SUPA IGA NSW Mens 2 Round 19 Review

St George increased their lead at the top of the Mens 2 competition to three points after defeating Parramatta 2-0, with their first goal by Nick Napoli being a strong contender for goal of the season.
Mounties Wanderers were the only other top five team to claim victory but nonetheless, the top five remains the same. But things are hotting up, with just two points now separating the five clubs from fourth to eighth.
Parramatta FC v St George
A candidate for Goal of the Season was witnessed at Melita Stadium as St George kept hold of the competition lead with a 2-0 win over rivals Parramatta.
In a game which see-sawed between periods of dominance by both sides, it was a missile from Nick Napoli four minutes before half time which finally broke the deadlock. After sustained pressure from St George, but defended equally well by the Eagles, Napoli let fly with an absolute piledriver from thirty metres which thundered into the roof of the net. After having directly dominated play for around twenty minutes, the visitors were deserved into taking the lead, but while they had attempted to work their way to goal, without success, it took this thunderbolt to gain a slight upper hand.
This was an enthralling game to watch between two of the best footballing sides in the competition, and the result was in doubt for the majority of the game. Parramatta had started the better without creating too much in the way of chances with St George taking a while to get going. Even so, the first decent chance of the game fell to the visitors, Juan Chavez having the chance to toepoke home, but without the power Justin Biega safely collected. It took until the half hour before Parramatta had a direct hit on goal, Wand Jajaw having his shot parried away by Dion Shaw.
But once St George lifted, the advantage shifted in their direction. For a sustained period, they held sway, building from the back through either Michael Smith or Bill Tsanidis, with Bruno Pivato then looking to ease Chavez through. But the Eagles were managing the situation well, closing down the space with numbers. St George may have had the ball but they were having to work very hard to create that decisive chance.

As it happened then, the goal eventually came from that unlikely source. The long drive from Napoli was never going to be stopped and St George had finally gained their breakthrough.
But if St George had dominated large periods of the first half, it was Parramatta’s turn to dominate large parts of the second. The Eagles knew that a win here would draw them to within two points of St George and they were going to give it their best shot. They had their chances too and really should have snared a goal. Devante Clut made a charging run from deep to the edge of the area, before his shot flashed wide. Suad Ameti came close, while substitute Steven Veleski just looped a shot over. Fellow substitute Niran Kanoun then looked to score but Shaw was the equal. Four good chances inside the first twenty minutes of the half and still Parramatta were behind.
Matt Sadler, introduced at half time, responded for St George as he worked well with Chavez, but Biega saved equally well. Then Parramatta had their greatest chance of a goal, which somehow was spurned. How this didn’t go in, no one would know. After Frank Martey received the ball clear on the left side of the box, he had time to control and after working the ball onto his right, and clear in front, it seemed only time before the ball would flash into the net. But Martey spun his drive wide of the edge of the goal, must to the Eagles’ supporters despair.
St George had survived and they duly made the Eagles pay for their profligacy in front of goal. Sam Messam, on for Chavez, took only ten or so minutes to make his mark on the scoresheet. After Biega had parried a Saints shot, Messam did extremely well to knock in the rebound from a very tight angle, with just six minutes left. 
At 2-0, the result was decided, an important victory for St George as they head into the final month. But it was a game between two very good sides, and for the technique of the participants, one of the best of the season.  
Parramatta 0 v St George 2 (Nick Napoli 41’, Sam Messam 84’)
Saturday 3 August 2013
at Melita Stadium, South Granville 
Referee: Michael Weiner
Assts: Sarah Ho and Garth Williams
Parramatta: 1. Justin Biega 2. Domenic Trimboli 8. Robert Tribbia 4. Anthony Avanti 12. Hiroaki Kawasaki 11. Frank Martey 10. Devante Clut 5. Daniel Gullo (18. Steven Veleski 55’) 15. Suad Ameti 16. Danny Choi (7. Daniel Rezo 87’) 19. Wand Jajaw (9 Niran Kanoun 55’). 
Subs not used: 6. Joshua Small 40. Lucas North.
Yellow Cards: Frank Martey
Coach: Lee Sterrey
St George: 23. Dion Shaw 6. Sean Thomas 5. Bill Tsanidis 2. Michael Smith 35. Costa Andricopoulos 19. Nick Napoli 16. Jonathan Castano-Acero 18. George Codrea (8. Matt Sadler 46’) 12. Aleks Jovovic 10. Bruno Pivato (7. George Lagoudakis 80’) 11. Juan Chavez (9. Sam Messam 72’).
Subs not used: 33. Simon Verrender 60. Daniel Nash.
Yellow Cards: Jonathan Castano-Acero, George Codrea
Coach: Manny Spanoudakis
Northern Tigers v Macarthur Rams
There wasn’t too much to take away from this scrappy affair as Northern Tigers and Macarthur Rams ground out a 0-0 draw at Mills Park, the single point each earned not doing much for either side’s ambitions.
Northern Tigers needed all the points to improve their final five hopes while Macarthur Rams needed a win to keep the pressure on St George at the top. As it was, neither side did enough to warrant a victory.
There was very little goal mouth action in the first half as the game became bogged down in a midfield scrap, with only Max Glanville’s strike three minutes before half time raising the temperature.
The second half improved mildly, particularly in the final twenty minutes for the Tigers, but certainly early on, it was the Rams who threatened the most. They came closest to opening their account when Shannon Hankin hit the post ten minutes after the break and then Alvaro Malmierca, the Rams’ scorer against Sydney FC last Wednesday, brought an excellent save from Stuart Page.
The Tigers responded more dominantly in the final fifteen minutes, creating more chances than they had to that point. Daniel Cunningham started a run from deep before releasing Adam Biddle on the right, and his cross was met by the onrushing Cunningham whose header just lacked that little bit of accuracy. It was a fine move though, and deserving of more, if only for the effort.
David McMurray then tested Chad Taylor who produced a save just when it looked like the scoreline would turn in the Tigers’ favour and Peter Hubbard let fly with a screamer. But it was to remain 0-0 with the lack of goals continuing to be a concern.
Northern Tigers 0 v Macarthur Rams 0
Sunday 4 August 2013
at Mills Park, Asquith
Referee: Andrew Higgins
Northern Tigers: 1. Stuart Page 17. Peter Hubbard 5. Daniel Cunningham 4. Michael Rolston 11. Aram Derakzala 16. Steven Baveas 7. David McMurray 12. Stefan de Jesus 10. Matt Collins (14. Brendan Salameh) 15. Adam Biddle 8. Max Glanville (6. Jordan Mbakwe 84’).   
Yellow Cards: Steven Baveas, Daniel Cunningham, Adam Biddle, Michael Rolston.
Coach: Jason Eagar
Macarthur Rams: 1. Chad Taylor 2. Craig Cooley (c) 5. Calum Fleming 13. Daniel Carrozza 7. Ko Kimura 17. Adam Wither 15. Joel Craig 19. Alvaro Malmierca 4. Slaven Ljuboja (16. Daniel Ramirez 62’) 12. Neftali Gonzalez 9. Shannon Hankin (11. Almir Dizdaric 70’).
Yellow cards: Nil
Coach: Claudio Canosa
Mounties Wanderers v Bankstown Berries
Mounties Wanderers’ 3-1 win over Bankstown Berries has brought the Mt Pritchard side to within a point of second placed Macarthur Rams, setting the scene nicely for when the two clubs meet next Saturday night.
Daniel McCann got the ball rolling in the fifteenth minute for the Mounties before the Berries equalised though Kodjo Adjassou two minutes before half time.
An improved second half by the visitors put some pressure on the Mounties but two goals in the final thirteen minutes sealed it for the Wanderers. It was no surprise that new kingpin front man Alvin Singh scored again, with Matt Viera getting the third with just a few minutes left. 
After the half time abandonment of last Tuesday’s clash against Fraser Park, due to a torrential downpour, Mounties will now travel back to Sydenham this coming Tuesday to play the second half only, taking with them a 2-1 half time lead.
Bankstown Berries will meet Spirit FC on Wednesday at The Crest in their crucial rescheduled round 14 fixture.
Mounties Wanderers 3 (Daniel McCann 15’, Alvin Singh 77’, Matt Viera 89’) v Bankstown Berries 1 (Kodjo Adjassou 43’)
Fraser Park v Sydney University
Fraser Park finals hopes hang by a thread but they did themselves plenty of good, defeating Sydney University 3-2 on Saturday to keep their season alive.
Two goals to David Wilson and one to Thomas Taylor sent Fraser Park on the way to victory while Uni’s goalscorers were Jeremy Butnaru and Hayato Wakino. 
Fraser Park will now seek to overturn that half time deficit against Mounties on Tuesday but the momentum from this win should stand them in good stead.
Fraser Park 3 (David Wilson 2, Thomas Taylor) v Sydney University 2 (Jeremy Butnaru, Hayato Wakino)
Mount Druitt Town Rangers v Spirit FC
Spirit FC continue to impress with their late charge for the finals, this being their fourth win in five games, as they now move to sixth.
Akwasi Agyei did the damage against Mount Druitt Town Rangers, scoring in the second half for the vital Spirit win.
Spirit’s rise has been nothing less than phenomenal, as they were sitting in ninth spot just a month ago. Indeed, they had risen outside the bottom four only once in the first fourteen weeks of the season.
Sitting equal on points with fifth placed Bankstown Berries, this Wednesday’s clash has gained far greater importance that it would have had, when initially scheduled.
Mount Druitt Town still harbour hopes of getting off the bottom, and they will have that chance when they meet St George at home on Tuesday.
Mount Druitt Town Rangers 0 v Spirit FC 1 (Akwasi Agyei)
Hills Brumbies v Bankstown City
Hills Brumbies’ slim hopes of finals football ebbed away when Bankstown City claimed victory in a 2-0 win at Doonside.
Amazingly, the same can’t be said for Bankstown City, whose second win in a row, combined with the continued poor results of the finals hopefuls, has given a slim lifeline to the Lions.
Nicolo Sama and Aaron D’Mello were the scorers for Bankstown City who will no doubt be now keeping a keen interest on the results of the plethora of midweek games coming up.
Hills Brumbies 0 v Bankstown City 2 (Nicolo Sama, Aaron D’Mello)
Fraser Park v Mounties Wanderers
Rescheduled Round 14
Tuesday 30 July 2013
A downpour ten minutes from half time and which continued throughout the break caused the abandonment of this rescheduled match with Mounties leading Fraser Park 2-1. A goal by Ben Vidaic after three minutes had given Fraser the lead but two goals to new found striker Alvin Singh after thirty two and forty minutes drew Mounties in front.
But excessive surface water which quickly accumulated caused the referee to call time, without the players reappearing for the second half. The second half will now take place this coming Tuesday, 6 August.
Fraser Park 1 (Ben Vidaic 3’) v Mounties Wanderers 2 (Alvin Singh 32’, 40’) Match abandoned at half time.
Leading Goalscorers
13 –       Juan Chavez                 (St George)
11 –       Danny Choi                   (Parramatta)
            Sam Messam                (St George)
10 –       Saso Petrovski             (ex – Bankstown City)
Jamie Watt                    (Sydney University)
9 –        Daniel Severino             (Mounties Wanderers)
Under 20s
Hills Brumbies stay top of the Under 20s competition after a healthy 4-1 defeat of Bankstown City. Bankstown Berries remain second after a close 1-0 win over Mounties Wanderers, a goal by Michael Gaitatzis securing the victory.
Spirit took the points in a 1-0 win at Mount Druitt to go third, sending Macarthur Rams to fourth after their 3-1 loss at Northern Tigers. 
Parramatta reversed a 0-1 half time deficit to defeat St George 2-1. The Saints had taken the lead in the 37th minute through Stephen Grbevski but the Eagles drew level with a goal by Johnny Russo in the 66th. A penalty by Adrian Vranic five minutes later earned Parramatta all the points. Despite the loss, St George remain fifth.
Sydney University took the points at Fraser Park by 2-1, condemning Fraser to their second defeat in five days after they also went down 1-0 to Mounties Wanderers last Tuesday, Mounties scoring through Robert Loucos.
Parramatta FC 2 St George 1, Mounties 0 Bankstown Berries 1, Fraser Park 1 Sydney University 2, Mount Druitt 0 Spirit FC 1, Northern Tigers 3 Macarthur Rams 1, Hills Brumbies 4 Bankstown City 1, Fraser Park 0 Mounties 1 (Tues)
-By Peter Rowney