Words: Matthew Galea
Image supplied by FFA

Blacktown City FC put a disappointing week behind it with a commanding performance against Canberra FC in the PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues 2015 Finals Series.

The PS4 NPL NSW Men’s 1 Premiers were dominant form start to finish as they sealed a 4-1 win over Capital Football’s NPL Premiers Canberra FC.

Goals from Mitchell Mallia, Patrick Antelmi, Travis Major and Joey Gibbs sealed the win and progression in the finals as the home side ensured it will play in Sydney again next week against Moreton Bay United FC.

Blacktown settled into its rhythm early on and found its passing game clicking almost instantly as Daniel Araujo and Sasa Macura ran the show in the middle of the park.

Ahead of them, Mallia, Antelmi, Gibbs, and Major looked in ominous form and it didn’t take long for the brilliant front four to register the first goal of the game.

Mallia found the back of the net after just here minutes when he put the finishing touches on a lovely move that saw the ball moved crisply from the right side of the box with Major all the way to the left where Mallia was on hand to tuck home nicely.

Gibbs tried his luck twice before Antelmi managed to double the lead after 12 minutes.

The former Leeds United forward picked up the ball 23 yards out from goal and hammered a shot on target straight at Canberra FC keeper Sam Brown, but the young keeper could only punch the ball up into the air and bundle it over the line as he tried to recover.

The youngster in goals redeemed himself four minutes later when he produced a stunning save to deny Major, as Canberra’s defenders Nathan Evans and Izach Clements struggled to keep up with the onslaught.

The third goal game after 30 minutes when Major put away a simple tap in after a failed attempt at the offside trap allowed Major in to score beyond the sprawling Brown after Canberra had initially cleared a corner.

It was truly a case of slim pickings for Canberra as it struggled to make any headway into the Blacktown City defence, marshaled superbly by Matt Lewis and George Timotheou.

Antelmi was shown a red card before the first half ended, after he stretched himself into a tackle on Canberra’s James Field, who would not return after the half-time break.

Canberra did not get a lot of time to use their one-man advantage it only took three minutes of the second half for Thomas James to earn a straight red card after he pulled down Lewis and back-chatted towards the referee for giving the foul against him.

With the two teams even in numbers and the game over on the score line, Blacktown continued to push hard for a goal that would seal a home game for them next week.

That moment eventually arrived after 66 minutes through Gibbs who showed his razor sharp instincts at their best when he prodded the ball home after Brown made a good low save but failed to push the ball away from the potent ex-Western Sydney Wanderer.

Canberra did manage a consolation effort from Daniel Subasic in stoppage-time, but it proved too little, too late for the travelling team despite some good performances from Subasic and Josip Jadric.

This story originally appeared on the official PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues website.

Blacktown City FC 4 (Mitchell MALLIA 4’, Patrick ANTELMI 12’, Travis MAJOR 31’, Joey GIBBS 67’)
Canberra FC 1 (Daniel SUBASIC 89’)