NSW Super League Round 21 Review
St George?s win at FC Bossy Liverpool almost ensures them a top three finish while Spirit?s win over Mount Druitt lifts them to the edge of the five. Who goes down is still undecided, it will be a tense week for Fraser Park, Mount Druitt and Dulwich Hill.
Feature Match of the Week
Liverpool Bossy v St George Saints
St George took a firm hold on a top three finish after dispatching of FC Bossy Liverpool 3-2 at Ernie Smith Reserve to leave Bossy?s own hopes of the finals hanging on their last game next Sunday at Macarthur Rams.
The Saints had taken an early lead through the boot of Juan Chavez after good work by Brad Gibson and then Denis Cutura enabled last season?s Golden Boot winner to strike low past Matthew Kasbarian.
Bossy Liverpool recovered to take control of the ball and territory but could not break down the St George defence. Despite a large swathe of possession, the home side were limited to long range strikes, rarely troubling Daniel Nash.
It was the visitors who almost got a second in fact, Simon Verrender?s header from a free kick being tipped over by Kasbarian.
Not long after the second period started, the goal of the game gave the Saints a handy two goal lead. Half time substitute, Christian Cevenini, on for the injured Denis Cutura, did well in winning possession just inside the Bossy Liverpool half. A quick pass to Chavez who then set up Peter Crevani in space allowed the wide midfielder to strike home. Two quick and accurate passes cut through the Bossy defence.
But if the Saints goal was created by the substitute, the same could be said for Bossy?s first. Domenic Cutri was on only for a minute before he broke through the Saints backline and brought Bossy back into the game. The match lifted as Bossy searched for an equaliser but it was due to the heroics of Kasbarian that they remained in the game. Twice the keeper saved from Cevenini, one point blank, when goals seemed certain.
But the real damage to Bossy?s chances of a comeback happened when Cutri was red-carded for high feet on Michael Smith, with just over a quarter of an hour to go.
When David Smith scored the Saints? third with seven minutes remaining, it seemed all over. But a fine direct free kick by Matt Toogood, who shot down low to the bottom right with four minutes left on the clock, set up a grandstand finish.
But St George maintained their composure, safely ensuring that the three points would head their way.
FC Bossy Liverpool 2 (Domenic Cutri 59?, Matt Toogood 86?) v St George 3 (Juan Chavez 5?, Peter Crevani 52?, David Smith 83?)
8 August 2010
At Ernie Smith Reserve, Moorebank
Referee: Kevin Peddie
Assts: Darren Richards and Wayne Crabb
FC Bossy Liverpool: 1. Matthew Kasbarian 3. Josh Ford (14. Domenic Cutri 58?) 5. Mirza Sehic (c) 7. Matt Toogood 8. David Wilson 10. Devrim Huseyin (6. Daniel Duarte 85?)11. Daniel Wilson 15. Danny Slaveski 16. Tony Currer 19. Kris Atkinson 20. Sasa Drca (2. D Huseyin 80?)
Subs not used: 4. E Popal rgk Joe Mamou
Yellow Cards: Mirza Sehic, David Wilson, Danny Slaveski
Red Cards: Domenic Cutri
Coach: Paul Carter
St George: 1. Daniel Nash 5. Simon Verrender 8. Brad Gibson 9. Juan Chavez (25. Ivo de Jesus 75?) 10. Denis Cutura (17. Christian Cevenini 45?) 11. Peter Crevani 12. Hussein Rachid (2. David Smith 67?) 13. Adrian Heath 14. Blake Ricciuto 23. Michael Smith 24. Aram Derakzala.
Subs not used: 20. Costa D?Addona
Yellow Cards: Nil
Coach: Nick Orlic
Fraser Park v Dulwich Hill
Fraser Park continued where they left off on Thursday defeating local rivals Dulwich Hill 2-1 to sink Dully to bottom of the table, for the first time this season. The win was gained despite the sending off of Anthony Barletta with about twenty minutes to go.
All goals came in the final ten minutes of the match with Fraser captain Alex Smith scoring the first with just eight minutes left on the clock. A free kick was floated into the area and Smith was just able to get there first, heading Fraser into the lead.
A quick counterattack from Dulwich Hill though, just two minutes later, saw Anthony Mittiga?s strike take a deflection before nestling into the goal. Any joy that Dully would have had in seemingly snaring an important point disappeared when Ryuta Nambu got the winner in the 88th minute. Again, it was from a set piece, Smith?s free kick being pushed onto the post by the keeper, before Nambu pushed it home.
It was Fraser Park?s third win in their past four games, while for Dulwich Hill, it was their fourth loss in a row, and clearly coming at the wrong end of the season.
?It has been a tale of woe for us?, began Mark Strachan. ?Midway through the season, we were knocking on the door to the top five, but the second half of the season has been very difficult. We have had a horrendous run of injuries, we are lacking a bit of confidence and the goals have dried up too.?
?Last night, I thought we had the majority of the possession without looking like we would hurt them. We never really looked like threatening them really.?
?But as far as the team goes, I couldn?t ask for anything more from them. They were shattered in the dressing room afterwards, they gave it everything?.
?But, still, we have Spirit on Wednesday and the fight is still in our own hands?.
For Fraser coach, Alex Augusto, the wins are an indication that their hard work is paying off.
?We are training three times a week, we never stop, whether it is raining or whatever. It is all credit to the boys. When I got here it was a very dark place but now it is a lot brighter. I knew we had the quality, we just had to work harder?.
?But to tell you the truth, it was a very tough game today. It is very much a derby match and playing on Thursday, made it hard. But the players sacrificed themselves and showed a lot of discipline?.
Fraser Park 2 (Alex Smith 82?, Ryuta Nambu 88?) v Dulwich Hill 1 (Anthony Mittiga 84?)
Macarthur Rams v Central Coast
There were goals galore at Lynwood Park with three of them coming inside the first fifteen minutes. The Rams started like a house on fire with Craig Cooley netting after just three minutes and then Sam Messam, scoring his 20th of the season, putting the Rams 2-0 up when only seven minutes had elapsed.
Matt Mitchell reduced the arrears for the Coast seven minutes after that but when Alan de la Cuadra scored from the spot minutes before half time, it seemed that the points would be heading the Rams? way.
But the Central Coast are made of stern stuff, as they showed against St George when coming from 2-0 down recently. The Coast did it again, with Graham Toope getting the ball rolling before Neil Woodcock drew them level with twenty minutes to go.
The point keeps the Rams in fifth spot but only just, their stronger goal difference giving them the edge over Spirit FC.
Macarthur Rams 3 (Craig Cooley 3?, Sam Messam 7?, Alan de la Cuadra 42? pen) v Central Coast 3 (Matt Mitchell 14?, Graham Toope 47?, Neil Woodcock 70?)
Parramatta Eagles v Granville Rage
It seems the end of the season can?t come soon enough for the Rage after they suffered a 4-0 hammering at Melita Stadium against a Parramatta Eagles side celebrating their Premiership victory with the Super League Premiership being presented at the ground.
Granville needed to show something after losing 3-0 to Fraser Park on Thursday, to keep their finals hopes alive but they were to go a goal down early on to youngster Mitchell Duke.
The scoreline remained that way until the second half but goals to Matthew Clowes, Chris Camilleri and then Shayne Ardle gave the Eagles a comprehensive win.
Parramatta Eagles 4 (Mitchell Duke 15?, Matthew Clowes 52, Chris Camilleri 75?, Shayne Ardle 78?) v Granville Rage 0
Spirit FC v Mount Druitt
There was just the one goal in it and it went the way of Spirit FC after Tim Simpson scored early in the first half to lift Spirit into sixth spot on the ladder.
There were a number of chances spurned by both sides in a very competitive match but the result leaves Mount Druitt relying on the last day fixture against Fraser Park to ensure their safety.
Spirit have a final rescheduled round 20 fixture against Dulwich Hill on Wednesday night, a tough match against a Dully side who have been dragged into the relegation mire.
Spirit FC 1 (Tim Simpson 18?) v Mount Druitt 0
Sydney University v Northern Tigers
This fixture was postponed with the match TBA.
Rescheduled Fixtures (Round 20)
Wed 11 August
St George v Macarthur Rams St George Stadium
Dulwich Hill v Spirit FC Christie Park
Top Scorers
20 – Sam Messam (Macarthur Rams)
13 – Christian Soares (Sydney University)
12 – Shayne Ardle (Parramatta Eagles)
11 – Tom Spencer (Northern Tigers)
10 – Ben Gough (Spirit FC)
9 – Pat Cappuccio (Granville Rage), Alex Smith (Fraser Park)
-By Peter Rowney