Super League Round 3 Review
PCYC Parramatta Eagles and FC Bossy Liverpool continue to lead the way in Super League with both clubs securing their third win in a row.
The Eagles were successful at Macarthur while Bossy had a hard fought win over Fraser Park.
Granville Rage also retained their unbeaten start and stay third while the five is filled by Sydney University and Northern Tigers.
Mount Druitt worked their way off the bottom, with the Central Coast Lightning taking last place.
Match of the Round
FC Bossy Liverpool v Fraser Park
FC Bossy had to do it the hard way, scrambling a win over Fraser Park to maintain equal spot at the top of the table with a 2-1 win.
They certainly didn?t have things their own way with Fraser Park being up for the battle and with a little bit of control in front of goals, the visitors may well have taken something from this game.
As it was, it was Bossy who prevailed first with Josh Ford getting them off on the right track with a nice looping shot which Ivan Kovacevic could only watch.
David Wilson, made it two five minutes before the break after nice work down the right saw Brian Vanega cut back for Wilson who calmly shot low and hard into the bottom corner.
But if anyone expected Fraser Park to sink without trace from here, they were very much mistaken.
Carlo Musumeci should have scored within three minutes of Fraser going two down, when he received the ball with only Kosmatos to beat. But Musumeci shot high over, when a cooler head may have seen a different result.
But Fraser Park were not to be denied with Ricardo Cerqueria hammering home right on half time, a piledriver which Kosmatos got a hand too, but could only help into the roof of the net.
The second half was an, at times, testy affair as both sides sought to exert superiority, Fraser looking for an equaliser and Bossy desperate to maintain their lead.
Leigh Gunn had a great opportunity to draw Fraser level but wasted the chance and Ford, again, came close down the other end.
The final minutes saw a rash challenge by Fraser?s Blaz Dejanovic on Daniel Willoughby, the result of which was a straight red card and an early visit to the shower.
In the end, it was Bossy who were able to hang on, not a pretty win but three points all the same.
Bossy coach, Zlatko Nastevski was satisfied with the result, if not the performance.
?It was our scrappiest game this season including trials. To be honest, Fraser Park were better in the middle of the park and had some good chances but didn?t use them?.
?It was not our day in front of goal, even if the best thing about our game was the two goals we scored?.
When pressed on whether Fraser Park were tougher than expected, Nastevski responded thoughtfully.
?Last week, we had a great game against the champions and today, maybe we slipped up a bit. But we certainly had no excuses.?
Nastevski is already looking forward to next week?s top of the table clash game against PCYC Parramatta Eagles.
?I watched Parramatta last night and they are a good team. Spirit are a good team as well but if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. It will be a good test, to see how we compare, a measurement of where we are,? he finished.
Match Stats
FC Bossy Liverpool 2 (Josh Ford 31?, David Wilson 40?) v Fraser Park 1 (Ricardo Cerqueira 45?)
Sunday 4 April 2010
Ernie Smith Reserve
Referee: Michael Collins
Assts: Thomas Diakos and Youael Shamon
FC Bossy: GK. Angelo Kosmatos 11. Daniel Wilson 4. Mark D?Alesandro 5. Mirza Sehic (c), 16. Tony Currer 8. David Wilson 10. Daniel Willoughby 18. Brian Vanega (9. Alex Asanovic 74?) 20. Sasa Drca 3. Josh Ford (17. Ebbi Ibric 88?) 14. Domenic Cutri (7. Matt Toogood 61?).
Subs not used: Rgk Joe Mamou 2. Daniel Chiandoto
Yellow cards: Mirza Sehic, Alex Asanovic
Red cards: Nil
Fraser Park: 1. Ivan Kovacevic 2. Billy Darwich 4. Blaz Dejanovic 5. Andrea Russo (c) 6. Ante Juric 7. Nicolo Sama 11. Carlo Musumeci (21. Luis Carneiro 77?) 15. Ricardo Cerqueria 18. Daniel Zeleny (8. Alex Smith 66?) 19. Leigh Gunn (Stiven Kostanic 77?) 22. German Cabrera.
Subs not used: 14. Daniel King 20. Giancarlo Papaianni
Yellow cards: Ante Juric, German Cabrera
Red card: Blaz Dejanovic
Macarthur Rams v PCYC Parramatta Eagles
PCYC Parramatta continued on their merry way with their third win on the trot defeating Macarthur Rams 2-0.
It was a welcome return to Lynwood Park for Daniel Fogarty who got on the scorer?s chart after just twelve minutes. Shayne Ardle made it two, eleven minutes from time to shore up victory.
The Eagles are clearly setting themselves up as the team to beat, hitting double figures of goals scored while their defence is yet to be breached.
Macarthur Rams 0 v PCYC Parramatta Eagles 2 (Daniel Fogarty 12?, Shayne Ardle 79?)
St George v Northern Tigers
In a game played in constant drizzle, making conditions difficult, St George and Northern Tigers shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw, a point each which doesn?t really suit either side.
The wet surface was not conducive to controlled football with the opening exchanges rather messy but it was the Tigers who created the best of the early chances with the impressive Sungyun Park coming close on two occasions within minutes of each other.
But it was Michael Simmonds, on the scoresheet again after netting a double last week, who gave the Tigers the lead when his low shot careered in off the post.
Ryo Maekawa equalised for St George just after the half hour after a good passing movement gave him the easy task of sliding the ball past Stuart Page.
A direct freekick just outside the box from Peter Crevani, off the underside of the bar, put the Saints in front early in the second half but constant pressure from the Tigers ultimately secured their reward when substitute, Andrew Christiansen, netted in the 73rd minute.
St George 2 (Ryo Maekawa 31, Peter Crevani 48?) v Northern Tigers 2 (Michael Simmonds 18?, Andrew Christiansen 73?)
Dulwich Hill v Granville Rage
Granville Rage?s impressive start to the season continued when they overcame Dulwich Hill 2-1 at Arlington Oval.
The win came despite going a goal down to a Jay Lucas goal on the hour, his third of the season.
But an own goal and then a Nathan Rivera strike twelve minutes from time, ensured the Rage?s unbeaten record remained intact.
Dulwich Hill 1 (Jay Lucas 61?) v Granville Rage 2 (o.g. 71?, Nathan Rivera 78?)
Central Coast v Spirit FC
Spirit FC came from a goal down to ultimately come over the top of Central Coast 2-1 on a rain soaked Pluim Park on Saturday night.
Darren Cooper gave the Coast the lead just after half time but Ben Gough equalised for Spirit in 65th minute.
Yet another late goal conceded by the Lightning, this time three minutes from the end, again to Gough, meant that the Coast have now conceded late goals in all three games this season. The points dropped as a result would surely be giving Peter Preston nightmares.
Central Coast 1 (Darren Cooper 48?) v Spirit FC 2 (Ben Gough 65?, 87?)
Mount Druitt v Sydney University
Mount Druitt Town Rangers finally got off the mark with a deserved 3-3 against Sydney University, a result that lifts them from the bottom of the table.
The Rangers took an early lead with a goal from Shannon Hankin when just five minutes had passed but a Liam Delaney effort ensured the teams went into the sheds at half time even stevens.
Mount Druitt then must have thought it was a case of d?j? vu as first Christian Soares and then Martin Havern scored to give Uni a 3-1 lead.
But the Rangers rallied and two goals by Eddie Georges, including a penalty, snatched a point.
Gilbert Yalda, coach of Mount Druitt, was very satisfied, as can be imagined.
?I am extremely happy with the result. We knew we could do what we did today and I couldn?t have asked for anything more?.
?It has been difficult for us with injuries, and having to play forwards in midfield, and midfielders in defence but today we gave 100%?.
?Another five minutes and I am convinced we would have won?, was the final thought.
Mount Druitt 3 (Shannon Hankin 5, Eddie Georges pen 78?, 82?) V Sydney University 3 (Liam Delaney 27?, Christian Soares 62?, Martin Havern 73?)
-By Peter Rowney
