NSW Super League Round 3 Review

Sydney University and the Spartans gained their first points meaning that all clubs have now got off the mark.
Feature Match of the Week
Hills Brumbies v Macarthur Rams
Two goals in three minutes earned Macarthur Rams the points against Hills Brumbies, in what was an even match, and which could have gone either way.
The game took a while to get going, with both sides turning over possession cheaply in the opening stages. It was a scrappy start with neither keeper being unduly tested as the respective midfields tried to exert control.
As the half settled down though, it was the Brumbies who gained the upper hand, if only slightly. Terry Pannowitz was the first to bring Josh Barrett into action, a shot which Barrett did well to parry.
Rams captain Craig Cooley looked dangerous on his runs and he almost threaded through a nice ball for Shannon Hankin, but the deft pass was just cut out by the Brumbies defence.
It was in the second period though, that the game came alive, as the chances started to become clearcut. The introduction of Matt Sadler added spark for the Rams and he was forever looking dangerous out wide.
But it was the Brumbies who had the best chance to this point. Nice work by Keunike Maralit down the left, saw his cross just evade Dragan Savic, only a metre or two out. Savic also came close with a header.
The Rams responded via Sadler, as his pass to Alvaro Malmierca should have seen greater reward. Malmierca mis-connected and sliced his shot wide.
It was Cooley, though who created the lead. Making one of his trademark runs, the Rams captain charged from half way, neatly evading the Brumbies, until reaching the byeline, cutting back where the ball ultimately fell to Hankin at the far post. Hankin made no mistake from close range.
The lead was doubled only two minutes later when Eddie Georges supplied Ryan Marchant, who had time to pick his spot.
Like last week, the Brumbies switched off for a minute or two, and paid the price. But to their credit, they continued to press Macarthur, as they searched for a way back into the game.  Savic had a chance while Josh Karpes almost pulled one back but Barrett just managed to knock over for a corner, after almost being caught out by an awkward bounce.
Barrett then denied Russell Farrell, as the Brumbies pressured, but then, as the minutes ticked down, the Rams almost got the sucker punch.
Lord Darkoh conceded a penalty, for handball and up stepped Matt Sadler. But Sadler could not get the spotkick past Chris Rizzo, who dived to save.
In the dying moments, another Savic chance was cleared off the line by Nemanja Kisacanin, as the Rams held on to their clean sheet.
?It was a very tough, and very even game? said Claudio Canosa.
?We had to pick up the intensity in the second half and we started to take control. We had good overlaps with Cooley and that got us the first goal.?
Like many clubs, Canosa is still working on his side.
?We lost a few from last season and we still have to blend the team. But I am happy with the result, although we still have to get working as we want to be at the top again?.
Mark Abi-Arrage was ruing the Cooley goal.
?We knew what he could do. We made plans to counter him and we did it well mostly. But we let him get through once and they scored?.
?We need to stay switched on as the good teams will always punish you. You could perhaps get away with it in the first division, but not in this league, you get punished?.
?It didn?t quite come off for us today, but we will get stronger?.
Hills Brumbies 0 v Macarthur Rams 2 (Shannon Hankin 60?, Ryan Marchant 62?)
27 March 2011
Lily Homes Stadium
Referee: Michael Collins
Hills Brumbies: 20. Chris Rizzo 14. Josh Karpes 2. Daniel Ramirez 16. Chad Cowley 8. Keunike Maralit (11. Lord Darkoh 64?) 5. Russell Farrell 6. Terry Pannowitz (c), 19. Eros Bergamin 17. Nemanja Tomic (10. Brendan Mitrovich 64?) 13. Greg Giovenali (4. Jovan Miladinovic 67?) 9. Dragan Savic.
Subs not used: 18. Justin Ciampa Gk Harrick Sinpraseuth.
Yellow Cards: Greg Giovenali, Lord Darkoh
Coach: Mark Abi-Arrage
Macarthur Rams: 1. Josh Barrett 2. Craig Cooley (c) 21. Callum Fleming 19. Nemanja Kisacanin 5. Mitchell O?Keefe 14. Ryan Marchant 7. Alan de la Cuadra (17. Chris Godoy Boscur 46?) 8. Alvaro Malmierca 10. Chris Gomez (22. Matt Sadler 46?) 9. Shannon Hankin 15. Eddie Georges (4. Goran Ljuboja 67?).
Subs not used: GK Ben Needham 12. Lloyd Spencer
Yellow Cards: Craig Cooley, Alan de la Cuadra, Chris Gomez, Alvaro Malmierca.
Coach: Claudio Canosa
Dulwich Hill v St George
At one stage, it looked like this match would not take place, with the power supply at Arlington Oval having been disrupted earlier in the day, but late repairs meant that the floodlights were able to be called into action and the game was on, if a little late, a decision which both clubs were grateful for.
By the end of the night though, it would be St George who would benefit the most. They took home the three points, but not before surviving a scare against a tenacious Dulwich Hill.
The match started at a furious pace, and it took only five minutes before the first chance appeared.  Steve Donevski, for Dully, really should have scored when faced with a gaping goal, the gilt edged chance being horribly wasted.
Simon Verrender returned salvo for the Saints, his header from a Daniel Fallico long throw, coming back off the post.
St George did take the lead midway through the first half, a penalty by Ivo de Jesus securing the lead after Reuben Lagos was fouled. They dominated the half, in both territory and possession, but couldn?t find a way through for a second. Blake Ricciuto hit the post and Matthew Kasbarian saved well from Denis Cutura. Donevski meanwhile, again for Dully, turned well but Daniel Nash was equal to the task.
A penalty to Dulwich Hill after the restart, seemed certain to draw the home side level, but Matt Toogood?s strike was saved by Nash. A close call then for the Saints, who had been under some pressure.
As Dully continued the search for a goal, St George struck to make the game safe. James Kovas evaded the offside, though hotly disputed by Dully, and faced Kasbarian in a one-on-one. Rounding the keeper, Kovas shot sweetly to make it 2-0, with ten minutes left.
Lagos almost blasted home a third from the edge of the box with a couple of minutes to go but a great save by Kasbarian kept the scoreline down. In truth though, a 3-0 scoreline would have been a disservice to Dulwich Hill.
?They took their chances and we didn?t, that was the difference? stated Paul Carter after the game.
?I thought they dominated the first half but we killed them in the second. But they are a good side, and very clinical?.
But while his side may have lost, Carter saw only good things ahead.
?To be honest, I have been very happy with the squad so far. There have been a few little issues, but things will only look up. We are a totally new squad, while St George and Spirit [who Dulwich Hill played in round one] have been together for a couple of years. There is a lot more in us, improvement in our cohesion, we can still improve 60%.?
One player who we can expect to see shortly is striker Troy Eedy, who scored a fine equaliser for Dulwich Hill in the Under 20s 2-2 draw.
?Troy is like a brand new player. He hasn?t played for a long while but he will be a big plus for us?.
Kory Babington was satisfied with the win, although he did feel the performance could have been better.
?We were a little bit rusty tonight and I believe we still have a bit of improvement to go. We didn?t train on a field this week, which doesn?t help, and I thought we were a little bit average.?
?But we need to be taking the three points, if we wish to be there at the end of the season?.
Dulwich Hill 0 v St George 2 (Ivo de Jesus 23? pen, James Kovas 80?)
Central Coast v Fraser Park
Central Coast continued on their unbeaten run with a 1-0 win over Fraser Park to keep themselves at the top of the table.
In gloomy conditions at Pluim Park, it was a lone second half goal by Matt Mitchell which did the damage. Mitchell met a cross from Louis Bozanic and drove low in to the corner.
Fraser Park had their chances however, Paulo Oliviera drawing a fine save from Jonathan Faerber in perhaps their best opportunity, certainly in the first half, while David Wilson hit the bar with a determined shot. Faerber also denied Alex Crane when he looked certain to score.
It was a good win though for the Coast, who have certainly started off the season with a bang.
Central Coast 1 (Matt Mitchell 50?) v Fraser Park 0
West Sydney Berries v Granville Rage
All the goals came in the first half at Lidcombe Oval and it was the visiting Granville Rage who took the honours in a 2-1 win over the Berries.
While Stefan de Jesus gave the home side the lead after thirty six minutes, the first time the Berries have taken the lead this season, two goals in the five minutes before the break saw the Rage turn the tables.
Daniel Carrozza notched the first to draw the sides level, and then Kris Holbrook, a minute out from half time, put the Rage in front.
A goalless second half saw Granville come away for three very worthwhile away points.
West Sydney Berries 1 (Stefan de Jesus 36?) v Granville Rage 2 (Daniel Carrozza 41?, Kris Holbrook 44?)
Sydney University v Northern Tigers
It was a stalemate at Hensley Field as Uni and the Tigers shared the spoils.
A goal by Luke Reading opened the scoring for the champions midway through the first half but an equaliser by Liam McConachie, with a quarter of an hour to go, meant a second draw for Northern Tigers.
It might appear a slow start for them, as they look to retain the championship, but as last season showed, it is a long season and the Tigers will no doubt be there when it matters.
The point got Sydney University off the mark, a welcome point for the Students.
Sydney University 1 (Liam McConachie 76?) v Northern Tigers 1 (Luke Reading 22?)
Spirit FC V Blacktown Spartans
There was almost a boilover at Christie Park when only a last minute goal by Akwasi Agyei saved Spirit?s blushes in a 1-1 draw with Blacktown Spartans.
Spirit, who scored seven last week and sat atop the table, just got out of gaol with that goal by Agyei. They had fallen behind to a Todd Macrae effort three minutes after the break and things looked grim.
But the last minute strike by Agyei gained the point which sees Spirit in outright second. The Spartans would no doubt be pleased with that result, although perhaps dejected as well after conceding an equaliser so late.
Spirit FC 1 (Akwasi Agyei 90?) v Blacktown Spartans 1 (Todd Macrae 48?)
TOP GOALSCORERS
5 –        Grant Maundrell             (Central Coast)
3 –        Dragan Savic                (Hills Brumbies)
2 –        Juan Chavez                 (Spirit FC)
            Ivo de Jesus                 (St George)
            Kodgo Etonum (West Sydney Berries)
            Shannon Hankin            (Macarthur Rams)
            Liam McConachie          (Sydney University)
            Matt Mitchell                 (Central Coast)
-By Peter Rowney