The Youth League Report (Division One Youth League) Finals Series Review Round 2

Grade 13
Minor Semi Final
Springwood and Rockdale City Suns had shared the first round points when their match was a 2-2 draw and then Springwood took all the second round points when they were 4-1 winners.
This week the early stages of the match was fairly even as the traded blows in their attempts to find a way through each others? defences. It was anyone?s guess about which of them would come to the fore.
The guesswork came to a thudding halt when C. Goodlet gave Springwood the lead a minute before half-time to ease their nerves going into the second stanza.
Seven minutes after the break Springwood were further ahead thanks to a strike from M. Wilding but even that setback did not deter the Suns as they continued to look for ways to get back into the contest.
Moments before the referee blew the final whistle for the day A. Murray popped up with a third goal for the lads from the Blue Mountains and that has assured them of a place in the Preliminary Final while the season has come to an end for Rockdale.
Major Semi Final
Sydney University had gone down 3-0 to Fraser Park when they faced each other the first time around and then the second round clash was a scoreless draw.
What a ripper this one turned out to be as both teams dug deep to produce a fine display of bright attacking football that delighted all those fortunate enough to watch it.
The first half provided a great many thrills and spills as the teams created chances at each end of the pitch but neither of them was able to rattle the net before the interval.
The action continued at a frightening pace after the break but we had to wait until the 55^th minute for the first goal and it came from Uni?s R. Malenha and then, with mere moments remaining on the referee?s watch H. Hamad came up with an equaliser for Fraser Park.
No-one seemed to object when extra time was required because it extended our view of this first-class match and the talents of the players involved in it.
Six minutes into the first period Fraser Park took the lead thanks to a goal from N. Todoroski and that resulted in both teams increasing their intensity as they went in search of another goal but it was not to be.
Fraser Park have claimed the first spot in the Grand final while Uni will play in the Preliminary Final.
Grade 14
Minor Semi Final
St George claimed the first round points when they defeated Sydney University 1-0 in the first round of the competition and then the second round encounter ended in a 0-0 draw.
Everyone expected a very tight match and that is precisely what the teams delivered, much to the delight of everyone present.
While countless chances presented themselves at both ends of the ground, neither team seemed able to capitalise on them, although it must be said that they both came desperately close.
The heart-stopping action continued throughout the second half as many more opportunities to open the scoring went begging and so it was necessary to move into extra time to find a winner.
Despite the high hopes of both sets of supporters, neither team was able to find the back of the net after a healthy number of scoring chances had been created by both teams.
The penalty spot was needed to decide the contest and it was here that Uni gained the upper had when they won 6-5 after eight kicks from each team. That has allowed them to progress to the Preliminary Final while the Saints have bowed out of the finals series with their pride well and truly intact.
Major Semi Final
Fraser Park came up with a 2-0 victory when they faced Mt Druitt Town Rangers the first time around and then the Rangers bagged the second round points when they were 3-1 winners.
There is something about this age group and close games as there was certainly very little between the teams in this thrill-a-minute encounter.
Both teams must have lost count of the number of times they had chances to make a vital breakthrough but neither of them was able to convert those opportunities into goals during the first half.
As if the first stanza had not produced enough excitement, the second one was chock-a-block full of memorable moments but still neither team caused the scorekeeper to stir.
There was more of the same in the first period of extra time even though both sides had visibly raised the tempo of the game. Four minutes into the second period Fraser Park gained the upper hand when S. Kalantzis found the mark and that was enough to settle the issue, despite the best efforts of the Rangers.
Fraser Park have taken the direct route to the Grand Final while Mt Druitt will ply in the preliminary Final.
Grade 15
Minor Semi Final
Camden Tigers were 2-1 winners in their first round clash with Rockdale City Suns and then the Suns were able to take the second round points with a 3-1 success.
While the first half remained scoreless, both teams would have rued the large number of chances that went unrewarded during that period as scoring just one of them might have made all the difference.
The Suns made a breakthrough six minutes into the second half when D. Vasilevski found the target but it was already clear that one goal would probably not be enough. When the same player made it 2-0 in the 57^th minute the pressure seemed to be off Rockdale but Camden were having none of that.
The Tigers scored just three minutes later through S. Doherty and then they threw everything they had at the Suns as they looked for an equaliser but it was not to be as the Rockdale defence weathered the storm.
Camden have bowed out of the finals series with their heads held high and Rockdale will now play in the Preliminary Final.
Major Semi Final
Fraser Park had earned the points from their first round match with Hurstville City Minotaurs thanks to a 2-0 win and then they produced exactly the same scoreline when they won the second round encounter.
This match was a superb example of the skill, pride and passion that is expected of every team at this level of the game and it turned out to be a real thriller.
After a very even start, Hurstville gained the advantage when they scored through a strike from D. Zaris in the 26^th minute but they would have been very aware that there was still quite a lot to do.
Fraser Park merely shrugged off the setback and continued to go at their opponents with determination and enthusiasm and that helped to make a good game a great one as a spectacle.
The Minotaurs knew that they could not rest on their laurels and they worked hard at the juggling act of keeping their goal protected and trying to invade the one at the other end.
While they were a great many very near things at both ends of the pitch in the action-packed second half, there was no addition to the scoreline and that has presented Hurstville with a place in the Grand Final while Fraser Park will contest the Preliminary Final.
Grade 16
Minor Semi Final
Camden Tigers were 2-1 winners when they faced St George the first time around but then the Saints squared the account with a 2-1 success in the second round clash.
On a day when so many terrific games had already been played, this one will rank as one of the best as it produced everything that is good about our great game.
The early honours were shared equally between the teams but then the Saints gained the upper hand when L. Kiosidis provided a 26^th minute goal, a lead which they were able to maintain through to the interval despite the best efforts of the Tigers to change that situation.
The second half was an exciting period as they teams threw themselves into the challenge of coming up with the best possible result. There were quite a few chances to score and they fell in equal measure at either end of the playing surface but neither team was able to capitalise on them.
As a result the Tigers have departed the finals series with the full respect of everyone who watched or participated in the match and the Saints have moved on to the Preliminary Final.
Major Semi Final
Sydney University had claimed all the points from their meetings with Fraser Park after they won the first round game 5-1 and then the second round match 2-0.
Fraser Park seemed to be intent on making up for their previous disappointments from the very first whistle as they hit the ground running. Their reward came as early as the 16^th minute when M. Fernandez gave them the lead and four minutes later M. Antures made it 2-0.  
While Uni might have been down, they were certainly not out as they began to fight back in earnest but those efforts remained unrewarded at the break.
The early stages of the second half were fairly even but Uni appeared to be determined to salvage something from this game and they really threw down the gauntlet when they narrowed the margin with a 53^rd minute goal from L. Ramsden.
Thrills and spills combined with loads of goalmouth action to keep everyone guessing until the final whistle but in the final analysis Fraser park claimed the spoils of a place in the Grand Final while University will play in the Preliminary Final.
Grade 18
Minor Semi Final
Mt Druitt Town Rangers took the first round points when they met Camden Tigers and won 5-3 but then the Tigers got square when they were 2-1 winners the second time around. 
If you wanted to see an all-action start to a game this was most certainly the match to watch. The Rangers got of to the best possible start when H, Cakal gave them the lead in the 6^th minute and then J. Donoso equalised for the Tigers in the 12th minute.
A minute later Cakal struck again to restore the lead for the Rangers but that lasted only six minutes as A. Al-Nakeeb provided the second equaliser for Camden.
The play flowed from end to end from that point forward as chances fell to both teams in equal measure without a reward until Camden?s A. Chapman found the back of the net just before the interval.
Going into the second half with the lead and a stiffening breeze at their backs, the tigers slowly but very surely began to take charge of proceedings as they created by far the better of the chances to score.
With seven minutes left on the clock Chapman scored again to give the Tigers a two goal buffer.
Sadly, there was a most unfortunate incident with just three minutes left to play and the referee felt it was necessary to abandon play at that point so now we will need to wait for a decision from the powers-that-be before knowing which of the teams will progress to the Preliminary Final.
Major Semi Final
Sydney University had taken maximum points from their clashes with Fraser Park, winning the first round game 2-1 and then repeating that scoreline in the second match.
In a match like this no-one can afford to be complacent and that was proven once again as the teams settled down for this important clash. The spectators had barely found their seat when uni opened their account for the day when. Nisbet scored in the 4^th minute.
Fraser Park merely shrugged off that disappointment and settled into their own pattern of play and that reaped a reward in the 23^rd minute when P. Cardoso found the back of the net for an equaliser.
Then Fraser park took the lead in the 39^th minute thanks to a strike from P. Kofinas but that advantage was short-lived as Uni returned to level terms after a 42^nd minute ?own goal?.
After the break the teams both went looking for a way to win the game and they came close on several occasions before R. James put Uni in front again in the 68^th minute.
Skill, passion and determination combined to provide a whirlwind finish to this exciting game but neither team could add to their tallies before the final whistle and so Uni have grabbed the first place in the Grand Final while Fraser Park will play in the Preliminary Final.
-By Barry Davis