NSW Premier League Grade 20 Round 12 Review

Saturday night saw Blacktown Spartans beat Marconi Stallions in the wet at Blacktown Football Park, whilst the sun came out on Sunday afternoon for Manly United’s match against Blacktown City at Cromer Park.
Sydney Olympic also played on Sunday afternoon, thrashing Rockdale City Suns at Rockdale Ilinden Sports Centre.
MATCH OF THE ROUND
MANLY UNITED 1-1 BLACKTOWN CITY AT CROMER PARK
Manly United and Blacktown City shared the points at Cromer Park on Sunday afternoon, in a match that provided some epic late drama after an arm wrestle of a first hour. 
Will Pritchard looked like he’d won the game when he scored from the spot with five minutes to go, but Blacktown’s enduring quality shone through in their response as Dillon Vorster equalised just two minutes later.
It was a glorious winter day on the Northern Beaches, the rain of Saturday giving way to clear blue skies and a gentle breeze that washed over the pitch.
The football played matched the quality of the day itself, as both sides traded blows in the search for the early ascendancy. 
However, although the quality of build up play was high, both sides lacked the final pass required to break through the defences of the opposition, both of which were stood firm in the face of such a stern test.
Goalkeeper Tony Liband was forced into a sharp save one on one as Blacktown City looked to take an early advantage in the clash between second and third place on the new pitch at Cromer Park.
Adam Foti then had the chance to create a clear cut opportunity but when well placed on the edge of the area, he hesitated and tried to play a cheeky through ball, rather than shoot for goal, which certainly would have been a better option.
Blacktown countered attacked with vigour, passing the ball around with zip and verve, but without the final pass.
When faced with a half chance, Dillon Vorster blazed over for the visiting side. 
Mid way through the opening stanza, Damir Prodanovic’s ambitious effort from at least 40 yards floated over, much to the chagrin of his better placed team mates.
The two sides were very evenly matched though and the score remained 0-0 at the interval.
Manly United were on the front foot at the start of the second half, Mitchell Lensink warming the hands of Blacktown’s goalkeeper Luke Turnbull almost straight from the kick off, before another ball into the area was plucked out of the air by the impressive gloveman.
During what was a helter skelter start to the second half, Harry Brown thrashed a shot straight at Liband before Manly United went straight up the other end, only to hesitate at the critical moment when a final pass was required. 
Michael McGinley pick pocketed the Blacktown defence and sent in a fizzing cross, but Tom Morrisey was a split second too late with his run into the box. 
Manly United’s Will Pritchard picked up a yellow card soon after his introduction, before Jack Green’s jinking run saw him beat three defenders, but he dragged his shot narrowly wide of the far post with Turnbull sprawling across his line. 
The match was simmering below the surface, a number of crunching challenges flying in as both sides did their utmost to find what, in all likelihood, would be the winning goal.
Andre Schroeder, introduced as substitute, perhaps should have found that goal with thirteen minutes remaining, but he guided his headed both high and wide after a great cross from the right.
Blacktown City’s Luke Clifford and David Cain both found themselves in the referees book as the match came to boiling point. 
In turn, Manly United’s Louis Edwards was lucky to get away with just a booking after a moment of tension with Yianni Perkatis.
Perkatis picked himself up to send in a fantastic free kick that after a number of deflections, somehow failed to find the back of the net.
The match was building up to a  thrilling denouement as both sides pushed the limits of the other.
The simmering tension of this titanic battle meant that something had to give and in the end it was Blacktown City who conceded a penalty in the 85th minute.
Manly United substitute Grant Brown was fouled in the area and fellow substitute Will Pritchard stepped up to the spot to tuck the ball into the bottom corner, evading the despairing dive of Blacktown’s keeper Turnbull, who guessed the right way.
The late drama wasn’t to end there, however.
Fuelled by their own frustration at conceding such a sloppy goal, Blacktown City were reinvigorated, and they immediately went up the other end to equalise.
It was a goal typical of the way they have attacked this season, pacy, direct and clinical.
A slick passing move found Dillon Vorster on the right edge of the area and the Blacktown attacker made no mistake in getting the ball out of his feet and thrashing a shot past United’s keeper Riband, who was given no chance. 
Michael McGinley tried to win it very late on for Manly United, but his well struck volley was well handled by Turnbull, whilst Perkatis fired an even later free kick into the wall, before smashing the rebound over. It proved to be the last kick of the game.
A draw was the fair result in a match that came to life late on, between two very good football sides, both of whom will certainly feature when the season draws to its conclusion. 
Blacktown City coach Mark Strachan and Manly United coach Nigel Mahoney both agreed that the result was a fair one and both were happy with the performances of their sides.
Match Stats
Manly United 1 (Pritchard PEN 85′)
Blacktown City 1 (Vorster 87′)
MANLY UNITED: 25. T. Liband, 20. A. Foti, 16. M. Lensink, 22. M. Willis, 23. D. Prodanovic, 26. L. Edwards, 27. A. Darcy, 28. J. Ward, 31. T. Morrisey, 34. N. Simm, 33. M. McGinley.
Substitutes: 29. W. Pritchard, 30. J. Green, 32. J. Craig, 33. G. Brown.
BLACKTOWN CITY: 20. L. Turnbull, 36. A. Jenner, 31. L Jenner, 26. J. Potter, 25. L. Clifford, 33. D. Cain, 24. Y. Perkatis, 23. H. Brown, 22. D. Vorster, 34. S. Adeli, 32. D. Vellonio.
Substitutes: 27. D. Adjasson, 29. N. Sansom, 30. D. Edosomwan, 35. A. Schroeder, 40. J. Harders.
ROUND REVIEW
SATURDAY
BLACKTOWN SPARTANS 2-1 MARCONI STALLIONS AT BLACKTOWN FOOTBALL PARK
Blacktown Spartans beat Marconi Stallions on a wet Saturday night at Blacktown Football Park.
Shiyar Cakal scored a late, late winner in the 91st minute to take all three points for the home side.
Andre Carle opened the score in the 25th minute, before Marconi equalised just before the break, but it proved not to be enough as Cakal struck late.
SUNDAY
ROCKDALE CITY SUNS 1-4 SYDNEY OLYMPIC AT ILINDEN SPORTS CENTRE
In the other Sunday match, Sydney Olympic were dominant in beating Rockdale City Suns 4-1.
Olympic were excellent throughout and were able to run away comfortable winners thanks to goals from Alexi Mitrogiannis, James Demetriou, Brendan Hopper and Jason Madonis.
-By Matthew Connellan