SUPA IGA NPL Mens 2 Round 10 Review

St George moved three points clear at the top of the SUPA IGA NPL Mens 2 competition after a narrow 1-0 win over Northern Tigers at St George Stadium.
The win, coupled with Mounties Wanderers’ loss to a resurgent Bankstown City, opens up a small break as the season heads to the half way stage. The goal honours go to Parramatta FC who made it two 4-0 wins on the trot, defeating Spirit FC away, in a result which will start to turn heads.
Bankstown City v Mounties Wanderers
With a performance like this, it is hard to understand how it was that Bankstown City were lying third last prior to this weekend. It was the Lions of old against Mounties Wanderers and it were nothing other than a deserved win against the joint league leaders. 
It was also a night in which Saso Petrovski shone, scoring twice to overturn a 1-0 deficit, as Bankstown picked themselves up from an unsteady start. It had not begun well for the Lions, conceding early from the spot when Greg Baldock got the better of Sam Salameh before being brought down in the box. Daniel Severino hammered home the spotkick without a worry in the world.
When Michael Yarnold went off injured not long after, causing a reshuffle to Bankstown’s starting lineup, it seemed that maybe their poor run may continue. But with Gosue Sama coming on, complementing the attacking skills of Petrovski and Jordan Simpson, it was Bankstown who dominated the chances inflicting some heavy pressure on the Mounties. In a matter of minutes, the Lions had three glorious chances to equalise, Sama looking surprised at the amount of space he had in the area before he potted over the bar, and Reuben Lagos picked up a superb through ball down the right before shooting just wide. Petrovski also had a shot cleared off the line, desperately.
The pressure told however, just minutes later when Petrovski shot home in a crowded area to bring it back to 1-1. Bankstown were mightily relieved to finally draw level, celebrating like they had won the game, and it was an indication of their determination that they weren’t going to let another match go by the wayside.
But even so, Mounties had a golden chance of their own within a minute of the restart when Eli Squillacioti headed wide from a great chance, and then the Lions keeper Thomas Manos produced a great double save to deny Baldock right near the end of what was a superbly entertaining half.
This was an open attacking game and it was clear that a draw was to no-one’s liking. There had been chances galore in the first half and it was no different in the second.
Just five minutes in, and the Lions had hit the lead. Petrovski, again, was the one who got on the scoresheet, shooting low into the bottom corner, Ali Akbal seeing the ball late, through a packed area. The tempo lifted even further after this, the Mounties now being behind and Bankstown keen to make sure they maintained their lead. 
It led to a period in which tempers boiled over, on both sides, but its genesis was a foul on Lagos and a consequent errant foot of Squillacioti connecting with the face of the prone Lions midfielder. That moment wasn’t forgotten and just after the half hour, it was on again. This time an elbow by Squillacioti connected with Lagos who retaliated ferociously. It was all in again and referee Chris Young had little hesitation, or alternative, in producing a red card to both Squillacioti and Lagos.
The 10 v 10 kept the game open, but in a rising mist, the best chances for further goals were left till late. Petrovski was withdrawn with ten to go, Zac Vallorani coming on to protect the lead, leaving Sama alone upfront. But it was Sama who produced some superb touches, creating great chances to increase the lead.
Somehow though, the ball just wouldn’t go in, and while last season’s Golden Boot winner would have been expected to score here, the night wasn’t to be his. Vallorani also had two great shots very late, Akbal proving his equal.
It should have been more than 2-1 in the end, but for the Lions, the three points at last is what counts.
Bankstown City 2 (Saso Petrovski 31’, 50’) v Mounties Wanderers 1 (Daniel Severino 14’ pen)
Saturday 25 May 2013
at Jensen Park, Sefton
Referee: Chris Young
Assts: Valerio Bertuccioli and Joon Park
Bankstown City: 62. Thomas Manos 7. Steven Liavas 17. James O’Rourke 5. Simon Verrender 15. Sam Salameh 6. Reuben Lagos 23. Samuel Jacob 24. Dominic Hudap 19. Michael Yarnold (11. Gosue Sama 20’) 9. Jordan Simpson (4. Peter Vassilis 71’) 10. Saso Petrovski (c) (22. Zac Vallorani 80’). 
Subs not used: 25. Zlatko Joseski
Yellow Cards: Dominic Hudap, Gosue Sama, Michael Yarnold, Sam Salameh
Red Card: Reuben Lagos 63’
Coaches: George Nohra/Bill Pilovski
Mounties Wanderers: 22. Ali Akbal 25. Alvin Singh 16. Scott Goodwin 18. Mark D’Alessandro (c) 29. Jake Ingle 4. Greg Baldock (24. Klime Setkukoski 70’) 17. Daniel McCann (9. Matt Vieira 80’) 27. Daniel Severino 8. David Gardner 2. Eli Squillacioti 14. Mark Symington.
Subs not used: Gk Jackson Franich 5. Daine Merrin. 6. Peter Day.
Yellow Cards: Greg Baldock, Jake Ingle.
Red Card: Eli Squillacioti 63’
Coaches: Aiden Desmond/Glenn Lockhart
Spirit FC v Parramatta FC
At the start of the season Parramatta couldn’t score for love or money but that is not the case now. After taking all the points in a 4-0 win over Sydney Uni last weekend, they have done the same in this, demolishing Spirit FC by a similar scoreline at Christie Park.
It may have been only 1-0 at the break, courtesy of Niran Kanoun, but it all came together in the second half.
The past faced Eagles took advantage of their speed, getting behind the Spirit defence to knock in three second half goals. Danny Choi was the first, breaking the defensive line to escape clear before lobbing over Murray Nelson. Devante Clut, starting today from the bench after a busy period away, came on to make it three before Hyung An made it a comprehensive 4-0.
“That was the first time this season we have gone back-to-back”, said Lee Sterrey, “and I am very happy with the result”.
“Overall, we dominated major parts of the game but what was disappointing was that we didn’t step it up during the first half, to try and kill the game off”.
But the half time talk fixed that and it was a more clinical Parramatta which came out after half time.
“Our Achilles heel this season has been our goalscoring but we have now scored thirteen goals in three games. We had five against Bankstown, four against Sydney Uni last weekend and another four today. Eight goals in the last two weeks without conceding. I had said earlier that we would soon start to hurt teams and that is beginning to happen now”.
“We had wanted to go as far as we could in the Waratah Cup too but now that we are out of that, we can concentrate on the comp. Plus the teams at the top are playing each other over the next four weeks or so, almost in a round robin, so the chance is there for us to really improve our position.”
Spirit FC 0 v Parramatta FC 4 (Niran Kanoun, Danny Choi, Devante Clut, Hyung An)
Macarthur Rams v Bankstown Berries
Macarthur Rams and Bankstown Berries shared four goals at Lynwood Park, the Rams coming from a goal down on two occasions to eventually take a point.
An early goal after three minutes from Adam Savetta, a strike from wide out, gave the Berries the lead but it didn’t take long for Macarthur to equalise, Joel Craig taking advantage of some poor defending to draw level.
Dimitri Zakilas then got his seventh goal of the season to give the Berries a half time lead but a late header to Adam Wither with ten minutes remaining ensured the points were even.
“That was a good game to be involved in”, stated John Calleja. “We were very good this week, and it was a fast cracking match”.
“We had the better of the first half but they really pressed us during the second, having corner after corner, and it seemed just a matter of time before they would equalise. Which they did, though overall it was a fair result.
Macarthur Rams 2 (Joel Craig, Adam Wither) v Bankstown Berries 2 (Adam Savetta, Dimitri Zakilas)
Sydney University v Hills Brumbies
Sydney University, at last, gained their second win of the season, overcoming Hills Brumbies 2-1 to move five points clear of bottom placed Mount Druitt Town Rangers, whose own match was washed out.  
Two goals to Jamie Watt, doubling his tally for the season, overturned a 0-1 half time deficit. Hills had taken a first half lead through Dragan Savic, taking advantage of a great run and pass from Keunike Maralit.
But despite some good chances, including three strikes against the woodwork, Hills were unable to increase their lead and Watt’s brace gives some respite to Uni, who have played some good football to date without the reward. 
Sydney University 2 (Jamie Watt 2) v Hills Brumbies 1 (Dragan Savic)
St George v Northern Tigers
St George made it four wins in a row with a close fought 1-0 win over Northern Tigers to move three points clear at the top of the table.
The goal came as early as the seventh minute, George Codrea picking up a loose ball on the edge of the area to strike past Stuart Page, the ball taking the slightest of deflections on the way in.
What was a surprise was that that remained the only goal of the game as the Saints did all but score a second, particularly in the first half. Excellent keeping from Page, a clearance off the line by Stefan de Jesus and some shots which simply flashed wide, kept the scoreline to the bare minimum.
Brendan Salameh came closest for the Tigers, testing Dion Shaw, but the lone goal was enough.
St George 1 (George Codrea 7’) v Northern Tigers 0
Fraser Park v Mount Druitt Town Rangers
Washed Out
Leading Goalscorers
10 –       Saso Petrovski             (Bankstown City)
9 –        Juan Chavez                 (St George)
8 –        Sam Messam                (St George)
7 –        Danny Choi                   (Parramatta FC)

Dimitri Zakilas               (Bankstown Berries)

Under 20s
Bankstown Berries remain top of the Under 20s despite only drawing 2-2 at Macarthur Rams, as closest rivals Hills Brumbies also dropped two points in a 1-1 draw at Sydney University.
Michael Gaitatzis and Pan Gotsis got on the scoresheet for the Berries while the Rams netted through Daniel Nelson and Nicholas Mugridge. 
Mounties Wanderers secured a 3-0 win at Jensen Park with an early goal after just nine minutes from Jake Marsden, before a penalty to Stjepan Curic doubled the lead ten minutes into the second half. A third to Mounties, from Andrew Hirmiz, made absolutely certain thirteen minutes from time.
Northern Tigers had a strong win against a ten man St George, who had Jake Trivor sent off early in the first half. The Saints were already a goal down by then, Gianluigi Trujillo putting the Tigers one up. The send off coupled with a penalty looked sure to put the Tigers in the driving seat very early on but Blake Shergold did well in saving the spotkick. Nonetheless, it was always going to be hard one man down, and St George were unable to prevent further goals from Matthew Alessi and Sebastian Bendall.
Spirit FC came away with a 2-0 win over Parramatta FC with goals to Abraham Majok and Roberto Polistina. 
Results: Sydney University 1 Hills Brumbies 1, Bankstown City 0 v Mounties Wanderers 3, Macarthur Rams 2 Bankstown Berries 2, St George 0 Northern Tigers 3, Spirit FC 2 Parramatta FC 0.
-By Peter Rowney