Adelaide Comets thumps South Adelaide to snap six-game winless streak and remain in the National Premier Leagues SA finals race
Coach Kon Antoniou says Adelaide Comets’ perseverance has been rewarded as they snapped a six-game winless streak in style to remain in the National Premier Leagues SA finals race. See our wrap of Round 16 here.
Adelaide Comets coach Kon Antoniou says his players’ perseverance and commitment has been rewarded as they snapped a six-game winless streak in style to remain in the finals race.
The Mile End club tightened its grip on sixth place on the National Premier Leagues SA table after trouncing bottom side South Adelaide 6-0 at SA Athletics Stadium on Saturday.
Antoniou said the one-sided victory demonstrated his team’s attacking firepower, on a day 29 goals were plundered across the competition’s six matches.
The mentor said the morale-boosting success would provide a springboard for Comets, who sit just three points off second with six regular season games remaining.
“We’ve been very close in those (winless) six games,” Antoniou said.
“We haven’t been outplayed and I think we’ve been a little bit unlucky.
“But today, we really put our foot down.
“We knew we needed three points and the boys went out there and did it well.
“If we just stick to what we need to do, things will fall into place.”
Scott Nagel finished off a goalmouth scramble from close range to get the ball rolling for Comets against South after a goalless opening 20 minutes.
Strikes by Nathan Andijanto and captain Allan Welsh all but sealed the result midway through the first half, before substitute Andreas Wiens scored twice in the final quarter-hour.
Teenager Tete Yengi, the younger brother of Adelaide United’s Kusini Yengi, rounded out the rout in stoppage time with his first senior goal.
Antoniou said the commanding display was the ideal preparation for next Saturday’s crucial clash with third-placed Raiders.
“We had quite a few chances way before that (opening goal),” said Antoniou, who took over as Comets coach from Theo Tsiounis in March.
“But we were just ruthless in our pressure after that.
“It was an all-round team performance and the whole team did very well.
“But we can’t get too carried away.
“Everybody is back tight again (on the table) and we’ve got Croydon and Adelaide United breathing down our neck as well.
“It’s going to be close and it’s going to go to the wire, that’s for sure.”
Raiders moved to within a point of second-ranked Adelaide Blue Eagles with a 4-1 thumping of relegation-threatened West Adelaide at the Croatian Sports Centre.
English striker Terence Carter scored a hat-trick after Thanasis Lesi had equalised for the visitors with a first-half penalty.
A red card for goalkeeper Lewis Moss and an own goal three minutes from time completed the misery for West, which remained entrenched in the drop zone.
Adelaide City pushed a point clear of its former National Soccer League rival following a drama-filled 3-3 draw with league-leader Campbelltown City at Newton.
Japanese playmaker Yohei Matsumoto and forward Lui Ditroia handed the reigning champion a two-goal lead after 10 minutes.
But former Adelaide United winger Fabio Ferreira pulled one back, before Anthony Costa and Thomas Love gave the 10th-placed Black and Whites an unlikely lead.
Ditroia salvaged a point for the Red Devils, who had Alex Mullen sent off in the second half.
A brace to Christo Pounendis, as well as goals to John Karatzas and Manni Katopodis, helped Adelaide Olympic to a 4-0 thrashing of Blue Eagles.
The convincing triumph lifted the FFA Cup SA winner to fourth, ahead of its debut in the national knockout competition next month.
Croydon Kings kept up the pressure on the top six with a 4-1 win away to MetroStars.
Zade Heinicke, Adam Martinello, skipper Luke Klimek and James Skeffington were on target for the visitors.
Eighth-placed Adelaide United youth sits level with the Kings, after Alhassan Toure, Yared Abetew and Ninko Beric fired it to a 3-0 victory over Para Hills at the Parks.