So Close: We Fall to Marconi Despite Strong Second-Half Push
NPL NSW Men's | Round 28
We fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat away at Marconi Stadium on Sunday afternoon, in a Match of the Round contest that saw the Stallions end their four-game losing run and keep their own Premiership hopes alive with three rounds left to play.
Gary & Alex watching on
Both sides went into the Round 28 clash needing the points, us knowing three points could secure a home elimination final and put us almost over the line for the 2026 Australian Championship. The game came to life after 14 minutes when Danijel Nizic produced a brilliant reaction save, getting down low to push behind a Franco Maya free-kick that took a wicked deflection on its way through. We couldn't clear our lines from the resulting corner though, and Cameron Windust rose highest at the back post to thunder a header past Nizic and give Marconi the lead. The Stallions kept us on the back foot for the rest of the half, with James Bayliss and Damian Tsekenis both testing Nizic again, and we went into the break without seriously troubling their keeper Joel Wade.
The boys pushing for an equaliser
The first 15 minutes after the break were tense and physical as both sides fought for the upper hand. We were let off the hook when Marconi broke three-on-one through Tyren Burnie, only for Ryley Hollingdale to recover brilliantly and put in a timely tackle before Burnie could get his shot away.
Our best spell came in the closing stages. Tye McGowan crashed a shot off the post with 11 minutes to go, and Hollingdale forced an acrobatic save out of Wade soon after. We pushed hard right to the end searching for the leveller, but Marconi held firm to see out the win.
The boys putting Wade under pressure
A tough loss to take. We felt our much better second half, and the pressure we built, deserved a goal and at least a point, but we just couldn't find the back of the net. Elsewhere, a lot of favourable results went our way, and we maintain our five point gap on fifth place. Focus now shifts to next week back at Seymour Shaw, where we'll be looking to lock in fourth and confirm our place in the Australian Championship.
Result: Marconi Stallions 1 – 0 Sutherland Sharks FC
Venue: Marconi Stadium, Sunday 16 August 2026
We're back at Seymour Shaw next Saturday against St George City FA. Come down and get behind the boys as we look to secure our highest finish since 2013 🦈