Manly United were defeated 1-0 by Mt Druitt Town Rangers in the Saturday night NPL Men’s NSW game at Popondetta Park.
The Rangers started the better of the two teams and had a couple of half-chances, all of which failed to trouble Manly United keeper Levi Kaye.
Manly United soon countered and had their first opportunity with Darcy Burgess sending his effort over the bar early in the first half.
Next, Rangers’ Lachlan Vasiliou wriggled into space and curved an effort which fizzed wide of Kaye’s right post.
Following a series of missed efforts, the game saw its first goal and it was the Rangers who struck in the 24th minute, with Vasiliou controlling the ball well and smashing a shot into the top corner.
Not wanting to settle for a one goal lead, the Rangers pushed for a second as Garang Awac curled a shot which rattled the apex of the bar then was swept away.
However, the visitors finished the half with a flurry. Manly whistled a few balls across the area which evaded a touch, and their equalising goal went begging as the whistle sounded for the break.
As the second half commenced, Vasiliou tried his luck as he cut inside his defender and unfurled a strike which flashed wide.
Manly began to find a rhythm and worked the ball around the box, then Matthew O’Donoghue smashed a shot which fell wide of the mark.
The Rangers then almost doubled their advantage from a set piece. Shayden Sampow’s free-kick bounced around the area, before Thomas Lopez headed straight at the keeper. After that close call, substitute John Azar floated in a set piece for the Rangers which found Zac Sfiligoi, and his deflected effort was turned away by Kaye.
Heading into the final ten minutes, Manly rung the changes by bringing on Taiga Kawano, Farah Koko and Benjamin Koop to chase a result. They won a series of corners, but Rangers keeper Dylan Niski was up to the task. The visitors then had another set piece, but Jesse Piriz’s thumping shot fell straight to Niski.
Mt Druitt then held on for six minutes of stoppage time and earned their first home win of the season.
“It’s been a long time coming for us, people thought I was hoodwinking people saying it was coming but it did today,” said Rangers coach Andrew Montgomery.
“Things went our way this week which haven’t before, and might be the catalyst to turn it around. Credit to Manly, they threw the kitchen sink at us but we held firm, including the young boys who played up, but we expected that.”
Manly interim coach Jimmy Snedden reflected on the positives, despite the result.
“I thought it was one of our best footballing performances of the season.
“We had all the ball in the attacking third but couldn’t score.
“I didn’t think they had many chances outside of a few set pieces, but we weren’t good enough to break them down.”
Mt Druitt Town Rangers FC 1 (Vasiliou 24′)
Manly United FC 0
Match Stats
Saturday 21 June 2025
Popondetta Park
Referee: Hayden Langholz
Assistant Referees: Joshua Eiser & Isaac Riggs
Fourth Official: Lucy Hungerford
Mt Druitt Town Rangers FC: 1. Dylan Niski, 4. Zac Sfiligoi, 5. Theph Theph, 6. Jared Macerola, 7. Garang Awac (19. Jackson Goggins-Barrett ‘90+1), 9. Joey Gibbs, 15. Caleb Jackson-Brown, 18. Lachlan Vasiliou (11. John Azar ’69), 20. Thomas Lopez (32. Jordi Fulete ’69), 21. William Rankin (2. Alexander Trajanoski ’26), 27. Shayden Sampow
Unused subs:16. Stefan Giglio, 38. Abdullah Alayed
Yellow cards: Awac ’43
Red cards: nil
Manly United FC: 1. Levi Kaye, 2. Aaron O’Driscoll, 3. Matthew O’Donoghue, 4. Jesse Piriz, 6. Bilal Belkadi, 8. Stefano Rossello (9. Benjamin Koop ’74), 10. Harry McCarthy (13. Taiga Kawano ’74), 11. Lucas Meek (17. Farah Koko ’74), 19. Alen Aganovic, 23. Darcy Burgess, 28. Jasper Chipman (7. Peter Kekeris ’62)
Unused subs: 12. Rocco Pelle, 21. Anthony Carreras
Yellow cards: McCarthy ’42, O’Donoghue ’71, O’Driscoll ‘75
Red cards: nil
Player Ratings:
3: Caleb Jackson-Brown (Mt Druitt)
2: Darcy Burgess (Manly)
1: Theph Theph (Mt Druitt)
By Justin Davies (@JustDavies90) for Football NSW
