Sharks win the fight against Hills United to stay away from relegation danger.
The Sutherlands Sharks put in a professional performance to down Hills United 2-0 and pile on the pressure Hills in what was a relegation dogfight victory for the boys from the Shire.
Japanese import Takahide Umebachi gave the team the lead in the first half, following the Sharks’ dominant opening to the match.
Jay McGowan’s superb finish after the break secured the points for Sutherland and pushed them further away from the relegation battle.
Both teams started the game patiently, with neither taking any major risks early on.
There was a big chance for the visitors within 10 minutes when McGowan swung in a right-sided cross for Levi Sciuriaga, whose header bounced off the bar.
Moments later, the Sharks streamed forward down the right against as Kotaro Katsuta had a ball slipped into him in the box, but Ryan Wood pulled off a save with his feet for Hills.
Sutherland continued to show threat and went close with a double chance in the 20th minute. Wood saved Lachlan Macdonald’s low effort, but the ball came back out to McGowan, whose shot was cleared off the line by Byron Ginn.
Hills had their first major opportunity of the match in the 22nd minute when Daniel Petkovski headed over following a corner.
However, Sutherland’s early pressure paid off in the 25th minute. A right-sided corner found Takahide Umebachi’s head at the near post, where he bounced the ball past Wood.
The side took this lead into halftime after a strong first-half performance against Hills and looked set to take another step towards NPL Men’s NSW survival.
Sutherland made the best possible start to the second period, scoring just two minutes in. Chris Lindsay found McGowan, who took on a curling left-footed effort from the edge of the box that looped over Wood and into the top left corner.
McGowan continued his storming game and almost scored the away side’s third in the 51st minute. The attacker dribbled through the left of the field, beating two players and racing in on goal before dragging his strike wide of the left post.
The hardworking Sharks kept Hills at bay when they tried to break forward, and it looked like Sutherland could have grabbed some more goals in the final moments.
McGowan showed his pace and trickery in the 86th minute when he received the ball on the halfway line with Hills backtracking. He drove towards goal before playing it to Mohamed Ahmed, who slipped in Sciuriaga to his left, but the youngster skied his shot.
The Sharks kept the ball up the Hills end for most of what remained to confirm the victory.
Sutherland’s impressive defending throughout the match had given them the platform to go on and win the game.
Match Stats
Hills United FC 0
Sutherland Sharks FC 2 (Takahide Umebachi 25’, Jay McGowan 47’)
Saturday 13 July 2024
Landen Stadium, Seven Hills
Referee: Ivica Covic
Assistant Referees: Arinath Gobinath and Oliver Leanfore
Fourth Official: Molly Godsell
Hills United FC: 1. Ryan Wood, 5. Daniel Petkovski, 8. Maki Petratos (77. Dimi Petratos 64’), 9. Yu Okubo, 12. Jordan Lane (92. Glen Kelshaw 53’), 13. Cameron Philp, 15. Noah Casserly (2. Rainer Smahel 75’), 16. Lachlan Sepping, 22. Byron Ginn (20. Thomas Lopez 64’), 26. Thomas Makko (11. Anthony Frangie 53’), 27. Nicolai Muller
Substitutes Not Used: 31. William Loucas
Yellow Cards: Anthony Frangie 82’
Red Cards: Nil
Sutherland Sharks FC: 1. Nenad Vekic, 2. Kotaro Katsuta, 5. Takahide Umebachi, 8. Mohamed Ahmed, 11. Jay McGowan, 14. Chris Lindsay, 15. Matthew Moric (10. Mason Fernandez 79’), 22. Jacob Garner, 23. Lachlan Macdonald, 27. Matthew Jackson, 77. Levi Sciuriaga (9. Andrew Vlahadamis 89’)
Substitutes Not Used: 99. Jacob Cremen-Cowan, 3. Jordan Roberts, 6. Samuel Gulisano, 43. Ikko Arimoto
Yellow Cards: Kotaro Katsuta 87.
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3 – Jay McGowan (SS)
2 – Takahide Umebachi (SS)
1 – Chris Lindsay (SS)
Report by Tim Gibson