NSW Super League Round 18 Review
The relegation battle heated up too, with Fraser Park?s win lifting them above Mount Druitt, and off the bottom of the table for the first time since round ten.
The top five, after Parramatta, sees St George consolidated in second place with the Tigers third. Macarthur Rams and Granville Rage take fourth and fifth respectively, but separated only by goal difference.
Feature Match of the Week
There?s just no stopping Sam Messam at the moment.
The powerful striker, the focus of Macarthur Rams? attacks, scored a hatrick at his former Dulwich Hill home, to strengthen Macarthur?s push for the finals, and to increase his own personal tally to nineteen for the season.
The first goal was clocked at one minute three seconds, when he picked up the ball on the right side before turning in, and being allowed time to beat Michael Frost. Dulwich Hill seemed to be waiting for a cross and were caught unawares, so early in the game.
It was not a good start for the home side, whose own finals chances hung by a thread, but they recovered immediately. Tony Faria came very close and was only denied by Tom Romic who collected at the second attempt.
This was an attacking game, the early loss of a goal forcing Dully to seek an equaliser from the off. Despite being without Jay Lucas, they were well served by James Young and Faria upfront. The Rams, meanwhile looked to the threat of Messam, who caused headaches for the Dully defence each time he received the ball.
In a spate of drives midway through the first half, Michael Lloyd-Green almost drew Dully level when his shot from wide out surprised many by smashing against the bar and Raphael Bove also was just over. Sandwiched between these two efforts was one for the Rams, by Mathias Kullstrom, who also just missed.
But while Dully searched for an equaliser, it was the Rams who doubled their lead. Ten minutes before halftime, Frost failed to hold on to a cross and Messam, with his back to goal, was alert enough to quickly backheel the loose ball into the empty net. It was a cruel blow for Frost who was otherwise safe throughout the game.
The temperature in the match rose considerably in the second half, particularly after a Dulwich Hill goal, five minutes into the second half, was correctly ruled offside by the referee, although there was no flag raised. This increased Dully?s determination and the pressure increased. A double substitution, with both the experienced Norm Tome and Neil Phillipou coming on, looked to give Dulwich Hill the advantage.
But again, it was that man, Messam.
A cross from the left by Chris Gomez was met first time by the leading scorer, and the scoreline became 0-3 with a quarter of an hour to go. The three points looked all sewn up.
The deficit was reduced though, just a minute later, when Phillipou tapped in but it was always going to be tough to come back from here. In fact, again it was the Rams who threatened. Messam, who looked very likely to score, was brought down inside the box by Aaron Scicluna who received a direct red card for his troubles. There was little argument from the defender, who commenced his walk to the sheds without argument.
Up stepped Alan de la Cuadra but a fine save by Frost, given a yellow card moments earlier for standing over the ball, kept the scoreline to 1-3. It wasn?t the last of the opportunities though as, who else, Messam chipped Frost just before full time, but the shot just went wide.
The win lifts Macarthur back into the five and it will be tough to shift them, if the goals keep flowing.
Dulwich Hill 1 (Neil Phillipou 77?) v Macarthur Rams 3 (Sam Messam 1?, 37?, 76?)
17 July 2010 Arlington Oval
Referee: Michael Collins
Assts: Scott Robertson and Justin Brady
Dulwich Hill: 1. Michael Frost 35. J Benham 17. Peter Hubbard 6. Aaron Scicluna 13. Anthony Mittiga (7. Norm Tome 70?) 15. Ben Burrows 8. Raphael Bove (c) 31. David von Dinklage (Dominic Rossi 75?) 3. Michael Lloyd-Green 11. Tony Faria 12. James Young (9. Neil Phillipou 70?).
Subs not used: 33. M Licata
Yellow Cards: Michael Frost, Anthony Mittiga, Ben Burrows, Peter Hubbard
Red Card: Aaron Scicluna
Macarthur Rams: 1. Tom Romic 7. Ronnie Miranda 21. Callum Fleming 11. Cole Tinkler 12. Mitchell O?Keefe 2. Craig Cooley (c) 10. Chris Gomez (8. Felix Wilson 82?) 13. Mathias Kullstrom 19. Alan de la Cuadra (14.
Subs not used: 20. Peter Joseph
Yellow Cards: Tom Romic, Felix Wilson.
Granville Rage v FC Bossy Liverpool
In a tight battle for the five, the end result was a draw when Granville Rage and FC Bossy met at Garside Park on Saturday. While the result may not have really suited either side, the point keeps the Rage in a finals position and is a welcome return to form after three weeks of losses.
But the Rage had to do it the hard way, coming from a goal down after Daniel Wilson had given Bossy a first half lead.
Fred Graham though, with twenty minutes to go, got the all important equaliser. Graham managed to scramble home a loose ball in the Bossy penalty area after some sustained Rage pressure.
Nick Porreca was pleased with the point after some disappointing recent results.
?We have been a bit short lately with players injured, some suspensions and others at the World Cup. But I was very proud of the young boys that came on tonight. We had three 17 year olds and a 21 year old and they did very well.?
?Both sides missed a couple of good chances each but, to be honest, 1-1 was a fair result?.
Granville retain fifth spot but only a point ahead of Bossy.
Granville Rage 1 (Fred Graham 70?) v FC Bossy Liverpool 1 (Daniel Wilson 30?)
SydneyUniversity v Spirit FC
Sydney University kept their season alive with a comprehensive victory over Spirit FC at St George Stadium. It was really a must win game for Uni and they did the deed to give themselves every chance of playing finals football.
Chris Hayton got them off to a fantastic start, scoring in the first minute. He had a hand in the second goal too, his cross being headed home by Michael Dowling, just before the break.
Even a send off to Paul Medulla, with ten minutes to go, wasn?t going to affect the end result.
University, who had yet to beat Spirit FC over the past two years, confirmed the win two minutes from time. Christian Soares benefited from a Spirit goal kick, receiving the ball before returning it back, with interest, for the third.
It was of course, a pleasing result and display for John Caruana.
?It was a very disciplined and organised game by us. And it was the first time this season that we have actually converted our chances. I am very happy for the boys, we were very solid, James Lowery, in particular, was brilliant?.
Sydney University 3 (Chris Hayton 1?, Michael Dowling 43?, Christian Soares 88?) v Spirit FC 0.
Parramatta Eagles v CentralCoast
Parramatta Eagles went one step closer to the Super League title after disposing of Central Coast 3-0 at Melita Stadium to put one hand on the Premiership trophy.
And it came via a hatrick to young Mitchell Duke, a newly signed recruit for the Central Coast Mariners NYL team. Duke, starting in place of the injured Daniel Fogarty, scored his first of the game after being played in by Kutaiba Elrich. Beating the offside trap, Duke coolly converted.
Midway through the first half, Duke notched his second after an Eagles counterattack, while the third arrived in the second half, a header from a cross by Brian Soane.
Even though the title now appears to be Parramatta?s, Brian Dene was in no doubt that the job is not complete.
?Parramatta Eagles has been very close in the past two seasons only to miss out right at the end. We are aware that we are a step closer to the title but we are not there yet. But we are looking forward to the Tigers came next weekend?.
On his team?s performance today, Dene was effusive.
?We were very good today. It was a good all round performance, with great games by Louis Duchnese (in for the absent Nick Tantalos), and keeper George Bouropoulos. Our back four was very good and we pressured the ball, counterattacking very well?.
It would be a brave person now to tip against the Eagles taking top spot.
Parramatta Eagles 3 (Mitchell Duke 5?, 20?, 51?) v Central Coast 0
Mount Druitt v St George
There may have been no goals at Popondetta Park but there were certainly no lack of chances. Belying their lowly position, MountDruitt took the game to St George, no doubt mindful that each and every point would be valuable in the run in to the season. St George, for their part, needed the points to maintain their finals push.
The first decent chance of the game fell to Shannon Hankin after good work down the right by Chris Lima but Hankin?s shot was underhit and fell neatly into the arms of Daniel Nash.
Caetano Lima had a header which went over while another Hankin chance, from distance, had direction but a little too much height.
The best opening for the Saints came the way of Denis Cutura, who did well in holding off his defender but just shot wide, after an excellent run.
It was an open game as the teams searched for a goal, and as time ticked on, it would seem that one would be enough.
But it was not to be, despite some half-opportunities for St George to Christian Cevenini, and a great chance to Juan Chavez. Hankin, Luciano Berbis and Rafid Hirmiz all came close for the Rangers but both goals remained intact until the end.
Mount Druitt Town 0 v St George 0
Northern Tigers v Fraser Park
In what can only be described as a shock result, bottom placed Fraser Park overturned Northern Tigers 2-0 at Mills Park to lift themselves off the bottom of the table.
The initial damage was done by their top scorer Alex Smith who netted after a quarter of an hour. The visitors maintained the lead throughout the remainder of the game, with Nicolo Sama making absolute sure of the points in the dying moments of the game.
The win lifts Fraser Park above Mount Druitt on goal difference, while the loss for Northern Tigers keeps them in third position, two points behind St George, but with a game in hand.
Northern Tigers 0 v Fraser Park 2 (Alex Smith 15?, Nicolo Sama 93?)
Leading Goalscorers
19 – Sam Messam (Macarthur Rams)
13 – Christian Soares (Sydney University)
10 – Shayne Ardel (Parramatta Eagles), Ben Gough (Spirit FC)
9 – Pat Cappuccio (Granville Rage)
8 – Nenos Bobo (Granville Rage), Tony Faria (Dulwich Hill), Tom Spencer (Northern Tigers)
7 – Kris Holbrook (Granville Rage), Alex Smith (Fraser Park)
– Peter Rowney
