NSW Super League Round 1 Finals Series Review

Elimination Final
Mounties Wanderers v Macarthur Rams
A bare bones Macarthur Rams side survived a second half onslaught against a ten man Mounties Wanderers to eventually take this riveting, and sometimes boisterous, elimination final by 3-1.
The Rams had struggled with numbers for this match, with Craig Cooley unavailable, Daniel Duarte and Josh Karpes suspended, and with Ryan Marchant injured, the Rams bench was filled predominantly with Under 20s. On the other hand, Mounties had no surprises in their lineup, and started this match in a positive fashion.
They dominated the opening stages, certainly in the territory stakes, but Chad Taylor, and the Rams defence, were solid. It was somewhat of a surprise then, that it was Macarthur who took the lead, after fifteen minutes.
There was plenty of controversy in the build up, a handball in general play by the Rams being missed by the officials, and with Macarthur on the attack, a free kick subsequently went in their favour. Up came the tall timbers of the Rams defence, and the inswinging free kick was met splendidly by a rising Adam Wither.
It was a shock to Mounties, who had entered this game with confidence, and their composure over the next ten minutes disappeared as the yellow cards started to flow. Mounties received four in the opening twenty two minutes, a result which was to prove ultimately decisive.
But as they worked themselves back into the game, Daniel Willoughby out wide on the right a constant danger, an equaliser almost came from such a Willoughby cross, a perfect ball in scrambled away by the Rams defence.
Then disaster for Mounties.
The next Rams attack drew an almost identical set piece, as that which led to their first goal. Another inswinging free kick, and again Wither rose highest, his header creeping into the top corner. As if one goal was not enough to recoup against the league?s second strongest defence, Mounties now had to score twice just to save this final.
Despite the deficit, this time Mounties held their nerve, and their football was impressive. They were dominating in all but the scoresheet, but only a few times was Taylor seriously brought into action. One of those occasions was an excellent one handed save from Matt Vieira, who had seemed certain to score. Daine Merrin connected to another Willloughby cross but headed over while Willoughby himself, rushed a good chance.
It still looked possible for Mounties, but a second yellow card to Daine Merrin, in the final minute of the half, made it that much more difficult. Perhaps a harsh call, but that early lost discipline came home to roost.
At two goals and one man down, it could be expected that the Rams would have a relatively comfortable second half. Far from it.
The Mounties? season was on the line, and they made sure they wouldn?t die wondering. Early in the second half, Klime Sekutkoski, who had scored regularly in the Under 20s, came on for defender Troy McColl, as they sought to pull goals back.
They almost had one when Mark Symington took advantage of some lost possession by the Rams, and was just over with a nice touch, but they continued to press forward. You could be forgiven for thinking that it was still 11 v 11, such was the Mounties? drive.
The Rams best effort to kill off the game arrived when Alan de la Cuadra had his shot tipped against the post by Akbal, but when Symington eventually pulled one back, the intensity raised even more. An attempted pass by Taylor was charged down by Greg Baldock, whose pass across goal looked to be going in, there was a challenge on the line, before Symington smashed home.
Mounties continued their push, but the Rams were hanging on, and as time did tick down, Macarthur had their own chances to seal it.
Shannon Hankin was only a step away from meeting de la Cuadra?s cross, and a brilliant tackle by Daniel McCann on Hankin, saved Mounties at the last.
But in the final minute, Macarthur got their third. Michael Brown, Wither and then Hankin were all involved, with Hankin connecting first time on the turn to slip the ball past Akbal.
It was all over, a mighty match with some mighty effort.
A red card to Vieira after the whistle, for throwing the ball at Brown, was the final act in this sometimes tense finals match.
Mounties Wanderers 1 (Mark Symington 73?) Macarthur Rams 3 (Adam Wither 15?, 26?, Shannon Hankin 90?)
Saturday 25 August 2012
at Cook Park, Mt Pritchard
Referee: Stephen Lucas
Assts: Luke Burley and S Jones
Mounties Wanderers: 1. Ali Akbal 2. Adam Huseyin 16. Scott Goodwin 18. Mark d?Alessandro 6. Troy McColl (29. Klime Sekutkoski 52?) 31. Daine Merrin 9. Matt Vieira 17. Daniel McCann 10. Daniel Willoughby 14. Mark Symington 4. Greg Baldock.
Subs not used: 13. Peter Day 8. Reece Iredale 7. Daniel Mitwali Rgk Gareth Jamieson
Yellow Cards: Ali Akbal, Adam Huseyin, Scott Goodwin, Mark D?Alessandro, Daine Merrin, Matt Vieira, Greg Baldock.
Red Cards: Daine Merrin, Matt Vieira
Coaches: Glenn Lockhart and Aiden Desmond.
Macarthur Rams:  1. Chad Taylor 3. Emmanuel Elali 7. Peter Halstead 17. Adam Wither 5. Callum Fleming 15. Joel Craig 19. Mojtada Mohebbee (18. Scott Madden 70?) 22. Alan de la Cuadra 8. Michael Brown 6. Stefan Donevski 9. Shannon Hankin. 
Subs not used: 12. Mammdy Conde 23. Ben Simpson 30. Nick Mugridge Rgk Ben Needham.
Yellow Cards: Shannon Hankin, Joel Craig, Scott Madden.
Coach: Claudio Canosa 
Qualifying Final
Bankstown City FC v Bankstown Berries
Zlatko Joseski was the hero for Bankstown City FC as they squeezed past Bankstown Berries 4-3 on penalties to move into next week?s major semi final.
With the Berries having a 3-2 lead after three penalties each, Joseski proceeded to save the Lions with two penalty stops before scoring himself for the fifth, to send the Lions though by the barest of margins.
It was a close call for Bankstown City FC who had led 1-0 and seemingly through but for a last gasp David Gardiner equaliser. Gardiner stooped low to a Brad Gibson corner, flicking on with a backward glance into the Lions net to send the Berries bench into raptures.
This was a close encounter between two good footballing sides, only the finishing today being below par. Surprisingly, both Dimitri Zakilas and Gosue Sama spurned excellent chances. Sama in particular, after a great lead up run by Robert Mileski, lost balance at the crucial moment when clear in front, and skied when a goal was at his mercy.
0-0 at the break, but just before the hour, the Lions broke through. On a swift counter, Gosue Sama fed Reuben Lagos who kept his composure to shoot low across George Bouropolous, into the far corner.
It was a vital lead and the situation worsened for the Berries on sixty six minutes when Ben Delicata was red carded for a dangerous tackle. Down to ten but not down as Zakilas broke clear within minutes and should have equalised. But amazingly, the Berries leading striker scooped over the bar from right in front.
A double substitution by the Berries saw Kodjo Adjassou and Brad Gibson introduced, with Adjassou shooting wide not long after. Nicolo Sama hit the post for the Lions which would surely have sealed it, but then came Gibson?s corner and Gardiner?s late, late leveller.
With an extra man, the additional thirty minutes seemed certain to suit the Lions, but again they just couldn?t hit the back of the net. Gosue Sama hit the bar, as did substitute Prodanovic, while a Steve Liavas cross flew across the face of goal evading all.
When Alex Becerra received a second yellow card with four minutes to go, reducing the Berries further to nine players, it was clear they would be relying on penalties. Gosue Sama did try to avoid that with one last effort, but penalties it would be.
And Joseski proved to be the man of the moment much to the delight of the Jensen Park faithful.
Bankstown City FC 1 (Reuben Lagos 58?) v Bankstown Berries 1 (David Gardiner 89?) after extra time. Bankstown City FC win 4-3 on penalties.
Sunday 26 August 2012
at Jensen Park, Sefton
Referee: Kurt Ams
Bankstown City FC: 1. Zlatko Joseski 7. Steve Liavas 2. Matthew Presello 5. Richard Luksic (c) 4. Peter Vassilis 6. Reuben Lagos 22. Zac Vallorani (99. Chris Godoy Boscur 89?) 23. Anthony Doumanis (14. Nathan Ristevski 70?) 18. Nicolo Sama 10. Robert Mileski (31. D Prodanovic 79?) 11. Gosue Sama. 
Subs not used: 8. George Nohra 17. Jordan Nikolovski
Yellow Cards: Richard Luksic, Reuben Lagos, Steve Liavas, Gosue Sama, Nathan Ristevski
Coaches: George Nohra and Bill Pilovski
Bankstown Berries: 1. George Bouropoulos 4. Alex Becerra 2. David Gardiner (c) 5. Liam McKenna 3. Steve Wright (14. Nick Paras 73?) 9. Ante Deur (8. Kodjo Adjassou 62?) 12. Stefan de Jesus 18. David Stojic 21. Ben Delicata 11. Aram Tayebi (16. Brad Gibson 62?) 19. Dinitri Zakilas. 
Subs not used: 17. Michael Zezovski 40. Chris Becerra
Yellow Cards: Steve Wright, Alex Becerra, Liam McKenna,
Red Cards: Ben Delicata, Alex Becerra
Coaches: Tony Pace and Matthew Ribarovski
Penalty sequence
Berries                                      Lions
Zakilas              scored              Vassilis scored
De Jesus          scored              N Sama            hit post
Bouropoulos     scored              Lagos               scored
Paras                saved               G Sama            scored
Gardiner            saved               Joseski scored
Under 20s
Elimination Final
St George extended their season by at least another week, accounting for Macarthur Rams by the tune of 4-0.
Stephen Grbevski got the Saints on the scoresheet after nineteen minutes, before Xavier Quigley doubled the lead just after the half hour. A long range strike by Daniel Tini a minute from the break was unfortunately fumbled by the Rams keeper to give St George a 3-0 half time lead.
A further Grbevski goal, secured after finding some nice space inside the box, made the end result a comprehensive one for St George.
Macarthur Rams 0 St George FC 4 (Stephen Grbevski 19?, 77?, Xavier Quigley 33?, Daniel Tini 44?)
Qualifying Final
Sydney University survived a late scare against Northern Tigers to take a 3-2 victory, setting up an enticing major semi next week against Spirit FC.
Uni took a two goal lead, with Thomas Wylob and James Townsend scoring, before Ryan Blaker reduced the arrears for the Tigers. But the two goal buffer was reinstated when Nathan Amore struck before a late penalty to Grant Lynch made it 3-2.
The result means that Northern Tigers will now meet St George in the elimination semi next Saturday.
Northern Tigers 2 (Ryan Blaker, Grant Lynch pen) v Sydney University 3 (Thomas Wylob, James Townsend, Nathan Amore)
-By Peter Rowney