Missed opportunity as lead is lost

Rockdale still sit in second place on the ladder but are three wins adrift of Apia.

It was a sensational start from Rockdale as Antoniou opened the scoring with a perfect header in the first minute of play. They then doubled their lead two minutes later through Alec Urosevski which left the hosts reeling. Nikola Ujdur delivered a shot from the edge of the area that went in off the far post to add a third goal inside 7 minutes.

A three goal lead can be a dangerous score so early and Sydney United awoke from their torpor and began playing some good football getting upfield and pressing Rockdale into mistakes.

In a missed opportunity Urosevski found the net again in the 40th minute that was disallowed for offside after a lightning quick counter attack and it remained 3-0 to Rockdale at the break.

United coach Miro Vlastelica brought changes in the second-half via three new players, making it the Patrick Antelmi show when he scored twice, the first a side-footer, in the 64th minute to reduce the deficit, then reducing it further a minute later when he again found the back of the net.

The dream start turned into a nightmare when half-time sub Clut netted a screamer in the 78th minute to restore parity. Rockdale goalkeeper Bradasevic was then twice forced into super saves that would have made the comeback complete.

Rockdale Coach, Paul Dee said It would be an understatement if he said that it wasn't a disappointing effort at the final whistle.

"We controlled the first-half, so to concede three goals in the manner we did in the second is disappointing, not good enough. Not the standard we require.

"When you go away from home and score three goals you would expect to win the game so to come away with a single point, particularly at this stage of the season simply isn't good enough."

At Penshurst Park, Sydney FC bounced back from a bad run with a 4-3 round 23 victory over St George City.

An own goal started proceedings for the visitors before Kosta Petratos levelled the match in the 27th minute. FC responded immediately through Oscar Fryer a minute later and it was 2-1 for the visitors at the break.

They found the goal in the 65th minute before St George City's Matthew Keremelevski scored, but Kealey Adamson had other ideas pushing the game to 4-2 with a goal in the 84th minute. Presley Ortiz struck for the home side in the 90th minute but FC celebrated a 4-3 win.