Granville Rage v Sydney University Catch-up match

With Super League taking a break over the Easter weekend, Granville Rage and Sydney University took the opportunity to finally play out their previously washed out match from round two.
It was not a result which either side would have wanted though as they shared the points in a 1-1 draw at Marconi Stadium which keeps both teams on the fringes of the leading pack. A win for either team would have seen them jump to equal second in a tight table however neither could get the winner they needed.
It was a game not without its chances, certainly in the first half. Kris Holbrook almost got Granville Rage off to a brilliant start, forcing a save from Michael Frost after just fifty one seconds, clearly catching Uni unawares.
But Uni settled after that scare, as they had too, and it was the visitors who took the lead on ten minutes. A rising effort from Richie Fitzgerald, after a great run down the left, slammed into the roof of the net. It was an unstoppable shot.
They almost got a second too after Matt Demetriou skirted the Rage defence not long after but Jason Holmes parried to safety.
Granville responded with chances of their own. Frost fumbled a Calum Hedge cross which had University hearts in mouths, Uni eventually scrambling away. Jacob Di Mento was then very unlucky to hit the cross bar from distance after expertly lining up his shot.
It was a tough game. Daren Vujovic was forced to leave the field with a bloodied head, following in the footsteps of team mate David McMurray, who was replaced after only seven minutes, with injury. McMurray?s departure was the chance for Simon Turner, Uni?s club captain, to make his first appearance of the season and he slotted in nicely to the centre of defence.
An overhead strike from Holbrook threatened for Granville but it was Liam McConaghy who almost got Uni a second. With only minutes to go to half time, the tall striker nodded clear of the Rage defence and his pace took him away. Just on the edge of the area, he let fly but Holmes, again, was equal to the task.
Uni took a 1-0 lead into the break but it took only ten minutes of the second half for the Rage to finally equalise.  A free kick just outside the area presented a great chance. Holbrook swept his shot around the wall, seeming to take a nick, before planting it in the bottom left.
Granville upped the ante after this, the equaliser proving a great fillip. They pressed hard for a second, and almost had it, but a firm header towards goal deflected off the head of Daniel Carrozza, almost on the line, and somehow over.
A couple of late chances provided small opportunities but the game was now destined for the draw.
?This one could have gone either way?, admitted John Calleja after the game. ?It seemed like the winner would be the one with the less defensive errors?.
?It is not really a good result for either side, though we both had our chances?.
The mounting injury toll for Uni is a cause for concern too. With defender Oliver Skelding out from the Spirit game last week, now fellow defenders McMurray and Vujovic were forced off.
?We will be back to training on Easter Monday and will lick our wounds. We will have to see the how we are. Maybe McMurray is the greater concern at the moment but we will see?.
Match Stats
Granville Rage 1 (Kris Holbrook 57?) v Sydney University 1 (Richie Fitzgerald 10?)
21 April 2011
Marconi Stadium
Referee: Khodr Yagi
Assistants: Alex Long and David Walshe
Granville Rage: 1. Jason Holmes 2. Ante Bakmaz 3. David Comito (20. And Matloub 83?) 6. Joseph Cartisano 7. David Harding 9. Kris Holbrook 10. Jacob Di Mento 13. Daniel Carrozzo (c) 16. Calum Hedge (15. George Kallimanis 89?) 17. Domenico Di Mento (8. Phil Pyliotis 80?) 18. Pat Cappuccio.
Subs not used: 12. Matthew Cavasinni 22. Paul Houteas
Yellow Cards: Ante Bakmaz
Coaches: Mauricio Islas and Jason Holmes
Sydney University: 21. Michael Frost 2. James O?Rourke 4. Justine Nils 5. David McMurray (3. Simon Turner 7?) 8. Kenda Takashima 9. Liam McConaghy 10. Matt Demetriou (7. Leon Pirello 85?) 12. Daren Vujovic (15. David Colibably 30?) 14. Richie Fitzgerald 16. Mitch Lensink 40. Troy Ruthven.
Subs not used: 11. Gerard Ouffove 31. Jesse Shewen
Yellow Cards: Troy Ruthven, Simon Turner, Justine Nils, Leon Pirello.
Coach: John Calleja
Under 20s: Granville Rage 0 v Sydney University 2
Still to play: There remains one final match from round two still to be played. Northern Tigers will meet Macarthur Rams on Tuesday 3 May at Mills Park.
Top Goalscorers
6 –        Grant Maundrell             (Central Coast)
5 –        Kris Holbrook                (Granville Rage)
4 –        Juan Chavez                 (Spirit FC)
Travis Cooper               (Northern Tigers)
            Ivo de Jesus                 (St George)
            Shannon Hankin            (Macarthur Rams)
Liam McConaghy          (Sydney University)
WARATAH CUP
Before the next Super League round takes place, the SL clubs will face off in the second round of the Waratah Cup which commences from next Tuesday. The matches next week involving the Super League clubs are:
Wed 27 April               
Blacktown Spartans       v          Balmain
Pagewood Botany         v          Granville Rage
West Sydney Berries     v          Stanmore Hawks
Mount Druitt Town         v          Dulwich Hill
Fraser Park                   v          Pacific Hills Dural
Wed 11 May
Macarthur Rams v Canberra FC
-By Peter Rowney