Super League Round 15 Review

With leaders Parramatta Eagles being clipped again and Mount Druitt downing Granville Rage for the second time; it makes this League one that always throws up some surprises.
Match report for the round
Mount Druitt Town Rangers 2
Granville Rage 1
Rangers contain the Rage, again!
Mount Druitt Town Rangers continued to have the ‘wood’ on Granville Rage with a 2-1 home win at Popondetta Park, on Sunday afternoon.
The clash between these two sides at Garside Park in Round 4 proved the young home side quite capable of overturning anyone on their day, with their visitors today their scalp that evening – but was this to be one of those days again? Rage could have been forgiven for smarting from that loss, and wanting to make amends.
Alas it was not to for Rage be as Rangers, without injured Chris Lima and Tom Owusu brought in fresh faces with Daniel Borg as captain in the backline along with Dominic Mercuri, whilst Nathan Ralph slotted into midfield. Granville for their part were without Devrim Huseyin but had looked too powerful in attack on paper.
On a lovely sunlight afternoon and with a good surface the game started with the home side looking sharper – in the 3rd minute live-wire Eddie Georges was brought down. The Rangers hit the free-kick just above the bar but it was tipped for a corner. 
Granville’s experienced Nenos Bobo made a surging run down the middle just in the 7th minute but he was well covered and the shot blocked.
Three minutes later Rage’s Pasqualino Cappuccio lobbed a ball into the area finding Nathan Rivera who had time to bring down the ball but blasted it over the crossbar. Nevertheless it looked ominous for the home side.
But it was the visitors who conceded first. A soft free-kick needlessly given away on the right, was taken by Ryan O’Shea and dropped into a mass of players in the area. It was ‘cleared’ by Rage but only as far as Greg Kondek who was patrolling about 24m out. He latched onto the clearance at waist height and slammed it into the net through the mass of players, in only the 18th minute of the game. 1-0
Two minutes later Eddie Georges, who was hard to contain for Rage, made a shot on the run from 25m out that forced Granville’s experienced ‘keeper Jason Holmes into a save.
Cappuccio nearly beat the Rangers ‘keeper Nick Jelic at the right post after a run to meet a free kick from the left. The game started to flow, with Michael Noro getting up wide on the right and crossing in. In the 27th minute however it was O’Shea who was provider from the left with Noro collecting the ball to the left of the box and turning but steered his shot past the right post.
The game became a little stalemated but in the 42nd minute Mauricio Islas hit a snap shot near-in to the right post and the Rangers custodian Jelic got a hand to it. From his intervention it carried on across the goal and somehow away from danger.
Drama just after the break. Christian Bottalico clipped Michael Noro as he moved into the area and the referee awarded a penalty.
Eddie Georges stepped up to take it and hit it into the net – referee blew whistle and said ‘take it again’. Second time, referee whistles, Georges stepped up and put it past Holmes. The referee inexplicably says take it again. It is Georges who ‘blows-up’, and gets carded. Georges bravely stepped up again to his third attempt, which was … saved by Holmes.
This rattled Mt Druitt, perhaps more the bench than those on the field as the coach and another member of the support team was sent behind the railings. Credit to Rangers’ players in that they knuckled down to the task at hand, even when another penalty claim was turned down shortly after. 
In the 56th minute Eddie Georges made a weaving run down the left side, and hemmed in, he cut the ball back to Shannon Hankin – who kept his cool to net his shot. 2-0
Granville was stunned but not for long, lifting their tempo. Six minutes later the referee awarded a penalty at the other end and this time Pasqualino Cappuccio was not asked to have another go! He took it well and the score moved to 2-1.
Rangers tried to lift but their legs were getting heavier, so they brought on some fresh ones. Play opened right up with the Rage keeper committing himself to come far out but the Rangers player on hand for the loose ball couldn’t emulate David Villa. At the other end Jelic also had to come fast to clear.
It was Rangers on the break that had the chances, with substitute and recent signing Caetano Lima, and defender Scott Bowman, almost running out of puff before shooting over.
Granville pressed forward exposing themselves but when Nenos Bobo skied a shot over the crossbar from the edge of the box, in front, in stoppage time, it was clear it wasn’t to be the visitors day.
This second win by Rangers over Rage lifts them up with Central Coast away from the dreaded ‘spoon’ after the round but the test of their season fortunes comes on Wednesday when their washed out round 12 fixture against leaders Parramatta Eagles will be played.
Granville will be pleased that Parramatta fell to FC Bossy but with Northern Tigers winning the Rage must hit a consistent winning spell.
Match Stats
Mount Druitt Town Rangers 2(Greg Kondek 18′, Shannon Hankin 57?)
Granville Rage 1 (Pasqualino Cappuccio 63′ pen)
Date: Sunday 27 June 2010 (3pm)
At: Popondetta Park, Emerton
Crowd:60
Mt Druitt Town Rangers:  13. Nick Jelic (gk), 3. Scott Bowman, 5, Ryan O’Shea, 6. James Thurtell, 7. Michael Noro, 9. Shannon Hankin, 11. Eddie Georges (8. Omar Valderrama +77′), 17. Greg Kondek (20. Caetano Lima +68′), 15. Nathan Ralph, 19. Dominic Mercuri, 13. Daniel Borg (c)(10. Luciano Berbis +73′)
Subs not used: 1. Jarrod Marsh (rgk)
Yellow Cards: Greg Kondek 36′, Eddie Georges 47′, Daniel Borg 70′, Omar Valderrama 81′
Coach: Gilbert Yalda
Granville Rage: 1. Jason Holmes (gk), 3. David Comito (10. Fred Graham +60′), 5. Mauricio Islas, 6. J. Cartisano, 7. David Harding, 8. Phillip Pyliotis, 9. Kris Holbrook, 11. Nenos Bobo, 14. Christian Bottalico, 17. Nathan Rivera, 18. Pasqualino Cappuccio
Subs not used: 19. A. Bakmaz, 21. K. Appiah-Kubi, 22. Craig Morley (rgk)
Yellow Cards: Nathan Rivera 57′
Coach: Nick Porrecca
Grade 20: Mt Druitt Town Rangers 3 – Granville Rage 4
Round Wrap:
Saturday
St George FC 2 (Denis Cutura 20′, 63′)
Sydney University 0
Saints finger-tip grasp on the finals race took on a few more fingers with a welcome win at home on Saturday night over close rivals Sydney University who have one less game in hand.
This time it was Denis Cutura who contributed to the result when he tripled his season tally. He scored after twenty minutes and though the ‘students’ kept themselves well in the game Cutura extended the Saints lead in the second half.
Central Coast Lightning
Dulwich Hill (Washed out)
Rain earlier in the week caused this round’s Central Coast Lightning versus Dulwich Hill matchup at Pluim Park Lisarow to be called off, ‘washed out’. This caused consternation for Peter Preston and the home side who lose last week’s lift and still have other games to catch-up. They are due to host Macarthur Rams at Pluim Park this coming Wednesday.
Sunday
Spirit FC 2 (Adam Peatey 65′, Tim Simpson 84′)
Fraser Park FC 1 (Blaz Dejanovic 25′)
Spirit’s celebrations over their Final berth for the McDonalds Cup would be marred if they couldn’t get their League campaign back into the positive quick smart. With a change at the helm they hosted a team really needing a win.
They were hit by Fraser Park early on with Blaz Dejanovic netting his second goal in two weeks. Spirit lifted in the second half and goals by veteran stalwart Adam Peatey and striker Tim Simpson late in the half sealed the victory.
Fraser Park must be puzzling as to just what they can do to bag some desperately needed points.
FC Bossy Liverpool 1 (Mirza Sehic 25′)
Parramatta Eagles 0
League leader Parramatta Eagles gave up another opportunity to extend their lead at the top, when the always competitive FC Bossy sent them home without any points on Sunday afternoon.
Bossy’s Mirza Sehic will be celebrating tonight after bagging his first goal of the season and against such illustrious competition. His early goal put the Eagles on the back-foot and they couldn’t peg it back. 
Macarthur Rams 1 (Sam Messam 36′)
Northern Tigers 2 (Park Sung-yun 66′, Tom Spencer 87′)
Both teams in this clash have definite finals, and even premiership, aspirations so it was a great boost for the Northern Tigers to come away from their trip south west with all three points.
Despite ‘that man’, outright leading scorer Sam Messam bagging another in the first half the Tigers didn’t let that deflate them. Their marvelous pick-up in Korean Park Sung-yun drew them level in the 66th minute. Tigers leading marksman Tom Spencer sealed it in the 87th minute.
Another great round … I’m looking forward to Round 16.
Top Scorers
Messam, Sam               Macarthur Rams                        13
Gough, Ben                  Spirit FC                                   10
Soares, Christian           Sydney University                     10
Cappuccio, Pat             Granville Rage                           9
Bobo, Nenos                Granville Rage                           8
Spencer, Tom               Northern Tigers                          8
Ardel, Shayne               Parramatta Eagles                     7
Faria, Tony                    Dulwich Hill                               7
Holbrook, Kris               Granville Rage                           7
– By Chris Dunkerley