Premier Youth League Round 8 Review
There were a few upsets across the various tables this week and so there may be a need for some folk to go back to the drawing board over the coming weeks.
Overview
The results of the clash between traditional Youth League powerhouses Marconi Stallions and Blacktown City raised many an eyebrow as the Stallions took all twelve points from the four matches played against the injury ravaged Demons.
Sutherland Sharks enjoyed their best day of the season when they bagged all fifteen points from their home matches against Bankstown City while Manly United took nine points from their visit to Bonnyrigg White Eagles.
South Coast Wolves earned nine points when they hosted Rockdale City Suns and West Sydney Berries went home with eight points from their matches against Sydney Olympic.
Sydney United and APIA Leichhardt Tigers had to be content with an even share of the spoils as they took seven points each from their encounter.
Grade 13
Marconi Stallions began the day as the competition leaders by two points following their perfect start to the season with seven straight wins while Blacktown City were in seventh position after they had recovered from two consecutive losses to win last week. The Stallions maintained their excellent form with an impressive 4-0 result to stay at the top. The Demons went on to salvage something from the weekend when they were 3-0 winners over Project 22 who arrived at this round in eleventh place after suffering losses in their last three games. That was enough to move Blacktown up to fifth place.
After a loss two weeks ago Manly United bounced back to win last week to be placed second at kick-off time and Bonnyrigg White Eagles were placed tenth following last week?s loss. Manly went on with the job as they recorded a very strong 7-0 result this week to remain at second and leave Bonnyrigg at tenth.
West Sydney Berries started this game in third place after they had put together a run of six consecutive victories while fifth placed Sydney Olympic were coming off a last match win. The Berries took their run of success to seven matches when they were 7-0 winners and that kept them in third place while Olympic have fallen back to sixth.
Following wins in their last two outings Sutherland Sharks kicked off this game in fourth place while Bankstown City were in twelfth position after losses in their last two games. The Sharks are still placed fourth after they produced a strong 5-1 victory over the Lions who are still twelfth.
South Coast Wolves were only one point outside the top five in sixth place at the start of the day and Rockdale City Suns were thirteenth and yet to earn their first point for the season. That situation changed this week when the Suns did well to hold the Wolves to a scoreless draw for their first point but they stayed where they were on the table but the Wolves are now seventh.
Sydney United came into this match in eighth place after suffering losses in their last two games while APIA Leichhardt Tigers were one point further back at ninth and they were coming off a last game win. United returned to the winners circle with a very respectable 3-1 win to remain at eighth and that result kept the Tigers at ninth.
Grade 14
At kick-off time for this top-of-the-table clash Sydney Olympic were four points clear in first place following wins in their last four matches while West Sydney Berries were in second spot and they were unbeaten in their last three outings, two of which were draws. Olympic?s lead was reduced to a single point when the Berries produced a 2-1 result to stay in second position.
Bankstown City began the day in third place and they were the only unbeaten team in this age group following four wins and three draws from their opening seven games while Sutherland Sharks were seventh and after they had won their last two games. The Lions? run of success came to a screaming halt when the Sharks came up with a 3-0 win. Sutherland have moved up to sixth as a result and Bankstown have remained at third.
Last week?s win had allowed Manly United to start this game in fourth place when they faced ninth placed Bonnyrigg White Eagles who were coming off a last match draw. Manly stayed at fourth even though they suffered a 3-0 loss to the White Eagles who promptly rose to eighth.
Blacktown City were unbeaten in their previous three games to be placed fifth when the sun rose while Marconi Stallions were two points further back at sixth and they also had not been beaten in their last three outings. Sadly, this match had to be abandoned when one of the young Demons suffered a badly broken arm and could not be moved before the ambulance arrived. The match will be rescheduled and we will keep you informed. It has meant that the Demons fell back to sixth and the Stallions are now seventh. However, the Demons then faced Project 22 who arrived at this game in thirteenth place after producing draws from their last two games for their only points of the season so far. Blacktown grabbed the points with a 3-0 result and that pushed them up to third place on Sunday.
APIA Leichhardt Tigers kicked off this match in eighth position after suffering losses in their last three outings while Sydney United were eleventh and they had also failed to take points from their last three attempts. United came away with the points this time though when they were 1-0 winners but the result left both teams where they were on the table.
South Coast Wolves had lost their last three matches and they came into this game at tenth while Rockdale City Suns were twelfth after they had suffered two losses since their only win for the season. The Wolves are still tenth even though they took the points with a 3-0 scoreline, leaving the Suns at twelfth.
Grade 15
Unbeaten Marconi Stallions came into this match as the competition leaders and they were three points clear of their nearest rivals while Blacktown City were four points behind the Stallions at third after they had remained unbeaten since Round 1. Marconi maintained their lead and their margin when they were 4-1 winners while Blacktown dropped back to fifth even after they drew 2-2 with Project 22 who were placed ninth after producing wins from their last two games.
At kick-off time Sutherland Sharks were in second spot after winning their last two matches and Bankstown City were eighth following last week?s loss. The Sharks maintained their place when they took the points from a high scoring thriller. Sutherland drew first blood in the very first minute of play and then Bankstown equalised in the 12th minute through A. Dar before taking the lead a minute later thanks to a strike from E. Whitehall. Two minutes before the break the Sharks equalised. Twelve minutes into the second half Sutherland took the score to 3-2 and then they made it 4-2 with three minute left on the clock. One minute later it was 5-2 and then A. Arbelo converted a spot kick for the Lions in the last minute of play to take the final score to 5-3.
After taking points from their last five outings Manly United began the day in fourth place while Bonnyrigg White Eagles were thirteenth and yet to earn their first competition point. Manly went on with the job as they posted a solid 4-1 scoreline that allowed them to move up to third and left the White Eagles at the foot of the table.
APIA Leichhardt Tigers arrived at this game in fifth position after they had recorded two draws and a loss from their last three outings while Sydney United were three points further back at seventh thanks to taking points from their last four games. The Tigers rose to fourth with a 4-1 result and United were able to hold onto seventh spot.
Sydney Olympic were placed sixth when this match kicked off after they had earned points from their previous three matches and West Sydney Berries were tenth following a draw and a win from their last two games. Olympic have remained at sixth after they registered a 3-0 victory over the Berries who are still tenth.
South Coast Wolves had lost their last two games and that meant that they came into this match at eleventh while Rockdale City Suns had lost their last five outing and they were a point further back at twelfth. The Wolves produced a 4-1 success but it was not quite enough to lift them up the table this week and the Suns have stayed where they were.
Grade 16
After going seven games without loss Sydney United kicked off this week?s match at the top of the table on goal difference and APIA Leichhardt Tigers were sixth following a last match win. United run of success came to a sudden end when the Tigers came up with a 2-0 victory. That has resulted in United slipping back to second spot and the Tigers have risen to fifth.
Sutherland Sharks started the day as the only other unbeaten team and they were in second place while Bankstown City were placed tenth after losses in their last two games. When the Sharks claimed the points with a strong 5-0 win they moved to the top of the table with a handy margin of three points while the Lions are still tenth.
Manly United came into this match in third position after remaining undefeated since Round 2 while Bonnyrigg White Eagles were ninth following last week?s loss. Manly?s success continued this week when they were 2-0 winners and that helped them to remain at third while Bonnyrigg are still ninth.
Wins from their previous five games had allowed Blacktown City to come into this match in fourth position and Marconi Stallions were eighth after last week?s victory. The Stallions climbed to seventh when they came up with a 3-1 win and that has forced the Demons back to sixth.
Sydney Olympic arrived at this game in fifth place following a last match loss and West Sydney Berries were three points further back at seventh and they were winners last week. When the scoreboard read 0-0 at the final whistle Olympic were able to move up to fourth but the Berries had to drop back to eighth.
South Coast Wolves were eleventh at kick-off time after last week?s draw and Rockdale City Suns were twelfth following four consecutive losses. The teams shared the points this week when they battled out a scoreless draw and so they stayed where they were on the table.
Grade 18
Unbeaten Bonnyrigg White Eagles arrived at this game at the top of the table with an advantage of five points and they were up against ninth placed Manly United who had taken points from their last four outings. Bonnyrigg went six points clear when they produced a 4-2 victory that took their unbeaten run to eight matches while Manly are still placed ninth.
Sydney United began the day in second spot and they were coming off a last game loss while APIA Leichhardt Tigers were seventh after suffering losses in their last two matches. United slipped back to third when they were held to a 2-2 draw by the Tigers who remained at seventh.
Blacktown City were in third place and they were coming off a loss after taking points from all their previous efforts while Marconi Stallions were placed eleventh thanks to a last game victory. Marconi made it two wins in a row when they downed the Demons 2-1 and while the Stallions have remained at eleventh, Blacktown have slipped back to fourth.
At kick-off time Sutherland Sharks were in fourth position after producing wins from their last three games and Bankstown City were tenth following five consecutive losses. When the Sharks posted a 5-1 result they immediately grabbed second spot and left the Lions at tenth.
Sydney Olympic came into this match in fifth position after they had taken points from their last five outings while West Sydney Berries were eighth thanks to last week?s win. Olympic held onto fifth place after their 2-2 with the Berries who have remained at eighth.
South Coast Wolves started the day one point outside the top five in sixth spot after they had earned points from their last two outings while Rockdale City Suns were twelfth and yet to earn their first competition point. The Suns claimed that first point when they held the Wolves to a scoreless draw and that left both teams where they were on the table.
-By Barry Davis
