A chilly Wednesday night at Seymour Shaw in Miranda saw Sutherland Association's Kirrawee Kangaroos host Illawarra Premier League side Tarrawanna Blueys in Round 6 of the Westfield FFA Cup. Kirrawee were looking to continue their giant-killing run, having beaten State League side Napean 2-1 and NPL3 side Balmain Tigers 2-0 in Rounds 4 and 5 respectively. Meanwhile, Tarrawanna were looking to continue their Cup run after beating a pair of NPL2 sides; Macarthur Rams 2-0 in Round 4 and UNSW 1-1 (winning 4-3 on penalties) in Round 5.

Early goals from set pieces to Ricky Goodchild in the third minute, and Bradley Acev on 17 minutes gave the visitors the early lead, as Kirrawee struggled to create a threat to the Blueys' goal. In the second period, Kirrawee grabbed a late goal courtesy of D. Beardow, but Tarrawanna's defence grit their teeth and clung desperately on as Kirrawee's constant pressure was repelled enough to reach the final whistle at 2-1.

Inside 60 seconds, Kirrawee almost had the opener, as an unmarked M. Hall headed back across goal from a perfect cross, only for Tarrawanna keeper Adam Rodriguez to throw out a hand and tip the ball just wide.

Minutes later, Tarrawanna had something out of nothing; A short corner to Ricky Goodchild who was alone on the edge of the area, and a terrific knuckle-ball rifled straight into the far top-corner to open the account for the visitors.

The Blueys were in complete ascendancy as play unfolded; Bradley Acev dribbling through the defence only to be foiled by the last defender J. Janic, and Liam Unicomb having a long half-volley deflected off the boot, all within the first ten minutes.

Kirrawee again nearly had an early goal of their own to show, as J. Skyllas almost caught Adam Rodriguez in possession of an under-hit back-pass, clearing just in the nick of time.

Tarrawanna instead made their way down the opposite end and grabbed a goal of their own; Goodchild's diagonal free kick finding the run of Acev, heading back across goal and in to double the lead.

Acev could've had a hat-trick in ten-minutes, instead scuffing his shot off a beautiful low cross from Daniel Goodhew, and volleying over from 12 yards, all within the opening 25.

Kirrawee thought they finally had a goal on the half hour mark, J. Gikas playing A. Judd through on goal, however the midfielder was unable to lift the ball over Rodriguez from a tight angle.

As Tarrawanna regained the ascendancy, they finished the remaining ten minutes of the half with a flurry; Acev heading wide, Samuel Chapple finding the roof netting from a deep free kick, and Unicomb missing a low Acev cross from 6 yards.

A piece of brilliance by Kirrawee goalkeeper M. Peacock kept the deficit to two going into the break, somehow getting a glove to a cannoning Chapple volley from 25 yards, tipping it onto the right-side upright before being cleared by a defender.

As the sides returned for the second half with the score remaining 2-0, it was Tarrawanna who resumed usual service; dictating the speed of play, holding possession for long periods of time and pressing Kirrawee into long-ball tactics from their own half.

Early on, Jared Fish stabbed a half-volley just wide from 20 yards, and Chapple's corner needed tipping over the bar by Peacock.

Kirrawee found their groove in the game shortly after the interval though, with a low cross sailing agonisingly behind the open run of Hall, but on 79 minutes they finally had their reward. A high diagonal ball from Gikas in midfield found the run of D. Beardow, burying the first-time stretched volley to bring scores to 2-1.

As the home crowd began to sense a comeback on the books, the Kangaroos lifted and suddenly dominated possession and field positioning. P. Morales had a powerful drive deflect off target from Corey Horner, and likewise Skyllas' deflected shot off Bradley Durrant.

The tension was palpable as the Kangaroos threw men forward and peppered the Tarrawanna box for the final ten minutes. Often it was all the visitors could do to clear the danger and bank on substitute striker Kauryo Kubota holding possession to wipe some precious seconds off the clock.

C. Kourouche had two shots from range in the closing minutes, with both sailing harmlessly over, as first Tarrawanna raced away on the counter - Goodchild being dispossessed by J. Jouquim at the last moment, before Kirrawee had their chance to equalise deep into stoppage time - Morales controlling a long ball only for Horner to clear during the striker's shooting stride.

As the final whistle blew, all present finally took a breath. Kirrawee had failed to get a last-gasp equaliser and take the game to extra-time, not lest for their lack of trying, as the home crowd registered the agonising defeat. Tarrawanna, meanwhile, had endured a torrid final few minutes and had escaped with a narrow margin intact. As for the neutral, the closing stages to a thoroughly entertaining game had drawn to a close.

Tarrawanna will now progress to Round 7, with only 90 minutes separating them from the National Round of 32 Draw. Tarrawanna coach Peter Willis said of the game: 'We put ourselves under alot of pressure at the end there, sitting back and allowed Kirrawee to come forward at us. We played very well in the first half and should have finished the game of there.'

'Regardless, I am proud of our achievement, and we are sure to face a big club ahead in Round 7. It is a good result for the club, but also for Football South Coast. We know the team we face will be hard, but down in Wollongong we have the talent, and we have a chance to really make a big profile for the area in this competition.’

Tarrawanna will be joined in the Round 7 draw by NPL1 leaders Sydney Olympic FC, along with APIA Leichhardt, Blacktown City FC, Rockdale City Suns, Marconi Stallions and Hakoah Sydney City East. NPL2 is represented by Hills Brumbies United and GHFA Spirit FC, with the final place going to the winner of NPL1's Bonnyrigg White Eagles vs NPL2's St George FC - to be played at Seymour Shaw, 23rd May 7:40pm kickoff.

 

Wednesday May 16th - Seymour Shaw

Kirrawee Kangaroos FC - 1 (BEARDOW 79')

Tarrawanna Blueys - 2 (GOODCHILD 4', ACEV 16')

 

Kirrawee Kangaroos - M. PEACOCK, J. JANIC, R. WHITE, G. HOLLAND, C. KOUROUCHE, D. BEARDOW, J. SKYLLAS, D. REID, A. JUDD, J. GIKAS, M. HALL

Subs - J. JAOQUIM (on for WHITE 80'), B. NATTA, D. FENNING, N. PARR, P. MORALES (on for REID 61')

Tarrawanna Blueys - Adam RODRIGUEZ, Daniel CHAPMAN, Bradley DURRANT, Corey HORNER, Jacob FRYDAY, Daniel GOODHEW, Bradley ACEV, Samuel CHAPPLE, Jared FISH, Rick GOODCHILD, Liam UNICOMB

Subs - Matthew NAYLOR (on for ACEV 83'), Kauryo KUBOTA (on for FISH 75'), Takumi MACHIDA, Nicolas TOMASIELLO, Bradley JONES

 

Report by David ATHERTON - Twitter @daveatho5

Photo courtesy of Noel Wynn