NSW Super League Round 14 Review

Spirit FC v CC Lightning
At Christie Park on Saturday night Spirit FC went ahead in the first half and extended its lead early in the second; before a very late surge by Central Coast Lightning saw them score three to overtake Spirit in this game and clinch a 3-2 win.
Coming off a 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Granville Rage last weekend Lightning coach Peter Preston had used the albeit 7-1 loss in a midweek trial game versus Central Coast Mariners to look at most of his squad anew.
With Fraser Park winning their mid-week round 11 catch-up game the visitors needed a win badly. Preston brought in four changes to the starting eleven, and for a large part of the game it did not appear to be paying off.
Spirit for their part had a ‘pared back’ look to them, with captain Paul Nicolaou and talisman-like striker Leonardo Papanicolaou on the bench, and they were also without leading scorer Ben Gough (who had bagged a brace in their third round win over Lightning away).
It was a very youthful looking playing roster for both sides.
The Coast started with lots of busy play – retaining possession but then eventually losing it without really penetrating the Spirit half.
It wasn’t until 10 minutes in that a real chance was created, when Grant Maundrell got down the left, swinging in a cross that went across the face of goal to Tim Simpson whose shot was parried by Central Coast ‘keeper Josh Barrett.
One minute later Matt Mitchell upended Akwasi Agyei earning a free-kick for Spirit that ended in the net, but the referee adjudged it off-side.
It wasn’t until the 16th minute of the game that the Coast had any sort of a foray into the Spirit danger zone; when Neil Woodcock blasted over the crossbar from 25m. Spirit ?keeper Murray Nelson’s first touch of the ball was the resulting goal-kick.
Akwasi Agyei’s running was causing concern and he was brought down in the area in the 18th minute but the referee blew for a corner. From which corner kick Peter Cjeka hit a snap shot that dipped madly, however Coast custodian Barrett was down to smother it.
Twenty three minutes gone and Spirit got forward down the left, with Grant Maundrell getting a cross in from the left. The bounce deceived the ‘keeper at the near post and the ball found Peter Cejka free in the box. The hard working midfielder made no mistake. 1-0
Lightning did lift but were generally unable to create clear chances; with the best being in the 24th minute when Spirit ‘keeper Murray Nelson was forced to tip a speculator over the crossbar.
Four minutes later Coast’s captain Jamie Lobb hit a dipping shot from 25m that brought Nelson out to gather; and their best chance when in the 37th sent Darren Cooper a shot just cm wide on the left post.
Spirit however were quite dominant throughout the half without ever ‘taking the game by the scruff of the neck’.
After the break it looked like Spirit would go on with it when Grant Maundrell headed in from a pinpoint corner by Evan Daglis from the left. 2-0
All of a sudden – whether it took two goals to wake them up or Spirit took their feet of the pedal too much rather than flooring it – Lightning started buzzing.
One minute after the goal Graham Toope looped a header in from close range and Murray Nelson was forced to tip over the bar.
In the 52nd minute Brady Smith held possession of the ball just outside the penalty area on the right and before he could be closed down he crossed the ball to the left. Neil Woodcock rose over the defence at the back post and headed in. 2-1
Seven minutes later Evan Daglis had a fierce snap shot for the Spirit on target but Coast ‘keeper Barrett was able to parry it.
In the 72nd minute good pressure in numbers by Lightning and out of the mass of players in the area the ball was put into their own net by Spirit. 2-2
Both small knots of fans were up on their feet at this stage – would the home side rebound and reclaim dominance or would the Coast come-back be complete?
It turned out to be the latter but not until the visitors had the ball in the net again only to see it ruled out for a foul on Nelson, and then both sides had been reduced to ten men. First Matt Mitchell sent off from the visitors after the second of two soft yellows, and then a straight red to Tim Simpson as he brought down a Lightning player who had broken away down the middle.
From the free-kick Spirit gloveman Murray Nelson saved, but Graham Toope topped even his goal against the Mariners in the mid-week trial with a league points grabbing strike in the 89th minute. 2-3
The Coast can surely thank their captain Jamie Lobb for an inspirational personal and leadership performance.
The Coast look to have overcome their earlier habit conceding late goals which has been giving Peter Preston nightmares. That late win took them clear of last spot overnight and into 10th.
Despite their success in the McDonalds Cup so far Spirit have now dropped to 8th in their own league and are in the middle pack losing touch with the leaders.  They face NSW Premier League outfit Blacktown City FC on Tuesday night at Seven Hills, who lost in the Premier League to Spirit’s last Cup victims South Coast Wolves. I’m glad I’m not a betting man in any of these competitions.
Match Stats
Spirit FC 2 (Peter Cejka 23′, Grant Maundrell 47′ )
Central Coast Lightning 3 (Neil Woodcock 52′, og 72′, Graham Toope 89′ )
Date: Saturday 19 June 2010, 7:30pm
At: Christie Park, Marsfield
Crowd:  60
Referee: Andrew Best
Assistants: Tushaar Dhar, Justin Brady
Spirit FC: 1. Murray Nelson (gk), 18. Tom Lovell, 2. Daniel Cunningham (c), 20. Scott Wright, 3. Lachlan Harte, 5. Peter Cejka (10. Leonardo Papanicolaou +51 ‘), 12. Mike Irwin, 16. Grant Maundrell, 17. Evan Daglis (13. Adam Peatey +32 ‘), 15. Akwasi Agyei  (15. Adam Hett +67′), 9. Tim Simpson
Subs not used: 4. Paul Nicholaou, 41. James Irwin (rgk)
Yellow Cards: Tom Lovell 88′
Red Card: Tim Simpson 81’
Central Coast Lightning: 1. Josh Barrett (gk), 7. Keenan Crum (18. Nathan Byrn +59”), 3. Jamie Lobb (c), 4. Darren Cooper , 12. Graham Troope, 11. Adam Woodcock, 5. Nathan Mossely, 6. Matt Mitchell, 14. Pat Dalton (13. Scott McGinley), 9. Brady Smith (8. Alex Burrell +84′), 15. Ben Glachan
Subs not used: 36. Jake Purches (rgk), 2. Paul McGinley
Yellow Cards: Keenan Crum 38′, Matt Mitchell 11′, 79′
Red Cards: Matt Mitchell 79′
Grade 20: Spirit FC 2 – Central Coast Lightning 1
Round Wrap:
Saturday:
Fraser Park FC 1 (Alex Smith 58′ pen) –
FC Bossy Liverpool 3 (Alex Asanovic 26′, 78′, D. Wilson 51′ pen)
Buoyed by their solid win in a rescheduled R11 game earlier in the week Fraser Park fought back from an early setback when Alex Asanovic hit the first of his brace for FC Bossy; but Alex Smith’s goal through the penalty spot was cancelled out and then nullified as the visitors stamped their authority on the game at Fraser Park.
Granville Rage 4 (‘Pat’ Cappuccio 36′ pen, David Harding 49′, 77′, Kris Holbrook 75′) Dulwich Hill 1 (Antonio Faria 70′)
Granville Rage resumed normal ‘transmission’ on Saturday evening at their Granville headquarters, shrugging of a heavy loss earlier in the week to dent Dully’s ambitions for greater things. Stung by a second goal just after half-time Tony Faria took his progressive goal tally along by one late in the game to a respectable seven to give Dulwich Hill hope of a revival but it wasn’t enough as Rage replied with two more soon after.
Sydney University 3 (Christian Soares 23′, 63′, 77′) Mt Druitt Town Rangers 2 (Chris Lima 35′, Shannon Hankin 88′)
The ‘students’ took better to their fill-in home on the Tiger Turf of Seymour Shaw Park this time and Christian Soares won’t have minded the small extra drive to Miranda as he bagged a hat-trick and boosted Sydney University’s league table position. Despite finding the net twice and putting the loss earlier in the week in the deferred R11 game out of their minds the Rangers have lost ground badly over recent weeks.
Sunday:
Parramatta Eagles 1 (Daniel Borg 28′) Macarthur Rams 0
This hotly contested game ended with the Parramatta Eagles holding onto their top spot on the league table, and halting Macarthur Rams momentum toward the top. After clearly defeating the Rams in R3 this second win gives the Eagles ‘the wood’ on their rivals for any later encounter. Daniel Borg put the home side ahead early in the first half and the visitors just couldn’t overturn that result.
Northern Tigers 1 (Thomas Spencer 42′) St George Saints 0
Drawn 2-2 in R3 the Northern Tigers continue their climb up the ladder with a win this time, at home at Mills Park this afternoon. Tom Spencer took his progress tally to four just before half-time and the visitors were unable to reply. The Tigers move up into second place on the table on the back of three wins in a row.
Rescheduled R11 games results:
Northern Tigers 5 (Tom Spencer 23′, 42′, 67′, Paul Davies 50′, Park Sung-yun 88′) –
Granville Rage 1 (Nenos Bobo 35′)
Fraser Park 5 – Mt Druitt Town Rangers 1
(Scorers tba)
Top Scorers:
Messam, Sam               Macarthur Rams            12
Gough, Ben                  Spirit FC                       10
Soares, Christian           Sydney University         10
Bobo, Nenos                Granville Rage               8
Cappuccio, Pat             Granville Rage               8
Ardel, Shayne               Parramatta Eagles         7
Faria, Tony                    Dulwich Hill                   7
Holbrook, Kris               Granville Rage               7
Spencer, Tom               Northern Tigers              7
– By Chris Dunkerley