National Youth League front runners Sydney FC has beaten a Tasmanian Youth Team select 4-1 at the Sydney Football Stadium tonight.
Chris Payne scored a first half double to help the young Sky Blues continue their impressive early season form, and claim an emphatic 4-1 victory in their National Youth League friendly against a visiting Tasmanian Youth team.
Tonight’s match was the first of four games that the Tasmanian Youth team is playing against various National Youth League teams over the next five weeks.
Sydney outclassed their inexperienced opponent across the park, with Payne finding the net twice in the first half, while Sean Rooney and Adam Biddle also added their names to the scoreboard to round out the victory.
The home side took the ascendency early with Biddle breaking free of the Tasmanian defence before gifting Payne an easy finish at the back post in the 4th minute.
When Sean Rooney latched onto a low Mark Warren cross, the Tasmanians looked in trouble and the lead had doubled inside the opening ten minutes.
With FC continually pushing the ball into the final third, the floodgates threatened to open as Biddle intercepted a poor back-pass and completed the simplest of finishes, rounding the keeper and tapping the ball into the back of the net.
In his come-back game from injury, first-team keeper Clint Bolton rarely saw the ball in the first half as the Sky Blues continued to torment the visitors, with Payne weaving his way through the defence to grab his second and give the home side a 4-0 lead at the break.
Returning for the second half, the Sydney forwards looked to continue their opening period dominance with Rooney, Payne and Brendan Gan all creating early opportunities to extend the lead.
But the home side failed to capitalise on countless chances, and Tasmania pulled one back as Billy Gasparinatos worked his way into the box, pushed the ball across the face of goal, and set up substitute defender Julius Ross on the far post after 85 minutes.
Payne had a flurry of opportunities in the final minutes but rifled the ball everywhere bar into the back of the net, several times coming within inches of claiming his hat-trick.
With six straight victories under its belt, the Sydney FC side will look to continue its red hot form as it prepares to take on Perth Glory at Sutherland-s Seymour Shaw Park next Saturday afternoon.
Match Details
Sydney FC 4 (Chris Payne 4-/42-, Sean Rooney 7-, Adam Biddle 30-)
Tasmanian Youth 1 (Julius Ross 85-)
Sydney FC: 1. Clint BOLTON (20. Vedran JANJETOVIC 46-); 2. Rhyan GRANT, 3. Adam BIDDLE (17. Ray MILLER 51-), 4. Chris TRIANTIS (8. Jared LUM 46-), 5. Mark WARREN, 6. Chris PAYNE, 7. Luke AUSTIN, 9. Sean ROONEY 10. Zach CAIRNCROSS, 12. Ibrahim HAYDAR, 14. Brendon GAN (19. Nick STANOJEVIC 51-).
Yellow Cards: nil
Red Cards: nil
Tasmanian Youth: 1. Nathan PITCHFORD (1. Marshall POOLEY 85-), 2. Henry FAGG, 3. Hugh LUDFORD, 4. Liam SCOTT, 5. Todd HINGSTON (11. Bobby EAVES 62-), 7. Igor OLIVIERA SAO JOSE, 8. Mark AMBROSE, 9. Daniel WHITE, 10. Dwayne WALSH, 13. David OOSTERLOO (12. Julius ROSS 38-), 16. John LADIC.
Yellow Cards: nil
Red Cards: nil
Referee: Kurt Ams.
