Rockdale Ilinden ended their monumental 2024 NSW Men’s National Premier League season in style as they celebrated winning the premiership in front of their fans after a convincing 4-1 victory over Central Coast Mariners at the Ilinden Sports Centre on Sunday.
Soon after, the southern Sydney area was in a party mood after the club won the premiership after 40 long seasons. For the Mariners, however, it was a bitter pill to swallow. They now have to play the Bulls FC Academy in a home and away promotion/relegation playoff to stay in the top flight.
Man of the season Alec Urosevski opened the celebrations again by scoring a goal towards the end of the opening game that calmed the home team’s nerves.
The “Baker” then added a second goal, cancelling out a goal by Bailey Brandtman, before substitute Brae Ovens extended Rockdale’s lead once again and Hunter Elliott sealed the win.
Rockdale took the opportunity to break the 70-point barrier in a 30-game season, surpassing APIA Leichhardt FC’s 65 in 2023. They also had a better goal difference, with Urosevski breaking the 30-goal barrier (and finishing with 31). That little statistic should stand the test of time, and it also saw the team defend the club championship for the second year in a row.
The Mariners came out strong and fast, as they had to, as a win would have staved off any fears of relegation, but the tempo proved unsustainable, allowing the more experienced Rockdale side to bide their time and set their own pace.
Jordan Small had a chance to open the scoring for the visitors in the 7th minute, but his close-range header flew over the bar, and Nicholas Sorras had to be alert shortly after to tip a shot from Brandtman around the post when he lost possession on the right flank.
After some good work on Rockdale’s right flank, the home team slowly shifted up a gear and it was So Kataoka who shot the final ball past the goal post as Rockdale began to penetrate the Mariners’ defence.
Urosevski, again after a build-up from the right, brought goalkeeper Jack Warshawsky into play when he blocked a shot at the near post. On the half-hour mark, he and Yinka Sunmola managed to put the ball over the bar when, unfortunately for the home side, they both aimed at the same ball.
Almost immediately afterwards, Brendan Cholakian missed the ball and the Mariners’ goal led a rather unlucky life.
Ricciuto cleared off the line in front of Nicholas Duarte and the noticeably nervous Ilinden defence managed to block another follow-up shot from the Mariners striker. However, a perfectly timed tackle at the very last minute at the other end prevented Kataoka from scoring and the pendulum swung the other way in this turbulent football match.
And yet it was that man, Urosevski, who finally broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute when he found the net and fired home 30 goals for the season. It wasn’t the prettiest strike, but it was undeniably an important one. The goal could have been doubled in injury time when Warshawsky cleverly pushed the ball wide and sent it out for a corner.
If the Mariners needed a result before kick-off, the urgency was heightened with the Sutherland Sharks leading at half-time of their game, adding to the conundrum of the logistical switchovers at the bottom of the table.
The visitors began the second half with a season-ending spurt, but it was Ilinden who made the first substitution: Brayden Sorge replaced Lachie Griffiths, who had suffered a heavy headbutt after the break in the first 45 minutes.
But straight from a corner, Brandtman managed to find the net. The ball wound its way through a crowded 5.5-metre space, evading everyone and anyone, giving the story another twist. The battle at the end was thrilling right up to the end before Urosevski saw another effort from Warshawsky deflected onto the post.
A few changes at Ilinden worked wonders, as Urosevski, who scores goals for fun in 2024, now had the opportunity to celebrate his 31st birthday.st of the season when he rolled the ball into an empty net to give Rockdale the lead again. He played his last role in this game after being replaced by Brae Ovens.
The result was hardly in doubt when substitute Bai Antoniou broke through on the left and played an inch-perfect ball to fellow substitute Brae Ovens, who fired the ball into the net with the inside of his foot and extended the home team’s lead with 15 minutes to go.
The Mariners came out and did everything they could to secure a vital win, but another pinpoint pass from Antoniou thwarted those plans and allowed Hunter Elliott to score Rockdale’s fourth goal of the afternoon to top the score. It could have been even more, as Cholakian could have topped the score in injury time, but his shot went over the bar.
There was undoubtedly disappointment in the Mariners camp, but with fate still in their hands, it was a season of trial and error that the team can build on.
Rockdale Ilinden assistant coach Nick Stavroulakis couldn’t be prouder of his team that dominated the rest of the league in the 2024 season.
“We are very proud of what this team has achieved this season, reaching the cup final and winning the Premier League after 40 years,” he said.
“Words cannot express the emotions we are all feeling but we are well aware that there is still a lot of work to be done and although we will be celebrating tonight, we will also be focusing on the finals on Wednesday to see who we will be playing against next Sunday here in what is expected to be a full stadium.
“We will be ready, but super proud of what this team has already accomplished this season,” he concluded.
As the celebrations began with the whistle, Ilinden’s record stood proudly: 30 games, 23 wins, 3 draws, 5 losses, goals +36. It was an outstanding season in which he raised the bar in the top flight of NSW football, and he deserved it.
Congratulations to everyone at Rockdale Ilinden FC on a great season, the football finals await.
Game statistics
Rockdale Ilinden 4 (Alec Urosevski 43′, 61′, Brae Ovens 75′, Hunter Elliott 81′)
Central Coast Mariners Academy 1 (50. Bailey Brandtman)
Ilinden Sports Centre, Rockdale
Sunday, 25 August 2024
Referee: Michael Weiner
Assistants: Lance Greenshields and Travis Griffith
Fourth Official: Thomas Dale
Rockdale Ilinden: 1. Nicholas Sorras, 2. Daniel Collins, 3. Lachie Griffiths (14. Brayden Sorge 46′), 5. Giorgio Speranza, 6. Isaac Danzo (8. Dean Pelekanos 72′), 7. Alec Urosevski (17. Brae Ovens 72′), 10. Brendan Cholakian, 11. Lachie Constable (23. Hunter Elliott 58′), 15. Yinka Sunmola (9. Bai Antoniou 58′), 22. Blake Ricciuto, 77. So Kataoka
Unused substitutes: 20. Ricardo Rizzo
Yellow cards: Daniel Collins 66′
Red cards: None
Central Coast Mariners Academy: 1. Jack Warshawsky, 2. Michael Paragalli, 3. Cher Dong, 4. Parker Williams (17. Jai Ross 83′), 5. Harry Menham (41. Alexander Gountounas 83′), 6. Jordan Small, 7. Arthur De Lima, 8. Lucas Scicluna, 9. Nicholas Duarte (10. Taye Hedley 68′), 11. Donatien Niyonkuru (13. Yani Nassifs 68′), 37. Bailey Brandtman
Unused substitutes: 12. Haine Eames, 40. Dylan Perica-Cullen
Yellow cards: Nicholas Duarte 61′, Lucas Scicluna 68′
Red cards: None
Player Ratings
3 – Alec Urosevski (RI)
2 – Brendan Cholakian (RI)
1 – So Kataoka (RI)
By NPL NSW Men’s Reporter Micky Brock
