NSW Super League Round 8 Review

Macarthur Rams, after some impressive recent performances, now take over at the head of the table after dispatching of Dulwich Hill 2-0.
Hills Brumbies gained their first win of the season, the win over Blacktown Spartans moving them off bottom spot, above Dully.
Feature Match of the Week
Northern Tigers v St George
There was little in it at Mills Park as Northern Tigers and St George ground out a 0-0 draw in a match which saw limited real chances, though not any lack of effort.
The Tigers, after suffering their first loss of the season midweek, were looking to get their season on track after too many draws while St George were more than keen to resume playing Super League after an extensive layoff.
It was the Tigers who perhaps started just the brighter, obviously keen not to concede an early goal as they did against the Rams, and were ready for this one from the kickoff. Max Glanville, who was instrumental in the Tigers? Grand Final win over the Saints last season, set up the first chance when his perfect low cross flew in across the face of goal. Unfortunately for the Tigers, it evaded all, giving St George an early reprieve.
But as St George settled, they began to dominate, pressing the Tigers high up the park and allowing little time for Northern Tigers to organise. Most opportunities, for both sides, were limited to speculative efforts, Steven Baveas not really testing Daniel Nash although Reuben Lagos did bring a diving save from Stuart Page.
A good buildup from St George saw Ivo de Jesus cross invitingly for Denis Cutura but he was just over while Lagos, again, tried from distance without threatening the goal. Daniel Vukovic, for the Tigers, had a half chance but his shot lacked power.
The defences were really on top in this game, although as time ticked on, each side became just that little more desperate to get the opener. In truth, it was likely there would only be one goal in it, the team who would strike first looking most likely to claim all three points. But try as they might, the goal just wouldn?t come, and neither defence looked likely to budge.
There was two late scares though, one for either side. With just six minutes to go, as St George were pressing, a corner from de Jesus was met with some force by Michael Smith but his header just flashed wide. It was a close call but perhaps not as close as at the other end. In the last couple of minutes, Travis Cooper looked to have the goal at his mercy but some desperate defending by St George and maybe a little panic from Cooper, saw his shot creep wide.
In the end, it was shared points yet again for the Tigers. Perhaps St George would be happier with the point, a visit to Mills Park always a difficult place to get a result. 
Northern Tigers 0 v St George 0
8 May 2011
at Mills Park, Asquith
Referee: David Morris
Assistants: Chris Wells and Michael Robertson
Northern Tigers: 1. Stuart Page 12. Rhys Williams 2. Travis Oughtred 3. Luke Reading 4. Michael Rolston 11. Daniel Vukovic 14. Brendan Salameh (7. Tom Geekie 75?) 16. Steven Baveas 8. Max Glanville (17. Travis Cooper 65?) 9. Thomas Mackay 10. G Forbes.
Subs not used: 13. Ian King 23. Daniel Clifford Rgk Marc Messina
Yellow Cards: Travis Oughtred, G Forbes, Rhys Williams
St George:  1. Daniel Nash 21. Blake Ricciuto 2. Michael Smith 14. Mark Bariamis 8. Jason Gonzalez (17. Josh Gersbach 37?) 7. George Lagoudakis (11. James Kovas 60?) 6. Reuben Lagos 25. Ivo de Jesus 5. Simon Verrender 22. Brad Gibson (3. Simon Di Natale 82?) 9. Denis Cutura.
Subs not used: 12. Luke Turnbull 12. Matt Wilkinson
Yellow cards: Mark Bariamis, Reuben Lagos, Simon Verrender, Josh Gersbach
Macarthur Rams v Dulwich Hill
Macarthur Rams continued their excellent run of form to win their fourth game on the trot defeating Dulwich Hill 2-0, a win which takes the Rams to the top of the table.
In an even game, it was Chris Gomez who gave the Macarthur the lead after twenty six minutes, benefiting from some good work by Peter Halstead, slotting home from inside the six yard box.
Dulwich Hill worked hard searching for an equaliser, but with space opening up as they pushed men forward, the Rams were able to seal the victory. Gomez, on the counter attack, ran at the Dully defence, before setting up Alvaro Malmierca in the dying moments.
?It was a tense game? stated Claudio Canosa. ?I think three games in seven days took a bit of sharpness off us, so it was great to get the three points.?
?It was a box-to-box game and Dulwich Hill pushed a lot of people forward, especially in the second half as they tried to equalise, and so we were able to get some space behind them?.
It may have been three games in seven days, but there is no rest for the Rams. They face Canberra FC in the Waratah Cup on Wednesday, giving Canosa some food for thought.
?We will have to assess the team on Tuesday. We may play a few of the Under 20s who have been playing well plus some others in the squad. We also we had to take off Shannon Hankin as he picked up a knock so we will have to see.?
It will certainly be a busy time for the likeable coach who has recently taken on the role of Fiji national coach, combining those duties with the Rams.
?We will soon be preparing for the South Pacific Games in New Caledonia which will double up as the World Cup qualifiers so we will be running a camp soon. We will have a camp once a month before the Games, which are in August/September, so that will be excellent opportunity for me, a chance to gain some international experience?.
Macarthur Rams 2 (Chris Gomez 26, Alvaro Malmierca 94?) v Dulwich Hill 0
West Sydney Berries v Spirit FC
In a remarkable scoreline from Lidcombe Oval, West Sydney Berries trounced league leaders Spirit 5-2 to claim their second win of the season.
Spirit, who had only conceded four goals all season prior to this game, conceded that amount again in fifteen crazy first half minutes.
John Tsironis controlled well to get the Berries off the mark after twenty five minutes, before Ante Deur got the first of his double eight minutes later. Before Spirit had time to draw breath, Kodjo Adjassou made it 3-0 and then five minutes after that, a fourth went in via Dimitri Zakilas.  
4-0 at the break and the leaders were well and truly out. But true to their name, Spirit tried to get back into it, Josh de Kelly reducing the arrears with twenty minutes to go.
But the four goal buffer was reinstated by Deur, getting his second, before de Kelly scored again in injury time.
?We had our game plan, which we stuck to, and we worked very hard?, said an ecstatic Steve Karavatakis. ?All our goals came from open play too. We really could have had seven in the first half, we had plenty of chances.?
John McLafferty was circumspect with the result.  
?We had to change our defensive lineup a little before the game, and we changed our style somewhat. But there is no doubt the Berries deserved to win, they were very determined and will pick up many more points.
?We had to alter things at half time, and decided to have a go, despite being down 4-0, and we won the second half 2-1?while the result is very disappointing, I am optimistic we can pick up again?.
West Sydney Berries 5 (James Tsironis 25?, Ante Deur 33?, 82?, Kodjo Adjassou 35?, Dimitri Zakilas 40?) v Spirit FC 2 (Josh de Kelly 69?, 93?)
Sydney University v Fraser Park
It was a much improved Fraser Park who took on Sydney University this week but despite the far better performance, it was Uni who claimed all the points.
Fraser started like a house on fire and had Uni on the back foot as the visitors took to the game. They had the best opportunity to open the scoring when David Colibably conceded a penalty giving new recruit Tony Faria the perfect chance to open his account for Fraser.
But while Faria failed to convert the spotkick, he quickly made amends when he finally put Fraser Park in front twenty minutes in.
They held the lead until five minutes out from the break. Colibably, himself making amends for giving away the penalty, getting on the end of a corner.
University then gained the upper hand when they scored again, David McMurray, again after a corner, putting Uni in front.
?We didn?t play our best?, said John Calleja. ?We struggled with their system and for the first twenty to twenty five minutes, they should have put us away?.
?But we fixed our shape at half time, and were much improved in the second half, which we dominated?.
Alex Augusto, was very happy with the performance, if not the end result.
?It was the best we have played all year. We were very positive and showed some very good signs. I am very proud of the boys?.
Sydney University 2 (David Colibably 40?, David McMurray 53?) v Fraser Park 1 (Tony Faria 20?)
Hills Brumbies v Blacktown Spartans
A sigh of relief could be heard from Lily Homes Stadium as Hills Brumbies finally got off the mark with 3-2 win over Blacktown Spartans, the win lifting the Brumbies off the bottom of the table.
They had a 3-0 lead by half time and must have thought the reward for some hard work had already arrived. Terry Pannowitz opened the scoring on twenty seven minutes and then two quick goals before half time gave the Brumbies a healthy lead. Lord Darkoh had made it 2-0 before Eros Bergamin made it three.
But a quick response straight after the break would have given the Brumbies faithful some heart palpitations. Mario Ghobrial brought the Spartans back into it within three minutes of the restart but, unfortunately for the Spartans, James Young’s goal to bring it back to 3-2 came too late.
Hills Brumbies 3 (Terry Pannowitz 27?, Lord Darkoh 40?, Eros Bergamin 43?) v Blacktown Spartans 2 (Mario Ghobrial 48?, James Young 90?) 
Granville Rage v Central Coast
Granville Rage moved back into the top five with a close 1-0 win over Central Coast, who now slip out of the five for the first time this season.
A lone goal from captain Daniel Carrozza in the first half was enough to ensure that the Rage took all the points.
Granville Rage 1 (Daniel Carrozza 30?) v Central Coast 0
Top Scorers
7 –        Shannon Hankin            (Macarthur Rams)
6 –        Grant Maundrell             (Central Coast)
5 –        Chris Gomez                 (Macarthur Rams)
Kris Holbrook                (Granville Rage)
4 –        Kodjo Adjassou            (West Sydney Berries)
Juan Chavez                 (Spirit FC)
Travis Cooper               (Northern Tigers)
Ivo de Jesus                 (St George)
Liam McConaghy          (Sydney University)
3 –        Ante Deur                     (West Sydney Berries)
James Young            (Blacktown Spartans)
Paulo Oliviera                (Fraser Park)
Dragan Savic                (Hills Brumbies)
Tim Simpson                 (Spirit FC)
-By Peter Rowney