Parramatta lose again as Rockdale come from behind

As the sun began to fall and a cold Sunday night descended upon Ilinden Sports Center, Parramatta FC Eagles looked a beaten and deflated side. With their eighth defeat setting on the horizon and the Eagles sight of life off the bottom of the table slowly fading along with the dim winter sun, the Eagles were getting kicked while they were down by a second half onslaught that saw them defeated 4-1.

Rockdale came from behind to rectify a rusty first 40 minutes with some classy football in which they bossed the struggling Eagles. While at one point potential celebrations were well and truly alive in the eyes of Parramatta, it took just a matter of 15 minutes to have those hopes dashed into the realisation of more failure.

Kutaiba Elrich curled his free kick from the edge of the area into the large space left by Ben McNamara at the near post to give the Eagles an early lead. It was a shock start after Parramatta also won a penalty in the third minute, but the weakly struck spot kick was well saved by McNamara.

Though the quick start was a surprise, the Eagles proved throughout the first half that it was of no luck they took the lead as they continued to control the game. The visitors had the better of the first term and had two chances for a second on the half hour mark. Luke Grima had a 25 yard free kick drive just past the post and Peter Crevani followed it up with a lovely volley flying only inches over the top corner.

But hopes of a potential second victory for Parramatta took a hit moments before half time when Rockdale City Suns grabbed an equaliser to crush the Eagles spirit. Joshua Lawson’s poke into the far corner on the turn cancelled out Elrich’s ninth minute free kick goal. Rockdale were fortunate to grab the equaliser in the 42nd after displaying a half of poor execution and organisation. They were frustrated and unexpectedly dominated by a Parramatta side that had lacked any kind of control or consistency throughout the season and came into this fixture coach-less.

But in the second half Rockdale showed a clinical edge that destroyed Parramatta and covered any hopes of a rare victory with a cloud of dust. It took just one minute for the Suns to click into gear when the two teams returned from the break. A passage of adventurous play released James Monie on goal and his outside of the foot shot trickled past a rushing keeper into the far corner. Eleven minutes later and Parramatta’s destiny was sealed as Jason Naidovski found the net from just a few yards out after latching on to Adem Kir’s cross from the left.

The Kir and Naidovski partnership didn’t just stab Parramatta in the heart but twisted the blade too. The pair teamed up again to heap more misery on the visitors when Kir’s cross from the left found Naidovski unmarked on the far right side of the area, and the substitute striker volleyed home with conviction.

Kir wasn’t done however and saw a couple of attempted placed shorts curl wide from outside the area. Lawson looked to double his goal tally too with Nicholas McInerney only just denying the center backs header.

Rockdale City Suns FC 4 (Joshua Lawson 42’, James Monie 46’, Jason Naidovski 57’, 66’)
Parramatta Eagles FC 1 (Kutaiba Elrich 9’)