NSW Super League Round 3 Review

Fraser Park move up to second with their second win in as many matches, closely followed by Northern Tigers.
Amazingly, after only three rounds, and two games for many, only four teams remain undefeated, a sure sign that this season will be one of the closest in years.
Three players share the lead in the scoring charts, Wassim Hijazi from Fraser Park, Robbie Shields from Dulwich Hill and last season?s Golden Boot winner, Dimitri Zakilas, who has scored in each of his team?s three games to date.
Feature Game of the Week
Spirit FC v Dulwich Hill
The goals came quick and fast at Christie Park, seven in total, but in a game that didn?t really rise to any great heights, despite the constant change in the scoreboard.
It took only four minutes for the first, a disputed handball decision going against Clive Delaney, in a packed penalty area, giving Michael Candy the opportunity to put Spirit in an early lead. It was a fine start for the young Spirit side, who showed a lot of enthusiasm from the opening whistle against a Dulwich Hill who were a little slow to get going.
The first half gave no indication of what was to come though, only an inswinging Cameron Jones free kick proving a scare but a horror mistake by Dully?s keeper Carl McMahon right on half time provided the chance for Spirit to go in at 2-0. McMahon missed what should have been an easy collect, and young Henry Wells took advantage. Wells had merely to run the ball into the empty net.
Dulwich Hill received a penalty of their own, five minutes after half time with Robbie Shields comfortably converting, after a foul in the area. Dulwich Hill pressed for an equaliser but their efforts were undone midway through the second half. Another howler by McMahon who cleared a back pass straight to the Spirit attack, resulted in Akwasi Agyei slamming home Spirit?s third.
But Dully certainly weren?t done, and Shields who has started the season in excellent form, hit his second of the night, and his third this year, poking home for 3-2.
It was game on again, but for only five minutes.
Wells found himself in plenty of space out on the right and with a quarter of an hour to go, shot across the face of goal, into the bottom left.
A one handed, and brilliant point blank save, by Murray Nelson from an excellent Fabio Ferreira header kept the score safe for Spirit but the points were definitely sealed, if they weren?t already, when substitute Dean Calletti scored with eight minutes to go.
Spirit?s coach Dean Savetta showed plenty of satisfaction after the game.
?We started very well and showed a lot of enthusiasm and belief which we may not have had last week against Uni. We were very chirpy and you could notice the difference from the start. Maybe the penalty was a bit fortunate, but I am very glad to take the three points.?
?We are a young side and we are trying to show that the youth players here can play in the first team. It was good to see the youngsters here watching too, and that is something we are wanting to build on?.
Paul Carter, while unhappy with some decisions, acknowledged that his side was second best.
?Leaving aside the early penalty, there is no doubt that we were smashed?and we have never played the long ball so why we started playing it tonight, I don?t know.?
?But it is a wake up call, maybe we were too confident after last week?.
Spirit FC 5 (Michael Candy 4? pen Henry Wells 45 +2?, 75? Akwasi Agyei 67? Dean Caletti 82?) Dulwich Hill 2 (Robbie Shields 50? pen, 69?)
31 March 2012
at Christie Park
Referee: Andrew Best
Assts: A Mouawad and K Jones
Spirit FC: 1. Murray Nelson 10. Adam Savetta 8. Lenox Tweneboa 3. Nick Trimble 12. Andrew Robertson 16. Dean Zammitt 11. Cameron Jones 5. Grant Cornwell (6. Greg Giovenali 82?) 14. Michael Candy 7. Akwasi Agyei (15. Hayden Pronin 78?) 13. Henry Wells (25. Dean Calletti 76?). 
Subs not used: 41. Justin Biega 4. Paul Nicolaou.
Yellow cards: Grant Cornwell 23?, Michael Candy 42?, Lenox Tweneboa 45?, Nick Trimble 49?, Dean Zammitt 65?
Coach: Dean Savetta
Dulwich Hill: 1. Carl McMahon 17. Mark Pinto (Ryo Kono 82?) 4. Clive Delaney 16. Mirza Sehic 11. Callum McGrouther 12. Rob Morrison (14. Matt Ferreira 31?) 7. Matt Toogood 18. James O?Rourke 2. Fabio Ferreira 9. C Shelston (19. T Sunamoto 60?) 10. Robbie Shields.
Subs not used: 20. C Leontios 13. S Kim
Yellow Cards: 11. Callum McGrouther 75?.
Coach: Paul Carter
Hills Brumbies v Mounties Wanderers
Mounties Wanderers claimed their first ever Super League win with a hard fought 3-2 victory over Hills Brumbies on Friday night. It was a tough game though and they were made to work every inch of the way before claiming the three points.
It had looked a relatively comfortable first period with Mounties taking a 2-0 half time lead. Both goals came down the right via Daniel Willoughby, his crosses firstly being knocked home by Fred Graham on eleven minutes before Daniel Ramirez turned the ball into his own net on twenty eight minutes.
But the Brumbies come storming out after the break, and quickly reduced the arrears through Keunike Maralit, his second goal in two games. After some strong pressure, Hills drew level when Brad Robertson equalised on sixty five minutes.
But Willoughby, in a fine performance, put Mounties back in front just two minutes later and despite Hills trying desperately to again level the game, the Mounties held on for the points.
It was a win to savour for Glenn Lockhart and his Mounties team, but it didn?t come easily.
?We had a pretty controlled game in the first half and I didn?t really have to say too much at half time. But the Brumbies came out for the second half and showed a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of passion and when they got back to 2-1, we were really under the pump?.
?We got put out of our rhythm, and maybe went to sleep a little, and there was a fair bit of anxiety. The Brumbies certainly challenged us right to the wire?.
And Lockhart acknowledges there is still plenty to do.
?We have scored five goals now but have six against. That is something we will have to address.?
But it was a pleasing result, nonetheless.
?That is a bit of history there. Our first win in Super League, and that is very good for the club?.
Mark Abi-Arrage agreed that the Mounties dominated early.
?We were slow out of the box and we had to change things around at half time. But I thought we were totally dominant in the second half and we should have had three or four?.
?It was a long way back from two down though, and we made another mistake for one of their goals. But I am happy enough with the second half, and we stood up?.
Hills Brumbies 2 (Keunike Maralit 50? Brad Robertson 65?) v Mounties Wanderers 3 (Fred Graham 11? Daniel Ramirez own goal 28? Daniel Willoughby 67?).
Bankstown Lions v Macarthur Rams
Macarthur Rams played the last twenty minutes with just nine players but still held on against Bankstown Lions to come away with a 1-1 draw at Jensen Park on Friday night.
They had taken the lead too with Steve Donevski getting his first for the club just after the hour but it wasn?t long before the Lions had drawn level. Reuben Lagos had them back on level terms within four minutes.
Emmanuel El Ali was the first to see red before Joel Craig received his marching orders after a second yellow.
Despite being down to nine, the Rams dug in and gladly took away a point from a difficult fixture.
?I am very pleased with this result?, said Claudio Canosa. ?Obviously I would have been happier with three points but the competitive nature of the games shows how difficult it is. And as long as we are competitive, that is what you hope for?.  
Bankstown City Lions 1 (Reuben Lagos 66?) Macarthur Rams 1 (Steve Donevski 62?)
Northern Tigers v St George FC
Things looked pretty dim at Mills Park when the lights went out at half time, especially for St George who had gone a goal down just before the break, Mirko Jurilj putting the ball into his own net to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead. It had been a good half for the Tigers, who had a number of chances, only to be denied by the saves of Daniel Nash.
But the extended half time break, due to the lights being inadvertently switched off by an official, perhaps dented the Tigers momentum, and St George recovered to put in a strong second half performance. Matt Sadler restored parity for the visitors, netting his first for his new club just before the hour mark.
?We applied a fair bit of pressure in the first half?, said the Tigers? Jason Eagar. ?But their keeper pulled off a couple of point blank saves. We gave them a bit more time after the break, and when you give good players time, they will take the advantage. Overall, though, it was a fair result.?
Northern Tigers 1 (Mirko Jurilj own goal 45?) St George 1 (Matt Sadler 57?)
Fraser Park v Granville Rage
Fraser Park claimed their second win from two, overcoming Granville Rage 3-1 at home to go a clear second in the table. While the performance may not have been as impressive as their second half effort last week, there is no doubt that the three points were well earned.
Kevin Oliviera scored a superb volley from a Danny Wilson cross to put Fraser one goal to the good before a first half sending off to the Rage?s captain Daniel Carrozza, for a studs up challenge on Carlo Musumeci, certainly made things difficult for the away side.
But the Rage did well in equalising with Amir Dizdaric picking up a rebound after a Michael Frost save, before Wilson headed Fraser Park back in front within a couple of minutes, Oliveira reciprocating Wilson?s earlier assist.
Oliveira scored late on with a fine solo run, catching Granville on the counter attack, thundering his shot in via the underside of the post.
?It was a tough, physical affair?, said David Perkovic. ?We knew that Granville would want to respond after last week?s heavy loss and with a few ex Granville faces in the Fraser squad, it was always going to be tight?.
?And credit to Granville. They really dug deep after the send off and they certainly gave it their best shot. Some of their free kicks on the edge of the box caused concern especially with their height?.
The six points from six is welcomed at Fraser although Perkovic is not getting carried away.
?We want to try and make Fraser Park a fortress and it is working so far. We realise that both our games have been at home and we have had a bit of an advantage in that sense, and things can change very quickly. Come the second half of the season, we will have three away in a row and that can make a difference?.
?But it is better to be two from two now, and the six points is what we wanted?.
Fraser Park will have the chance to make it three from three when Macarthur Rams come visiting in their re-arranged round one match on Thursday evening. 
Fraser Park FC 3 (Kevin Oliveira 18?, 91? Danny Wilson 62?) Granville Rage 1 (Amir Dizdaric 60?)
Sydney University v Bankstown Berries
Things looked promising for Sydney University at half time in their game against the Bankstown Berries, a neat chip by Jason Garrido on the half hour evading the keeper, to give Uni a half time lead, in a dominant display.
But the second half proved otherwise, and some lapses by Uni allowed Berries back into the game with Dimitri Zakilas being the quickest to pounce on a loose ball inside the six yard box to draw the visitors level.
Ante Deur showed his class getting in behind the defence to put the Berries in front, and though Uni?s Alex Crane came close with a shot across the face of goal, two goals in the final fifteen minutes ensured that the Berries went top of the table. Deur converted a penalty for his second and then young Jordan Figon, after spending the summer with Sydney FC in the national youth league, made in four well into time added on.
?We went into the game with a game plan,? stated John Calleja, ?and for the first forty five minutes, it worked extremely well. We were the best team in the first half by far, though we may not have been quite potent enough in the final third?.
?But our intensity dropped off in the second half and once they got ahead, we never really looked like coming back, all our exertions were done by that time?.
Sydney University 1 (Jason Garrido 29?) Bankstown Berries 4 (Dimitri Zakilas 60? Ante Deur 66?, 81? pen Jordan Figon 95?)
Top Goalscorers
3 –        Wassim Hijazi                (Fraser Park)
            Robbie Shields (Dulwich Hill)
            Dimitri Zakilas               (Bankstown Berries)
2 –        Ante Deur                     (Bankstown Berries)
Fabio Ferreira                (Dulwich Hill)
Keunike Maralit  (Hills Brumbies)
Kevin Oliviera                (Fraser Park)
Henry Wells                   (Spirit FC)
Daniel Willoughby         (Mounties Wanderers)
Under 20s
Northern Tigers have made it three from three, defeating the visiting St George 4-0 to sit top of the Under 20s, three points clear of both the Mounties Wanderers and Bankstown Berries.
Mounties?s victory over Hills Brumbies was their second win from two, and they still have their round one game to be rescheduled. A goal to Klime Sekutkoski gave the Mounties a first half lead before Jordan Mbakwe equalised for Hills. A quick double to Hosyar Cakal put the Mounties 3-1 up and they held on for the win, despite a second from Mbakwe.  
Full results: Hills Brumbies 2 Mounties Wanderers 3, Bankstown City Lions 1 Macarthur Rams 2, Spirit FC 1 Dulwich Hill 2, Fraser Park FC 4 Granville Rage 3, Sydney University 1 Bankstown Berries 0, Northern Tigers 4 St George FC 0.
-By Peter Rowney