NSW Super League Round 19 Review

Wins by Central Coast and Mount Druitt against clubs vying for championship honours were the headliners this weekend but a special mention goes to Northern Tigers who just failed to hold out Parramatta Eagles on Saturday. Parramatta remain on target to claim the title but must wait at least one week more.
Fraser Park, despite taking a point off Sydney University, slip back to bottom spot after the Rangers? surprise win.
It is anyone?s guess who will make up the five. FC Bossy were the big improvers as Granville Rage and Macarthur Rams faltered. All we know is that the last three rounds will see some tense football indeed.

Feature Match of the Week
Parramatta Eagles will have to wait that just little bit longer to take hold of the Premiership after Northern Tigers gave them a huge scare at Melita Stadium on Saturday night.
The Eagles had to come from behind to snatch a late equaliser against a Tigers side who were better on the night and perhaps felt that they deserved a win.
Parramatta had taken a very early lead after Northern Tigers keeper Stuart Page, moments earlier having saved a point blank shot, conceded a penalty. Matthew Clowes stepped up and confidently put the Eagles one goal up.
Such an early lead may have proved to be Parramatta?s undoing though as the Tigers were allowed to control the game from thereon, knowing full well that anything less than a win would see their own title ambitions virtually disappear.
Sungyun Park, leading the Tigers? attack, always looked dangerous, the skilful striker doing well in crossing for Tom Spencer, but the cross just evaded the Tigers top scorer. Spencer had a couple of further chances to equalise in the first half, another assist from Park and then a header from a Paul Davies cross going agonisingly close.
But while Northern Tigers may have dominated territory, it wasn?t all one way. The Eagles came very close to doubling their lead when a Clowes header hit the bar but despite the number of decent chances, the scoreline remained 1-0 as half time was called.
Fans of the Tigers though didn?t have to wait too long for the equaliser to finally arrive. Fifteen minutes into the second half and it was a wonder strike from Park. A cross from the right saw Park athletically rise and midair, strike the ball on the turn, nestling it into the Eagles goal. It would rank as a goal of the season for technique alone.
Northern Tigers continued to press, searching for a second. Michael Rolston had a direct free kick tipped over the bar and it was from the ensuing corner that the Tigers got their lead.
And it was Spencer who connected at the corner, scrambling home to put the Tigers in front, with just a quarter of an hour left on the clock.
But Parramatta weren?t beaten just yet. Striker Chris Camilleri came on for defender Louis Duchesne to add firepower but with time ticking down, it was that man, Clowes again, who drew Parramatta level. With the ball played behind the keeper, catching Page on the edge of his box, Clowes picked up the loose ball and was able to run the ball into the empty net, bringing the Parramatta faithful roaring to their feet.
It may well have been one of the more important equalisers this season, enabling the Eagles to maintain their healthy buffer over the Tigers. While the scoreline may have prevented celebrations at the final whistle, it surely won?t be too long before the title is claimed.
Brian Dene, though, was certainly a disappointed man at the end.
?The trouble was we scored in the first minute. We then sat back and let them come at us. We never really got back into the game?.
?We didn?t hold onto the ball and gave it away too much. And there were too many players off their game. But having said that, we played out for the full 90 minutes, or 94, and got our goal in the end?.
Notwithstanding the disappointment, Dene was complimentary of the Tigers.
?They are a very competitive and mobile side and they were very smart in the way they played?, he finished. 
Parramatta Eagles 2 (Matthew Clowes 3? pen, 84?) v Northern Tigers 2 (Sungyun Park 60?, Tom Spencer 75?)
24 July 2010
Melita Stadium
Referee: Ryan Shepheard
Assts: Alex Long and Mike Robertson
Parramatta Eagles: 1. George Bouropoulos 2. Chris McDonald 5. Patrick Gatt 18. Louis Duchesne (10. Chris Camilleri) 3. Daniel Borg 9. Brian Soane (19. James Stubbs-Mills) 15. Ben Delicata (c) 8. Matthew Clowes 7. Shayne Ardle 11. Kutaiba Elrich 14. Mitchell Duke (4. Daniel Fogarty).
Subs not used: 13. Luke Grima 40. Oliver Lovell
Yellow cards: Kutaiba Elrich, James Stubbs-Mills
Northern Tigers: 1. Stuart Page 3. Tom Geekie 2. Travis Oughtred 4. Michael Rolston 12. Rhys Williams 6. Paul Davies (c) 7. Tom Spencer 14. Brendan Salameh (15. Lucas Dawson) 16. Steven Baveas 10. Sungyun Park 11. Daniel Vuckovic (17. Eric Koelma)
Subs not used: 5. Stefan von Zelewski 8. Max Glanville 36. Marc Messina
Yellow cards: Paul Davies, Steven Baveas, Sungyun Park, Brendan Salameh
Fraser Park v Sydney University
In a scrappy game, Fraser Park and Sydney University fought out a 0-0 draw, the point for Fraser not quite enough to stop them dropping to the cellar.
Fraser Park, featuring the evergreen and recently signed Pablo Cardozo, were perhaps unfortunate not to have taken all three points, Fraser believing that the ball had crossed the goal line but play was waved on while Cardozo was also ruled offside after scoring.
The draw though was not a good result for Uni, as they find themselves fighting a host of clubs for a finals spot. The draw sees the Students in eighth position, but still within striking distance of the five.
For Fraser Park, it will be a fight to the end, as was readily acknowledged by new coach Alex Augusto.
?It will be very hard. When I came here, their mentality was not the best but they have responded well. They are a good group of boys and we will just work a little bit harder until the end of the season. I told them not to be afraid to play against the teams coming first or second or third?it is just eleven v eleven?.
?It has been all credit to them, especially after recent results. It was a good game [against Uni] and every point counts at this time of the year. It may be decided in the last game [when Fraser Park play Mount Druitt] but I have a big belief in my players and in our training?.
The addition of Pablo Cardozo is certainly a boost too.
?Pablo is very professional and talks to the young players. He doesn?t argue and is great to have him around?.
Fraser Park 0 v Sydney University 0
Spirit FC v Granville Rage
Spirit FC brought themselves back into contention for a finals berth defeating Granville Rage 3-1 at Christie Park.
Adam Peatey gave the home side the lead just before the half hour. Peatey volleyed from outside the box, the ball sailing into the top corner. Christian Bottalico brought the Rage level a quarter of an hour into the second period. But Spirit weren?t to be denied, last season?s top scorer Tim Simpson putting Spirit back in the lead, after being set up by Peatey, before a last minute Daniel Cunningham penalty sealed the points.
The Rage, down to ten after a send off to Nathan Rivera for a second yellow with ten minutes to go, were further reduced when Jason Holmes was red carded for bringing down Simpson in the box.
With all substitutes having been used, it was Fred Graham who was tasked with trying to prevent the third goal. But Cunningham made sure.
The win leapfrogs Spirit over Uni to seventh spot while the loss for Granville, their fourth in five games, sees them slip out of the top five for the first time since the opening round of the season.
It was a return to form for Spirit FC and a welcome result for assistant coach Steve Appleby.
?We showed that we can play and it was particularly pleasing after last week?s sloppy performance. It was a physical game too, as it always is against Granville?.
?But we are confident that should we make the semis, we can go on with it from there?.
Spirit FC 3 (Adam Peatey 26?, Tim Simpson 65?, Daniel Cunningham 90? pen) v Granville Rage 1 (Christian Bottalico 59?)
Central Coast v St George
The Lightning confirmed their safety for another season while cruelling any remaining hopes that St George may have had of catching Parramatta Eagles with a come from behind 3-2 victory.
The Saints started brilliantly, with last season?s Golden Boot winner Juan Chavez getting on the scoresheet after just four minutes. Brad Gibson put the Saints two up after twenty five, the visitors seemingly cruising to the three points.
But Central Coast fought back, Keenan Crum reducing the arrears before half time after receiving a nice ball from Nathan Byrn.
Byrn then drew Central Coast level ten minutes into the second half when he scored with a 25 yard drive and then Neil Woodcock put the Coast in front with a smash and volley with twenty minutes to go.
Peter Preston, as one would expect, was very satisfied with his team?s performance despite the slow start.
?To be fair, we were outplayed for the first twenty minutes and we took a while to settle down. We were a bit nervous but the boys dug in and recovered?.
?We were probably a bit unlucky not to be level at half time though, Graham Toope had a good chance but in the second half, we were just too good. I might be a little bit biased but I thought we played them off the park in the second half.?
?We could?ve chucked it in at 0-2 and waited for next week but ,again, we dug in and got the job done?.
Preston has been happy with the team?s second round performance.
?We have had some good results in the second round. We have now beaten St George, who were coming second, Spirit, Bossy, Macarthur, and drawn with Dulwich Hill. We have probably got a little bit of luck that we didn?t get in the first round, but we have done really well?.
Central Coast 3 (Keenan Crum 33?, Nathan Byrn 54?, Neil Woodcock 69?) v St George 2 (Juan Chavez 4?, Brad Gibson 25?)
Macarthur Rams v Mount Druitt Town Rangers
A penalty from Eddie Georges was enough for Mount Druitt to surprise the highflying Macarthur Rams and take three very important points away from Lynwood Park.
The penalty was awarded in the first half after a handball decision and Georges was to make no mistake. It was an excellent result for Mount Druitt, as they battle away with Fraser Park in a tight fight against relegation. It was particularly well done, considering that the Rangers were without both captain Ryan O?Shea and Lisandro Berbis, a late withdrawal.
Gilbert Yalda could not contain his excitement after the game.
?I have no voice left but I am happy. We outplayed them today and ?outgutsed? them. We should have had at least one more too?it was a great effort by the boys?.
?I felt that we should have beaten St George last week and Dulwich Hill before that, so I am very happy now?.
Macarthur Rams 0 v Mount Druitt Town Rangers 1 (Eddie Georges 33? pen)
FC Bossy v Dulwich Hill
FC Bossy moved to fourth spot in the table after defeating Dulwich Hill 2-0 at Ernie Smith Reserve on Sunday, the first win for Bossy in four matches.
K Atkinson scored the first with just fifteen minutes remaining and then Daniel Wilson, in the final minute, made the result certain. The result lifts Bossy back into the five while Dulwich Hill, after three losses in a row, look nervously over their shoulder at the encroaching Fraser Park and Mount Druitt.
FC Bossy Liverpool 2 (K Atkinson 75?, Daniel Wilson 90?) v Dulwich Hill 0
Top 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), Tom Spencer (Northern Tigers)
8 – Nenos Bobo (Granville Rage), Tony Faria (Dulwich Hill)
7 – Kris Holbrook (Granville Rage), Alex Smith (Fraser Park)

– Peter Rowney