State League One Round Twelve Preview and Mid-Season Review

The 2013 State League One competition has reached the halfway point, albeit with two previously washed out matches still to be played, and it is one of the most even competitions we have seen for years at this level.
Some interesting things to note include the fact that just seven points separates 2^nd spot on the ladder from 2^nd last, 3 clubs promoted from State League Two make up three spots within the top five, and a newly formed club is more than holding their own sitting in 8^th spot.
Round Twelve kicks off at William Lawson Park on Saturday, when Prospect United host Granville Rage, the teams having previously drawn 0-0 on the opening day of the season.
Prospect would be somewhat disappointed to be sitting in 9^th spot on 12 points, given they showed so much promise early season, but the good news is that they are not too far away from the teams in the top half. Benny Lam’s speed on the flanks has been a real handful for opponents this year, and with the experience of Tim Harrington in defence and skipper, Gus Orcajo, in midfield, not to mention the dangerous and tricky Chris Camilleri in attack, don’t expect United to take too long to begin their ascent up the ladder.
Given the bg turnover in staff in the off season, the Rage have had a solid start to life in SL1, and sit on 16 points in 7^th spot leading into this match, having only been beaten twice in their 10 matches to date.
 
Zac Watters has been a thorn in attack for opposition defences, and with the veteran, Dave Harding, pulling the strings from a centre midfield role, Granville will be confident of a push into finals football come the business end of the season.
The Western NSW Mariners are at home on Saturday evening – Proctor Park, Bathurst, that is – when they welcome the visit of Dulwich Hill.
The Mariners have had an impressive showing in their inaugural season as a men’s football club, having acquired 13 points with 3 wins and 4 draws, and are currently occupying 8^th position on the ladder.
 
Captain Ricky Guihot has been a standout performer for the Mariners, his intensity and work rate a real inspiration to his team mates, whilst James Christie is a very accomplished striker with a real nose for goal scoring opportunities.
One of the four defeats the Mariners have suffered came against Dully back in Round One, and it was a baptism of fire when they lost 1-7, so be certain WNSW coach, Andrew Fearnley, will have his troops pumped up to effect some retribution come Saturday.
 
Wally Savor’s Dulwich Hill swept all before them in the opening rounds, scoring goals at will as they set a strong benchmark across the league. But they haven’t been able to live up to all the hype of late, falling back into the pack and now sit in 6^th spot on 16 points.
The Villazon boys – Carlos (7) and James (3) – have scored ten goals between them and provide plenty of wizardry on the ball in the attacking third, often on the back of raids created by playmaker, Anthony Musumeci. Matthew Licata has been in super form between the sticks, conceding the least amount of goals in the league, helped no doubt by the solid backline in front of him, and they’ll be looking to maintain that stat against WNSW on Saturday. 
Ethan Simone will be hoping for a repeat of his two goals on the opening day of the season when he takes his Hawkesbury City side to Ron Dine Reserve on Sunday afternoon to tackle Camden Tigers.
Hawks coach, Dean Bertenshaw, will be happy enough with his team’s showing at the halfway point, given they are sitting in 5^th spot on 17 points following their promotion from SL2.
On their day the Hawks can be a devastating unit, with plenty of talent across the park to get the job done.
Their playing squad has a solid backline with a fierce and towering look about it, lead by skipper James Chircop. Paul Cooper is a tricky customer on the flank and has scored a couple of beauties this season, whilst Ethan Simone occupies the opposite wing, and has height and pace to trouble any defence – no doubt he will be looking to add to his five goals in 2013. Michael McCrory and Todd Macrae are a menacing forward pair, often on the end of the creativity of Evan Daglis, the team’s playmaker.
Camden Tigers started the season disappointingly, but look to have been over some of the main obstacles holding them back from progressing up the ladder.
Two nasty injuries set the team back somewhat, with promising striker, Ryan Shuttleworth, and the speedy, Ahmed Thafer, both out long term with a leg break and concussion respectively.
Club and coach parted ways a few weeks back, with Ian Lloyd taking the reins, and steering the club to six points within a week, beating Inter Lions away after having completed the 23 minutes of a 1-0 win over Balmain, a match that had earlier been postponed.
 
With the fierce leadership of skipper, James Keane, in the centre of the park, expect the Tigers to produce a better return on investment during the second half of the season.
Sydney Olympic Park will host the return fixture between Northbridge FC and Inter Lions, the match due to kick off on Sunday afternoon at 3-00pm.
After a slow start to 2013 by their own standards, Northbridge have predictably started to come good in recent weeks, and have climbed into 4^th spot on the ladder on 17 points.
Furthermore, the club would be chuffed to be leading the State League One Club Championship – combining the results of the first team, under 20s, and under 18s – at the halfway point, with a total points figure of 133, ahead of Dulwich Hill (122), Hawkesbury City (121) and Hakoah Sydney City East (120), a great reflection of the efforts of all at the club .
Inter Lions promoted U/20s coach, Matteo Maiorana, to the reins of the first team halfway through the first round, and it has understandably taken a little time for the team to find it’s cohesion, given the usual ‘ revolving door’  of playing staff that goes hand in hand with a coaching change.
Nicky Ruoco is back and leading the midfield, whilst Aaron Cimitile’s accuracy from the spot has seen him score four times since his arrival. With the experienced Adrian Vizzari back in the fold following a long term suspension, and with wins over Gladesville Ryde Magic and Prospect United in recent weeks, you can expect the Lions to be back with a vengeance during the second round.
League leaders, Balmain Tigers, welcome third placed Nepean FC to Wentworth Park on Sunday afternoon in what is looming as the match of the round this weekend.
If you would have asked the players and staff at Balmain Tigers where they would expect to be at the halfway point of the season, even the most ardent of them wouldn’t have imagined they would be in first place.
Balmain coach, Joe Di Giulio, has repaid the club’s faith in his appointment, and despite a big turnover in staff, has guided his side to a the top with a level of consistency not showed by other clubs.
Rosario Occhipinti leads the division’s goalscoring charts with 8 for the season, ably supported by Will Donato (5) and Joel Cook (4). Skipper Tommy Hyde has been instrumental in his team’s match day focus, and the recent signing of the Di Mento brothers – Jacob and Domenic – can only mean the Tigers are out to hold onto the top spot for the remainder of the season.
 
Similarly, I don’t know too many people who would have expected Nepean FC to be figuring in the battle for top spots at the halfway point of the season, but coach, Adam Malouf, has done a great job with the newly promoted side.
Terry Pannowitz and Miki Awad have been influential in controlling the leather across the middle of the park, whilst Sebastian Camacho and Daniel Borg look dangerous every time the team counter attacks. But skipper and goalkeeper, Ryan Trussell, has been a mainstay of the team’s success, repelling many of the opposition attacks time and time again as he helps his team maintain their spot near the top.
The final match of the weekend sees Hakoah Sydney City East tackle Gladesville Ryde Magic, the game scheduled to kick off Sunday evening at 5-00pm at Hensley Athletic Field.
Hakoah have catapulted themselves up the ladder in recent weeks, on the back of four victories in their last five matches, and now sit in 2^nd spot at the halfway point on 18 points, just three points from Balmain Tigers.
The only team not to have recorded a draw in its eleven matches, Hakoah came into the SL1 competition with high expectations, having clinched the SL2 championship in 2012, and a string of successes – including away wins over Dulwich Hill, Prospect and Nepean – have Mark Robertson’s charges primed to finish the season strongly.
Justin Kosmina is one who is benefiting from his team’s renewed vigour, with has six goals to show for the 2013 campaign thus far, and he’ll be out for revenge given Hakoah lost 2-3 to Magic on the opening day of the season.
Last year’s SL1 champions, Gladesville Ryde Magic, have found the going tough this time around, with the added hurdle of being the team everyone wants to beat.
Sitting in 10^th spot on 11 points is something the club is not familiar with, but the good news is that they are not too far away from the rest of the teams given the congested ladder.
Tall striker Scott Tonkin has, however, had a great season, picking up the slack given the departure of the McKie brothers, and has notched seven goals thus far by showing a real composure in the attacking third. Given Kyriakos Tohouroglou is arguably the most experienced player and goalkeeper in the league, and with skipper Johnny Martinez and Yavuz Ekinci controlling the centre of the park, expect the Magic to come home strong in the second round.
Please click on the following link for all the details of the full round of Round Twelve fixtures ;
(all matches may be subjected to late changes, so please refer to the Football NSW website prior to the match to confirm kick off times)
http://www.sportingpulse.com/comp_info.cgi?a=ROUND&c=1-9353-138477-253810-0&pool=1&round=12
State League One – Top Goalscorers Round Eleven
Balmain’s Rosario Occhipinti still leads the top goalscorers in SL1 with 8 goals, including what had been the only hatrick of the season, against Hakoah back in Round 6 on May 12.
But now there are three hatricks to note, with Kachi Enyi of Inter, and Justin Kosmina of Hakoah Sydney City East, both scoring three goals last weekend for their respective clubs, and both moving to six goals for the campaign.
            8    : Rosario OCCHIPINTI (Balmain Tigers)

7    : Scott TONKIN(Glades Ryde Magic), Carlos VILLAZON (Dulwich Hill)

6      : Terry PANNOWITZ (Nepean FC), Kachi ENYI (Inter Lions), Justin KOSMINA (Hakoah Sydney City East) 

5       : James CHRISTIE (West NSW Mariners), Nick RUTHERFORD  (West NSW Mariners), Ethan SIMONE (Hawkesbury City SC), Gustavo ORCAJO (Prospect United), Will DONATO (Balmain Tigers), Chris CAMILLERI (Prospect United)

-By Frank Speranza