Riverina Rhinos 2 (Roy Catanzariti 39’, 60’) def. by Tuggeranong United 3 (Tom Pagett 15’, Jono Turek 65’, Edward Coggan 85’)

A late strike from Edward Coggan helped Tuggeranong United defeat Riverina Rhinos in Griffith as both sides finished the game with 10 men.

Tom Pagett got United off to the perfect start in the West when he finished well after slipping his marker, but after trailing for the majority of the first half the hosts equalised just six minutes before the half-time break.

The game was set up for a cracking second half but United were reduced to 10 men only four minutes into the stanza as Marco Gayer was dismissed by the referee, and Rhinos made the most of the opportunity as Catanzariti struck on the hour mark to put the hosts in the lead and in control.

Trailing by a goal and a player, United started a fightback and when Jono Turek equalised from a free-kick with 20 minutes remaining it became anyone’s game.

10 minutes later the match evened out in numbers as well with the Rhinos defender Jordan Sartor given his marching orders, setting up a tense final 10 minutes. And with five minutes remaining the visitors had their lead thanks to Coggan connecting with a Shane Murray cross to emphatically gift his side the advantage.

The win sees United head into the Easter break equal top of the ladder, while the Rhinos will rue a missed opportunity ahead of Gungahlin’s visit in two weeks.

 

Belconnen United 1 (Daniel Barac 16’) def. Gungahlin United 0

Belconnen United started their Grand Final defence on the right foot as Daniel Barac’s early goal saw them past Gungahlin United in Round 1.

Full report here.

Tigers FC 3 (Mark Shields 68’, Alex Oloriegbe 80’, Jared Tonini 85’) def. by Woden-Weston FC 4 (Martin Deng 6’, Blaise Vlazlovski 45’, Michael Adams 58’, Frederick Olaide Yinka-Kehinde 72’)

Woden-Weston caused the upset of the round on Sunday afternoon as they knocked over Tigers FC in a seven-goal thriller at Nijong Oval. The Wanderers blazed out to a three-goal lead but had to hold on tight at the end as Tigers came storming back into the match before the outing finished 4-3.

Martin Deng struck first for the visitors inside just six minutes, and Rey Castro’s side looked to control the match through the first half in Cooma. They struck again just before the break through Blaise Vlazlovski to double their advantage heading into the sheds and set up a good position for the second half.

Both sides traded chances early on in the half and just 13 minutes in Michael Adams finished a good move, pushing the lead to three goals and leaving Tigers reeling and looking for a way back into the match,

They found it 10 minutes later as veteran marksman Mark Shields grabbed his first goal of the season to trim the deficit, only to see the defence wilt again a short time later as Frederick Olaide Yinka-Kehinde scored and restored Woden-Weston’s buffer. That goal looked set to see the visitors home, though Tigers had other ideas.

Alex Olorigbe came off the bench in the second half and scored with ten minutes remaining to slice the lead, and when Jared Tonini hit the back of the net with five minutes to play there was a silent question of ‘what if’ around the ground.

The Wanderers held on though despite a red card for Ohio Jasikhia in the final stages of stoppage time to record a famous victory and get off the mark for the season.