The Youth League Report (Premier Youth League) Finals Series Review

As usual at this time of year, you could cut the air with the nervous excitement that came from every area of the facility from just after dawn ?til just after dusk. There were plenty of moments of joy and just as many moments of disappointment as the top teams clashed in the 2009 Premier Youth League finals series.
Grade 13
Elimination Semi Final
During the competition there was nothing between fourth placed Sydney United and fifth placed Blacktown City Demons when they faced each other as their clashes had ended at 0-0 and 2-2 and the early indications in this game were that we would be in for more of the same.
The Demons drew first blood when S. Berti found the net in the 9^th minute but United responded with a goal from A. Petkovic in the 22^nd minute and so the teams went to the break with honours even. The second stanza was an even affair, keeping everyone in the spectator areas sitting on the very edge of their seats. Blacktown gained the upper hand with a 51^st minute strike from Berti and that, despite the best efforts of United, proved to be enough to take the Demons through to the Minor Semi Final.
Preliminary Semi Final
Third placed Wollongong FC seemed to have the wood on second placed West Sydney Berries during the competition as they had beaten them twice, 2-0 and 2-1.
On this occasion the teams went at each other with pride, passion and determination to produce a delightful game of football that flowed from end to end throughout the first half and it was anyone?s guess as to where and when the breakthrough would happen. It must be said that the boys from the ?Gong might have been a bit worried about the Berries? willingness to shoot on sight from any range but then Wollongong had been creating chances for themselves inside the penalty area.
Both teams raised the bar in the second half to the delight of the big crowd on hand but, despite numerous very near things, there was to be no change to the scoreless situation before the final whistle and so extra time was required.
In the first period of extra time the teams showed an impossibly high level of commitment as they went in search of the goal that would make the difference but it did not come for either of them. We had to wait until midway through the second period for the scoreline to change and it came from an angled shot from Wollongong?s E. Bon Simon. The Berries rolled up their sleeves to go in search of an equaliser as the clock ticked down but their cause was not helped when they lost a player to a red card. Time ran out for them and so the Berries will now meet Blacktown City Demons in the Minor Semi Final while Wollongong will face Premiers Sydney Olympic in the Major Semi Final.
Grade 14
Elimination Semi Final
It seems that when fourth placed Sydney Tigers met fifth placed Wollongong FC the goals really flowed as the Tigers were 4-3 winners in the first round and then the second game, played last week, ended at 4-4. It was therefore expected that the trend would continue in this match.
In a match that provided entertainment-plus for those fortunate enough to watch it, the Tigers got off to a good start when A. Zvedokoski found the net in the 15^th minute but their lead lasted only seven minutes when S. Diber provided Wollongong with an equaliser. Although both teams upped the tempo after the interval, there was to be no addition to the score and so it was necessary to go into extra time to seek a decider.
Two minutes into the first period Wollongong put their noses in front when B. Belsito found the back of the net but two minutes into the second period A. Kontellis provided and equaliser for the Tigers. Even though both sides then stepped up a gear, there was to be no way of avoiding the dreaded penalty shoot-out. It was here that the Tigers came to the fore when they won that part of the encounter 3-2 and that has moved them into the Minor Semi Final.
Preliminary Semi Final
Coming into this game the honours were even as third placed Blacktown City Demons had won the first round match 1-0 and then second placed Sutherland Sharks had won the second game by exactly the same scoreline.
The Sharks came out firing and they had established a 2-0 lead before the break thanks to goals from S. Ekonomidis and C. Naumoff. Not that they Demons were out of the event but the difference was that the Sharks were converting their chances.
Blacktown bounced back in the second half when they found the net through N. Pepper but they needed another one and that was not to be despite several opportunities. The Demons will now meet Sydney Tigers in the Minor Semi Final while the Sharks will face Premiers Marconi Stallions in the Major Semi Final.
Grade 15
Elimination Semi Final
Penrith Nepean United had suffered a 3-0 loss to Sutherland Sharks when they met in the first round but Penrith squared that account when they were 2-1 winners the second time around and that match was played last week.
Penrith started slightly better and they were rewarded with a double strike from T. Alameddine who found the net in the 11^th and 23^rd minute. While the Sharks were creating some chances for themselves, they simply could not turn them into goals.
The second half was fairly even but there was to be no addition to the score and so Penrith have progressed to the Minor Semi Final.
The Preliminary Semi Final could not be played on Saturday because the Premiers had not been decided. It was necessary to play the Round 3 catch-up match between second placed Blacktown City Demons and competition leaders Marconi Stallions in order to resolve this important issue so the final series could proceed. For a variety of reasons it had not been possible to play this match before Saturday.
Fresh from their trip to England where they competed in the Manchester United Cup, the Stallions looked a bit sharper in the first half and they were 2-1 ahead at the interval. Blacktown were far from beaten as they pressed forward even harder in the second stanza but it was to no avail as Marconi conjured another goal to take the scoreline to 3-1 and that is where it finished. The goals for the Stallions came from J. McGing, D. Vujovic and A. Pruia while D. Edosomwan.
Blacktown will now meet Manly United in the Preliminary Semi Final on Tuesday night and the winner of that match will meet Marconi in the Major Semi Final on Saturday while the loser of Tuesday?s match will face Penrith Nepean United in the Minor Semi Final.
Grade 16
Elimination Semi Final
When they met during the competition fourth placed Sydney United had beaten fifth placed Sydney Olympic 1-0 in the first round but the second round clash was a scoreless draw. In a closely fought contest, Olympic drew first blood and they took a 1-0 lead into the break. When they took the score to 2-0 in the second stanza their place in the Minor Semi Final was assured. The goals for Olympic were provided by P. Dimitropoulos and T. Gollins.
Preliminary Semi Final
Second placed Manly United went down 2-0 when they met third placed Wollongong FC in the first round of the competition but the second round game was a 0-0 draw.
This match was a helter-skelter affair with both teams seeming to be in a hurry to gain an advantage over the other. The result was a high speed match, full of intensity and passion, which moved from one end of the ground to the other throughout the first half without a goal being scored despite several opportunities at both ends.
The second half was even more intense as the teams became increasingly desperate for a breakthrough but it was not to be as the teams wasted their chances. Extra time was needed to resolve the battle and it was here that Wollongong came to the fore with goals from M. Birkin (penalty) and P. Siminovski. That has taken them into the Major Semi Final where they will meet Premiers Blacktown City Demons while Manly will face Sydney Olympic in the Minor Semi Final.
Grade 18
Elimination Semi Final
Fourth placed Bankstown City had lost their first round clash with fifth placed Manly United 2-1 but the Lions bounced back  to win the second round encounter 4-0 in a match played only a fortnight ago.
There was nothing between the teams on this occasion as they went at each other from the first whistle but, try as they might, neither of them could find the back of the net in an action-packed first half.
Both teams came out firing in the second half with chances falling in equal measure at both ends of the ground. Manly gained the upper hand in the 73^rd minute with a strike from N. Amore and while both teams rolled up their sleeves and increased their intensity, that goal proved to be enough to settle the match. Manly have progressed to the Minor Semi Final.
Preliminary Semi Final
Second placed Blacktown City Demons had beaten third placed Marconi Stallions twice in the competition, 2-0 and 2-1 and so they were probably entitled to be regarded as slight favourites in this match.
The Demons lived up to that when A. Hajjar gave them the lead in the 3^rd minute and then the same player took the scoreline to 2-0 in the 38^th minute. When the Demons went to 3-0 through B. Ibini-Isa eleven minutes into the second half the stallions were stirred into action with a goal but Blacktown restored the three goal margin in the 81^st minute when Ibini-Isa scored again.
Blacktown will meet Premiers Wollongong FC in the Major Semi Final while Marconi will face Manly United in the Minor Semi Final.
 -By Barry Davis