Curl Curl dominated their “bogey” team St Augustine’s at Abbott Road on Saturday with Sipan Berti bagging a double and George Harle scoring a screamer in the 3-0 win.
Berti’s first came after he was brought down by the goalkeeper when likely to score in the 30th minute, the referee pointing straight to the spot. His second arrived in the 55th minute when he got in behind Saints’ defence and tucked the ball home.
Yet it was Harle’s goal with 15 minutes to play that really excited the home crowd and put a fitting exclamation point on the win.
“It was a belter of a goal,” Curl Curl coach Anthony Seminara said. “It was struck from well outside the area and rocketed into the top of the net. He had an outstanding game, George, and really deserved the goal. It was fitting of his performance.”
Seminara said other top contributors for Curl Curl included Berti who was filling in for regular No.9 Matt Cooper, and “engine room” mid-fielders Riley Kilpatrick and Daniel Deblare.
Seminara said the win was “very satisfying” over a team that’s given him grief in recent years.
“We played with cohesion and confidence,” he said. “The boys are understanding each other. We’ve got some new players and they’ve now spent some time on the pitch together and they’re understanding each other and their tactical responsibilities. It’s good. They’re improving.
“St Augustine’s are a very good side. “They’ve been our bogey side the last few years. Teams seem to have them and they’ve been ours. They play a good attacking brand of footy and though it was our day on Saturday they’ll do well this season.”
While disappointed to concede three goals, St Augustine’s coach Sam Panetta remained bullish about his team’s efforts.
“Our press could have been a lot sharper. They played direct, quickly, which we should have handled a little better.
“It was a pretty good quality game after conceding an early penalty I thought we actually held them fairly well for most of the game.
“We had three really good chances: a back post header for Ewan Metcalfe which went wide; a header inside the 6 yard box by Aaron Peters which he would normally finish: and a dangerous shot by Tallon Zahra which was saved well by the keeper. Any of those go in I feel we would have been a good chance for a draw or even a win.
“To concede two goals late was disappointing but our effort was there for 90 minutes and the boys will work hard this week ahead of another big challenge versus Brookvale,” Panetta said.
In other games:
Mosman 4 def Belrose-Terrey Hills Raiders 1
Pittwater 3 def Harbord 0
Brookvale 1 drew Wakehurst 1
Narrabeen 3 def Manly Vale 0
CC Strikers 5 def Seaforth 0
By Matt Cleary
