Canberra Croatia closed the gap on the league leaders in the National Premier League U23 competition with a 5-2 win against Monaro Panthers at Stryda Park on Wednesday evening.
It was a comprehensive performance from the visiting team who found themselves 2-0 ahead at =he halfway mark thanks to goals from Jebediah Jeffrey and Owen Learmonth, a lad they were to extend when Anthony Rakic made it three in the 68th minute.
By the time Oliver Hawkins added a fourth with eighteen minutes to play, the result was never in doubt, but there was a late Monaro Panthers resurgence as Alexi Mardiyants, and Joshua Hedditch reduced the deficit, a third goal also been called off for offside.
A late second for Hawkins sealed the result as Croatia moved five points clear in third place.
Tuggeranong United failed to close the gap on the leaders as they were held to a 2-2 draw by bottom-of-the-table Queanbeyan City at South Jerrabomberra Regional Sporting Complex.
An own goal from Daniel Barbatano gifted Tuggeranong the lead after quarter of an hour, only for Alexander Evans to draw the home team back on level terms six minutes before half-time.
A seventh goal of the season for Anthony Antoniak restored Tuggeranong’s lead, only for Daniel Obst to equalise again for City and earn the point.
Due to incorrect line markings, the match scheduled at Gungahlin Enclosed between Gungahlin United and O’Connor Knights was postponed and will be played at a later date to be advised.
RESULTS
ROUND 9
Wednesday 11 June
Gungahlin United v O’Connor Knights – Match Postponed
Queanbeyan City 2 (Evans 39’, Obst 77’) Tuggeranong United 2 (Barbatano 15’ (og), Antoniak 47’)
Monaro Panthers 2 (Mardiyants 80’, Hedditch 84’) Canberra Croatia 5 (Jeffery 17’, Learmonth 35’, Rakic 68’, Hawkins 72’, 90’)
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Tigers FC | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 34 | 12 | +22 | 22 |
| 2 | O’Connor Knights | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 10 | +6 | 17 |
| 3 | Canberra Croatia | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 20 | 15 | +5 | 16 |
| 4 | Tuggeranong United | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 14 | +2 | 11 |
| 5 | Monaro Panthers | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 19 | -6 | 9 |
| 6 | Gungahlin United | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 14 | -5 | 9 |
| 7 | Yoogali SC | 8 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 23 | -12 | 8 |
| 8 | Queanbeyan City | 9 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 24 | -12 | 3 |
TOP SCORERS
11: Cooper HEAGNEY (Tigers FC)
7: Anthony ANTONIAK (Tuggeranong United)
6: Leo DONALD (Tuggeranong United)
5: Zachary ILIJOSKI (Tigers FC), Jebediah JEFFERY (Canberra Croatia)
4: Elliot ALBERTO (Tigers FC), Thinley DORJI (Tigers FC), Marko RATHOUSKI (O’Connor Knights)
3: Kaide CASTLE (Yoogali SC), Stefan DONADEL (Yoogali SC), Alexander EVANS (Queanbeyan City), James GODDING (Canberra Croatia), Owen LEARMONTH (Canberra Croatia), Ayham NASSER (Monaro Panthers), Fabian OLIVARES (Gungahlin United)
2: Samuel ABA (Queanbeyan City), Joshua AMOAH (Tigers FC), Daniel ANDERSON (O’Connor Knights), Seth BONNETT (Queanbeyan City), Zachary COLSON (Tigers FC), Rocco DI PLACIDO (O’Connor Knights), Daniel GALIC (O’Connor Knights), Oliver HAWKINS (Canberra Croatia), Jack JANKE (O’Connor Knights), Mitchell JERVIS-HAMILTON (Monaro Panthers), Darcy MIDDLETON (Canberra Croatia), Sebastian MUNOZ (Gungahlin United), Daniel OBST (Queanbeyan City), Niko PERINOVIC (O’Connor Knights), Anthony RAKIC (Canberra Croatia), Leo VANDERPOL (Monaro Panthers), Own GOALS
1: Zia BAIRD (Monaro Panthers), Daniel BARBATANO (Queanbeyan City), Xavier BONNETT (Queanbeyan City), Tanatswa BVIRAKARE (Tigers FC), Fabian CACOPARDO (Yoogali SC), Stephen CERNI (Gungahlin United), Kye COSSETTINI (Tigers FC), Marcus CRISPE (Tigers FC), Sivamsh DEEVI (Gungahlin United), Ethan DONETTO (Yoogali SC), Aleksandar DORDEVIC (Queanbeyan City), Ivan DZAJA (O’Connor Knights), Jack ELLWOOD (Monaro Panthers), Dominic GALLUZZO (Yoogali SC), Joshua HEDDITCH (Monaro Panthers), Luka JUKIC (Canberra Croatia), Joshua KEENAN (Yoogali SC), Jacob KITE (Gungahlin United), Marcus LAU (Gungahlin United), Ivica MAJETIC (Canberra Croatia), Alexei MARDIYANTS (Monaro Panthers), Mohammad MAZRAEH (Tuggeranong United), Joseph MIKAHEL (Monaro Panthers), Ahmed MUBAIDEEN (Tigers FC), Nicolas PULCIANI (Tigers FC), Samuel RACITI (Yoogali SC), Andrija RAKIC (Canberra Croatia), Abdin SAID (Tuggeranong United), Ali SOHANI (Monaro Panthers), Josip UJDUR (O’Connor Knights)
