The temperature ranged from boiling at the sun trap outside the dressing rooms to cold in the shadow of the big development at one end of Charles Bean Sportsfield in Lindfield for the opening game of the 2016 competitive football season. Dunbar Rovers were pitted against Northern Suburbs Association Premier League Finalists Chatwood Rangers, a club we know well from trial games over the years but had never played competitively before.

Dunbar Head Coach Will Cullen gave debuts to four starters – Robbie Ezekiel, Marcus Naoum, Alex Nicolosi and Andrew Green, retaining 7 of our State League 2 title winning team from 2015 – S.Deasy, Euripidou, Smith, Simpson, Liu, Doddy and Sealy.

The game was a pretty even affair throughout the first half. Dunbar had more of the play but decent chances were few and far between. Moves seemed to break down in midfield and occasionally we resorted to long ball football, something we are not really known for. Chatswood managed to threaten on a couple of occasions and for better finishing might have even taken the lead. The highlight of the first half came from a 25 metre Marcus Naoum pile driver which was turned over by the Rangers keeper as it dipped into the top right hand corner.

Coach Will Cullen was not a happy man at half time and the proverbial hairdryer treatment must have worked because immediately after the break, before the fans had a chance to take their seats after their Bovril break, after a move down the left, striker Alex Nicolosi was left with the easy task of slotting the ball into the net from close range.

Soon after, Mike Sealy extended the lead, also from close range after some good lead-up play down the right. A few minutes later young debutant striker Andrew Green scored the goal of the night with a stylish drawback before shooting low to the goalkeeper’s right. Chatswood continued to try to play football but were now struggling to get the ball over the half-way line. Indeed Dunbar were finding holes in the Rangers defence and were able to get into their box seemingly at ease now. Alex Nicolosi got his second with another typical striker’s goal from close range before Robbie Ezekiel brought the tally to 5 when he also blasted home from inside the box.

On the night, Chatswood Rangers gave a very good account of themselves. They would have been quite pleased to go into the break at 0-0 and would have felt right in the game. Their Number 9 was quality, with great movement off the ball. They battled hard but in the end were beaten by a team which showed their quality in the second half. Midfield superstar Andrew Doddy’s shooting boots were not on this week – possibly something to do with the orange laces he was wearing.

All in all, a pretty satisfying start to the 2016 season for our boys. When you consider that four of our 2015 starters (Captain Robbie Deasy, Clive Delaney, Sean Burke and Rene Mrva) didn’t play on Saturday evening, the squad depth certainly seems to be greater. We are looking forward to starting the NPL Men’s 3 competition on Sunday week and moving into Round 4 of the Westfield FFA Cup, with a home tie against fellow NPL3 club Hills Brumbies ahead of us.

WESTFIELD FFA CUP – ROUND 3
Chatswood Rangers 0-5 Dunbar Rovers (Nicolosi(2), Sealy, Green, Ezekiel)
Charles Bean Sportsfield, Lindfield
Saturday March 19, 2016
Kickoff 6:30pm

LINEUP:
S.Deasy – Euripidou, Simpson, Smith©, Liu – Naoum, Doddy, Sealy – Nicolosi, Green, Ezekiel.
Subs: Miller (for Naoum), Adamo (for Green), Hems (for Sealy), Mrva & Swartz (unused),

Man of the Match: Alex Euripidou