Gosford 4 – 1 Doyalson
Our Match of the Round this week was a massive one in the context of Men’s Division 1, featuring the sides battling it out for second place and promotion into the Premier League, the Gosford City Dragons and the Doyalson Wyee Wolves.
They played on Gavenlock Oval and produced a frantic contest that ultimately resulted in a statement win for the Dragons, who reclaimed second place on goal difference.
The match started with Gosford very willing to absorb Doyalson’s pressure as they focused on maintaining possession and looking for the best pass forward.
This meant negotiating the Wolves’ press as they passed it along their backline, and early on, it was looking ominous for the hosts.
The first chance fell to Doyalson after they intercepted the ball in midfield and got it to Jackson Stone by the edge of the box centrally with room to shoot.
Stone did shoot, but straight into a Gosford defender, where it then deflected directly into the path of Ethan Denis, storming into the right-hand side of the box. Denis positioned himself for a shot but couldn’t get the better of the angle, and it went across the goal and out for a goal kick.
A similar chance would follow soon after with Jamie Witherspoon playing a lovely one-touch pass through to Denis, who was once again into the right side of the box, but despite composing himself more, his shot would go even closer yet still wide of the far post.
It was still early at this stage, but it was clear that the Doyalson press was causing issues for Gosford, but the Dragons didn’t let that deter them, and soon enough, something would go their way.
Finally finding a ball forward that troubled the Doyalson defence, a Dragons attacker found himself in a race for the ball with the defence in the box.
The ball was rolling just into the left side of the box when both players arrived at it in what became a tangle of legs that saw the ref point to the penalty spot.
Gosford’s striker Nicholas Booth stepped up to take the penalty, and he sent it low to the left, where Josh Masters initially saved it in the goal for the Wolves, but Booth followed up the rebound himself and smashed it home for 1-0.
The goal gave Gosford plenty of confidence as they began to come out of their shell, and while they stuck to their backline passes, they were moving a lot faster, and soon enough, a second goal came.
The second goal of the afternoon arrived when Doyalson centre-back Samuel Bettison played a back pass to Masters in the box.
Booth pressed the keeper hard, but Masters had plenty of time to clear, yet when he went to take a touch, his foot missed the ball and rolled under him straight towards goal. Now, Booth and Masters were in a frantic footrace for the ball that was headed for the goal line. Masters got to it first and cleared it, but the linesman called that it was over the line, and the ref awarded the goal as the scoreline became 2-0 in unfortunate circumstances for the visitors.
Now needing a goal to get into the game, Doyalson pushed hard, but the Gosford defence stood up to make sure it wasn’t easy.
Doyalson had a half chance when Jamie Bartlett was played through the Gosford line centrally, but it was scuppered when Mark Johnstone chased him down and battled him into the box, ultimately kicking the ball out over the sideline and ending the chance.
This defence would guide the Dragons into injury time of the first half without much trouble, but once there, the Wolves would strike.
The visitors struck one back when Stone found himself one-on-one with Noah Nicholls in goals for the hosts. Stone received the ball from deep after a Gosford mistake in attack andfound himself with plenty of time in the box; he took it. Stone tried to place it into the bottom left corner, but Nicholls produced a classy save, only for Denis to charge in from the left wing and tap it home for 2-1 right before halftime.
At the resumption, Doyalson knew they still had work to do, but it was Gosford who had the better start, so nearly extending their lead early on.
The chance came when Harry Vodicka produced a brilliant cross from the right flank right into the path of Booth at the back post, who stuck a foot out to send the ball towards goal, but Masters rushed across and blocked it from inside the 6-yard box.
Doyalson would then try to work into the game, but one substitute from the Dragons would make things so much harder for them.
Marcus Warwick joined the match from the bench and firmly cemented the hosts’ lead with his relentless pressing and physicality.
He had a clear-cut chance early into his involvement when he stole the ball from the Doyalson backline on the right side of the field and took it into the box uncontested butcouldn’t get it past Masters with his shot.
However, a third would come, and it arrived once again from the penalty spot courtesy of a foul in the box drawn by Warwick.
Warwick roamed the Gosford front three while he was out there, and this time received the ball wide left by the sideline. Bettison was contesting the forward, but he utilised his sheer strength to push on into the box towards the byline. Just as Warwick was about to cut the ball back, Bettison lunged and missed the ball, taking Warwick down and leaving the referee no choice but to point to the spot.
Booth stepped up again and placed the shot perfectly straight into the bottom left corner, beating Masters despite the keeper diving the right way once again.
Now Doyalson were in big trouble, Gosford were in total control and looking to load up on goals as goal difference is now the only thing that separates them on the ladder.
A fourth and final goal for the hosts would seal their win, and it would be the super sub who finished the scoring.
Warwick, still down the left, was played in nicely by Booth, who got the substitute in behind the Doyalson defence. Warwick, this time, made no mistake, taking it to the edge of the box and beautifully sending it home with his right, curling it into the far side of the net for 4-1.
It’s important to reiterate, especially in the first half, Doyalson were right in this game, but a series of unlucky moments and the class and composure of Gosford won the day.
The Dragons relied on that composure throughout the remaining time, ensuring the Wolves had no further opportunities to score. When the final whistle blew, the Dragons found themselves back in second place, tied with Doyalson at 24 points. However, the Dragons hold a +10-goal difference, while the Wolves are even at 0.
Speaking to the Doyalson coach Harold Guihot, he lamented some last-minute withdrawals from his side but paid full credit to Gosford for their performance on the day.
“Not a good result today, but the boys weren’t disgraced at all,” Guihot began.
“With a few last-minute dropouts, we put a courageous effort in.
“Not taking anything away from Gosford, who played well and took their chances.
“I think it was a fairly good game played on a not good playing surface. But congrats to Gosford, great game, deserved their win.
“I think it was worthy of the match of the day”.
While the Gosford coach, Shea Taylor, noted that they played an understaffed Doyalson outfit, he was just happy to see his side back to winning ways after a few results went against them recently.
“It was a step in the right direction, that’s for sure, after a couple of bad losses that I don’t believe we should’ve been losing, but at the same time, our performance in our last two games has been very good”, Taylor said.
“Obviously, Doylo had a couple of missing players, but at the same time, you only have to play what you come up against”.
“I thought everyone on their pitch played their part, the substitutes played their part, and we were clinical”.
All Round 15 Results –
