SUPA IGA NSW NPL Mens 2 Round 1 Review

Northern Tigers and Fraser Park take the club honours in round one of the new season with both claiming all the points in their respective matches.
The personal award goes to Ben Vidaic of Fraser Park, who scored the first hatrick of the new season. 
Spirit FC V Northern Tigers
Sydney’s footballing attention may have almost all been centred on the A-League derby on Saturday night, but there was still plenty of keen interest on the start of the SUPA IGA NSW National Premier League Mens 2 competition too, none more so that at Christie Park where dual 2012 winners Northern Tigers commenced the defence of their crown.
Failing to gain promotion after last season’s efforts, the Tigers face another season in the second tier but the indications from this match suggest it will more of the same for 2013.
Missing the suspended Tom Spencer, still serving his time off from last season’s Grand Final dismissal, and the long term injured Max Glanville, the Tigers had included newcomers Stefan de Jesus and Aram Tayebi from Bankstown Berries, and Liam McConaghy and David McMurray from Sydney University, along with Nicholas McInerney, from Parramatta FC.
And it was to be the night of the new recruits, who certainly got off the mark in fine fashion.
But that was later, and it looked a much stronger Spirit FC this year, who took to the field. Their defence had been bolstered by the return of Ross Kethel and Lachlan Harte, Grand Finals winners with Spirit in 2009, and Matthew Clowes and Tim Simpson. It was to be a mixed night for the Spirit returnees.
They certainly started off in the right manner, taking the lead just after three minutes had elapsed. A corner to the far post found Nick Trimble who put away for the opener. A bit of a surprise perhaps, certainly a goal so early, but it set up the game well. There was not a lot in it in the early stages, two sides keen to start the season well, with the Tigers having no option but to take the game to Spirit. They got their reward with an excellent strike from McInerney who volleyed home from the edge of the area, after eleven minutes.
The pacy Michael Collins was a thorn in the side of Spirit, regularly causing grief down the left and McConaghy was also a danger, the tall striker doing well to create space on one occasion but blasting over.
But it was a send off just after the half hour which turned this game heavily in the Tigers’ favour. It seemed innocuous enough, a challenge between Simpson and McConaghy for a high ball, but the referee spotted an infringement, and a straight red card to the Spirit frontman was the result. Consternation was the initial reaction but off to the sheds was the decision.
From that moment, till the end of the first half, it was all Tigers. Taking advantage of their numerical superiority, the visitors took the lead seven minutes from the break, an excellently worked goal starting from a de Jesus cross, a McConaghy chest down into the path of McMurray who slotted past Murray Nelson.
It was almost three two minutes later when McConaghy drove a shot against the junction of bar and post, and it seemed then that the Tigers may run away with this.
But it was credit to the Spirit team that they came out for the second half with no intention of making it easy. They may have been down in numbers but not in heart, and if the Tigers were going to take the three points, they would have to earn it. It became an intense physical contest, with Trimble a tower of strength at the back, but while Northern Tigers had the best of the chances, they were unable to convert and for as long as there was only a goal difference, Spirit were not dead.
It was out wide where the Tigers were most dangerous. Paul Davies down the right, and Collins down the left, were a constant threat. A series of crosses from Davies, in the space of ten minutes should have seen a Tigers goal, but somehow, the final touch or pass was slightly lacking. Davies had chances of his own too, none more so that a rising shot which just sailed over the bar.
With ten to go, and still just a goal down, Spirit played their last card. A double substitution saw attackers Henry Wells and Hayden Pronin came on, as some Spirit legs began to tire. But before they had the chance to make their presence felt, it finally became 3-1. A great run by McMurray, evading the defence, set up ex-Uni teammate McConaghy for the easiest of tap ins.
“It was good to get the win of course”, explained Jason Eagar after the game. “Normally, we start the season relatively slowly, so to get the three points here is a great start, especially as Spirit will be a lot tougher this year.”
“I thought we played particularly well in the final fifteen minutes of the first half, and perhaps should have had another, but overall, we looked good”.
For Spirit’s Rob de Ceglie, there was plenty of good to come out of the game, despite the loss.
“We always knew that this was going to be tough one, being the champions from last year, and they haven’t really lost too much [in the way of players]. But a couple of decisions didn’t go our way, and it changed the mindset of the players. It deflated the hope and the confidence of the side, though I must say, our spirit remained strong. But the fighting qualities that we showed, is what I want to see in my boys.”
“You will see a little bit of us after round three, and I am sure that we will give this competition a shake.”
“We tried to change things around during this game, but the Tigers were stronger in the end, and that third goal was almost inevitable”.
Spirit FC 1 (Nick Trimble 4’) v Northern Tigers 3 (Nicholas McInerney 11’, David McMurray 38’, Liam McConaghy 83’)
Saturday 23 March 2013
at Christie Park
Referee: Adam Weir
Assts: R Klein and V Bertucciolo
Spirit FC: 1. Murray Nelson (c) 19. Tom Lovell 18. Lachlan Harte 16. Nick Trimble 13. Ross Kethel (14. Grant Cornwell 85’) 10. Alistair McKie 8. Matthew Clowes 11. Callum Rogers 2. Akwasi Agyei (17. Henry Wells 80’) 9. Tim Simpson 12. Andrew McKie (Hayden Pronin 80’).
Subs not used: 41. Hayden Browne 4. Paul Nicolaou
Yellow Cards: Alistair McKie, Andrew McKie, Callum Rogers
Red Card: Tim Simpson 32’
Coach: Rob di Ceglie
Northern Tigers: 1. Stuart Page 3. Nicholas McInerney (Peter Hubbard 88’) 2. Travis Oughtred 4. Michael Rolston 11.Aram Tayebi 6. Paul Davies (c) 7. David McMurray 16. Steven Baveas (14. Brendan Salameh 85’) 10. Matthew Collins 12. Stefan de Jesus 9. Liam McConaghy.
Subs not used: 20. Jarrod Unicomb 26. Matthew Alessi 15. Damon Thompson.
Yellow Cards: Steven Baveas
Coach: Jason Eagar
St George v Bankstown Berries
It ended all square again for the third season in a row, as the Saints and Berries locked horns in the season opener at St George Stadium.
On a stiflingly hot day, it was credit to both teams who put on a good display of football in the trying conditions, providing plenty of goals along the way.
It was George Lagoudakis who put the Saints in front for the first time, his free kick from wide outside the area evading all and sundry, before landing neatly into the net. The Berries didn’t take long to respond, Dimitri Zakilis heading home from close range, just two minutes later.
Chris Gomez then gave St George the lead for the second time, a left foot strike hammering into the roof of the net. But five minutes before the break, Kodjo Adjassou levelled again, shooting under the Saints keeper.
When Sam Messam dived low to head home for St George, to give them the lead for the third time, with just five minutes left on the clock, it seemed all the points were staying at the Stadium. But a goalmouth scramble in the final minute saw Alex Beccera draw the Berries level for a share of the points.
St George 3 (George Lagoudakis 17’, Chris Gomez 34’, Sam Messam 85’) v Bankstown Berries 3 (Dimitri Zakilas 19’, Kodjo Adjassou 40’, Alex Becerra 89’)
Fraser Park v Hills Brumbies
A hatrick to Ben Vidaic was the highlight at Fraser Park as the home side gained all the points in their opening match against Hills Brumbies.
It was the visitors though who had taken the lead through Jeffrey Issa, before Vidaic took control, scoring his first to square the ledger by the break. A second after half time gave Fraser Park the lead for the first time before a send off to Paulo Oliviera looked to make things interesting.
But Vidaic made sure of the points with his third, an impressive debut for the new signing.
Fraser Park 3 (Ben Vidaic 3) v Hills Brumbies 1 (Jeffrey Issa)
Parramatta FC v Mount Druitt Town Rangers
There were no goals at Melita Stadium, but that was not for want of trying. Parramatta, for the most part, dominated this game but could not make their superiority count where it mattered most. A missed penalty within the first fifteen minutes didn’t help matters but there were still plenty of opportunities to overcome that mishap.
“If that had been a boxing match, it would have been over in fifteen minutes”, stated Lee Sterrey. “They mainly relied on the counterattack but there was nothing that really threatened us. We just didn’t execute well enough in front of goals but that will come with an injection of confidence”.
Rangers’ Nick Verdos accepted that view.
“In all fairness, we should have conceded. They peppered our goal towards the end and so I am really proud of the boys for holding on. Parramatta were a much younger side with a lot of energy and the heat really killed us today. So I am quite happy to be taking a point”.
Parramatta FC 0 Mt Druitt Town Rangers 0
Sydney University v Mounties Wanderers
There were no goals at the season opener at Hensley Field when the Mounties Wanderers came to visit, but still plenty of drama.
Two send offs inside the first half hour, to the Mounties’ Scott Goodwin and Daniel Severino, reduced the visitors to nine men for over an hour, but the Mounties still managed to come away with a point. It was nothing but a herculean effort from a side tipped by many to have strong season.
Sydney University 0 v Mounties Wanderers 0
Bankstown City Lions 2 v Macarthur Rams 1 

Saso Petrovski got the winner for Bankstown City midway through the second half to help the Lions overturn a first half deficit after Macarthur Rams had taken the lead via Peter Halstead. 
Halstead had connected to a Rams freekick, heading home to give the visitors a half time lead. But an equaliser by last season’s Golden Boot Gosue Sama ten minutes after the break drew Bankstown City level before Petrovski gained all the points, with twenty minutes to go.
Bankstown City 2 (Gosue Sama, Saso Petrovski) v Macarthur Rams 1 (Peter Halstead)

Under 20s
The top two sides in the premiership for 2012 met at Christie Park and shared the spoils after a 2-2 draw. It was a vastly different Tigers side from last season but the result should auger well for the season ahead. Jordan Mbakwe notched both the Tigers goals.
A double to Stjepan Curic sealed all the points for Mounties as they defeated last season’s Grand Final winners, Sydney University. Dimitri Kappatos netted for the home side.
There were six goals at St George Stadium, four of them going to the Bankstown Berries with Pan Gotsis and Mohammad Rahimi scoring a double each. Stephen Grbevski also scored a brace for the Saints.
Parramatta FC got off the mark with a 2-0 win over Mount Druitt Town Rangers, Adrian Vranic and Benjamin Colussi each scoring for the Eagles.
Scores: Fraser Park 0 Hills Brumbies 3, Spirit FC 2 Northern Tigers 2, Sydney University 1 Mounties Wanderers 2, St George 2 v Bankstown Berries 2, Parramatta 2 Mount Druitt Town Rangers 0, Bankstown City Lions 2 Macarthur Rams 2.
-By Peter Rowney