NSW Super League Round 8 Review
Granville Rage moved to second at the expense of St George who dropped to fourth after their 2-2 draw with Central Coast.
Sydney University returned to the winner?s circle after having to work hard to defeat Fraser Park and they complete the five with FC Bossy while the Coast?s point reduces the gap at the bottom to just the two.
Match of the Round
Northern Tigers v Parramatta Eagles
If there was any doubt of Parramatta Eagles? intention to remain clear at the top of the ladder, they were dispelled within moments of the start against Northern Tigers on Sunday.
Within thirteen seconds of the game kicking off, the Eagles had their first shot at goal and within one minute fifteen seconds, they were a goal up. A cross from the right by Brian Soane found Daniel Fogarty who neatly put away the first goal of the game past keeper Marc Messina.
The Eagles started buoyantly, dominating play for the opening exchanges although the Tigers, to their credit, did not let the early loss of a goal dampen their own enthusiasm. There were chances to both sides with Christopher McDonald for the Eagles coming closest, hitting the bar, while Tom Spencer produced a good save from Anthony Costa.
Costa was tremendous in goal for Parramatta, dominating his area and thwarting many Tigers attacks. Max Glanville, making his debut for the Tigers, looked very dangerous upfront and was a handful for the Parramatta defence. Glanville had pace and tested the Eagles backline on more than one occasion, but could not beat the ultra dependable Costa.
Just before half time, Brian Soane had a good chance, recovering well from a tackle to just shoot over and a Fogarty shot was goal bound before being cleared off the line by Steven Baveas. Then Glanville, for the Tigers, produced another good save from Costa.
So plenty of chances but only the one goal during an entertaining first half.
The opportunities continued into the second period and it was the hard work of Glanville which created the equaliser for the Tigers. After beating his Eagles marker, Glanville?s cross into the area eventually resulted in the ball ricocheting off Tom Spencer, in the right place at the right time.
It was only the second game this season that Parramatta had conceded a goal, and while it raised the Tigers further, the Eagles also responded.
Matthew Clowes hit the bar from distance, with a free kick, while Craig Jacob?s header was not far from the mark. Fogarty also had a great chance to put the Eagles ahead for the second time, but Messina produced a fantastic save, diving at the feet to prevent what looked a certain goal.
The Tigers shuffled their tiring frontline, bringing on firstly Sungyun Park and then Luke Tomich. And it was Park who was to score the winner.
As the Tigers turned the screws, Park shot low and hard evading Costa to put the Tigers 2-1 up. A late flurry from Parramatta could have seen an equaliser but Fogarty?s shot was always rising.
It was a well deserved win for Northern Tigers, and no doubt a win welcomed by a few of the chasing pack of clubs, as well as coach Jason Eager.
?We certainly pushed for the win as a draw is no good?, he stated after the game.
?I thought Parramatta dominated the first fifteen minutes or so but we had the better of the later part of the half. The pace of Max Glanville caught them out a little too I feel?.
Brian Deane was very disappointed with the result.
?We started well but the early goal was probably the problem. We didn?t do what we said we would and the goal seemed to put us in a different frame of mind. We never controlled the game and we were giving away silly free kicks?.
?A few of the players were off their game today although Costa had a very good game for us?.
But he is pleased that they face Sydney University next week.
?It is good for us that we face Uni. We have a very difficult few weeks with Granville Rage after that so we need to be at our best?.
Northern Tigers 2 (Tom Spencer 66?, Sungtun Park 88?) v Parramatta Eagles 1 (Daniel Fogarty 2?)
9 May 2010
Mills Park, Asquith
Referee: Kris Griffith-Jones
Assts: Thomas Lee and Nathan Roberts
Northern Tigers: 1. Marc Messina 2. Travis Oughtred 3. Tom Geekie 5. Nils Hestermann 6. Paul Davies (c) 7. Tom Spencer 8. Max Glanville (17. Luke Tomich 83?) 9. Michael Simmonds (11. Danny Vukovic 78?)12. Rhys Williams 14. Brendan Salameh (10. Sungtun Park 83?) 16. Steven Baveas.
Subs not used: 18. James Stubbs-Mills 35. Hugh Raleigh
Yellow cards: Paul Davies
Parramatta Eagles: 1. Anthony Costa 2. Christopher McDonald 3. Daniel Borg 4. Daniel Fogarty 5. Patrick Gatt (c) 6. Nick Tantalos 7. Shayne Ardle 8. Matthew Clowes 9. Brian Soane (16. Craig Jacob 63?) 11. Kutaiba Elrich (Chris Camilleri 73?) 14. Mitchell Duke.
Subs not used: Rgk Oliver Lovell 17. Marjon Novotni 18. Louis Duchese
Yellow cards: Daniel Fogarty, Nick Tantalos, Matthew Clowes, Kutaiba Elrich.
Dulwich Hill v FC Bossy Liverpool
A late equaliser to Dulwich Hill captain Raphael Bove, with five minutes to go, ensured that Dully gained a point against the visiting FC Bossy Liverpool.
Bossy, lying fifth before this week?s action, had taken the lead with a thunderbolt drive from David Wilson, a good twenty five yards out, with just a quarter of an hour remaining.
But Bove, after a succession of corners, swung one in and, evading all and sundry, nestled his shot into the net.
It was a welcome point for Dully?s Mark Strachan, whose team is finally starting to recover from their injury concerns.
?We had a few boys return today including Jose Mendes, Peter Hubbard and Angatesh Rao, even though they weren?t 100% fit. Even though they weren?t quite right, they really toughened up to play?.
?It was also Tony Mittiga?s first game in seven months as he has just come back from a knee reconstruction. But they all did themselves proud?.
?I expect to be able to have some continuity of selection now and we should see some improvement as we start to build our combinations?.
Dulwich Hill 1 (Raphael Bove 85?) v FC Bossy Liverpool 1 (D Wilson 75?)
Sydney University v Fraser Park
Fraser Park, fresh from their win over Northern Tigers last weekend, gave Sydney University a scare at Melita Stadium by taking a very early lead through Leigh Gunn.
Gunn got on the scoresheet after just four minutes and Fraser Park held the lead till half time, giving the high flying Uni some food for thought as they returned for the second half.
But the recently returned Caetano Lima got his first league goal of this campaign bringing Uni back into the game twelve minutes after the break. Lima worked well with Christian Soares before skirting the keeper to draw Uni level. Then, who else, but Soares himself, scored from the penalty spot with just under fifteen minutes left on the clock to give Uni the three points. It was the sixth individual game that Soares has scored in this season.
Uni?s John Caruana accepted that his team were a bit off colour.
?We didn?t play well in the first half although losing Paul Medulla in the warm up didn?t help. We lost a bit of shape and had to make a few shuffles at half time, which were decisive?.
?Fraser Park played well and were in our faces so it was good to get the win?.
Sydney University 2 (Caetano Lima 57?, Christian Soares 76? pen) v Fraser Park 1 (Leigh Gunn 4?)
Granville Rage v Spirit FC
Granville Rage climbed to second spot on the table with a comprehensive 3-1 victory over Spirit FC at Garside Park. Nenos Bobo got the Rage off the mark after nineteen minutes but then a penalty by Pat Carpuccio, awarded after Bobo was brought down in the box, doubled the lead just after the half hour.
When Bobo got his second, and Granville?s third, before half time, it seemed the writing was on the wall for Spirit.
But Ben Gough did get one back for the visitors, giving the Spirit a sniff of a comeback, but the lead was just too great to turn around.
?This was an important game for us?, stated Rage?s Nick Porrecca. ?We needed a win to stay in the five and the boys have done very well?.
?I felt that Spirit couldn?t contain our forwards although the changes they made in the second half tightened things up. But overall I am very pleased?.
Porrecca did give a debut to 17 year old Callum Hedges, who impressed the Rage coach.
?He has been with us a few years and he has done very well, so he deserved a go. I was very impressed with how he went,? he said.
Hedges may be given a run in the McDonald?s Cup if Porrecca decides to give some young blood a run out.
The Rage have a big game against Sydney Olympic at Garside Park on Wednesday, though Porrecca is not sure which way to go. A full strength Granville Rage may well have the ability to produce a Cup boilover.
?I would like to give a few of the young guys a go but not sure what to do yet. I would really like to see Granville finish as high as possible in the Super League as we have a chance to finish in our highest position for ten years so I will just have to see?, he finished.
Granville Rage 3 (Nenos Bobo 19?, 36?, Pat Carpuccio pen 34?) v Spirit FC 1 (Ben Gough 65?)
St George v Central Coast Lightning
In a dramatic finale at St George Stadium, Reuben Lagos scored in the dying seconds of the game to snatch a point for the home side after Central Coast had taken the lead with three minutes of normal time remaining.
Darren Cooper?s goal for the Coast in the 87th minute appeared to have given the Coast a surprise win against a dominant St George but Lagos?s desperate lunge right at the death ensured a share of the points.
Central Coast had taken an early lead with a deft strike from Nathan Moseley but St George equalised through Ryo Maekawa, who was too quick as he snuck in between defence and keeper.
Only minutes later, the Saints almost went ahead through Jordan Figon but Josh Barrett came to the Coast?s rescue with a good save.
Barrett was to prove vital to the Coast?s chances as he parried a number of good shots, keeping the Saints at bay. Particularly at the beginning of the second half as St George pressed relentlessly, Barrett prevented Arthur Diles, Lagos and Figon from getting on the scoresheet.
While St George dominated, it seemed that the Coast would be content with the point, although Brady Smith, alone up front, always looked dangerous. His pace and strength constantly proved a problem, and two great chances fell his way, including after a strong run from half way. But he was just wide of the mark on both occasions.
Maekawa, for St George hit the post, as did Figon, as the home side searched for the winner. But as the pressure dropped off, the Central Coast came back into the game and a free kick from outside the box resulted in Darren Cooper, in a crowded area, giving the Coast a late lead.
The Coast were ecstatic, and they battled each ball as the time ticked down. They even hit the bar themselves which would surely have ended the game, but St George rallied and a cross from Daniel Firth found Peter Crevani, whose low pass across the face of goal saw Lagos stretch and bundle the ball into the net.
A dramatic finish then, and the points shared. No doubt though, both teams felt these were two points lost.
St George 2 (Rya Maekawa 28?, Reuben Lagos 93?) v Central Coast 2 (Nathan Moseley 17?, Darren Cooper 87?)
Mount Druitt Town Rangers v Macarthur Rams
It seems that things are on the improve for Macarthur Rams who gained their second win in a row after defeating Mount Druitt 3-1 at Popondetta Park.
All the goals came in the second half with Sam Messam scoring his fifth of the season to give the Rams the lead at the 63rd minute mark.
Then two goals within five minutes to Chris Gomez pushed the Rams out to 3-0 before a late consolation to Greg Kondek reduced the arrears.
Mount Druitt 1 (Greg Londek 88?) v Macarthur Rams 3 (Sam Messam 63?, Chris Gomez 81?, 85?)
-By Peter Rowney
