Super League Finals Series Review Round 1

PCYC PARRAMATTA EAGLES V SPIRIT FC

Super League Major Semi Final

It was a boisterous and, at times, bad tempered affair at Melita Stadium as PCYC Parramatta and Spirit FC came head to head in the major semi final with the match threatening the boil over on more than one occasion.
By the end of an absorbing and tough contest, it was PCYC Parramatta who triumphed 2-1 after overcoming a tiring Spirit in extra time.
From the off, it was the tough tackling Spirit which threatened to upset a Parramatta side who clearly did not appreciate the close attentions of the visitors.
But after the game eventually settled down, it was Parramatta who started to create the clearer chances with the best chance of an opening goal falling to Fred Graham who received an excellent lob over the Spirit defence to face only Murray Nelson. But Graham, after skirting the Spirit keeper, under hit his shot and could only manage to hit the side netting.
It would not be the only chance that Graham would have and it seemed like he had left his scoring boots at home.
PCYC continued to threaten and George Lagoudakis had his shot tipped away by Nelson while Nelson also saved brilliantly from Nathan Rivera.
The visitors, though, weren?t without chances of their own with the hard running Tim Simpson and Leo Papanicolaou always looking dangerous but the best chance fell to Ashley Balcombe whose goal-bound header was just cleared off the line.
Graham then found himself one-on-one with the keeper again after yet another perfect lob over the Spirit heads, but Nelson again came to the rescue, this time saving with his feet. But the loose ball fell to Graham who nicely set up Lagoudakis who, with the keeper down, sliced his shot wide.
As happens on so many occasions, the missed chances became costly for Parramatta and Spirit took advantage when Simpson delightfully put through Papanicolaou and he showed a clean pair of heels before slotting under Stacey Alogdellis.
The lead though was to only last two minutes and Parramatta retaliated almost immediately. Nelson parried a cross from the left and Lagoudakis gratefully picked up the rebound, equalising from close range.
The game was placed on a knife edge and referee Khodr Yagi was busy distributing yellow cards as the tackles hit their spot.
But despite the best efforts of both sides, there would be no change to the 1-1 scoreline.
So extra time it was and the chances still came.
Graham, again, found himself in front of goal unmarked but hit his shot too weakly to threaten Nelson and at the other end Alogdellis did well in closing down Con Paradisis when he was clear.
Then the game turned in Parramatta?s favour when Spirit captain Apostolos Nicolaou received a second yellow card after bringing down the opposing captain Ben Delicata. It was to leave Spirit with too big a hill to climb as they were visibly tiring after almost two hours of football.
And ten minutes after the send off, as penalties looked likely, Graham finally netted, toe poking the ball under Nelson. You could almost feel the sense of relief from the Parramatta bench.
Spirit continued to fight to the final whistle, a free kick from Grant Maundrell going very close, but as the light faded, it was Parramatta who ended up with the hard earned victory.
So it is off to Rockdale for the Eagles next Sunday while the beaten Spirit face an enterprising Sydney University next Saturday as the Super League finals continue to enthrall.
Match Stats
PCYC Parramatta Eagles 2 (George Lagoudakis 57?, Fred Graham 106?)
Spirit FC 1 (Leo Papanicolaou 55?) AET (1-1 in normal time)
Sunday 23 August 2009
Melita Stadium, South Granville
Referee: Khodr Yagi
Assistant Referees: Scott Edeling and Gareth Askham
PCYC Parramatta: 1. Stacey Alogdellis 2. Alexander Bit 3. Daniel Borg 5. Patrick Gatt 6. Nick Tantalos 7. George Lagoudakis 8. Mathew Clowes (14. Kyle Romero 119?) 11. Fred Graham (10. Chris Camilleri 117?) 13. Nathan Rivera 15. Ben Delicata 17. Kutaiba Elrich (16. Craig Jacob 77?)
Subs not used: 20. Mark Villaescusa 18. Christopher Macdonald.
Coach: Jason Falzon
Spirit FC: 1. Murray Nelson 2. Daniel Cunningham 3. Ross Kethel 4. Apostolos Nicolaou 5. Glenn Littlebury 6. Matthew Peatey 8. Josh De Kelly 9. Tim Simpson (15. Grant Maundrell 85?) 10. Leo Papanicolaou 13. Ashley Balcombe (11. Con Paradisis 75?) 16. Ben Griffin (7. Adam Peatey 113?)
Subs not used: 14. Joseph Ciano 21. Matthew Nemes (rgk)
Coach: Jason van Blerk
Player Ratings
3 ? Ben Delicata (PCYC)
2 – Murray Nelson (Spirit FC)
1 ? Leon Papanicolaou (Spirit FC)
SYDNEY UNIVERSITY V ST GEORGE
Super League Elimination Final
It promised to be a close affair and it was certainly that.
There was only one goal in it and it went the way of Sydney University as they disposed of St George 1-0 in the elimination final at Hensley Field on Saturday night.
Surprisingly, despite having some of the highest scorers in the league on show, it was both defence lines who held sway keeping any real goal-scoring chances to a minimum.
University had the first sniff of a goal though, after ten minutes and it was Emiliano Vigliante, forever dangerous, who slipped through the St George defence and just cleared the bar by the barest of margins.
It should have been a wakeup call for the Saints but it was Vigliante again, after excellent individual work, who ultimately set up the chance for Ihsan Savran to knock in from close range.
It may have put Uni one up but St George almost immediately replied when Reuben Lagos, from distance, had his goal-bound shot tipped over by Jonathan Faerber.
It was really a game of attrition, dominated by the respective backlines, with the likes of Christian Soares and Juan Chavez kept well marshaled.
Chavez had a decent call for a penalty in the second half but was waved away by the referee and Yavuz Ekinci, working tirelessly in the middle, had three half opportunities to draw St George level but each time, the shots just didn?t quite come off.
St George pressed hard as they searched for the equaliser with the time running out but they couldn?t find their way through the Uni defence.
A late chance to Sydney Uni, in the dying moments could have sealed the victory but it was not to be, leaving Uni to ultimately claim the win by the solitary goal.
Uni coach, John Caruana, while happy after the victory, knew it would be a close run thing.
?Both sides had the momentum leading into the finals and I knew it would be tough.
?I rate St George very highly and they are very good in the attacking third.
?After our last match against them (a 1-1 draw at St George), we knew we had to stay in their faces and we did that.
?I am really proud of the boys. We are building a new team and it?s a journey and no-one really expects us to win.
?The pressure is all on the other sides,? he concluded.
Match Stats
Sydney University 1 (Ihsan Savran 22?)
St George 0
Saturday 22 August 2009
Hensley Field, Pagewood
Referee: James Blackwood
Assistant Referees: Daniel Dewhurst and Christian Mehl
Sydney University: 20. Jonathan Faerber 3. Simon Turner 4. Sam Shore 5. Paul Madulla 6. Darren Vujovic 8. Tim Geekie (Tim Stewart 78?) 14. Ihsan Savran 23. Daine Merrin 35. Emiliano Vigliante (15. Brett Townley-Jones 62?) 10 Christian Soares (22. Bevan Tas 90?) 13 James Alcorn.
Subs not used: James Lowery, 18. Mathew Carnuccio.
Coach: John Caruana
St George: 28. Daniel Nash 12. Hussein Rachid 2. Kyle Fifield (8 Blake Ricciuto 75?) 3. Nick Theodorakopoulos 21. Esala Ali 5. Simon Verrender 6. Reuben Lagos 10. Yavuz Ekinci 24. Peter Crevani 11. Juan Chavez 22. Diego Celini.
Subs not used: David Ryan 13. Dario Espejel 14. Jonathan Gardner 25. Alvaro Malmierca
Coach: Nick Orlic
Player Ratings
3 ? Emiliano Vigliante (Uni)
2 –  Reuben Lagos (St Geo)
1 ? Jonathan Faerber (Uni)
-By Peter Rowney