TeleChoice Premier League Round 19 Review

Ben Ellis kick-started the Demons charge towards their third win of the season with a neatly taken opportunity with only goalkeeper Phillip Zabaks to beat.
Jim Bakis had the Sharks on level terms just after the break, though ?Man of the Match? Chris Bedzo re-instated the Demons lead.
Confirmation of the Sharks? first loss of the season arrived in the 89? minute when an unlucky deflection off Shane Lyons finished in the back of the net providing Blacktown City with the motivation required to fight their way off the foot of the table.
West Sydney Berries delivered coach Ramsin Shamon his first win since taking over from Scott Baillie. The Berries produced a remarkable comeback in-front of their home crowd, twice coming from a goal down to seal a morale boosting 5-2 win.
Yet the loss left Marconi in disarray as coach David Barrett announced his resignation at the conclusion of the match, the culmination of a very disappointing season for one of the pre-season favourites.
Stallions skipper Luke Casserly has been tipped to lead the squad as player/coach till the end of the season.
Tallan Martin had the Stallions ahead at the break, though Sash Tirovski equalised shortly after. Despite Ante Deur hitting the Stallions ahead soon after, Ryan Jones drew the Berries level for a second time. The Giosue Sama show kicked off in the 80? minute as he found the back of the net three times in the space of 6? minutes to clinch the points.
Sydney Olympic continued their positive run towards the finals-series with an emphatic 5-0 defeat of a timid Macarthur Rams. The Blues? season has taken a turn for the better, after a mid-season form slump, following the return to the playing field of Matthew Mayora and Shannon Cole.
Both players were in good touch against the Rams with Mayora converting a great goal-scoring opportunity five minutes from the end to round out the 5-0 win.
Jordanian International Siraj All-Tal open the scoring in the first-half with an exceptional glancing header, before playing his part in the Blues? second goal ? an unfortunate own goal for Rams? defender Josh Ford.
Sydney Olympic ran the Rams ragged in the second-half – completing the route ? with Anthony Hartshorn adding a double before Mayora?s late strike.
At Cromer Park, a rifle-like Bradley Groves free-kick 10? minutes before half-time was enough to ensure Manly United returned to the winner?s list and kept the pressure on Sutherland Sharks at the top of the ladder.
Manly?s defeat of Penrith-Nepean United sits Phil Moss? men five-points behind the Sharks with three matches remaining, though Manly?s best interests would be to keep an eye on Wollongong FC who are chomping at the bit ? with a match in hand ? to clinch second-spot.
Bankstown City?s slight hopes of a Top-Five finish ended at Jensen Park on Saturday evening as the in-form Wollongong FC sent another stern message to all future adversaries.
The Wolves came back from a goal behind to snatch the three-points from the Lions and set up a grand-stand finish as the race for placings in the Top-Five heats up.
Tayfun Devrimol had Bankstown City ahead midway through the first-half following a sensational counter-attack by the Lions. A lapse in concentration moments before the break allowed the Wolves back into the match courtesy of Ilija Prenzoski.
Substitute Lachlin Cahill sealed the win against the run of play seven minutes from the end to eliminate Bankstown City from the finals race.
At Sydney United Sports Centre, A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt Tigers kept their hopes of finals football alive with an energy sapping win against Sydney United. Striker Robert Younis was again on the mark, converting what has now become a trademark free-kick from the edge of the penalty-area. Younis? strike in the 3? minute sealed the points for the Tigers despite the Reds going close through Petar Markovic and Ben Vidaic late in the match.
-By Joseph Carlucci