A brace of goals from winger Niko Kresic bookended a stunning O’Connor Knights performance as the league leaders extended their advantage at the top of the National Premier League table to three points with a hugely convincing 4-1 defeat of Tigers FC at Hawker Football Centre.
Knights set the wheels in motion early as they hit the front after just nine minutes of play, referee Gareth Biggs playing a superb advantage allowing Daniel Roberts to set-up Phakedi Manda. His drive was saved by Jakob Cole, but Kresic reacted fastest to volley home the rebound from close range.
It was 2-0 before midway through the half, Harrison Palic set off on a marauding run down the right flank and cut inside, exchanging passes with Aisosa Ihegie to poke a composed finish past Cole.
After the break the Knights increased their lead as Micheal Adams pounced on a loose back pass to round Cole and calmly slot into the open net past the retreating Tigers defence, as the visitors roared further ahead, only for Marko Milutinovic to stroke a sublime shot into the corner to make it 3-1.
Knights had the last word though as Kresic drifted past Milutinovic with a sudden burst of acceleration and thumped a precise finish into the top corner in what might be a massive statement in the title race.
At O’Connor Enclosed goals in each half allowed Canberra Olympic to win the Canberra Classico as they saw off Canberra Croatia 2-0 to keep their hopes of the top four flying high, whilst inflicting a wound on their old rivals.
Croatia had been reduced to ten men after skipper Matt Grbesa was sent off for a quick-fire brace of yellow cards, the first after he was adjudged to have committed a foul on the edge of the penalty area.
Olympic took advantage of the extra man to lead at the break as Adam Neou, recently returned to the club, broke clear of the Croatia defence to pick his spot and coolly slot home three minutes from half-time.
Both teams were desperate not to be beaten, but it was Olympic who secured the victory with fourteen minutes left on the clock. Daniel Subasic attempted a headed clearance that bounced off Luca Macor and into the midfielder’s path. His finish was sublime running on and lifting a delicate lob over Jason Matesa to seal the points.
A stunning save from Jordan Thurtell helped Monaro Panthers preserve a clean sheet, but they were unable to find a way past a stubborn Tuggeranong United at Kambah 2 as the hosts earned a precious point with a 0-0 draw.
Thurtell reacted to block a close range effort from Isaac Osborne in the second-half, the United midfielder pouncing on a deflected Sam Walker effort and appearing certain to score only for Thurtell to make the save of the match.
At the other end Pete Philippa, on his starting debut in goal for Tuggeranong, was in solid form repelling anything that the Panthers could get on target, however the visitors’ best efforts were strikes from Christian Kreskas (twice) and Connor Mynott-Smith that flashed harmlessly over the Tuggeranong bar.
The draw moved Tuggeranong onto five points ahead of their mammoth midweek clash with West Canberra Wanderers, whilst the Panthers slipped a couple of points off the top four chase.
At Gungahlin Enclosed, Gungahlin United moved two points clear of Monaro and kept on the tails of Canberra Olympic as they eased past a resilient, but ultimately toothless, West Canberra Wanderers with a goal in each half seeing the Gunners home 2-0.
To compound matters, the Wanderers saw striker Harry Truman dismissed for two yellow card offences, meaning he would miss the relegation battle with Tuggeranong United scheduled for Wednesday evening.
Philippe Bernabo-Madrid had put Gungahlin ahead in the eighteenth minute as an attempted clearance ricocheted off Jeremy Habtemariam and fell for the forward who reacted sharply to roll home his finish underneath Kristian Nel in the Wanderers goal.
And they sealed the win in stoppage time with a breakaway second. Sam Vizy, at the second attempt, found the right pass picking out Antoni Timotheou who picked his spot in curling home the decider.
RESULTS ROUND 14
Saturday 15 July
Canberra Olympic 2 (Neou 42’, L. Macor 76’) Canberra Croatia 0
Tigers FC 1 (Milutinovic 69’) O’Connor Knights 4 (Kresic 9’, 75’, Palic 21’, Adams 67’)
Sunday 16 July
Gungahlin United 2 (Bernabo-Madrid 18’, Timotheou 90+5’) West Canberra Wanderers 0
Tuggeranong United 0 Monaro Panthers 0