SUPA IGA NSW NPL Mens 2 Round 8
The lead at the top of Mens 2 has been cut to just the one point, after Mounties Wanderers suffered their first loss of the season, to Bankstown Berries, and both St George and Macarthur Rams recorded wins. Mount Druitt Town Rangers got off the mark with their first three-pointer, a healthy 3-1 victory at Spirit FC.
St George v Parramatta FC
It is said that a week is a long time in politics. The same can be said for football as Parramatta FC found out at St George Stadium on Sunday.
The Eagles were enjoying a marvellous 5-0 win over Bankstown City last weekend, but had to suffer through a 4-0 loss in this, after St George dominated the scoreline. Parramatta fielded an unchanged lineup, with even the bench the same as last weekend, while St George made one change from the team that beat Fraser Park last Saturday, starting Sam Messam in place of Marino Musumeci. St George also had to cater for the loss of Chris Gomez, who departed midweek to take up a professional contract in Indonesia.
Even though the Saints took an early lead, Juan Chavez taking the easiest of touches to score after five minutes, when Aleks Jovovic had opened up down the right, there was little further goalmouth activity for the first half hour.
That was to change in the final fifteen minutes of the half though, St George having two excellent chances to increase their lead. Firstly, Matt Sadler shot first time into Justin Biega’s hands and then Aleks Jovovic also had a great chance. Neither scored on those occasions, but the second goal for St George did arrive five minutes before half time. Messam and Jovovic, always looking a danger, combined well again, leaving Chavez to slot home once more from in front. They were two relatively simple goals, a surprise considering the defensive effort put out by Parramatta last weekend.
Things turned even worse in the minutes following, Messam curling an excellent shot around an outstretched Biega, after taking advantage of a defensive slip, after forty two minutes, to make it 3-0. Two goals conceded in three minutes were bad enough, but a red card to Wand Jajaw, at kickoff, for words said, really put Parramatta behind the eight ball.
The game could have been considered as good as over from that point, only a remarkable turnaround would have seen Parramatta come back from that position. To their credit, they continued to play, searching for a way back, but the chances were few and far between. Striker Niram Kanoun, on at half time in an enforced change, worked hard all half though it was Danny Choi who had the best chance, but when clear on goal, drifted away from the target when a more direct route may have suited better.
Saints coach Manny Spanoudakis took the opportunity to make some changes, Chavez coming off after fifty five, and Sadler after sixty, while George Codrea was replaced with twenty to go. St George remained strong, and it was no real surprise when the fourth arrived. Nick Napoli was the scorer, a strong drive sneaking through Biega.
Michael Smith almost made it 5-0 in injury time but Biega was equal to the task, turning away the powerful header for a corner.
The cleansheet for St George was only their second of the season, but their healthy “goals for” column continues to climb. Parramatta FC will have the chance to exact some sort of revenge, when the two met in the Waratah Cup next round.
St George 4 (Juan Chavez 5’, 40’, Sam Messam 42’, Nick Napoli 82’) v Parramatta FC 0
Sunday 12 May 2013
at St George Stadium
Referee: Jason Blackwood
Assts: Mitch Clark and Lawrence Villaroel
St George: 23. Dion Shaw 3. David Dascal 5. Bill Tsanidis 19. Nick Napoli 35. Costa Andricopoulos 12. Aleks Jovovic 18. George Codrea (2. Michael Smith 72’) 16. Jonathan Castano-Acero 22. Matt Sadler (7. George Lagoudakis 60’) 9. Sam Messam 11. Juan Chavez (8. Marino Musumeci 55’).
Subs not used: 60. Daniel Nash 6. Sean Thomas.
Yellow Cards: Sam Messam
Coach: Manny Spanoudakis
Parramatta FC: 1. Justin Biega 12. Hiroaki Kawasaki 8. Robert Tribbia 4. Andrija Petkovic (9. Niram Kanoun 46’) 2. Domenic Trimboli 5. Daniel Gullo 10. Devante Clut 20. Suad Ameti 17. Hyung An (6. Daniel Penfold 61’) 16. Danny Choi 11. Wand Jajaw.
Subs not used: 22. Domenic Badolato 3. George Youssef 7. Daniel Rezo
Yellow Cards: Danny Choi
Red Card: Wand Jajaw 43’
Coach: Lee Sterrey
Bankstown Berries v Mounties Wanderers
Only one team remains undefeated now after Bankstown Berries came off best in their tough encounter against Mounties Wanderers. It didn’t take long for the Berries to take the lead, John Tsironis netting after just two minutes. But then, it didn’t take long for Mounties to equalise, Daniel Severino striking into the top corner from twenty five metres, after only five minutes had elapsed.
But in an intense match, it was Ante Deur who sent the points the Berries’ way, scoring the winner with a quarter of an hour to go.
“It was a game of the goalkeepers”, said Mounties co-coach Glen Lockhart, who with Aiden Desmond, has led the Mounties to the top of the table.
“Both George Bouropolous and Ali Akbal were in fine form, and each pulled off some great saves. We had two excellent one-on-ones, the first with Eli Squillacioti and the second with Greg Baldock, but George was the difference, saving both”.
“But Severino’s goal was something else…you would see that in the A-League”.
Bankstown Berries 2 (John Tsironis, Ante Deur) v Mounties Wanderers 1 (Daniel Severino)
Macarthur Rams v Northern Tigers
Macarthur Rams won their third match in a row, consigning Northern Tigers to their third defeat in a row, with a 3-1 victory at Lynwood Park on Saturday.
It was a good recovery for the Rams who had suffered a heavy defeat to Sydney Olympic on Wednesday, and the win lifts then above the Tigers for the first time this season. It took a very late goal though, Almir Dizdaric scoring in the 93rd minute to take the points.
Substitute Reuben Agyei-Danso put the Rams in front, in a busy second half, before quick thinking from Steven Baveas, lobbing a quick free kick into the path of Aram Tayebi, helped the Tigers to their equaliser.
But Dizdaric was to have the final say, with that very, very late goal.
Macarthur Rams 2 (Reuben Agyei-Danso, Almir Dizdaric) v Northern Tigers 1 (Aram Tayebi)
Sydney University v Fraser Park
Fraser Park recovered from their hefty midweek loss to Marconi in the Waratah Cup to take away all three points from Hensley Field with a 2-0 win over Sydney University.
With Ben Vidaic returning to the side, it was the ex Sydney Utd striker who put Fraser Park in front after half an hour. While Sydney University pressured during the second period, the visitors were able to maintain their lead, and sealed the result with an injury time goal to Thomas Taylor.
Sydney University 0 v Fraser Park 2 (Ben Vidaic 30’, Thomas Taylor 93’)
Bankstown City v Hills Brumbies
Hills Brumbies produced their best result of the season, defeating Bankstown City at Jensen Park, to move to the fringes of the top five, leapfrogging the Lions in the process.
After failing to convert a penalty earlier in the match, the Brumbies eventually took the lead for the first time through Ryan Blaker, who got on the end of a cross from Jeffrey Issa. Hills held the lead until half time, before a strike in the second period from Jordan Simpson drew Bankstown City level. There followed some intense pressure from the Lions but Hills remained strong and it was with twenty minutes to go that they retook the lead through Russell Farrell, after good work from Dragan Savic.
The loss of the three points was bad enough for Bankstown, but their night finished on an even worse note when Zlatko Joseski was sent off after bringing down Lord Darkoh in the dying minutes.
“That was the first match this season where we have played “whistle to whistle”, stated the Brumbies’ Mark Abi-Arrage. “We were really solid and I could not pick a weak player out there”.
“For us to beat a club like Bankstown City, we have to be performing. Jeffrey Issa had his best game for us, and Nenad Vekic pulled of some unbelievable saves.”
“I actually think we played better last week but we lost some concentration at vital moments then. This week, we were solid all night, right through both halves. Bankstown really pressured after they got the equaliser and we had to be all hands on deck, but we managed to remain strong throughout”.
With Hills next travelling to Mounties on Tuesday, that fixture takes on an interesting twist, following Mounties’ loss on Saturday.
Bankstown City FC 1 (Jordan Simpson) v Hills Brumbies 2 (Ryan Blaker, Russell Farrell)
Spirit FC v Mount Druitt Town Rangers
Mount Druitt Town Rangers gained their first league win of the season, overturning a first half deficit to run out 3-1 winners at Christie Park. After going down to a goal from Andrew McKie, his fourth of the year, Rangers equalised after Spirit put through their own net, for the second week in a row. Nathan Ralph then put the Rangers in front for the first time setting them up for a valuable victory. 17 year old Mitchell King then ensured that all the points went west.
Spirit will have the chance to recover when they meet Bankstown City on Wednesday, at Christie Park, in their rescheduled round five fixture.
Spirit FC 1 (Andrew McKie) v Mount Druitt Town Rangers 3 (own goal, Nathan Ralph, Mitchell King).
Under 20s
A hatrick to Nicholas Mugridge was the highlight of the weekend as Macarthur Rams defeated Northern Tigers 4-2 to stay third in the table, with Reece Iredale also getting on the scoresheet. The Tigers replied through Samuel Ryder and Gianluigi Trujillo, but the loss sees them slip to sixth on the ladder.
Bankstown Berries retain top spot after overcoming Mounties 2-1 while St George stay second, missing a hatful of chances in its 2-1 win over Parramatta. Matthew Miedzinski and Jimmy Moundoulas scored for the Saints while Arjun Punekar replied for the Eagles.
Spirit FC moved up to fifth with a 2-1 win over the Rangers. Goals to Todd Nelson and Rustam Mia set Spirit on their way with David Mavisa scoring the lone goal for Rangers.
-By Peter Rowney
