

It was a very physical and heated game and we weren’t always efficient in closing down players, with a few shots from Football South Coast hitting the crossbar and finally one resulting in a goal for them.  But despite it not being one of our greatest performances the boys defended to the end and worked to keep South Coast from evening the score.

There is always room for improvement but the boys are showing a renewed commitment to training and this will flow through to future games.

The boys are looking forward to the battle next week against our nemesis Riverina Rhinos.  Hopefully we can continue our undefeated record!

RYC 16. SSFA  2 v South Coast 1

SSFA Goal Scorers:  Henry Fuller, Nathan Wedesweiler

So we headed down the coast to Kembla Grange again to face Football South Coast. We’ve developed a real rivalry with these guys and is sure to be another feisty affair. Great conditions for football under cloudy skies and a big, vocal crowd in the stands as we got to play on the SCG (the main field) at Ian Maclennan Park.

The opposition started well and got an early header on goal but it was easily wrapped up by ‘Boots’ Keating. We were finding it hard to get through them, particularly the big bearded defender that looked a bit scary.  The opposition had another big chance but Keating courageously came off his line and saved what should have been a certain goal.

Henry is our best so far, starting with great enthusiasm and putting a lot of pressure on their back four.

We were putting ourselves under a lot of pressure with some poor ball control. Then out of the blue we got some good field position and we found some space. There was a pinball type flurry of kicks on goal from Jacko, Henry then finally Nathan put it away for the finisher.

A great team goal!!

Luke came on and provided some real enthusiasm and lift for the team with his intensity. It all paid off with a great run down the sideline and he finished it with a perfect cross for Henry to put it away. 2 nil. That’s how the first half ended.

The second half started with the sun breaking through clouds and the boys still making it hard for themselves by losing possession too easily. After a while we settled into it and after some nice passing sequences we set Wedes up for a couple of shots on goal. One after some great lead up work from Luke then a cute back pass from Josh but the keeper did well to save it.

A bit of feeling was coming into the game as they were getting edgy and both teams were getting frustrated with some very strange decisions from the ref. One of these led to a South Coast free kick and they scored with a great strike hitting the bottom left net.

With 15 mins to go we had to hold on as South Coast threw everything at us. Wedes then got a second yellow to reduce us to 10. The boys had to fight really hard now.

In the dying stages of the game the referee handed over another strange free kick after it seemed Jacko got kicked in the stomach.  With a minute to go the boys had to hold them out. The shot was blocked and we cleared it out and we went on to take the game.

What a relief!!

A tough game, we made it hard for ourselves , the crowd was against us, particularly after Josh tried to fire them up, yet we stuck  together for another win. Well done boys.