State League Two Round 26 Review
The newcomers from Sydney?s northern districts are deserved 2011 premiers after winning all 13 of their second-round fixtures to leave no team unturned as they head into the finals with imposing momentum. Northbridge have blasted 42 goals in the past 13 winning weeks and although content with a 2011 premiership title and probable promotion to division one they?d love nothing more than to add a grand final trophy to the cabinet while they?re at it.
In other games a Roosters double (beating Hurstville 5-0 following a 2-1 midweek win over Belmore) saw them creep ahead of Luddenham into third place after United?s inexplicable 2-4 loss to Hercules, although they did smack Bathurst 5-2 in the final round to keep fourth place.
Prospect defeated Chopin Park 1-0 to wrap up fifth spot, Belmore beat Wanderers 1-0 and Hawkesbury downed Nepean 4-0.
On the scorers chart Hakoah?s Neil Jablonski finished the 2011 season with 25 goals, three ahead of Northbridge star Ry Hardy, after the aces went scoreless in the final round, Hardy?s team-mate Elliot King edging one goal toward them (19) after he separated the two sides on Sunday.
The regular season goalscorers count finished:
25 ? Neil Jablonski (Hakoah),
22 ? Ry Hardy (Northbridge),
19 ? Elliot King (Northbridge),
15 ? Ercan Topal (Roosters),
14 ? Huso Merdanovic (Luddenham), Gustavo Orcajo (Prospect),
13 ? Paul Cooper (Hawkesbury), Ahmed Chandab (Prospect),
12 ? Paul Paras (Belmore), Haissan Morhi (Hurstville),
11 ? Grant Odei (Luddenham), Bryan Campbell (Springwood), Peter Henderson (Springwood),
10 ? Daniel Hillege (Northbridge), Baturay Akin (Roosters), Adem Taslak (Roosters),
9 ? Luke Sullivan (Bathurst), Rani Rimmer (Hakoah), Pasquale Corso (Luddenham), Max Zanders (Northbridge),
8 ? Jarrod Portegies (Bathurst), Jason Browne (Nepean),
A big job well done to all clubs for finishing off a lengthy season of 26 games, many catch-up fixtures, an extended Waratah Cup run for several clubs, plus pre-season trials and training. It was a good competition and tight for most of the year. Congratulations to the finalists. A statistical review of the division two season will be posted on this website this week.
Northbridge defeat Hakoah
Northbridge claimed the 2011 division two premiership with a tense 1-0 victory over Hakoah at a packed Northbridge Oval on Sunday afternoon.
Almost 1000 people turned up on a beautiful sunny day to watch State League Two?s kingpins battle it out, but while the atmosphere was fever pitch the on-field action was methodical as both coaches knuckled down for a tactical game of wits.
After a scoreless first half, a clever Jun Arima cross less than 10 minutes into the second half floated delicately over for Elliot King to head into goal and send the home crowd into raptures. With a few chances here and there Northbridge held on for the 1-0 win that would see them claim the premiership by three points over Hakoah.
This earned the premiers a week off while Hakoah faces Roosters in an epic qualifying clash, but that game was far from Northbridge coach Joe Haywood?s thoughts as he celebrated with his team, supporters, club officials and friends at a festive Northbridge Golf Club on Sunday night. The salutes were flowing and a hoarse Haywood thrilled.
?I lost my voice out on the field. We watched Hakoah play last week and worked on marking certain players and pressed all those right areas, and I thought our tactics worked brilliantly? we did what we needed to do,? he said over the background din.
?It?s been a great partnership with assistant coach Alex McGillycuddy; we work well together, we?ve both got good ideas, we?re both enthusiastic, and we want to keep going and push Northbridge as far as we can go.?
?This is definitely up there [greatest sporting achievements]? a really good feather in the cap and good experience for me as a coach, which is something I?m looking to develop. The Northbridge board is really happy with what we?ve been able to do as a team, they?re celebrating with us now actually? it?s been a great year and there?s been so many people involved in this happening.?
Coming from England, Haywood knows that first past the post matters the most and he could all but confirm Northbridge?s rise into the division one ranks next year, but he also promised a good showing in the championship series. ?It?s all about the league; the finals series doesn?t matter as much. But there?s another trophy to win so that?s what we?ll focus on,? he said.
?I still think Hakoah is our biggest opponent. They have a strong defence, a strong midfield, they?re well organised, got top goalscorers; we knew we had to be switched on.?
Hakoah coach congratulated Hakoah on their victory and praised the crowd for adding further flair to a climactic clash, but he was relieved to know his side could do much better than what they offered in the 1-0 loss. ?I don?t think anyone?s seen a crowd like that in this division! It was a great little setting, but it wasn?t a great game for the spectacle,? he said. ?No-one had a great deal of chances. Jabba [league leading scorer Neil Jablonski] didn?t get as many as he usually does, there was nothing clear cut at all.?
?It was still a very good contest, but I don?t think we saw a grand final winning performance from either side,? Robertson said, disappointed his side missed out on a last-to-first fairytale finish.
?It?s still tight and all the teams will be more than a handful. I still think we can get up over Northbridge if we get to play them again, and they?ll probably feel the same. We played Luddenham too early on in the season [6-1 win to Hakoah in round 1 and a 2-0 win to Luddenham in the return match] to say who was the better side, Roosters are always tough, so it should be a very interesting contest.?
Both clubs were also toasting the success of their reserve grade sides after Hakoah scrambled into fifth place following a frenetic 3-2 win over Northbridge. They?ll face Gazy Lansvale in the knockout final next week while Northbridge meet Hawkesbury in the qualifying final.
Northbridge 1 (Elliot King 53m) Hakoah 0
Reserve grade: Northbridge 2 Hakoah 3
Roosters rumble Minotaurs
Roosters rattled Hurstville City Minotaurs 5-0 at Hills Sports High on Sunday afternoon to secure third place on the ladder and qualifying final draw against Hakoah next week.
Baturay Akin knocked in a fumbled freekick midway through the first half to start the ball rolling for Roosters, but they were made to work hard for their win ? Tarik Ozgul opening the gates with 15 minutes to go in the match, Roosters keeper Taner Ganulp converting a rare penalty goal (twice, because he baulked the first time), Ercan Topal claiming a fourth and Barki Elven finalising proceedings with a last-minute goal to make it 5-0 to the home side.
Roosters coach Musti Akca was excited about the finals series. ?We don?t care who?s in front of us now. A few games cost us the title, and in the end it was only the little things that cost us,? he said. ?We know that once we play as a unit we are one of the best teams if not the best team in the competition. We had our eyes on the premiership, now we have a shot at the grand final.?
?It?s still too hard to say who is the hardest to beat? whoever?s on their day and puts it in can win,? he said. ?We should make it there, but it won?t be easy. It will be close.?
Hurstville coach Peter Sarikakis put his division two chairman?s hat on to thank all the clubs for taking part in another terrific division two competition. ?I want to congratulate all the teams who have made the semi-finals and wish them good luck in the finals,? he said.
As for a winner? ?[Northbridge] should go on to win it because they won today, but the grand final is also about on the day. The teams are very equal. Hakoah have one main player and he can be marked out of the game, whereas Northbridge are a more all-round team. It should be a very good finals series.?
Roosters 5 (Baturay Akin 26m Tarik Ozgul 75m Taner Gunalp 82m Barki Elven 86m Ercan Topal 89m) Hurstville City Minotaurs 0
Reserve grade: Roosters 5 Hurstville City 2
Luddenham belt Bathurst
Luddenham United had to deal with a feisty Bathurst ?75 in a 5-2 win at Luddenham Oval on Sunday afternoon, sealing fourth spot and a home elimination final against Prospect next week.
Luddenham were dirty about ruining their premiership hopes and first-half goals to Pasquale Corso and Huso Merdanovic built a 2-0 halftime lead over ?75, Merdanovic and Michael Wood adding two more after the break to make it 4-0 before the hour-mark.
Bathurst didn?t give up and Ricky Guihot pegged one back moments later, but a third Merdanovic strike buried the visitors at 5-1 down, even though Guihot scored a consolation a few minutes before fulltime.
Luddenham coach Andrew Montgomery called the victory ?refreshing? and applauded Bathurst for bringing a near full-strength side for the long trip. ?We used it as good preparation for next weekend?s game and I was very happy with the performance,? he said.
?It really doesn?t matter who we play in the finals to be honest. We?re all pumped and ready to give it our best shot. Of course we?re disappointed about missing out on the premiership, and we?ll be lucky to win against the quality sides that are in the finals. But I?d like to thank the premiers [Northbridge]; they were the best side of all year and deserved to win.?
Bathurst coach Mark Rooke believed the premiers would go on to win the grand final. ?I think Northbridge. Both teams [Hakoah] are very good in attack and both teams have their defensive frailties, so whoever gets their defence together will win it. I?m leaning toward Northbridge,? he said.
Luddenham United 5 (Pasquale Corso 38m Huso Merdanovic 41/54/78m Michael Wood 51m) Bathurst ?75 2 (Ricky Guihot 61/87m)
Reserve grade: Luddenham United 1 Bathurst ?75 3
Prospect outfox Chopin Park
Prospect United did what they had to and just fleeced the Rams 1-0 at Chopin Park on Sunday afternoon but they had to settle for fifth spot as Roosters and Luddenham victories prevented them from hosting a finals fixture.
Ahmed Chandab beat the Rams keeper in a neat one-on-one situation in the second half to secure the United win and consolidate a good hit-out before the finals.
Prospect coach Tony Caruso relished the opportunity to play out a ?tough game? and looked forward to a finals flurry, no matter who they faced. ?We don?t care, mate, it?s a grand final for us every week from here,? he said. ?On behalf of the club I?d like to congratulate the minor premiership winners and wish them all the best.?
Former Rams coach Radek Czerwinski said Northbridge and Hakoah were the competition?s leading outfits and backed today?s winner to go on to win the grand final too. ?They?re both fairytale stories, with Hakoah going from last place to nearly first and Northbridge is a completely new team, but I think Northbridge.?
Chopin Park Rams 0 Prospect United 1 (Ahmed Chandab 56m)
Reserve grade: Chopin Park Rams 1 Prospect United 0
Springwood overcome Gazy
Springwood United dug deep to defeat Gazy Lansvale 4-3 in a miraculous escape at Cherrybrook Park on Sunday afternoon, finishing their season on a high.
After Gazy?s reserves secured fourth spot with a 1-0 win and knocked Springwood out in the process they also looked like doing the goods in firsts as well when M Ellehayfi three times in the opening half-hour to send the home fans into raptures.
Rob Haberman scrambled in a corner kick to hand Springwood a halftime lifeline trailing 3-1 at the interval, and Peter Henderson lifted spirits further when he scored off a corner (after the United keeper had a penalty attempt saved by his opposite number), but more drama was to follow with Nathan King converting a spot-kick to tie the scores up at 3-3.
Tim O?Connell completed the remarkable comeback with a neat finish inside the last five minutes of the game, Springwood winning 4-3.
United coach Errol Warwick-Day said it was a funny game from his perspective. ?We didn?t quite have a full compliment and they came out and played some good football,? he said. ?We just butchered our chances? we keep finding new ways to murder chances, but we had gone out there for a bit of fun and when they scored their third goal I remember hearing our keeper saying we could still win it 6-3, so I brought that up at halftime and asked them to lift their commitment. It was a terrific second half.?
In terms of the grand final winner, Warwick-Day was not that interested. ?I don?t place much emphasis on the grand final to be honest; to me it?s always first past the post. Good luck to all the teams.?
Gazy coach Safet Alispahic was relieved to reach the end of a challenging year but was already scheming for a 2012 rise from the ashes for Lansvale. ?Firstly I want to thank all my boys for finishing off the season; and I?m very proud for the reserves to make the semi-finals, they are our club?s future,? he said.
?We have learned our lesson this year and paid the price. I personally have learned something and I know it will benefit the team. I?m already starting to build the team for next season, but for now my thanks to all the teams for being fair and correct. I said at the start of the year that this is one of the best competitions Football NSW has got and I was right.?
Gazy Lansvale 3 (M Ellehayfi 11/17/32m) Springwood United 4 (Rob Haberman 45m Peter Henderson 73m Nathan King 84m Tim O?Connell 86m)
Reserve grade: Gazy Lansvale 1 Springwood United 0
Belmore beat Wanderers
Belmore Hercules made it four wins in the last six weeks after knocking over Fairfield Wanderers 1-0 at Knight Park on Sunday afternoon, jumping two spots to 11th following a fruitful week that included an astounding 4-2 catch-up win over Luddenham.
A George Illiopoulos goal 10 minutes from fulltime decided the affair, and put the cherry on Belmore?s morale-boosting mini-comeback after being in the competition doldrums for so long all season.
Coach Walter Alvarez, who only took over in the second round of matches, was pleased with the way the team responded to the challenge in front of them. ?We did pick it up at the end, and even had some good games before that but couldn?t get the results,? he said. ?But the team got more mature and started to understand my philosophy and I?m happy with that.?
In terms of a finals winner, Alvarez was split. ?Northbridge are a very solid team and play good football, while Hakoah play a different football with more passes. I think it will be between both of them [in the grand final] and will go for Northbridge to win.?
Wanderers coach Leo Maturana was pleased Fairfield?s reserves wrapped up the minor premiership with a 1-0 win over Hercules, and he was glad the first grade regular season had finally finished. ?It is hard to motivate the boys when there?s nothing to play for ? we had chances, they had chances,? he said. As for the championship winner? ?It?s a tough one. My money?s on Northbridge; I think they?ve got the team to do it and they?re well-drilled.?
Fairfield Wanderers 0 Belmore Hercules 1 (George Illiopoulos 80m)
Reserve grade: Fairfield Wanderers 1 Belmore Hercules 0
Hawkesbury bury Nepean
Hawkesbury dished out a 4-0 farewell to Nepean in the last game of the 2011 regular season at Bensons Lane Field on a silent Sunday night.
City?s reserves got the evening off to a great start (and late start following the women?s finals) beating Nepean 5-0 to secure second spot on the ladder and a home final against Northbridge next week, then Hawkesbury?s first graders finished off the season in fine style belting four goals past a depleted Nepean to underline sixth position on the table, albeit 10 points behind Roosters.
While City coach Gary Lewis tipped Hakoah to bounce back from their defeat to Northbridge, Nepean coach Carlos Camacho backed the northerners to win the grand final as well. ?I?ve always thought Northbridge would win it and that looks like one thing I?ve got right this year,? he laughed. ?Hakoah has a great mixture of experience and youth, but Northbridge have the speed and a never-say-die attitude and they?re a very tough team to beat? but everyone has an opportunity once you?re in the finals.?
Hawkesbury City 4 Nepean 0
Reserve grade: Hawkesbury City 5 Nepean 0
Round 26 scores
Roosters 5 (Baturay Akin 26m Tarik Ozgul 75m Taner Gunalp 82m Barki Elven 86m Ercan Topal 89m) Hurstville City Minotaurs 0
Luddenham United 5 (Pasquale Corso 38m Huso Merdanovic 41/54/78m Michael Wood 51m) Bathurst ?75 2 (Ricky Guihot 61/87m)
Chopin Park Rams 0 Prospect United 1 (Ahmed Chandab 56m)
Fairfield Wanderers 0 Belmore Hercules 1 (George Illiopoulos 80m)
Northbridge 1 (Elliot King 53m) Hakoah 0
Gazy Lansvale 3 (M Ellehayfi 11/17/32m) Springwood United 4 (Rob Haberman 45m Peter Henderson 73m Nathan King 84m Tim O?Connell 86m)
Hawkesbury City 4 Nepean 0
Rescheduled round 14: Belmore Hercules 1 (James Cross 78m) Roosters 2 (Baturay Akin 28, Ercan Topal 69m)
Rescheduled round 25: Belmore Hercules 4 (Paul Paras x3, George Illiopoulos) Luddenham United 2 (Grant Odei, Ivan Bazina)
Rescheduled round 25: Prospect United 5 (Pasquale Andrelli, Gustavo Orcajo, Ahmed Chandab x3) Gazy Lansvale 1
Reserve grade:
It was a thrilling finish to the reserve grade premiership with Wanderers clinching the title following a last-gasp 1-0 win over Belmore in the final round to finish two points clear of Hawkesbury. Northbridge finished third despite falling 2-3 in an entertaining game against Hakoah, who stole fifth spot after Springwood lost 1-0 to Gazy. Lansvale placed a strong fourth, and Chopin Park were unlucky in that a 1-0 victory over Prospect meant they fell just one point short of a playoff position in their state league return.
Roosters 5 Hurstville City 2
Luddenham United 1 Bathurst ?75 3
Chopin Park Rams 1 Prospect United 0
Fairfield Wanderers 1 Belmore Hercules 0
Northbridge 2 Hakoah 3
Gazy Lansvale 1 Springwood United 0
Hawkesbury City 5 Nepean 0
Rescheduled round 14: Belmore Hercules 3 Roosters 0
Rescheduled round 25: Springwood United 1 Hawkesbury City 1
Rescheduled round 25: Hurstville City Minotaurs 1 Fairfield Wanderers 3
Next week?s games
The first week of the finals will see premiers Northbridge take a break while Hakoah tackle Roosters in an exciting qualifying final match-up on Hakoah turf, and Luddenham United meet Prospect in a mouth-watering knockout bout, most probably at Luddenham Oval on Sunday afternoon.
In reserve grade, premiers Wanderers have the week off while Hawkesbury and Northbridge battle it out the qualifying final, and Gazy Lansvale face Hakoah in a cracker elimination match-up.
-By Dan De Nardi
