The Youth League Report (Super Youth League) Round 16

That means that every team will need to perform at their very best from here on in and that can only be a good thing for the players, coaches and spectators alike.
Club Championship
PCYC Parramatta led the way on the competition table and they had taken ten points last time they faced seventh placed Macarthur Rams. When the Eagles earned eight points this time around it was enough to keep them in the top spot but it forced the Rams back to eighth.
Central Coast Lightning were placed second and they had bagged seven points from the four games played in their first round encounter with twelfth placed Southern NSW. Lightning struck again when they took the maximum points from this week?s encounter and that left both clubs where they were on the table.
In Round 12 catch-up action Lightning earned nine points from their clash with Macarthur Rams.
Third placed Spirit FC and fifth placed Western Panthers each took seven points from their first round clash but on this occasion the Panthers managed to escape with a credit of eight points but that did not affect the position of either club on the table.
In Round 12 catch-up action the Panthers grabbed nine points from the four matches played against Schofields Scorpions.
Last time they met, fourth placed Dulwich Hill grabbed thirteen points from ninth placed Schofields Scorpions. It was not quite the same story this time but Dully still managed to take seven points from the four games played on the day but there was no impact on the table positions.
In Round 18 catch-up action Dulwich Hill took twelve points from their encounter with Sydney Wanderers.
In the first round eighth placed Blacktown Spartans and eleventh placed Sydney Wanderers shared the points at seven apiece However, this time the Spartans made off with ten points and that moved them up to seventh while the Wanderers used their share to go to tenth.
Sixth placed Northern Tigers pocketed ten points from their first round clash with tenth placed Granville Rage. With only three games played on Saturday, the Tigers had to be content with six points this time around.
Grade 13
It is still possible for any of the top eight teams to qualify for the finals series but those below third had better get a wriggle on as very result will be important if they are to achieve that aim. A single slip-up could prove very costly and so the interest in every match is bound to be intense.
Before a ball was kicked PCYC Parramatta were the competition leaders and they were coming off a last match win while sixth placed Macarthur Rams had lost their last game. The Eagles won the first round encounter 2-1 and they took the points again with a 4-0 result this time around.
Central Coast Lightning arrived at this game in second spot after they had won their last five matches and eleventh placed Southern NSW had posted a draw last week. Lightning were 2-0 winners when the teams met last time and they completed the double with a 2-1 scoreline this week. That has left Lightning at second and forced Southern back to twelfth
In a Round 12 catch-up match played on Sunday Lightning were 2-0 winners over Macarthur Rams but there was no change to the position of either team.
Spirit FC were placed third at kick-off time following four consecutive 1-0 wins while tenth placed Western Panthers were coming off a last match loss. Spirit were 2-1 winners in the first round encounter.
In a Round 12 catch-up match played on Sunday the Panthers registered a 2-1 win over Schofields Scorpions and that caused the teams to swap places on the table.
Fourth placed Blacktown Spartans were unbeaten in their last three games while seventh placed Sydney Wanderers had not lost in their last five matches. The first round match was a 1-1 draw but this time the Spartans continued their recent success with a very solid 5-0 result that kept then at fourth and slipped the Wanderers back to eighth.
In a Round 10 catch-up match the Spartans defeated Northern Tigers with a 5-1 scoreline. Incidentally, that means that Blacktown have managed to score a total of fifteen goals in their last three games.
Northern Tigers came into this round in fifth position following last week?s loss and twelfth placed Granville Rage had also lost their last match. The Tigers took the first round points with a 3-2 victory but Rage had other ideas this time as they posted a 3-1 victory that moved them up to eleventh.
Dulwich Hill kicked off this match in eighth place after a last game draw and ninth placed Schofields Scorpions had lost their last three outings. Dulwich Hill had claimed the points last time the teams met with a 3-0 result and they completed the double when they won this week?s match 1-0. That moved them up to sixth.
In a Round 12 catch-up match played on Sunday Dulwich Hill posted a 3-1 victory over Sydney Wanderers and that has elevated Dully to sixth.
Grade 14
The top eight teams are still within striking distance of a place in the finals so the importance of achieving good results in the catch-up games has become doubly important. Everyone will be watching everyone else over the coming weeks as the interest continues to grow.
Unbeaten Northern Tigers were the competition leaders at the start of this week?s match against twelfth placed Granville Rage who had lost their last two matches. The Tigers were 3-0 winners the first time these teams met. However, this week?s match was postponed, leaving the Tigers at the top of the tree and Rage at twelfth.
In a Round 10 catch-up match the Tigers were held to a 1-1 draw by Blacktown Spartans.
Second placed PCYC Parramatta had lost three of their last four games and seventh placed Macarthur Rams had a draw and a win to show for their last two matches. The Eagles had taken the first round points with a 2-0 result but the Rams squared that account with a 3-0 result this time. They are still seventh but the Eagles have slipped back to fourth.
Central Coast Lightning were in third place following wins in their last two games and ninth placed Southern NSW were coming off losses from their last two outings. Lightning had pocketed the first round points thanks to a 5-2 victory and while it was a bit closer this time, the 3-2 scoreline was enough to give Lightning the points and move them up to second.
In a Round 12 catch-up match played on Sunday Lightning came up with a 3-1 result over Macarthur Rams and that moved Central Coast to the top of the table, pushing Northern Tigers back to second.
Dulwich Hill began the day in fourth place and they had won their last three games while Schofields Scorpions were tenth and they had lost last week. The first round points had gone to Dulwich Hill when they won 1-0 and that scoreline was repeated this week. That was enough to move Dully up to third position.
In a Round 18 catch-up match played on Sunday Dulwich Hill produced a 2-0 win over Sydney Wanderers but it did not affect the position of either team on the table.
Spirit FC were placed fifth after last week?s loss and sixth placed Western Panthers were on the end of a nine match unbeaten run. The first round clash was a 0-0 draw. When that result appeared again this week both teams stayed where they were on the table.
In a Round 12 catch-up match played on Sunday the Panthers were 2-1 winners over Schofields Scorpions, a result that moved Western up to fifth and pushed Spirit back to sixth.
Blacktown Spartans kicked off this match in eighth position after they had lost their last four games and eleventh placed Sydney Wanderers had lost their last two. The Wanderers were 3-1 winners in the first round clash but the Spartans turned the tables this time when they won 3-1. Neither team moved on the ladder.
Grade 15
While it looks as though the top two will fight it out for the Premiership even that can change. There is, however, still a great deal of interest in which teams will fill the remaining spot in the finals series. At the moment it is still possible for any of the teams down to eighth to make the grade when all the catch-up games are taken into account.
Still unbeaten since the opening day of the season Dulwich Hill were the competition frontrunners at kick-off time while fifth placed Schofields Scorpions had lost last week. The first round points had gone to Dulwich Hill when they won 1-0. However, when this game was postponed Dully slipped back to second and the Scorpions drifted back to sixth.
In a Round 18 catch-up match played on Sunday Dulwich Hill continued their winning ways with a 1-0 result over Sydney Wanderers and that only consolidated Dully?s position at the top of the table.
Western Panthers kicked off this match in second place following last week?s win while seventh placed Spirit FC were unbeaten in their last seven games. Spirit had won the first round encounter by the odd goal in five but the Panthers got even this week when they posted a 1-0 win that moved them to the top of the table and left Spirit at seventh.
The rescheduled Round 12 match between Schofields Scorpions and Western Panthers was postponed.
Third placed PCYC Parramatta had posted draws in their last two games and fourth placed Macarthur Rams had won their last two outings. The Eagles were 2-0 winners in the first round but on this occasion the teams split the points when the match finished at 1-1. The Eagles retained third place and the Rams stayed at fourth.
In a Round 12 catch-up match played on Sunday the Rams picked up three points with a 2-0 win over Central Coast Lightning and both teams stayed where they were on the table.
Central Coast Lightning were in sixth spot had produced a win and a draw from their last two games while tenth placed Southern NSW had lost their last two matches. The first round encounter ended at 1-1 but Lightning took all the points this time when they won 3-1 and promptly rose to fifth while Southern fell back to eleventh.
At kick-off time Sydney Wanderers were placed eighth and Blacktown Spartans were twelfth and both teams had lost last week. The first round points went to the Wanderers when they won 2-1.
In a Round 10 catch-up match the Spartans were 3-0 winners over Northern Tigers.
Northern Tigers arrived at this match in ninth position following a last game draw and Granville Rage were eleventh after they lost their last two outings. The first round clash was a 2-2 draw. This week?s game was postponed, dropping the Tigers to tenth and Rage to twelfth.
Grade 16
It looks as though the composition of the teams to compete in the finals series will remain a mystery until the final day of the season as any of the top ten clubs can still qualify for the play-offs. For some, their destiny is in their own hands while some of the others will be looking for a patch of good form and hoping that other results go their way. There was some movement on the table on Saturday and it does lead you to wonder what may happen next week.
Unbeaten in their last five games, PCYC Parramatta started this match as the competition leaders and they were up against seventh placed Macarthur Rams who were coming off three losses. The Eagles had taken out the first round encounter with a 3-0 result and they completed the double with a 2-0 victory this time.
Western Panthers were in second spot at kick-off time following an unbeaten sequence of eight matches and Spirit FC were fourth after they had won their last two games. The Panthers had won the first round clash 1-0 but the teams had to settle for a share of the points this time when the match ended at 0-0.
In a Round 12 catch-up match played on Sunday the Panthers added three points to their tally with a 2-0 win over Schofields Scorpions but neither team moved on the table.
Blacktown Spartans had not lost in their last six outings and they were in third place while ninth placed Sydney Wanderers had won their last two games. The first round points had gone to the Spartans thanks to a 4-1 victory. However, the Wanderers did well this time to hold their better performed opponents to a scoreless draw.
In a Round 18 catch-up match played on Sunday the Wanderers were 1-0 winners over Dulwich Hill and that allowed them to move up to eighth.
After last week?s loss Northern Tigers were in fifth place and Granville Rage were tenth having lost their last two games. The Tigers were 5-1 winners when the teams met in the first round and they completed the double with a 3-0 win this week.
In a Round 10 catch-up match the Tigers were 1-0 winners over the Spartans and that meant that the Tigers rose to third.
Sixth placed Central Coast Lightning were last match winners while eleventh placed Southern NSW were on the end of a losing streak of six matches. Southern had taken the first round points with a 2-0 win but their recent tale of woe continued when Lightning took out this week?s match with a 5-0 scoreline.
In a Round 12 catch-up match played on Sunday Lightning produced a 2-0 win over Macarthur Rams and that elevated Central Coast to fourth, pushing Spirit back to fifth.
Dulwich Hill had not lost in their last three games and they came into this match in eighth position while Schofields Scorpions were twelfth following losses in their last four outings. The first round match went to Dulwich Hill 2-0 but this time the teams shared the points with a 1-1 draw. 
Grade 18
The fact that there was quite a bit of movement on the table this week indicates that the race for places in the finals series is well and truly under way. A quick glance at the table will tell you at any team from the top nine can still make the cut so plenty of folk will be looking over their shoulders to see what the other guys are doing.
After a spell of four games without loss Dulwich Hill were the competition leaders while fourth placed Schofields Scorpions had won their last three matches. When they met last time the match was a 1-1 draw but on those occasions the Scorpions bagged all the points with a 1-0 win and they moved to second spot as a result. 
In a Round 12 catch-up match played on Sunday registered a very solid 7-1 victory over Western Panthers and that left the teams where they were on the table.
In a Round 12 catch-up match played on Sunday Dulwich Hill recorded a 2-0 win over Sydney Wanderers and that has strengthened Dully?s position at the top of the ladder.
Spirit FC kicked off this game in second spot after they had suffered losses in their last two matches while ninth placed Western Panthers were unbeaten in their last six outings. The Panthers were 1-0 winners when the teams met last time and they completed the double with a very respectable 5-0 win on Saturday. They have moved up to seventh and Spirit have slipped back to third.
Third placed Macarthur Rams and eighth placed PCYC Parramatta had both lost the last match they had played and the first round points had gone to the Rams after they won 2-1. The teams shared the points with a 1-1 draw this time and that caused the Rams to fall back to fourth while the Eagles went back to ninth.
In a Round 12 catch-up match played on Sunday the Rams came up with a 4-1 win over Central Coast Lightning and that moved Macarthur back into third place.
Last week?s win had left Granville Rage in fifth position while seventh placed Northern Tigers had also posted a win in their last game. Rage had taken the first round points with a 2-1 victory but the Tigers squared the account with a 1-0 result this week. Rage remained at fifth and the Tigers climbed to sixth.
In a Round 10 catch-up match the Tigers split the points with Blacktown Spartans when the game was a 1-1 draw.
The match between sixth placed Central Coast Lightning and twelfth placed Southern NSW was not played. That has caused Lightning to slip back to eighth.
Tenth placed Blacktown Spartans had lost their last nine matches and eleventh placed Sydney Wanderers had posted a draw and a win in their last two games. The Spartans were 3-1 winners when the teams met last time but the Wanderers got even this week when they won 2-1 and they promptly shot up to eighth while the Spartans went back to eleventh.
-By Barry Davis