Division One Youth League Preliminary Finals Review
The playing surface was in very good order and the facilities were superb in every way with the persistent wind providing the only annoyance.
Grade 13
When second placed Stanmore Hawks faced third placed Fraser Park during the competition Fraser Park grabbed the first round points with a 3-2 result and then the second round match was a 1-1 draw.
Once again the match was a very even affair with both sides having their share of chances to claim the place in the Grand Final as the play flowed from end to end.
In the end it was a first half strike from Stanmore?s Perry Fotakopoulos that decided the fate of both teams as good goalkeeping and solid defending combined to keep the scoring to that single goal.
It has meant that Stanmore Hawks have progressed to the Grand Final while Fraser Park have bowed out of the finals series.
Grade 14
Fourth placed Fraser Park had managed to knock off premiers Mt Druitt Town Rangers twice during the competition, 1-0 in the first round and then 2-1 the second time around.
With so much at stake on the day it was hardly surprising that this was a close and exciting contest as the teams set about applying their well thought out match plans.
The first half was scoreless despite a good many chances falling at either end of the ground and then, just two minutes after the break Danyon Carley gave the Rangers the lead and that proved to be decisive even though Fraser Park threw everything they had into trying to retrieve the result.
Mt Druitt have claimed the vacant spot in the Grand Final and Fraser Park have now fulfilled their commitments to the finals series.
Grade 15
During the competition premiers Hakoah had managed to take all the points from their clashes with fifth placed Springwood United, winning the first round match 3-2 and then following up with a 2-1 result in the second round.
The closeness of those results set the stage for yet another battle-royale as the teams threw themselves into this vital match with an appropriate level of skill and determination.
Hakoah gained an early advantage when Josh Shubitz found the back of the net in the eleventh minute and then the same player made it 2-0 just two minutes later. Only six more minutes had passed before Shubitz completed his hat-trick to give his team a good deal of confidence.
Carrying that sort of deficit into the second half would have crippled many teams but Springwood had simply rolled up their sleeves and they went looking for ways that would get them back into the game.
Despite their brave and admirable efforts, the goals would not come for them and so Springwood have bowed out of the finals series while Hakoah have filled the vacancy in the Grand Final.
Grade 16
Premiers Camden Tigers had posted 4-0 and 4-1 victories over third placed Mt Druitt Town Rangers when they faced each other during the competition so the Tigers were probably entitled to be the favourites.
However, it was very clear from the outset that the Rangers were having none of that as they pushed forward with confidence and determination and that brought them an early reward when David Mavisa gave them the lead in the 12th minute.
The match was a very even affair and it was evident that one goal would not be enough to settle this one as each of the teams created a healthy number of chances.
The decider came ten minutes into the second half when Mavisa scored again to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead and that seemed to really take the wind out of the Tigers? sails before they rallied to try to get a foothold in the match.
In the end those two strikes have taken the Rangers through to the Grand Final while the Tigers have now completed their commitments to the finals series.
Grade 18
When they met during the competition the honours were shared evenly between premiers Camden Tigers and second placed Gladesville Ryde Magic as Magic were 2-0 winners in the first round and then the Tigers had claimed the second round points with a 6-2 result.
As expected, this was a very closely fought match with neither team prepared to give the other a single centimetre of space that could lead to an advantage and the result was a fascinating clash where no-one dared to blink in case they missed some of the action.
The end-to-end action was simply breathtaking as it became clear that the team which could take advantage of the very limited number of chances would emerge victorious.
Camden drew blood when Alan Bourke found the back of the net in the 31st minute but not a single player or spectator could be sure that 1-0 would be enough to decide the issue.
The teams continued to push forward only to be repelled by rock solid defences and so the match sat on a razor?s edge much to the anguish and delight of those fortunate enough to witness the spectacle.
Gladesville were never going to surrender without a fight but in the final analysis the were not able to manufacture and equaliser before the final whistle despite going frighteningly close several times and so they have bowed out of the finals series while Camden have progressed to the Grand Final.
-By Barry Davis
