Division One Youth League Round 24 Review

Club Championship
There can be little doubt that we will have to wait until the last ball is kicked in the competition before we know whether Mt Druitt or Gladesville will be declared Club Champions as there is very little between the two clubs.
Mt Druitt Town Rangers are the frontrunners on this table by a single point after they took nine points from their meeting with sixth placed Stanmore Hawks after the clubs had shared the first round points at seven apiece.
Second placed Gladesville Ryde Magic had bagged twelve of the first round points when they faced eleventh placed Balmain East Tigers and this week Magic slipped thirteen points into their collective pockets.
In catch-up action from Round 22 Mt Druitt and Gladesville took three points each from the two matches played so there was no change at the top of this table.
St George are in third position after they earned twelve points from their matches against eighth placed Hurstville City Minotaurs. The Saints had taken nine points from the first round encounter.
In catch-up action from Round 22 the Minotaurs took thirteen points from the five matches they played against Springwood.
Fourth placed Hakoah had taken all fifteen of the first round points from Nepean but on this occasion they had to be content with taking eight points from the day.
In catch-up action from Round 22 Hakoah and Stanmore earned four points each from the three matches they played.
Camden Tigers are in fifth position after they split the points at seven apiece with ninth placed Southern NSW. When they met last time the Tigers had taken nine points from the clash.
Seventh placed Hills Brumbies had earned ten points from their first round encounter with tenth placed Springwood United and this week the Brumbies were able to take eleven points from the matches.
Northbridge had bagged ten points from their first round meeting with Inter Lions but it was a different story this time around as Inter made off with ten points from Sunday?s matches. This leaves Inter at twelfth and Northbridge at thirteenth.
Grade 13
With only two points separating first from fifth and then only two more points to sixth spot, it is certain that there will be plenty of nail-biting moments left in this season.
Hakoah had won the first round encounter with ninth placed Nepean 5-0 and they completed the double when they produced a 4-1 result this time around. Hakoah are the competition leaders after they drew 0-0 with Stanmore in a Round 22 catch-up match.
Southern NSW are in second spot after they accounted for third placed Camden Tigers with a 4-0 scoreline and that completes the double for Southern as they had taken the first round points with a 1-0 result.
Mt Druitt Town Rangers are in fourth position following their 2-0 victory over tenth placed Stanmore Hawks who the Rangers had beaten 5-0 when they met in the first round.
Placed fifth on goal difference, Gladesville Ryde Magic were 4-0 winners when they faced fourteenth placed Balmain East Tigers last time and this week Magic completed the double with a 5-1 success.
St George are in sixth spot after they produced 1-0 result over seventh placed Hurstville City Minotaurs who had claimed the first round points when they were 3-0 winners.
In a Round 22 catch-up match the Minotaurs produced a 4-1 win over Springwood.
Eighth placed Hills Brumbies came up with a 3-0 victory over thirteenth placed Springwood United, reversing the first round outcome when the mountain men had won 1-0. 
Northbridge and Inter Lions had battled out a thrill-a-minute 3-3 draw when they faced each other in the first round. However, on this occasion Northbridge took all the points with a strong 5-0 victory.
Northbridge had added three points to their account when they were 3-1 winners in a Round 19 mid-week catch-up match against St George.
Grade 14
It looks as though the top five teams are settled but there may well be some changes in the pecking order of the next couple of weeks. Of course, many of the remaining teams will be playing for pride and bragging rights as they each strive to achieve the best possible finish.
St George are the competition leaders thanks to a 2-1 win over Northbridge in a Round 19 mid-week catch-up match and then a 1-0 result over twelfth placed Hurstville City Minotaurs on Saturday. The Saints had beaten the Minotaurs 3-1 in the first round.
Hurstville registered a 2-1 success over Springwood in a Round 22 catch-up match.
Second placed Stanmore Hawks had defeated third placed Mt Druitt Town Rangers 1-0 in the first round but the Rangers squared the ledger when they produced a 1-0 win this week.
Hakoah are in fourth position following their 4-0 success over thirteenth placed Nepean who they had beaten by the odd goal in five when they met in the first round.
Hakoah also posted a 2-1 victory when they met Stanmore in a Round 22 catch-up match on Sunday.
Fifth placed Camden Tigers were 2-0 winners over ninth placed Southern NSW in their first round clash but on this occasion the teams shared the spoils when their match finished at 1-1.
Balmain East Tigers are sitting in sixth spot after they suffered a 3-1 loss to seventh placed Gladesville Ryde Magic who had claimed the first round points with a 6-1 result.
Eighth placed Hills Brumbies had produced a 3-0 victory last time they saw fourteenth placed Springwood United and they went on with the job when they completed the double with a 1-0 success this week.
Northbridge had defeated Inter Lions 4-1 when they met in the first round but Inter were able to turn the tables this week when they came up with a 2-1 result.
Grade 15
With the Premiership issue settled there is bound to be plenty of interest in the final pecking order of the next four teams over the next two weeks and that could be a fascinating situation.
Mt Druitt Town Rangers had claimed the Premiership last week and they maintained their unbeaten record this week with a 2-1 result over fifth placed Stanmore Hawks who the Rangers had beaten 3-0 the first time around.
The Hawks then registered a 4-0 win over Hakoah in a Round 22 catch-up match played on Sunday.
Second placed Southern NSW were 4-2 winners when they faced eleventh placed Camden Tigers last time and they completed the double with a 2-0 win on Saturday.
Gladesville Ryde Magic are in third position after they battled out a scoreless draw with fourth placed Balmain East Tigers who had taken the first round points with a 2-0 result.
Sixth placed Hurstville City Minotaurs were 2-1 winners when they played against tenth placed St George in the first round but the Saints turned the tables on them this week when they produced a 1-0 win.
Hurstville then posted a 2-0 result over Springwood in a Round 22 catch-up match played on Sunday.
Springwood United are in seventh spot despite suffering a 1-0 loss to twelfth placed Hills Brumbies who had also claimed the first round points with a 3-1 scoreline.
Hakoah are placed eighth following their 1-1 draw with fourteenth placed Nepean and that completes the double for the eastern suburbs outfit as they were 4-0 winners last time.
Northbridge had produced a 4-1 result last time they faced Inter Lions but Inter squared the ledger this week when they produced a 2-1 victory.
Grade 16
While the top two teams seem to be assured of places in the finals series, there are six teams lining up to grab one of the three remaining places so there are sure to be plenty of thrills and spills in the coming fortnight.
Gladesville Ryde Magic have a competition leading margin of three points after they came up with a 5-0 success over eleventh placed Balmain East Tigers who had lost the first round match 4-0.
Gladesville added three more points to their tally when they were 3-0 winners over Mt Druitt in Sunday?s Round 22 catch-up match.
Hakoah are sitting in second spot following their 1-1 draw with fourteenth placed Nepean. That result is very interesting because Hakoah had won the first round match 10-0.
Third placed Stanmore Hawks had won the first round match against tenth placed Mt Druitt Town Rangers with a 1-0 scoreline and they went on with the job when they posted a handy 3-1 victory this week.
Hurstville City Minotaurs are fourth thanks to their 1-0 win over fifth placed St George who had claimed the first round points with a 1-0 result of their own.
On Sunday Hurstville came up with a 2-0 result when they faced Springwood in a Round 22 catch-up match.
Sixth placed Hills Brumbies were 3-1 winners last time they faced ninth placed Springwood United but this week?s match ended in a scoreless draw.
Camden Tigers are sitting at seventh following their 4-0 victory over thirteenth placed Southern NSW and that gives the Tigers the double as they had won the first round match5-0.
Northbridge had gone down 4-0 last time they played against Inter Lions and Inter went on with the job as they posted a 4-1 success in Sunday?s match.
Grade 18
The battle for the Premiership is wide open as the current top three battle it out over the next two weeks and there is bound to be quite a lot of interest in the outcome of all their matches. There could still be a late change to the remaining two places in the finals series but there is only an outside chance of this happening.
Gladesville Ryde Magic are at the top of the competition table by a margin of two points following their sensational 7-0 victory over thirteenth placed Balmain East Tigers who Magic had beaten 4-1 last time around.
Gladesville then lost 2-0 when they met Mt Druitt in Sunday?s Round 22 catch-up match.
Second placed Hills Brumbies were held to a 2-2 draw by eighth placed Springwood United after the first round match had ended in a scoreless draw.
That trend continued when Springwood held Hurstville City Minotaurs to a scoreless draw in Sunday?s Round 22 catch-up match.
Camden Tigers are placed third following their 8-0 result over fourteenth placed Southern NSW who had gone down by exactly the same scoreline last time they played the Tigers.
Fourth placed Stanmore Hawks were 1-0 winners when they met ninth placed Mt Druitt Town Rangers in the first round and this week the Hawks went on with the job as they registered a 2-1 result.
St George are fifth after they came up with a 2-0 win over seventh placed Hurstville City Minotaurs after they teams had battled out a 2-2 first round draw.
Hakoah are holding down sixth spot after they suffered a 3-1 loss to tenth placed Nepean. Hakoah had taken the first round points with a win by the odd goal in seven.
Northbridge had produced a 4-2 victory over Inter Lions in their first round clash but on this occasion the teams split the points after they battled out a thrill-a-minute 4-4 draw.
-By Barry Davis