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A COURAGEOUS 2-2 draw with Bankstown City has Manly United primed for its opening home game of the season when Blacktown City make the pilgrimage to Cromer Park on Sunday. A 10-man United came from behind twice in the second half last Sunday to open the season’s account with a point against a very strong Bankstown outfit. Goals to youngster Justin Hayward and experienced midfielder Keith Shevlin (penalty) handed United a share of the spoils against the odds after midfielder Joel Grenell was red-carded for a challenge on former team-mate Scott Thomas midway through the second half.
Manly United head coach Phil Moss said it showed the traditional spirit of his side was alive and kicking. “I thought we should have wrapped the game up in the first half,” Moss said. “But having said that and taking into account the circumstances of the second half, you have to be happy to walk away with a point. “To come from behind in football is always difficult but to do it twice in 45 minutes with 10 men against a quality side like Bankstown is almost mission impossible. But my players found the strength and belief to achieve it and for that they deserve massive wraps." The result and performance has the squad in a confident frame of mind going into Sunday’s “M2 Derby” with traditional foes Blacktown City. The Demons have former premiership-winning coach Aytek Genc back on deck and have brought back several players who things with the club in the form of strikers Luke Roodenburg and Tolgay Ozbey and midfielder Adam Biddle. Manly has former NSW Premier League Gold Medal winner Robbie Cattanach slowly returning to full fitness and he will push for inclusion in the squad after scoring in his comeback game in the Grade 20s’ first-up win over Bankstown last weekend. With Grenell suspended, Moss will be forced to tinker with his line-up and hinted at possibly playing with a back three for the visit of the Demons. “We have a few options available to us but we’ll wait till later in the week to make a decision,” Moss said. “Cattanach and possibly Adam Foti will be available this week so that gives us some depth but obviously I have to take into account the job done by the boys who played last week. “Young Justin Hayward was outstanding and scored a great goal and I thought our wide boys in Mailer and Oates did well too. “It will be a battle against Blacktown as it always is and everyone can expect some fireworks early on. “But we feel we have identified some areas in the Blacktown side that we can exploit so we are quietly confident going into the game.” Sunday’s match at Cromer Park kicks off at 6pm, following the Grade 20s at 4pm. A full day of Youth League (13s-18s) against Blacktown City will take place from 9am-3pm on Saturday. |
