State League One Round 1 Finals Series Review

In the Elimination Final at Hills Sports High, Northbridge FC and Balmain SC met head on to try and avoid exiting this year?s campaign.
We review all the action from the two matches, with a special focus on the Rangers-Lions clash at Popondetta Park.
Qualifying Final
Mt Druitt Town Rangers – Inter Lions 2-0
Mt Druitt Town Rangers produced a workmanlike performance at Popondetta Park on Saturday evening, overcoming Inter Lions 2-0 with a goal in each half, and subsequently moving into what is effectively a ?grand final qualifier? next weekend, against State League One Premiership winners, Gladesville Ryde Magic.
Mt Druitt Town came into the match full of confidence given they were playing in front of their home crowd, and despite having a couple of players not being able to train during the week due to niggling injuries ? skipper Ryan O?Shea amongst them ? the Rangers knew that a win here would put the 90 minutes from a grand final appearance.
Inter Lions on the other hand, traveled to Popondetta a severely depleted outfit.
Enigmatic striker, Miguel Martinez, and midfielder, Jacob Di Mento, were out suspended due to red cards suffered in the final round of football last week, club top scorer Domenic Di Mento, missed the match courtesy of his fifth caution in the same game, whilst Jason Gonzalez, Alex Mansueto, and keeper, Roberto Maiorana, were all out with injuries.
Matteo Maiorana?s Under 20s team did well to win the U/20sPremiership the week before in an incredibly tight finish, and their reward was not to have the night off ? for many of the squad it was a baptism of fire to be elevated into the hot bed of a first grade Qualifying Final, and the youngsters didn?t disappoint in a sturdy showing.
Young keeper, Luis Soto, was one of the U20s players who started, and was kept very busy early on between the sticks as he constantly thwarted the Mt Druitt attack.
On 4 minutes, Carl McNaughton used his pace to get to the by line, crossing low and hard towards the oncoming Daniel Fogarty, only for Soto to stretch and finger tip the ball away from the Mt Druitt speedster.
Within sixty seconds Nathan Ralph found some room at the edge of the Inter penalty area, letting fly with a grass cutter that was well saved by Soto, parrying down low to his right. Fogarty was on to the leather quick as a flash, slamming an angled shot towards the roof of the net, only for Soto to once again come to the rescue for Inter with a brilliant tip over the bar.
Inter Lions settled from those early scares, and could?ve taken the lead against the run of play after 8 minutes. Daniele Chiandotto weaved in and out of his marker on the right flank, before slipping a great ball to Pace, who sliced his angled shot just wide of the left upright.
The match took a turn on 22 minutes when the home side took the lead, much to the delight of the home support.
A free kick near the right hand touchline was brilliantly swerved into the box by Justin Kirby, the ball eluding Inter?s backline as Glenn McPherson ghosted in to nudge his header past the Lions? keeper, Luis Soto, putting Mt Druitt in front.
Inter Lions have a reputation for playing some great football, irrespective who is on the park, or where they are on the park they have the ball.
This approach almost came unstuck just after the half hour mark, though, when Mt Druitt?s Daniel Fogarty intercepted a pass out of the defence, slipping it through to Nathan Ralph in support, the midfielder slamming his shot inches over the Inter cross bar.
Inter skipper, Milan Bosnar, was leading by example at this stage, in defence and in attack, and he ventured forward in the 37th minute, picking up a bouncing ball on the edge of the Rangers? penalty area, and letting fly with a volley that was well diverted around the post by Mt Druitt?s keeper, Jarrod Marsh.
Mt Druitt responded on 43 minutes when Leigh Brown dispossessed an Inter player, and racing forward before squaring to the unmarked Fogarty ? alas, his low shot was well gobbled up by Soto in the Inter goal.
Evergreen referee, Mr James Barnes, was allowing the game to flow accordingly, before calling time right on cue to give all and sundry a break from proceedings.
Inter Lions just couldn?t make their way into the game early in the second half, and it got a lot harder when Mt Druitt doubled their advantage in the 57th minute.
A quick turnover in possession saw the ball land at the feet of Todd Macrae just inside the Inter half, and he lofted a super ball over the top of the square defensive line for Daniel Fogarty to run onto.
Fogarty was onto the opportunity like a cat on a mouse, steadying as he entered the penalty area before slotting the ball past Luis Soto and into the bottom corner of the net.
Mt Druitt decided to take the sting out of the match from that point on, and the game deteriorated as a spectacle for the neutral, with substitutions, needless fouls, cautions, and wayward passing all causing disruption and slowing down the play.
The Rangers even took to resting both Todd Macrae and Daniel Fogarty, within the final quarter of an hour or so, whilst Inter Lions gave some game time to a couple more of their successive U20s side.
The 2-0 triumph sees Mt Druitt Town venture on to tackle Gladesville Ryde Magic next weekend for a spot in the grand final, whilst Inter Lions will have some of their repertoire back on deck to tackle Balmain in an elimination semi final.
Match Stats
Mt Druitt Town Rangers 2 (McPherson 21? , Fogarty 56?)
Inter Lions 0
Saturday August 25, 2012
Popondetta Park, Emerton
Referee: Mr James Barnes
Assistant Referees : Mr Terry Goodhew and Mr Laurreano Villarroel
Bench: J. Woods, Z. Elrich, W. Angel, V. Rigoli, I. Johnson.Mt Druitt Town: 1.J.Marsh, 11.G.McPherson, 5.R.O?Shea (capt), 14.C.Prothero, 9.C.McNaughton, 8.N.Ralph, 2.M.Aragone, 12.L.Brown, 4.D.Fogarty (7.S.Ardle 73?), 10.J.Kirby (6.D.Penfold 58?), 18.T.Macrae (3.J.Howard 79?).
Substitutes Not Used: 1.T.West,15.N.Weller.
Yellow Cards: 5.R.O?Shea 67?, 11.G.McPherson 85?.
Red Cards: Nil
INTER LIONS: 21.L.Soto, 2.S.Roda, 3.P.McMullen, 4.M.Bosnar (capt) , 5.A.Vizzari, 6.D.Espejel, 7.D.Chiandotto, 8.M.Pilotto (12.M.Sidoti 73?), 9.J.Gutierrez, 10.N.Ruoco, 11.P.Pace (14.M.Pezzano 77?).
Substitutes Not Used: 13.M.Mazzarolo,15.A.Foti, 16.S.Riva.
Yellow Cards: 6.D.Espejel 44?, 10.N.Ruoco 53?.
Red Cards: Nil
Elimination Final
Northbridge FC – Balmain SC 1-3
Sunday, August 26 @ Hills Sports High
Balmain SC overcame a slow start, and going down an early goal, to defeat Northbridge FC in extra time of their State League One Elimination Final on Sunday afternoon at Hills Sports High.
Northbridge started like a house on fire, dominating early proceedings as they looked to take the game to their opponents in their maiden final series in State League One.
Northbridge?s efforts were rewarded when Ry Hardy scored after just seven minutes to give them the lead, and all of a sudden it was game on.
But Balmain steadied, and slowly worked their way back into the clash, earning a penalty well before the break in the 27th minute. Johnny Buonavoglia duly responded and it was ?even stevens? once again.
The match then became a real arm wrestle as the intensity stepped up, and no more goals took the match into extra time.
Two minutes into the additional half hour, Balmain edged themselves in front, and it was Buonavoglia who once again struck the decisive blow, scoring for the 13th time this season.
Balmain then wrapped up proceedings in the 105th minute when substitute, Kachi Enyi , rounded the keeper before scoring after a great through ball by Daniel Borg, making it 3-1 on the scoreboard.
Despite the loss, it has been a fantastic season for Northbridge FC, promoted from Division Two in 2011, finishing fourth on the ladder after the competition proper, and playing some exciting and attacking football in the process.
For Balmain SC, they live to fight another day, and will now take on Inner West rivals, Inter Lions, next weekend in yet another elimination semi final.
UNDER 20s
Stanmore Hawks overcame UNSW in their qualifying final on Saturday, booking a spot next week to take on champions, Inter Lions, in what is effectively a grand final qualifier.
UNSW live to fight another day, however, and will now be playing to keep their season alive next weekend when they take on Schofields Scorpions, who were 3-1 victors over Fairfield City Lions after extra time in the Elimination Final.
-By Frank Speranza