The Youth League Report

Those games will be rescheduled shortly.
Do you want further proof that the competitions are closer this year than they have been in recent years? Firstly, the competition leaders in the five PYL age groups currently come from five different clubs and secondly, all twelve clubs are currently represented in the top five of the various competitions.
Marconi Stallions are leading the way with all of their teams in the top five of their respective tables, followed by Blacktown City Demons with four teams in the top grouping. Manly United and A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers both have three teams up there while Sutherland Sharks and Penrith Nepean United both have two. That leaves Wollongong FC, Bankstown City, West Sydney Berries, Sydney United, Sydney Olympic and Macarthur Rams with one team each in the top five.
Sure, it is still early days and there will probably be many changes between now and the end of the season but that is the current position.
A computer glitch over the weekend temporarily credited the teams who were washed out with a point each on the competition table but there was no change to the number of games played for any of those teams. Football NSW are rectifying the problem.
Grade 13
At the moment the top four teams are separated by a mere four points and then the next five teams are only one point apart. All of those have a very good chance of claiming some honours at this stage but it is still far too early to write off any of the bottom three teams.
Sutherland Sharks remained at the top of the table but their lead was reduced to a single point when they were held to a scoreless draw at third placed Marconi Stallions while Manly United held onto second spot after they posted a 2-0 win at home to Sydney Olympic who have dropped one place to twelfth.
Blacktown City Demons jumped up two places to fourth when they defeated   Wollongong FC, a result that caused the Wolves to drop back one place to eleventh and A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers fell back two places to sixth when their match against Macarthur Rams was washed out at Lambert Park and the Rams have stayed at eighth.
Penrith Nepean United scooted up the table from ninth to fifth when they downed Sydney United 2-0 at St Marys and that has caused Sydney to fall from seventh to ninth. Bankstown City registered their first win for the season when they produced a 3-1 result over West Sydney Berries, an outcome that allowed the Lions to move from twelfth to tenth and left the Berries at seventh.
Grade 14
While we currently have a clear leader, they have played one more game than the next two teams who are within six points of the frontrunners. There is then a gap of four points but a meagre margin of three points separates the next six teams so anything could happen ? and it probably will.
Blacktown City Demons maintained their perfect record and their lead of three points at the head of the table when they defeated Wollongong FC at Bellambie, a result that caused the Wolves to fall back two places to twelfth while Sutherland Sharks moved from third to second, swapping places with Marconi Stallions, when they beat them 2-1 at Marconi Stadium.
West Sydney Berries rose one position to fourth when they overcame Bankstown City with a handy 3-0 scoreline and that has resulted in the Lions falling back three places to ninth. Penrith Nepean United went back one place to fifth following their 1-1 draw with Sydney United who have jumped up one spot to eighth.
NSWIS Girls are in sixth position, two places better off than last week, after they downed Manly United 1-0 in their midweek encounter and then Manly suffered a 3-2 loss to Sydney Olympic on Saturday, leaving the northern beaches lads at the bottom while Olympic have risen two places to tenth. The A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers v Macarthur Rams was washed out, leaving the Tigers at seventh and the Rams at eleventh.
Grade 15
It is neck-and-neck at the top at this stage as the top two teams have established a break of four points. The next group of seven teams are separated by only three points so the race is already on for a place in the finals.
Wollongong FC are still the competition leaders thanks to their solid 4-0 home victory over third placed Blacktown City Demons while second placed Marconi Stallions have maintained the pressure on the leaders with a 3-1 success over Sutherland Sharks who went back one place to eleventh.
A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers dropped back a place to fourth when their match against ninth placed Macarthur Rams was washed out and Manly United have rocketed upward from eleventh to fifth with their first two wins of the campaign, a 2-0 win over the thirteenth placed NSWIS Girls midweek and then Saturday?s 3-0 victory over Sydney Olympic who have been forced back two places to tenth.
Sydney United dropped from fifth to sixth when they battled out a 1-1 draw with Penrith Nepean United who went back one place to eighth while Bankstown City?s home game against West Sydney Berries was washed out, causing the Lions to go from sixth to seventh and leaving the Berries at twelfth.
Grade 16
The leaders currently have break of three point over their nearest rivals but then there is a margin of only two points between the next five teams and the following three teams are only two points further away. Very interesting!
Manly United grabbed the competition lead this week when they recorded a 1-0 win over Sydney Olympic who have fallen from fifth to seventh while A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers went back to second spot when they were washed out against Macarthur Rams who dropped two places to sixth.
Marconi Stallions flew from seventh to third following their 2-1 success over bottom team Sutherland Sharks and Bankstown City fell backwards from third to fifth when their match against eleventh placed West Sydney Berries was washed out.
Sydney United moved up to fourth on goal difference following their 2-2 draw at eighth placed Penrith Nepean United while Wollongong FC and Blacktown City Demons are still at ninth and tenth places respectively after they played out a scoreless draw.
Grade 18
The top three are separated only by goal difference but the second and third placed teams both have a game in hand. After a gap of three points, the next two are on equal points and then there is a further gap of three points to sixth. Those who expect the finals berths to be filled by teams currently inside the top six may be in for a surprise at season?s end.
In the only game played this weekend Marconi Stallions were comfortable 4-0 winners over Sutherland Sharks and that has taken the Stallions straight to the top of the table with the Sharks still bringing up the rear.
-By Barry Davis