Saturday Sydney Derby Risky

NSW Police and Football Federation Australia have been in discussions over preparations for this weekend’s Sydney derby, in a bid to prevent potential scenes of flare ripping and fan violence.

Saturday night’s showdown at Allianz Stadium is deemed high risk, as it consistently draws a sellout crowd and is the epicentre of rivalry between Sydney FC and Western Sydney supporters.

The fixture, which has been marred by numerous incidents before, also typically attracts the largest contingent of travelling Wanderers fans, a factor to which the club attributed the flare-lighting and detonator-blowing havoc on display at Etihad Stadium a fortnight ago.

FFA have already punished Western Sydney, and on Monday served Melbourne Victory a show-cause notice in response to the misbehaviour of a minority of their own fans during the weekend’s Melbourne derby at AAMI Park.

In the current climate, the governing body are bracing for the threat of a third episode in as many weeks. “Our people are in discussions, and have been for some time about the derby on Saturday night,” chief executive David Gallop said.

“The focus could not be more on these issues now. We are hoping everyone recognises that, and recognises the damage that could be done if we don’t have a well-behaved fan group on Saturday night.”

Some of that damage could include the activation of the Wanderers’ suspended three-point penalty – one half of their sanction along with a $50,000 fine. The club have largely eliminated problems at home games, with next to no incidents this season. Not a flare was in sight at Pirtek Stadium on Sunday night, where only 24 police officers patrolled the upset by Wellington.

CEO John Tsatsimas last week said the danger of mischief is decreased at Pirtek because only members are allowed to enter the Red and Black Bloc active support section. But away games remain an issue because any member of the public can buy tickets for the designated supporter bays.

This will be the Wanderers’ first away match since the trouble at the Victory clash.

Self-described Sydney FC “hooligans” also told the Network 10 on Monday night that Allianz Stadium was the easiest A-League venue to smuggle flares into.

NSW Police will release more details of their arrangements for the derby later this week. “NSW Police is in the planning phase for this fixture,” a spokesman told AAP.

“As always, community safety is the No1 priority for police at any major public event. We continue to liaise closely with the venue, the clubs and FFA. Using all intelligence available to us, police will ensure appropriate numbers of officers and resources are available for the event.”

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Fans Protest as Western Sydney Win

Western Sydney extended their winning streak to five games thanks to a 2-0 win over Central Coast on Sunday, both goals coming after a section of Wanderers fans staged their predicted protest by walking out of the ground.

Nearly 1,000 members of the club’s active supporter group, the Red and Black Bloc, filed out of Central Coast Stadium at the 30-minute mark in protest against Football Federation Australia for what they perceive as poor handling of stadium bans.

Following the walkout, Mitch Nicholls set up Brendon Santalab’s opener and slotted the second to lift the Wanderers to second place on the A-League table and on equal points with leaders Melbourne Victory.

The clash at Central Coast Stadium was the first the side have won at the Gosford venue since their inaugural season in 2012-13.

This encounter will perhaps be remembered more for the protest, but for those of the 10,519 crowd that remained, it was attacking football at its frenetic best. And Tony Popovic’s men were a class above.

They very nearly opened their account in a frenzied first few minutes when Nicholls miskicked a long-ranged shot wide of an open goal while Mariners custodian Paul Izzo was caught way off his line.

Seven minutes later the playmaker almost atoned, bulging the back of the net before being ruled offside. The returning Romeo Castelen kept the momentum flowing by rattling the post, the ball almost comically rebounding and sailing straight into Izzo’s outstretched arms.

Castelen was a rampant force down the right flank as the Mariners’ back line toiled, but he undermined his own efforts by missing a swag of chances. In the end it was super sub Santalab who made good in the 66th minute, on his first shot and less than 10 minutes after his introduction.

Nicholls set the goal up gorgeously with a dink down the middle for the onrushing striker, who fought off a yellow-shirted defender before making no mistake against Izzo.

The Mariners took back a little of the possession they lost in the first half and made some bold moves on the counter-attack, including one late on when Irish striker Roy O’Donovan was denied by Wanderers keeper Andrew Redmayne in extra-time.

But a bare moment passed before Nicholls cemented the result, latching onto a Joshua Sotirio through ball to fire home.

The Wanderers’ five match winning run was the best since their 10-game streak in 2012-13.

Australia’s football faithful have been vocal and angry this week following News Corp Australia’s publication of names and photos of 198 banned A-League fans, of which nearly half were Wanderers supporters.

Not all Western Sydney fans left, with numerous bays still dotted with red and black shirts. Earlier in the match, the RBB held up banners stating their stance, one of which read: “FFA: Don’t bury your heads in the sand, we’ve listed our demands!”

A depleted Mariners Yellow Army also unfurled their own banner reading: “Sitting in silence like the FFA. No fans = no football.”

The RBB’s walkout followed an identical one from Melbourne Victory’s supporter group the North Terrace, who left Etihad Stadium after half an hour of Saturday night’s 2-1 win over Adelaide United.

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