NSW Super League Round 4 Review

Central Coast retain top spot after their third win in four games.
St George v Blacktown Spartans
Two wonder strikes for St George set up a 3-0 victory against Blacktown Spartans keeping the Saints hot on the heels of league leaders Central Coast.
It was George Lagoudakis who hit the first, and put St George one up, when he received the ball in space midway through the Spartans half. With time and space to move, Lagoudakis ran at the defence before unleashing a thunderbolt into the absolute top left hand corner of the goal.
This goal, just after halftime gave St George an edge in what had been a close game. Blacktown had looked good for their efforts with Thomas Spencer and Todd Macrae looking dangerous, supported by Greg Kondek.
The Spartans, through Macrae, had the first chance of the match, a lob over Daniel Nash landing on the top netting. Nash was to the rescue shortly after when saving from Kondek while Carlos Saliadarre, at the other end, was also called into action to deny Denis Cutura.
It was Cutura though, who had the best chance of the half. Just a minute before the break, good work down the right set up Cutura, facing an empty net. But the Saints striker watched in horror as the ball sailed over.
Eight minutes into the second half and Lagoudakis struck. But if that wasn?t bad enough for Saliadarre, who had no chance to save, it was almost a mirror image for St George?s second. A direct free kick by Lagoudakis was charged down by the Spartans wall, but referee Michael Collins ruled for encroachment against Blacktown and ordered the free kick to be retaken. This time Ivo de Jesus stepped up and swept the ball into the top right of the net, again giving Saliadarre no hope.
The 2-0 lead, with both goals coming in four minutes deflated Blacktown and St George threatened throughout the rest of the half. Cutura had a header wide, as did Spencer for Blacktown, while Saliadarre did well in saving at the feet of Cutura.
Jordan Figon looked certain to give St George a third but, one-on-one against Saliadarre, put his shot against the post.
Luke Infanti was shown a second yellow after a slight clash, and the Spartans were reduced to ten, with a minute of normal time remaining. But the damage hadn?t ended there.
Cutura was brought down in the box in the dying seconds and was awarded a penalty. A successful first kick was retaken, again due to encroachment, but Cutura showed no nerves in hammering away the second attempt. It was to be the last kick of the game.
?We fell asleep a little bit and that was it?, explained Spartans coach Ben de Hann after the match.
?I thought we dominated the first half and played well. We tried to keep it positive and I thought they bombed it a bit?.
?But I am not complaining. We got beaten, it is unfortunate but we just have to put them away. But once we went a man down, it was all over?.  
St George 3 (George Lagoudakis 58?, Ivo de Jesus 61?, Denis Cutura pen 92?) v Blacktown Spartans 0
3 April 2011
St George Stadium
Referee: Michael Collins
Assistants: Owen Ferguson and David Goldsmith
St George: 1. Daniel Nash 4. Daniel Fallico (22. Simon di Natale 85?) 2. Michael Smith 14. Mark Bariamis 8. Jason Gonzalez 3. Jordan Figon 5. Simon Verrender (c) 25. Ivo de Jesus (11. James Kovas 67?) 6. Reuben Lagos 7. George Lagoudakis (20. Blake Ricciuto 75?) 9. Denis Cutura.
Subs not used: 12. Luke Turnbull 16. Josh Gersbach
Yellow cards: Jason Gonzalez, Simon Verrender, Ivo de Jesus, Reuben Lagos, James Kovas.
Coach: Kory Babington
Blacktown Spartans: 1. Carlos Saliadarre 17. Peter Hubbard 16. Luke Infanti 4. Danny Wells 7. Michael Todd 6. Greg Kondek 19. Simon Zahra 5. Luke Boyd (c) 11. Glen McPherson 8. Thomas Spencer 10. Todd Macrae (9. James Young 53?) Sub on: Daniel Cornett (80?)
Subs not used: 2. Kevin Baker 15. Daniel King
Yellow Cards: Luke Boyd, Greg Kondek, Michael Todd, Tom Spencer, Glen McPherson 
Red Card: Luke Infanti
Coach: Ben de Hann
Central Coast v Dulwich Hill
Central Coast cemented top position after seeing off Dulwich Hill 2-0 but needed to survive a second half onslaught to do so.
Grant Maundrell?s sixth goal of the season gave the Coast a very early lead, connecting to a Jamie Lobb cross, and it was the Coast who dominated the opening forty five minutes.
But the second half was a different story. The introduction of Jason Garrido at half time spurred on the visitors but some poor finishing, combined with some excellent keeping from Jonathan Faerber, meant that Dulwich Hill would remain scoreless.
Their task was made harder just after the hour when Coast?s Mitchell Harper was clear but Nick Dionisiou, giving chase, clipped the heels of Harper. The referee showed no hesitation in pointing to the spot, while also giving Dionisiou a red card.
The young Louis Bozanic made sure, giving Central Coast some breathing space.
Despite being a player short, Dulwich Hill continued to press and dominate, but ultimately could not claw back the deficit.
Central Coast 2 (Grant Maundrell 8?, Louis Bozanic pen 63?) v Dulwich Hill 0
Hills Brumbies v Sydney University
Nils Justine scored his first goal of the season to secure the three points for Sydney University as they defeated Hills Brumbies 1-0.
The goal came after only six minutes, a scramble in the box falling to Justine, resulting in an early lead for Uni which they held for the entire match.
It was the Students first win of the season, a welcome victory for coach John Calleja.
?It was an arm wrestle of a game? he stated. ?I didn?t think we were really outstandin gbut we did well enough to win?.
?Hills are a tough side and they knocked the ball around well. But we put in a performance and battled to get the three points. We still need to improve but four points so far is a decent result?.
Hills Brumbies 0 v Sydney University 1 (Nils Justine 6?)
Macarthur Rams v Spirit FC
Spirit were cock a hoop at coming away from Lynwood Park with a 3-0 win.
While Macarthur Rams may have started the better, it was Spirit who went into the break a goal to the good. Ricky Woodward got the opener after an excellent passing sequence by Spirit and then Tim Simpson got number two in the second half with a low left footer into the bottom corner.
A send off to the Rams didn?t help the home side and it was substitute Kwabena Appiah-Kubi who got behind the defence for the third, then having only the keeper to beat.
A comprehensive win for Spirit, who sit ominously in second position.
?It is always great to come away from Macarthur with the three points?, said John McLafferty.
?We were probably fortunate to be 1-0 up at half time, as I thought the Rams had the better of the first twenty minutes. But we had a lot more possession in the second half, and the extra space after their send off, made a difference?.
Macarthur Rams 0 v Spirit FC 3 (Ricky Woodward 39?, Tim Simpson 53?, Kwabena Appiah-Kubi 77?).
Northern Tigers v West Sydney Berries
There was a dramatic finish to the clash at Mills Park between the Tigers and the Berries.
West Sydney Berries had looked home and hosed to claim their first win of the season when they led 2-0 with under half an hour remaining. Kodgo Etonum had put the visitors 1-0 up not long before half time and then Stefan de Jesus doubled the advantage seven minutes into the second period. It looked like the Berries were on their way until a dramatic twist.
The Tigers stunned West Sydney with a three goal burst in twenty minutes with Tim Geekie being the first to get on the scoresheet. Travis Cooper then drew the Tigers level before an absolute bomb from Max Glanville, put the Tigers in front, with just nine minutes left on the clock.
It looked like the Tigers would now get their first win but Liam McKenna, three minutes into stoppage time, scrambled home to ensure a share of the points.
?It is not really good. It should have been wrapped up,? stated a very disappointed Steve Karavatakis.
?We missed two sitters when we were 2-0 up and that should have been four. I am not happy with the point especially after conceding two goals from corners. We stuck to our game plan and tried to get them on the counter and it was working?.
?But they kept coming and coming and then we copped it?.  
Northern Tigers 3 (Tom Geekie 63? Travis Cooper 73? Max Glanville 81?) West Sydney Berries 3 (Kodgo Etonum 39? Stefan De Jesus 52? Liam McKenna 93?)
Granville Rage v Fraser Park
There was goal mayhem at Garside Park with four goals being scored in the opening twenty minutes.
It took only three minutes before Kris Holbrook got Granville off the mark, and then a further four minutes before he got his second. 2-0 up after seven minutes, the Rage must have been thinking this was all too easy.
But Fraser Park are made of sterner stuff these days and a quick double themselves saw them draw level with only nineteen minutes on the clock. It was captain Paulo Oliviera who did the damage scoring twice in two minutes to stun the Rage.
Leigh Gunn made it 3-2 to the visitors with a quarter of an hour to go to turn the tables on the Rage, the win lifting Fraser Park to a comfortable fourth spot on the ladder.
Granville Rage 2 (Kris Holbrook 3?,7?) Fraser Park FC 3 (Paulo Oliveira 18?, 19? Leigh Gunn 75?).
TOP GOALSCORERS
6 –        Grant Maundrell             (Central Coast)
3 –        Ivo de Jesus                 (St George)
            Kodgo Etonum (West Sydney Berries)
            Kris Holbrook                (Granville Rage)
Dragan Savic                (Hills Brumbies)
2 –        Kwabena Appiah-Kubi(Spirit FC)
Juan Chavez                 (Spirit FC)
Travis Cooper               (Northern Tigers)
Stefan de Jesus            (West Sydney Berries)
            Max Glanville                (Northern Tigers)
            Shannon Hankin            (Macarthur Rams)
            Todd Macrae                 (Blacktown Spartans)
            Liam McConachie          (Sydney University)
            Matt Mitchell                 (Central Coast)
            Paulo Oliviera                (Fraser Park)
            Tim Simpson                 (Spirit FC)
            Thomas Spencer           (Blacktown Spartans)
            Ricky Woodward           (Spirit FC)
-By Peter Rowney