Premier Youth League Finals Series
The weather was kind as well with the sun shining brightly but it did turn cold when the afternoon wind kicked in.
The quality of the football on display throughout the day was delightful and a tribute to the hard work put in by the coaches and players throughout the season. Even the pressure of the finals did not adversely affect the skill, commitment and determination shown in every game played on the day.
Grade 13
Preliminary Semi Final
There has been absolutely nothing between second placed Marconi Stallions and third placed Blacktown City Demons all season as they had drawn their both their previous encounters, 1-1 and 0-0. The Stallions had not tasted defeat since Round 4 of the competition and remarkably, they had not conceded a single goal in their last thirteen matches, leaving them with the best defensive record in the competition with a miserly eight goals in their ?Goals Against? column. The Demons had lost only once in their last nineteen outings.
It was clear from the outset of the semi final that the teams were nervous about this clash as they both worked overtime to avoid making an error that could prove costly. Slowly but surely, they both settled into a more accustomed style of play and the action flowed from one end of the ground to the other.
Marconi drew first blood in the 21st minute when Jamel Salidarre found the back of the net to give his team a lead which they took to the break. Just four minutes after the interval the Stallions doubled their advantage through a goal from Daniel Di Ruocco.
However, the Demons were not about to lie down and accept defeat and so they began their campaign to get back into the game only three minutes later with a goal by Bruno Antelmi. Blacktown were showing greater determination from that point onward and they threatened the goal on several occasions without receiving a reward.
The match took a positive turn for the Demons in the 54th minute when Kevin Ly showed the value of persistence with a goal that squared the ledger.
Marconi were undaunted by that setback and just as it seemed certain that extra time would be needed, the Stallions put their noses in front again one minute from fulltime. There was a touch of controversy about the goal as many players and a lot of spectators thought that Dylan Caton was off-side but the referee and his assistant disagreed as the youngster kept his head to take the scoreline to 3-2.
That has taken Marconi into the Major Semi Final next Saturday where they will meet Premiers Sutherland Sharks while Blacktown have moved into the sudden-death Minor Semi Final.
Elimination Semi Final
Manly United had finished the competition in fourth position and Sydney United had squeaked into fifth place after they won a catch-up match last Sunday. Sydney United had taken out the first round clash with Manly United with a 1-0 scoreline and the second round encounter, played only a fortnight ago, was a scoreless draw.
Manly came into this game with three wins and two draws to show for their last six matches while Sydney had posted one win and four draws from their last six and they kept a clean sheet in four of those games.
Saturday?s action came thick and fast from the very first whistle as the teams worked at trying to gain the upper hand with the opening goal. However, while they came ever so close at both ends, neither had gained an advantage at the completion of the first stanza.
Sydney United drew first blood eight minutes after the break when J. Volarich found the back of the net but that was not enough to settle the issue as Manly United rolled up their sleeves and increased the pressure on their opponents.
They had to wait until the 52nd minute for their efforts to be rewarded though and it came with a goal from S. Byrne. The intensity shown by both teams immediately lifted as they went in search of a winner in the remaining eight minutes but it was not to happen.
Extra time was required to settle the issue and both teams gave their all to find the breakthrough. With just four minutes remaining on the referee?s watch Manly United manufactured a goal through T. Kuss and that proved to be decisive.
Manly United will now face Blacktown City Demons in the Minor Semi Final at Valentine Sports Park next Saturday while Sydney United have been eliminated from the series.
Grade 14
Preliminary Semi Final
Blacktown City Demons had completed their competition commitments in second place and their missed out on the Premiers? crown only on goal difference while Marconi Stallions were placed third.
The Demons had not lost in their last fourteen outings and they had kept a clean sheet in thirteen of those matches while the Stallions had lost only one of their last eight. In head-to-head action the Stallions had won the first round clash 2-1 and the second round match was a scoreless draw.
The nerves were tingling at both ends of the ground as the teams struggled to settle into a rhythm of play as they went at each other as if there would be no tomorrow and while there were no goals during the first half, there was no lack of action or commitment at both ends of the pitch.
Marconi finally found the back of the net in the 37th minute through a strike from J. McGing and then they added a second goal just two minutes later thanks to A. Proia.
Try as they might, Blacktown could not get themselves back into the game as simply nothing fell for them, in large part due to the fact that the Stallions displayed a fantastic defensive resolve whenever their opponents had the ball.
Marconi created a goal through C. Hatfield in the very last minute of play to take the final scoreline to 3-0 and that has taken them directly to the Major Semi Final next Saturday when they will meet Sutherland Sharks while Blacktown will play in the Minor Semi Final on the same day.
Elimination Semi Final
West Sydney Berries were in fourth place at the end of the competition and while they had lost their last two matches, they were unbeaten in the six games before that. Penrith Nepean United were placed fifth with three wins, a draw and two losses to show for their last six matches.
PNU had won both the head-to-head clashes during the season proper, 1-0 and 4-2 so they may have been confident going into this game.
End-to-end action was the order of the day from the very first whistle and they did not let up on each other until the match ended, keeping spectators on the very edge of their seats.
The Berries made a breakthrough in the 20th minute with a goal from C.Kissas and they were able to maintain that advantage through to the break despite the very best efforts of the lads from the foot of the mountains.
While both teams came close to adding to the scoreline during the action packed second half, neither could produce a goal that would change the game and so the Berries have made it through to the Minor Semi Final where they will meet Blacktown City Demons while Penrith Nepean United have been eliminated from the finals.
Grade 15
Preliminary Semi Final
Finishing second on the table, Blacktown City Demons arrived at this game with a record of no losses from their last fifteen outings while third placed A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers had won three and drawn three of their last eight matches.
The teams had taken one victory each from their head-to-head encounters with the Tigers claiming the first round match 3-1 while the Demons won the second one 2-0.
So, the stage was set for a thriller and the teams did not disappoint as they showed the skill, commitment and determination required to play at this level of youth football and they maintained a very high standard for the full seventy minutes.
The Tigers opened the scoring in the 18th minute with a goal from H. El-Hajj but everyone knew that this game would be producing more from the goals, such was the quality of the football on display.
Blacktown found an equaliser through Jake Mason just one minute before the break and that set up a nerve tingling second stanza.
Both teams went in search of a vital second goal and the result was that both goalkeepers were kept very busy indeed and that provided fantastic entertainment for the spectators.
Blacktown came up trumps in the 46th minute thanks to a goal from Reece Caira but it was far from certain that it would be enough to be sure of taking the result.
The Tigers were far from a beaten team and they earned much praise as they worked overtime to create a chance that could lead to an equaliser but it did not come for them as the Demons? defence held firm under extreme pressure.
Blacktown have qualified for the Major Semi Final next Saturday where they will meet Premiers Wollongong FC while Leichhardt will play in the Minor Semi Final.
Elimination Semi Final
Sydney Olympic were unbeaten in the six matches leading up to the finals and they finished in fourth place while fifth placed Marconi Stallions had posted two wins and two draws from their last six appearances.
In head-to-head action during the competition Marconi were 3-1 winners in the first round and Olympic had taken the second round points with a 3-0 result.
What a game this turned out to be as the teams gave their all to achieving the result that would allow them to remain in the finals series. Despite several chances at both ends of the pitch the first half ended scoreless and then there was more of the same in the second half, jangling the nerves of the supporters of both teams and providing superb entertainment for the neutral spectators.
Extra time was required to break the deadlock and it was here that Marconi drew first blood with a goal from Martin Hand in the 75th minute but Olympic bounced back to equalise through Bruno Pivato eleven minutes later.
With no resolution to be found, it was necessary to go to the dreaded penalty shootout and it was here that the Stallions prevailed with a 5-3 outcome that has taken them into the Minor Semi Final while Olympic have been eliminated from the finals series.
Grade 16
Preliminary Semi Final
A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers arrived at this match on the back of an unbeaten run of nine games that had left them in second place on the last competition table for the season while third placed Marconi Stallions had not lost in their last seven games.
In head-to-head action during the competition the Tigers were 4-1 winners in the first round while the second round clash ended at 2-2.
The Stallions got away to the best possible start when they scored the opening goal through T. Rhodes in the second minute of play but the Tigers were not going to quit at that stage so they put everything they had into an attempt to fight their way back into the event.
While there was no addition to the scoring during the first half both teams had quality chances, keeping the spectator areas excited and fascinated as they tried to work out which of the team might win this one.
Try as they might, the Tigers could not produce a goal in the second half but the Stallions were a bit more effective in that area as they added a 57th minute goal through N. Jagelman and then D. Castrogiovanni added a third one in the 69th minute to give Marconi a 3-0 scoreline at the final whistle.
They have progressed to the Major Semi Final where they will meet Premiers Manly United while Leichhardt will play in the Minor Semi Final on the same day.
Elimination Semi Final
Blacktown City Demons had lost only one match in their last nine to finish in fourth position but they had been having difficulty in scoring goals all season while Sydney United had ended the competition in fifth place after they had posted two wins and a draw from their last ix games.
In head-to-head action during the season Blacktown had won the first round match 2-1 and United had picked up the second round points with a 4-0 result.
The Demons started well and they found themselves in front after twenty-two minutes when Bernie Ibini scored and they were able to carry that lead through to the interval. However, United squared the ledger in the 46th minute with a goal from N. Barsoum.
Five minutes later Blacktown regained the lead when goalkeeper Matthew Ryan converted a penalty kick and then they increased their lead through a goal from Andrew Hajjar in the 58th minute.
Two minutes later Blake Armstrong chimed in with a goal to take the scoreline to 4-1 and that virtually killed the game off. It must be said that United always looked dangerous and that they should have made more of their opportunities but they should be very proud of their efforts in this match.
Blacktown will now meet A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers in the Minor Semi Final on Saturday while United have been eliminated from the finals series.
Grade 18
Preliminary Semi Final
Penrith Nepean United had won three of their last six matches in the lead up to this semi final while A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers had won two and drawn two of their last six. In the head-to-head clashes during the competition Penrith had grabbed the first round points with a 2-1 result and then, only last week, Leichhardt had taken out the second round match by the same scoreline.
This was a thoroughly entertaining match from beginning to end and either team could have walked away with it as the play flowed from end-to-end with a superb display of skill and commitment.
In the final analysis Leichhardt made the most of their chance with the goals coming through K. Olivara, an Own Goal and T. Taylor while Penrith?s sole goal was provided by Trent Barton.
That has put Leichhardt into the Major Semi Final where they will meet Premiers Blacktown City Demons while Penrith will play in the Minor Semi Final.
Elimination Semi Final
Marconi Stallions arrived at this match with a win and a draw to show for their last six games while Sydney Olympic had won two of their last six matches. In head-to-head play Marconi had taken all the points with a 2-1 win the the first round and a 2-0 result the second time around.
The Stallions started the game well and they established a 3-0 lead during the first half with the goals coming from D. Trimboli, A. Diannatzi and T. Andrew and that was to prove decisive.
To their credit, Olympic never gave up trying but their attacking efforts were consistently thwarted by the well organised Stallions defence.
There was no addition to the scoreline in the second stanza so Marconi have moved into the Minor Semi Final where they will meet Penrith Nepean United while Olympic have been eliminated from the finals series.
-By Barry Davis
