Division One Youth League Finals Series Review

The big wet has caused major disruptions to the finals series in this division and that threat continued this week as the early morning rain tumbled from the sky and then a late storm hit the area. However, some sensible decisions allowed the Major and Minor Semi Finals to go ahead at both venues and so all is well again.
The Major semi Finals were played at Francis Park at Blacktown and the Minor Semi Finals were played at Popondetta Park at Mt Druitt.
Major Semi Finals
Grade 13          Gladesville Ryde Magic v Sydney University
This was an entertaining match and it was anyone?s guess as to which of the teams would take it out and therefore claim the direct route to the Grand Final.
Magic got their noses in front through a first half penalty kick which was duly converted by Dominic Ferguson and they were able to hold onto that lead through to the break after resisting some attacking pressure from Uni.
The second half was an even affair with Uni seeking at least an equaliser and Magic looking for ways to extend their lead but there were no goals to be found.
Gladesville have taken the shortcut to the Grand Final while Sydney Uni will play in the Preliminary Final.
Grade 14          Blacktown Spartans v Fraser Park
What a game this was, with thrills and spills galore and a never-ending stream of end to end action as the teams gave their all to a first class performance.
Despite the best efforts of everyone concerned, there were no goals scored in the action packed first half although it must be said that the goalkeepers had quite a lot to do with that.
The second half saw an increased intensity from both teams as they showed they were desperate for a result but the lack of goals continued through to the final whistle and so it was necessary to play extra time.
It was during the match extension that the goals suddenly appeared with the Spartans finding the net through J. Warburton and B. Gunns while Ricardo Mennillo provided the goal for the Dragons.
The 2-1 final scoreline has put Blacktown into the Grand Final while Fraser Park will play in the Preliminary Final.
Grade 15          Blacktown Spartans v Fraser Park
As if we had not had enough excitement for one day, this game added to and truly enhanced the overall enjoyment of the occasion. There was nothing between the teams on the day and neither was prepared to give the other a single centimetre of space from beginning to end.
At half-time the scoreboard read 1-1 and that was a true indication of the play between these two quality teams. When the final whistle sounded the scoreboard was unchanged despite several scoring chances being created at both ends.
Extra time was an action packed affair with each of the teams adding a goal to their tally but that only added to the drama of the occasion without offering a solution and so the dreaded penalty shootout was called upon.
It was here that Fraser Park prevailed as they converted four kicks to three and that was sufficient to earn them a place in the Grand Final while the Spartans will now play in the Preliminary Final.
Grade 16          Stanmore Hawks v Fraser Park
Fraser Park started like a house on fire and they took the lead as early as the 8^th minute with an goal from M. Sabischykov and that is the way the scoreline stayed until the break even though both teams created several chances during that period.
When play resumed Fraser Park showed that their confidence was high as they continued to push forward in search of goals, forcing the Hawks onto the back foot.
The Dragons were rewarded were rewarded three times in a six minute period when Z. Cook scored in the 43^rd minute, F. Okwuagwu netted in the 47^th and E. Fajloun added another in the 49^th to take the score to 4-0.
The Hawks would not lie down though and they managed to score their only goal a minute from full-time thanks to C. Bakoulis but it was far from enough and now they will play in the Preliminary Final while Fraser Park have taken the direct route to the Grand Final.
Grade 18          Gladesville Ryde Magic v Blacktown Spartans
This match provided entertainment plus for all those fortunate enough to watch it as the play flowed relentlessly from one end of the ground to the other.
Blacktown drew first blood when N. Haramis found the back of the net and that was enough to give them the lead at the break but the score could have been increased by both teams had it not been for the skill of both goalkeepers.
Haramis and Gladesville?s B. Treharne did add goals to the tally in the second half and that took the scoreline to 2-1 in Blacktown?s favour, enough to give them the berth in the Grand Final while Magic will play in the Preliminary Final.
Minor Semi Finals
Grade 13          Camden Tigers v Fraser Park
There was no doubt in anyone?s mind that both teams were very keen to continue in the finals series as they went at each other with a commendable determination.
The first half did not produce a single goal and when the Dragons? Sean Wills found the net in the 39^th minute the goal proved to be decisive as the tigers could not produce an equaliser.
Camden have hung up their boots for the season while Fraser park will play in the Preliminary Final.
Grade 14          Hurstville City Minotaurs v Camden Tigers
While this match failed to produce any goals during the normal time, it did keep all the supporters on the edge of their seats for the full duration of the game.
Both teams had more than enough chances to win but they simply could not find the back of the net and so it was necessary to go into extra time.
Camden?s pressure paid a dividend when they forced an ?own goal? to be scored and that gave them the precious lead in the 8^th minute of the first half of extra time.
It was too big a mountain for the Minotaurs to climb and they have dropped out of the finals series while the Tigers will play in the Preliminary Final.
Grade 15          Hurstville City Minotaurs v Mt Druitt Town Rangers
In another thriller on the day goals were once again hard to come by and so each half of the game ended in a scoreless draw and that meant that extra time was required, if only to add to the already frazzled nerves.
It was here that the goals suddenly appeared as the Rangers found the net through Jake Francis in the 84^th minute and Jescar Douehi in the 88^th and then S. Mesind replied for the Minotaurs in the 90^th but that was the end of the scoring and so Mt Druitt have claimed the berth in the Preliminary Final while Hurstville have bowed out of the finals.
Grade 16          Hurstville City Minotaurs v Mt Druitt Town Rangers
The Minotaurs got off to a good start when A. Comitogianni gave them the lead in the 14^th minute but that lead was cancelled out when the Rangers? R. Muneshwar provided an equaliser in the 29^th minute.
Neither team could find the goal in the second half and the same applied to extra time and so the dreaded penalty shootout was called upon to find a winner.
Mt Druitt prevailed as they won the shootout 5-4 and they have progressed to the Preliminary Final while Hurstville have reached the end of their journey for this season.
Grade 18          Sydney University v Mt Druitt Town Rangers
What a way to finish a good day of finals football! A five goal thriller is exactly what everyone needs to settle themselves down for the evening and that is precisely what the good folk at this match got.
A goal to each team before the half time whistle set the stage for a thrill-a-minute finish in the second stanza in which Uni scored one but the Rangers got two and that was sufficient to see Mt Druitt through to the Preliminary Final while Sydney Uni can put their feet up.
-By Barry Davis