NSW Super League Round 11 Preview
West Sydney Berries suffered their first loss in five league games after losing to Blacktown Spartans but are fourth while St George round out the five after dropping two late points against Sydney University.
It wasn?t a good week for Hills Brumbies or Fraser Park. Both suffered losses to further cement themselves at the bottom of the table. Dulwich Hill took some advantage, their win moving them within a point of Northern Tigers.
Feature Match of the Week
Hills Brumbies v Granville Rage
Granville Rage maintained their recent good from with another win, this time against Hills Brumbies, to go third in the table on goals scored, equal with Spirit and just two points behind Macarthur Rams.
It was a good day for Kris Holbrook too, whose brace of goals sees him take his tally to ten for the season, leading the goalscorer?s charts.
It was an exciting start to this game, with both sides setting out their stall of attack right from the kickoff. There could have been four goals before twenty minutes were up, but for some fine saves from the Brumbies? Chris Rizzo and Granville?s Jason Holmes.
David Comito had a direct free kick tipped over by Rizzo and David Harding was another who was denied by the Brumbies keeper. Harding?s bouncing shot proved difficult but not impossible to save, Rizzo palming around for a corner.
If Rizzo was keeping the Brumbies in it early, Holmes was playing his part at the other end. Eros Bergamin had a great chance to put the Brumbies ahead, but Holmes saved with his feet when a goal seemed certain. It was a let off for the Rage but the Brumbies had an even better chance when Dragan Savic was on the receiving end of some fine passing by Bergamin and Keunike Maralit but the shot was wasted.
The chances in this game were endless, Callum Hedge being denied by another top save by Rizzo while George Kallimanis shot wide for the Rage when in a good position.
But a goal was bound to come, it was just a matter of time. And it was no surprise when it was Holbrook who got his name on the scoresheet. In a race for the ball, Holbrook got there first, slipping between keeper and defender, to knock the ball from the edge of the area into the empty net.
It had taken forty minutes for the first goal to arrive, but only another four minutes for the second. As has been the Brumbies? way this season, a defensive lapse when under no pressure allowed Luke Speranza to knock in number two. It was a cruel blow to the Brumbies who were certainly in it to that point, but the second, right before half time, enabled the Rage to take a comfortable half time lead.
And when a third went in, two minutes after the restart, the game was really all over. Holbrook smashed the ball into the net, first time, after a strong attack down the right.
The goal of the game though was the fourth. Some quick decisive first time passing, begun by Speranza in midfield, resulted in Kallimanis slamming in from out left, giving Rizzo no hope with this one.
Brumbies coach, Mark Abi-Arrage made three simultaneous changes, bringing on Paul Down, Lord Darkoh and Daniel Ramirez in an attempt to rework things and the following period was the Brumbies? brightest. Savic pulled one back just after the hour, showing strength to hold off his defender and Holmes, before sliding the ball home.
Nemanja Tomic then ran right at the Rage defence, opening up before him, but his resultant shot was always rising. Holmes then smothered a Lord Darkoh shot as the Brumbies worked hard for a second goal but it was not to come.
Hills Brumbies 1 (Dragan Savic 63?) v Granville Rage 4 (Kris Holbrook 40?, 47?, Luke Speranza 44?, George Kallimanis 56?)
29 May 2011
at Lily Homes Stadium
Referee: David Morris
Hills Brumbies: 20. Chris Rizzo 5. Russell Farrell 6. Terry Pannowitz 8. Keunike Maralit 9. Dragan Savic (11. Lord Darkoh 55?) 10. Brendan Mitrovich 13. Greg Giovenali (7. Paul Down 55?) 16. Chad Cowley 17. Nemanja Tomic 18. Justin Ciampa (2. Daniel Ramirez 55?) 19. Eros Bergamin.
Subs not used: GK Harrick Sinpraseuth, 4. Jovan Miladinovic
Yellow Cards: Brendan Mitrovich
Coach: Mark Abi-Arrage
Granville Rage: 1. Jason Holmes 2. Ante Bakmaz 3. David Comito (20. Andy Matloub 72?) 6. Joseph Cartisano 7. David Harding 8. Phil Pyliotis 9. Kris Holbrook (22. Craig Morley 80?) 13. Daniel Carrozza 14. George Kallimanis 16. Callum Hedge (15. Luke Speranza 30?) 18. Pat Cappuccio.
Subs not used: 12. Mathew Cavasinni 19. Cameron McKinnon
Yellow Cards: David Harding, Joseph Cartisano, Luke Speranza, Pat Cappuccio
Coaches: Mauricio Islas/Jason Holmes
Dulwich Hill v Fraser Park
In a very passionate local derby, Dulwich Hill got the win they dearly sought coming from behind to defeat neighbours Fraser Park 3-1.
Fraser Park dominated the opening exchanges and took the lead through Clive Delaney, but within twenty seconds of kick off, Dulwich Hill were awarded a penalty when Mark Pinto was fouled in the box. Darren Stapleton made sure of the spotkick to draw Dully level.
Only a minute later, Dulwich Hill took the lead after a mixup in the Fraser Park defence gave Steve Donevski the chance to put them ahead. It was a quick turnaround in the scoreline and one which a grateful Dulwich Hill didn?t relinquish.
As Fraser Park searched for a second half equaliser, bringing on new signing Danny Wilson for his first appearance, Dulwich Hill confirmed the points via Matt Toogood in injury time.
Paul Carter enjoyed the game, as well as the result.
?It was a typical derby game, with a lot of intensity. They really came at us and their strike force gave everything?.
?But we were holding them and once we got on top, we had our chances too.?
It was an improved performance by Dulwich Hill after last week?s hammering by West Sydney Berries.
?Obviously, I wasn?t pleased with last week?s game but we have had two wins from our last three. And we will have three home games in a row now, things are looking a lot more promising?.
For Fraser Park, it was the first game in charge for new coach David Perkovic, following the departure of Alex Augusto during the week. Most recently in charge of the Under 20s at Granville Rage and their Director of Coaching for the Youth League, Perkovic liked what he saw.
?We had a shaky start but then we dominated, having numerous opportunities. But we dropped our guard after the first goal and we had schoolboy errors at the back?, he said.
?We were more balanced after half time and we threw an extra defender forward to try and equalise. But as you know, when you do that, it might work against you. It didn?t matter whether we lost 2-1 or 3-1, but it matters if we draw 2-2. But this time, it just didn?t come off?.
?But there are certainly some encouraging signs. We need an improvement on the defensive side but there is definitely something to work with?, he finished.
Dulwich Hill 3 (Darren Stapleton 28m pen Steve Donevski 29m Matt Toogood 91m) Fraser Park FC 1 (Clive Delaney 26m
St George v Sydney University
A last gasp equaliser by Sydney University made sure that the points were shared in a 1-1 draw at St George Stadium.
In a game which never rose to any great heights, it seemed that St George would hang on for the points after Brad Gibson had given the home side the lead twenty minutes in. It was an excellent goal by Gibson, who had also shaved the post inside the first minute. Gibson ran at the Uni defence, taking on three defenders before unleashing into the bottom corner.
The second goal for St George though wouldn?t come. Denis Cutura had earlier hit the post with a header while Gibson, again, struck the corner of post and bar from distance. Uni defended stoutly and as the game wore on, they sensed that a goal of their own was on the way.
The last fifteen minutes saw the pressure increase as Uni surged forward. A series of free kicks from dangerous positions were to prove St George?s downfall. As the seconds ticked down, Mitchell Lensink floated a superb ball into the area, and amongst a packed defence, the ball was headed onto Simon Turner who nestled the ball into the bottom left.
It was a somewhat flat performance by both sides, who have been very active in recent weeks, something John Calleja made worthy of mention.
?I said previously, this was our seventh game in twenty one days. And it was St George?s fourth game in ten days. Our players are part timers and this sequence of matches is just too much?.
?We had eleven players out (from both squads) on Wednesday against Berries, and ten out tonight. Of those ten, six were first teamers. We really need to look at how we schedule the games?, he said.
Of Uni?s performance, Calleja was more satisfied than he was on Wednesday.
?We defended very well tonight. Though I thought we were wasting our free kicks. The only one that worked was the last one, which we scored from. It was the best delivery of the lot?, he finished.
St George?s Kory Babington was clearly disappointed with the dropped points.
?We gave away a lot of ball and we really didn?t deserve to win. We didn?t take our chances and when that happens, it really leaves you open. We have to start putting teams away?.
St George FC 1 (Brad Gibson 20m) Sydney University 1 (Simon Turner 93m)
Central Coast v Macarthur Rams
Leaders Macarthur Rams retained top spot after a hard earned 2-1 victory at a wet Pluim Park.
But they had to do it the hard way, after going down to a first minute goal by Michael Simmonds, his first for the year.
But constant Rams pressure paid dividends when Chris Gomez equalised after twenty five minutes, getting on the end of an Alan de la Cuadra corner.
Fine goalkeeping from Jonathan Faerber kept the Coast in the game but eventually the winner came. New signing Steve Lloyd, in only his second appearance, secured the points for the Rams after a good run by Chris Boscur-Godoy.
?It was a tough game in very slippery conditions?, said Claudio Canosa.
?Central Coast are very competitive of course, especially at home, but we showed a lot of character. It was a very good result for us?.
Central Coast FC 1 (Michael Simmonds 1m) Macarthur Rams 2 (Chris Gomez 25m Steve Lloyd 67m)
Blacktown Spartans v West Sydney Berries
Blacktown Spartans did what other teams have been unable to do lately and that is keep the West Sydney Berries scoreless. After scoring five goals in each of their past two games, the Berries left Francis Park empty handed after going down by the only goal.
It was a penalty that did the trick for the Spartans, Simon Zahra scoring from the spot after Mario Ghobrial was pushed in the back.
But while there was only one goal in it, there were certainly plenty of chances for both sides.
?It could have been 3-3 at half time?, stated Ben de Hann. ?It was very weird, there should have been more goals.?
?But for us, it is the same story every week, we missed too many chances but we are getting away with it,? was his simple synopsis.
Blacktown Spartans 1 (Simon Zahra 66m pen) West Sydney Berries 0
Spirit FC v Northern Tigers
A very late goal by Brady Smith got Spirit FC three very valuable points as they moved to second position on the table after defeating Northern Tigers 1-0.
It was not a spectacular goal by Smith, more of a tap in, but the points gained has put Spirit into a very nice position at the halfway mark of the competition.
?There were not a lot of chances created,? said John McLafferty, ?and it had 0-0 written all over it?.
?And I can see why Northern Tigers don?t lose many games. They have great defensive discipline and are very hard to break down. But we kept trying things as we didn?t want the draw. So we are over the hill with the three points?.
McLafferty is confident of a promising future too.
?I really think we will have a good second half of the season. I believe that this game will be a turning point for us and I am confident that the goals will now start to come,? he said.
Spirit FC 1 (Brady Smith 88m) Northern Tigers 0
Top Goalscorers
10 – Kris Holbrook (Granville Rage)
8 – Chris Gomez (Macarthur Rams)
Grant Maundrell (Central Coast)
7 – Shannon Hankin (Macarthur Rams)
6 – Ante Deur (West Sydney Berries)
Dragan Savic (Hills Brumbies)
Dimitri Zakilas (West Sydney Berries)
5 – Liam McConaghy (Sydney University)
4 – Kodjo Adjassou (West Sydney Berries)
Juan Chavez (Spirit FC)
Travis Cooper (Northern Tigers)
Denis Cutura (St George)
Ivo de Jesus (St George)
James Kovas (St George)
Matt Mitchell (Central Coast)
James Young (Blacktown Spartans)
Midweek fixtures
Waratah Cup
Blacktown Spartans v Northbridge Tuesday 31 May 7.30pm
Mounties Wanderers v West Sydney Berries Wednesday 1 June 7.00pm
APIA Leichhardt v Macarthur Rams Wednesday 1 June 7.30pm
Hills Brumbies v Sydney Utd Wednesday 1 June 7.30pm
-By Peter Rowney
