State League Division 1 Round 20 Review

Dulwich Hill crowned 2009 Premiers
Fairfield City Lions ? Dulwich Hill   1-9
Dulwich Hill were crowned 2009 Premiers having amassed an eight point lead at the top of the ladder with two rounds still to play after their 9-1 demolition of Fairfield City Lions in Round 20 of the State League 1 competition.
Mounties? 1-1 draw on Saturday night against Blacktown Spartans meant that a win on Sunday to Dully would give them the trophy.
Dully were 4-0 up at the break, with all the goals coming in the opening half hour. Norman Tome grabbed an early brace, scoring in the 7th and 16th minutes, before Rafael Bove (24th) and Neil Philippou (28th) added further goals before half time.
Ongel pulled a goal back for Fairfield City by converting a penalty on 72 minutes, but all that seemed to do was open the floodgates for the visitors, with Dully scoring an amazing five goals in a blistering eight minute spell.
Four of those goals were scored by club top scorer, Neil Philippou, including an amazing four minute hat trick, whilst Scicluna scored the team?s final goal in the 83rd minute.
Who can deny Dulwich Hill the Premiership, with all the relevant stats reflecting their remarkable performance this season.
Dully have by far the best attack in the division (55 goals scored), the best defence (15 goals conceded), most wins (15) and only been beaten twice all year.
But behind the stats lies the performance, and Dulwich Hill have been an entertaining team to watch, with an exciting cocktail of experience and youth, skill and braun, and consistently playing a fluent brand of attacking football that has truly been the benchmark for all teams.
Balmain SC ? UNSW   0-1
With two rounds remaining in the competition proper, UNSW have completed a remarkable recovery during the second half of the season by belatedly jumping into the top five.
The ?students? have kept at it week in, week out, pegging back the top teams slowly but surely, and their victory over Balmain SC at Lambert Park gave them the three points to move into fourth spot.
The question now is, of course, whether they can they stay there over the last two rounds.
In a tight affair at Leichhardt, it was an own goal on the hour that gave them the valuable win, moving UNSW to 34 points on the ladder, whilst Balmain remain on 19 points, dropping to 9th in the process.
Schofields Scorpions ? Hills Brumbies   2-0
Schofields continued their end of season good form by accounting for the hapless Hills Brumbies by 2-0 at CSI Sport Ground on Saturday night.
The Scorpions have left their run towards the minor championship a little late, but they can still snatch the runner up spot with two rounds left to play.
Glenn McPherson started the season like a house on fire in terms of goalscoring, but the goals dried up midway through the campaign.
The Scorpions resurgence in form has coincided with McPherson?s return to the scorer?s charts, and he was at it again on Saturday, grabbing a brace by scoring a goal in each half.
The first came on 28 minutes, and he wrapped up proceedings in the 68th with goal number two, his sixteenth of 2009.
The win lifts Schofields to 39 points in third position, one point in arrears of Mounties, whilst Hills remain on the bottom of the ladder.
Blacktown Spartans ? Mounties FC   1-1
A 1-1 draw at Francis Park was the least popular result for both teams on Saturday night, as Blacktown Spartans and Mounties FC split the points.
The Spartans dropped out of the top five for the first time this season following the draw, and will need to regroup fast in their remaining two games to work their way back into contention.
The Mounties, on the other hand, wanted to keep the pressure up on Dulwich Hill at the top, but the lack of three points on the day allowed Dully to clinch the Premiership with two weeks to spare.
After a scoreless first period, Todd opened the scoring for the home side on 59 minutes, before Tresoglavic equalized for the visitors in the 64th to give both teams a share of the spoils.
Sydney Wanderers ? Stanmore Hawks   3-0
Sydney Wanderers closed the gap between them and Stanmore Hawks to two points by beating the Hawks 3-0 at Hajduk Stadium on Saturday night.
Brad Gibson opened the scoring on the half hour mark, before the brilliant Ivo De Jesus made it two just three minutes later.
A Terry Pannowicz penalty on 62 minutes rounded off a comprehensive victory for Tommy McCulloch?s men, putting the Wanderers on 22 points in 8th position.
Inter Lions ? Hurstville ZSC   5-3
Inter Lions came from behind to grab an emphatic 5-3 win over Hurstville ZSC at Concord Oval on Sunday afternoon, moving to fourth place on the ladder in the process.
Striker James Kovas came to play and opened the scoring after just five minutes for Inter, doubling the lead with his second goal just two minutes later.
Hurstville ZSC weren?t about to lie down, and Stiven Kostanic pulled a goal back on 34 minutes, whilst Galic equalized in the 36th, setting the match up for an exciting second half.
Captain coach, Steve Zoric, then sensationally put the visitors in front on the hour mark, a result that, if it stayed as is, would cause Inter Lions to drop out of the top five.
The home side weren?t about to let that happen, with Lachlan Wright equalizing in the 75th minute.
Shane Cevenini put the Lions in front in the 77th minute, before James Kovas put the match beyond reach of the visitors, notching his hat trick with his team?s fifth goal in the 84th minute.
-By Frank Speranza