Sydney FC’s Foxtel National Youth League season came to a close on Sunday as the Young Sky Blues match with the Central Coast Mariners came to a premature halt following lightning and hail.
The Young Sky Blues final match was abandoned at a 3-2 score line to the Mariners, capping off a mixed season full of entertaining football for Sydney FC as they finished fourth in the league on 28 points.
Bouncing back from a first round loss to the Western Sydney Wanderers, the Young Sky Blues embarked on a three match scoring spree as they notched 10 goals in three matches against the Central Coast, Adelaide United and FFA Centre of Excellence early in the season.
A narrow defeat to Melbourne Victory in round five was followed by another five goal thriller against the Brisbane Roar before Sydney FC pushed league leaders at the time, Perth Glory, all the way in a tight one all draw at Lambert Park.
A defiant display one week later saw Sydney FC twice comeback from a two goal deficit to draw three all with Melbourne City before Adelaide United notched a late leveller to hold the Young Sky Blues to consecutive draws.
Returning to form, Sydney FC clinched the second mini-Sydney Derby of the season 2-1 at Blacktown International Sportspark, before a late penalty foiled the Sky Blues at Morshead Park, Ballarat in the following round.
From there, the Young Sky Blues went five matches undefeated as they drew with Perth Glory before defeating the FFA Centre of Excellence, Melbourne Victory and Newcastle Jets twice, scoring 15 goals and conceding eight to finish the season on a high note.
Head Coach Steve Corica said he was proud of the way his squad went about their season, saying there were plenty of goals from the entertaining football his side produced.
“It was always going to be hard to hit the same heights as last year,” Corica said.
“We came close and to finish fourth is not too bad. If you look at a couple of the games we lost during the season, we should have won them and we would have been very close to the top if we had done that.
“It’s been a very up and down season. We’ve had a lot of goals,” he continued.
“George Blackwood was a standout and especially Aaron Calver going into the first team after starting the season with us.
“There’s also a couple of players worth a mention as well and that’s Jacob Tratt, Anthony Tomelic and Themba Muata-Marlow who will be too old for the Youth League next season. In the last few years they’ve been critical to our squad and obviously last year winning the title, they had a big part in that and deserve full credit for the work they’ve done for the club.”
Three of the Foxtel National Youth League 2014/15 season’s squad have earned a call up to the Hyundai A-League squad with George Blackwood, Aaron Calver and Anthony Bouzanis all asked to continue training with the first team.
Sydney FC’s Foxtel National Youth League squad will now break for the 2015 NSW National Premiers League’s season with the following players moving to their listed clubs:
- LUKE BABIC – SYDNEY UNITED
- NICOLA KULESKI – MANLY
- JACOB TRATT – SUTHERLAND
- THEMBA MUATA-MARLOW – UNDECIDED
- GEORGE TIMOTHEOU – BLACKTOWN CITY
- DYLAN CATON – UNDECIDED
- ANTHONY TOMELIC – SYDNEY UNITED
- MAX BURGESS – UNDECIDED
- BAI ANTONIOU – SOUTH MELBOURNE
- JORDAN TSEKENIS – BELCONNEN UNITED
- DANIEL ARAUJO – BLACKTOWN CITY
- JAMES ANDREW – SYDNEY OLYMPIC
- CHRIS ZUVELA – SYDNEY UNITED
- AARON CALVER – Sydney FC Hyundai A-League
- ANTHONY BOUZANIS – Sydney FC Hyundai A-League
- GEORGE BLACKWOOD – Sydney FC Hyundai A-League
Sydney FC’s next home game is against Brisbane Roar on Sunday 15th March at Allianz Stadium (kick off 5pm). Purchase tickets today or become a Member and ensure you don’t miss a moment of Hyundai A-League action by heading to www.ticketek.com.au/sydneyfc
