Premier Youth League Preliminary Finals Review

Preliminary Finals
After heavy rain during the day before the matches, Gabbie Stadium was a just a bit soft but it still provided and excellent playing surface for the teams to display their wares in their do-or-die efforts to claim the final spots in the Grand Finals. Thankfully, the rain clouds had disappeared and the weather was delightful on the day.
And what a day of quality football it turned out to be with loads of all the things we all love about play at this level.
Grade 13
Sutherland Sharks were the Premiers and they had been unbeaten in the twelve matches leading up to the finals but they had suffered a 2-0 loss in the Major Semi Final while fourth placed Manly United had picked up points from their last three competition matches with a win and two draws and then they won the Elimination Semi Final 2-1 in Extra Time and that was followed by a penalty shootout victory in the Minor Semi Final.
In head to head action this season the Sharks had taken all the points with a 2-1 win in the first round and then a 3-2 result the second time around.
The first half of this match was a midfield battle of the highest order as e
Grade 14ch team tried to gain the upper hand in this vital area of play. However, the defences held firm and so there were no goal produced in the first half.
After the break it was slightly different story though as the Sharks began to dominate. They took the lead four minutes after the interval when J. Demitriou converted a spot kick and then, just three minutes later, G. Solevski doubled the lead when his twenty-two metre free kick sailed into goal at the back post.
Solevski was on the scoresheet again only two minutes later when he broke through the Manly Defence, drew the goalkeeper and then calmly slotted the ball into the empty net.
Manly refused to give in at any stage but they simply could not find a way to get back into the game and so Sutherland have qualified for the Grand Final at Gabbie Stadium on Saturday against second placed Marconi Stallions.
Grade 14
Marconi Stallions had finished in third position and they had a win and a draw in the three games leading into the finals before they won the Preliminary Semi Final 3-0 and then lost the Major Semi Final by the same scoreline. Blacktown City Demons were unbeaten in the fourteen games leading into the finals but they then lost the Preliminary Final 3-0 before bouncing back to win the Minor Semi Final in a penalty shootout.
In head-to-head action the Demons had taken all the competition points with 3-0 and 3-2 results but the Stallions had beaten them 3-0 in the Preliminary Semi Final a fortnight ago.
In a thoroughly entertaining match the play was very tight throughout the first half and it really was there for the taking by either team. However, when Blacktown?s Jared Seagar gave his team the lead Marconi dropped their heads a little but that problem was rectified by the coaching staff during the interval.
There was plenty of action at both ends during the second stanza and both goalkeepers were called upon to make crucial saves. Fabian Sosa scored a second goal for the Demons and that spurred Blacktown on as they began to take charge of the match.
Their increased efforts were rewarded when Alexander Doyle added the third goal and made Marconi?s task impossible. Blacktown have claimed the spot in Saturday?s decider when they will meet the Premiers, Sutherland Sharks.
Grade 15
Blacktown City Demons were placed second on the last competition table for the season and they had remained unbeaten for sixteen matches including their 2-1 success in the Preliminary Semi Final but they had lost last week?s Major Semi Final 1-0. Marconi Stallions had posted four wins and two draws in the last eight game before the final and then they were winners on penalties in the Elimination Semi Final and 2-1 winners in extra time in the Minor Semi Final.
In head-to-head action the team had shared the spoils with Marconi taking out the first game 3-1 and Blacktown taking the points from the second clash with a 2-0 result.
End-to-end action was the order of the day in this match as the teams went at each other in a fine display of skill and commitment but, while they both went ever so close, neither team had found the net before the break.
Marconi drew first blood with a goal from Andrew Tartaglia eighteen minute into the second half and Blacktown really rolled up their sleeves in an attempt to find an equaliser, at least, but it proved to be difficult as the stallions? defence stood firm.
When Tartaglia added a second goal four minute from full time it was all over for the Demons and so Marconi have moved into the Grand Final where they will play against the Premiers, Wollongong FC.
Grade 16
Manly United were the Premiers this season and they came into the finals on the back of three wins but they then suffered a 3-0 loss in the Major Semi Final. Blacktown City Demons were fourth at the end of the competition and they had won the last three matches leading into the finals before taking out the Elimination Semi Final 4-1 and the Minor Semi Final 4-3.
In head-to-head clashes The Demons took the first round points with a 1-0 result while the Stallions were 2-0 winners the second time around.
What a cliff-hanger this match turned out to be! There was absolutely nothing between the teams as they launched wave after wave of attacks at each other from the very first whistle to the last and it was anybody?s game.
The ?ooohs? and ?aaaahs? and spontaneous applause from the spectator areas was delightful and added much atmosphere to the excitement of the play unfolding before our eyes.
Sadly, there were no goals to report either before the interval of before the full-time whistle but that really did not seem to matter as the standard of play had been incredibly high and that was a tribute to both teams. Extra time was required but even that twenty minute period failed to break the deadlock and so the penalty spot was required to find a winner.
It was here that Blacktown came to the fore, winning the shootout by five conversions to three and so they have moved into the Grand Final where they will meet third placed Marconi Stallions.
Grade 18
A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers were in third position at the end of the competition and they had a win and two draws to show for their last five matches before the finals where they were 3-1 winners in the Preliminary Semi Final and then they lost 1-0 in the Major Semi Final.  Penrith Nepean United were placed second and they had  produced three wins and a draw from their last seven competition matches before they lost the Preliminary Semi Final 3-1 and then they won the Minor Semi Final 3-1.
In head-to-head encounters the team had shared the honours during the competition with each of them posting a 2-1 win and then Leichhardt rolled Penrith 3-1 in the Preliminary Semi Final.
Penrith made much of the early running in this match but they were unable to convert their chances into much needed goals. As so often happens, they were punished for that when the Tigers took the lead and then went in search of a bigger lead. Leichhardt added three more goals before the break and looked to be in total control of the situation.
The Tigers scored the first goal of the second half but then Penrith found the net at last and looked as though they wanted to go on with it. However, Leichhardt were not about to let the match slip away from them and they promptly added two more goals through some stunning counter attacking play, taking the final scoreline to 7-1.
That has taken them into the Grand Final where they will face the competition Premiers, Blacktown City Demons.
-By Barry Davis