NSW Premier League Grade 20s Round 21 Review
Sutherland’s incredible 5-1 win over Blacktown City, coupled with Parramatta’s 3-0 defeat of Manly United meant that Sutherland were crowned Premiership winners for 2012.
MATCH OF THE ROUND
SUTHERLAND SHARKS 5-1 BLACKTOWN CITY, AT SEYMOUR SHAW PARK
Sutherland Sharks wrapped up the 2012 NSW Premier League Grade 20s Premiership with a 5-1 thrashing of Blacktown City. Parramatta’s defeat of Manly United on Sunday afternoon meant that Sutherland now cannot be caught in the final round and this was an impressive manner in which to seal a first placed finish.
It was an all action start at Seymour Shaw Park as both sides, decimated by injury and suspension, came flying out of the blocks. There could have been three goals in the opening five minutes, but alas there was only one and it was scored by Blacktown City.
Just a minute and a half had been played when a cross from the left was turned in by Andre Schroeder, the diminutive midfielder beating Sutherland goalkeeper Marko Bosic.
Sutherland could have been level just moments later when a cross from the right hand side found the onrushing Christopher Naumoff who smashed a volley narrowly wide. Sutherland had an even clearer chance two minutes after that when a cut back found Nick Olsen in space, but Josh Basara arrived in the nick of time to clear off the line and prevent the equaliser.
Blacktown City were under pressure but they were able to settle into a bit of rhythm soon after and when a Basara free kick from the left was bundled over the line at the back post, they thought they were 2-0 up. Unfortunately for the visiting side, the referee blew his whistle for an alleged foul on Sutherland goalkeeper Bosic.
The frenetic pace showed no sign of abating and in the 7th minute, the talented forward Olsen hit a volley from the edge of the area that flew only a foot wide of the post.
Sutherland’s persistence was rewarded in the 11th minute though, when Olsen himself scored the equalising goal. Toufic Alameddine had been a constant threat down the right hand side and when he was slipped in behind Basara, his precise cut back found Olsen, who drilled a low finish past Julian Harders, deputising in goal for the suspended Luke Turnbull.
Just two minutes after equalising, Sutherland could well have taken the lead, were it not for the good positioning of Harders. Ben Cornish found his way in behind the Blacktown City defence and one on one with Harders, he was denied by the foot of the Blacktown City goalkeeper.
Down the other end, Sutherland’s goalkeeper Bosic was looking increasingly suspect under the high ball. After being saved by the referee’s whistle after his first missed catch, he was caught out by another devilish delivery from Basara in the 19th minute, the keeper getting nowhere near the corner kick. Luckily for him, there was nobody at the back post to take advantage.
There was no way that the pace of opening quarter of an hour could be sustained and so it proved, thought both sides were looking threatening. It’s fair to say that both defences were far from comfortable too and when Harders failed to collect a loose ball, Luke Jenner in front of him expressed his frustration.
Blacktown City had a chance on the half hour mark when Dolor Edosomwan’s delicate touch set Daniel Vellonio free down the inside left channel. Bosic came rushing out of his area to clear and a big collision was the result, Vellonio coming off far worse for wear. The youngster was stretched off with what looked a potentially quite serious injury. Shervin Adeli took his place.
Todd Halloran carved out the next opportunity for the home side, his cross from the right hand side finding Naumoff unmarked, but his header was palmed over by an unconvincing Harders.
Blacktown City had struggled to maintain their structure and organisation after losing Vellonio and they were maid to pay in the 38th minute when Olsen, the outstanding player of the match, scored his second of the evening. His movement saw him evade Blacktown City’s defensive pairing of Nathan Sandom and Jenner and when he was played perfectly into space by Cornish, Olsen made no mistake in tucking his finish into the bottom corner.
It was a soft goal to concede given that there were two Blacktown City defenders in close attendance, but it was a pacy move in keeping with the tempo of the match in parts.
The visiting side looked to hit back, with Yianni Perkatis having two decent efforts at goal, the first was blocked and the second deflected, the latter forcing a decent save out of Bosic down low to his right. Nightfall descended on Miranda as half time approached and both sides still looked capable of scoring every time they attacked.
Jacob Bandur, the Sutherland captain, looked to give his side a bit of breathing space with one of the last kicks of the half but his left footed drive was well saved by Harders.
Olsen could have scored his hattrick in the opening minute of the second half, but he shanked a shot agonisingly wide when the crowd expected him to score. Sutherland weren’t to be denied again in the 50th minute though, when Olsen robbed Sansom off possession before laying the ball off to Toufic Alameddine, who thrashed his finish in to make the score 3-1.
Blacktown City’s keeper Harders was very, very lucky not to be sent off in the 55th minute when he inexplicably picked a ball up outside his area, the refereeing brandishing a yellow card. The resulting free kick from Naumoff hit the wall and the danger was cleared.
The scorer of Blacktown City’s opening goal should have doubled his personal tally in the 58th minute. A square ball from the left hand side found Schroeder just six yards from goal, but somehow he contrived to send his attempted finish wide of Bosic’s goal.
Nick Olsen was in unstoppable form and when he beat three defenders and carried the ball 40 yards, he was brought down, resulting in a Sutherland free kick. Olsen took the free kick himself and clipped a beautiful ball in behimnd the Blacktown City defence, but Alameddine couldn’t control the pass.
Blacktown City’s uphill task suddenly became far steeper when Basara, earlier booked, was given a second yellow for dissent. He was, however, in the process of being replaced by Daniel Arautu when he was given his booking, provoking an almighty blow up from the Blacktown City bench.
Olsen missed another glorious chance to complete his hattrick, blazing over from six yards when it looked easier to score. In the 67th minute though his electric form saw him win a penalty, though Blacktown City will debate its legitimacy long into the night.
The referee ruled that Olsen was tripped by Sansom and he had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Sansom was booked for arguing the decision and although Harders went the right way and got a strong touch on Cornish’s penalty, it still managed to squeeze past him to make the score 4-1.
Blacktown City were undoubtedly upset by the decision that they thought had gone against them and it clearly affected their clarity of thought, as Yianni Perkatis was booked for a cynical foul.
They were however, spared further trial by Olsen, who was replaced with an injury in the 78th minute, as Emanuelle Shewan went on. Blacktown City made a change of their own, sending on Arautu for Schroeder with ten minutes remaining.
Arautu looked lively down the right and in the 86th minute he was close to creating an opportunity but his cross couldn’t pick out Edosomwan. Blacktown City then made a double change, sending on youngsters Bruno Antelmi and Braden Cobins for David Adjassou and Sansom, whilst Sutherland sent on Andreas Kartsioulis as they wound down the clock.
Todd Halloran, who’d had a quiet half, forced a strong save from Harders when he was set free in the dying stages, before the Sutherland number 11 won a penalty in stoppage time when he was tripped by Jenner. Halloran stepped up to take the penalty himself and confidently beat Harders to add some further gloss to an impressive Premiership sealing win, if indeed the scoreline was harsh on their opponents.
Match Stats
Sutherland Sharks 5 (Nick Olsen 11′, 38′, Toufic Alameddine 50′, Ben Cornish (PEN) 67′, Halloran (PEN) 90+2′)
Blacktown City 1 (Andre Schroeder 2′)
Saturday 25th August, 2012
Seymour Shaw Park, Miranda
Referee: Michael Weiner
Assistant Referees: Nathan Wotton and Kosta Kokolatsias
Sutherland Sharks: 42.Marko Bosic, 28.Nick Olsen (39.Emanuelle Shewan 78′), 32.Jacob Bandur (C), 34.Toufic Alameddine (37.Dylan Fox 72′), 25.Ben Cornish (13.Andreas Kartsioulis 90′), 33.Themba Muata-Mata, 29.Christopher Naumoff, 38.Anthony Tomelic, 11.Todd Halloran, 15.James McKenzie, 36.Pat Savor (27.Jayden Koulizakis 45′)
Substitutes Not Used: 41.Nick Loe
Yellow Cards: Jayden Kouliziakis 64′, James McKenzie 71′, Themba Muata-Mata 89′
Red Cards: Nil
Blacktown City 40.Julian Harders, 21.Clayton Musumeci, 23.Harry Brown (C), 24.Yianni Perkatis, 27.David Adjassou (26.Bruno Antelmi 88′), 28.Josh Basara, 29.Nathan Sansom (36.Braden Cobins 88′), 30.Dolor Edosomwan, 31.Luke Jenner, 32.Daniel Vellonio (34.Shervin Adeli 33′), 35.Andre Schroeder (22.Daniel Arautu 80′)
Substitutes Not Used: 60.Mitchell Seager
Yellow Cards: Julian Harders 54′, Josh Basara 58′, Nathan Sansom 67′, Yianni Perkatis 71′
Red Cards: Josh Basara 64′
ROUND REVIEW
SATURDAY
BONNYRIGG WHITE EAGLES 1-0 SYDNEY OLYMPIC, AT BONNYRIGG SPORTS CENTRE
Bonnyrigg White Eagles defeated Marconi Stallions 1-0 in the other Saturday evening game.
In a result that won’t affect either side one way or another, Bonnyrigg at least added further gloss to a night of celebration at Bonnyrigg Sports Centre.
SUNDAY
PARRAMATTA FC 3-0 MANLY UNITED, AT MELITA STADIUM
Parramatta FC are just two points outside the top five with a round to play, after defeating second placed Manly United on Sunday afternoon.
Going into the break at 0-0, the match was in the balance, but a stunning hat-trick from Parramatta substitute Wandi Jajaw saw Paul De Lucca’s team snatch all three points and in doing so, hand the Premiership to Sutherland Sharks, with Manly United now too far behind.
APIA LEICHHARDT TIGERS 2-0 SOUTH COAST WOLVES, AT LAMBERT PARK
APIA Leichhardt defeated a spirited South Coast Wolves 2-0 on Sunday afternoon.
Nick Taneski scored yet again, as did Pan Gotsis, as Rod Williams’ side outclassed their South Coast opponents.
ROCKDALE CITY SUNS 0-1 MARCONI STALLIONS, AT ROCKDALE ILINDEN SPORTS CENTRE
Rockdale City’s top five aspirations are in serious danger, after they went down to Marconi Stallions.
As a result, Rockdale City face a huge match against Parramatta FC next weekend to see who will make the semi finals.
SYDNEY UNITED 58 2-0 BLACKTOWN SPARTANS, AT SYDNEY UNITED SPORTS CENTRE
Blacktown Spartans faced a tough trip to Edensor Park on Sunday afternoon and so it proved as Antony Zmire’s home side recorded a 2-0 win.
United’s Stipe Jezercic and Mark Cindric were the goal scorers.
-By Matthew Connellan
