The Teenage Revolution – IGA NPL NSW Men’s 1 – Finals Week 2 Review

The weekend saw the end of Winter and the beginning of Spring as well as a festival of fabulous football as teams fought it out for the right to continue to play in the finals series.
IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 1 – Grade 12
Minor Semi Final
Leading up to the finals series fourth placed South Coast Wolves had won five of their last six games before defeating fifth placed APIA Leichhardt Tigers in last week’s Elimination Semi Final. The Wolves were the top scoring team in this age group with fifty goals to their credit.
Third placed Manly United had won three and drawn one of their six matches immediately before the finals series and then they lost to Blacktown Spartans in the Preliminary Semi Final last weekend. Manly had the best defensive record in this age group as they had conceded only twelve goals during the competition.
In head-to-head action during the competition Manly had picked up the first round points with a 3-1 win and then the Wolves squared the account with a 1-0 victory in the second round.
This week Manly United produced a stunning performance as they turned a 3-0 half-time lead into a very solid 5-0 victory to claim the first place in next week’s Preliminary Final while the Wolves have now bowed out of the finals series. The scorers in this match were H. McCarthy (2), V. Hudy (2) and J. Hollman.
Major Semi Final
Blacktown City came into this match as the Premiers and they had won four and drawn two of the six matches leading up to the finals series.
Second placed Blacktown Spartans had posted five wins and a draw in the six matches immediately before the finals series and then they won last week’s Preliminary Semi Final against Manly United.
In head-to-head action during the competition the teams had split the first round points with a 1-1 draw before fighting out a scoreless draw just a fortnight ago.
It was necessary to find a winner this time and it was Blacktown City who came up with the goods, winning this match with a 2-1 scoreline after the game was scoreless at the break. This outcome has given City direct passage to the Grand Final while the Spartans will need to play in the Preliminary Final.
IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 1 – Grade 13
Minor Semi Final
Fourth placed South Coast Wolves had produced four wins and a daw from their last six competition matches before beating fifth placed Blacktown City in the Elimination Semi Final last weekend.
Second placed Blacktown Spartans four wins and two draws to show for the six matches leading into the finals series and then they suffered a loss to Manly United in the Preliminary Semi Final played last week.
In head-to-head action during the competition the Wolves posted a 3-1 win in the first round clash and then the Spartans squared the account with a 3-1 victory of their own in the second round.
The Wolves really came to the fore this time when they registered a strong 4-0 result after leading 2-0 at the interval and that has carried them into the Preliminary Final while the Spartans have said farewell to the finals series for this season.
Major Semi Final
Sutherland Sharks entered the finals series as the Premiers with three wins and three draws coming from their last six matches. They had the best attacking and defensive figures in this age group, scoring seventy-nine goals and conceding twenty-six. 
Third placed Manly United had recorded five wins and a draw from their last six competition matches before defeating Blacktown Spartans in the Preliminary Semi Final last weekend.
In head-to-head action during the competition Manly had snatched the first round points with a 2-0 success and then the teams fought out a scoreless draw when they met in the second round.
Sutherland Sharks certainly showed their class this week when they produced a 2-1 lead before the break and then turned that into a 4-1 victory to claim the first berth in the Grand Final while Manly will compete in the Preliminary Final.
IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 1 – Grade 14
Minor Semi Final
Blacktown City finished the competition in fifth place and they had registered four wins and two draws in their last six matches before defeating fourth placed Central Coast Mariners in the Elimination Semi Final.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles came into the finals series in third place after recording four wins and two draws in their last six matches before suffering a loss to Sydney Olympic in the Preliminary Semi Final.
In head-to-head action during the competition Bonnyrigg claimed the first round points with a 2-0 result and then the second round encounter finished in a 1-1 draw.
Blacktown City really turned the tables this week when they came up with a 2-0 victory, doubling their half-time advantage, and they have taken the first place in next week’s Preliminary Final while Bonnyrigg will take no further part in the finals series.

Major Semi Final
Sutherland Sharks entered this match as the Premiers and they had the best attacking and defensive figures in this age group, scoring fifty-three goals and conceding only nine. Their last six matches had yielded five wins and a draw.
Second placed Sydney Olympic had an equally good defensive record as they had also conceded only nine goals. Their last six competition matches had produced three wins and three draws before they won the Preliminary Semi Final.
In head-to-head action during the competition Olympic were 1-0 winners in the first round clash and then the Sharks turned the tables in the second round when the won 1-0.
This game was scoreless at the break and then the Sharks scored twice in the second half to grab the first berth in the Grand Final and that has forced Olympic into the Preliminary Final.
IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 1 – Grade 15
Minor Semi Final
Sydney United 58 completed the competition in fifth place and they had won four of their last six competition matches before beating fourth placed Sutherland Sharks in last week’s Elimination Semi Final.
APIA Leichhardt Tigers were in third place on the final table for the season and they had posted five wins and a draw in the six game leading up to the finals before losing the Preliminary Semi Final to Bonnyrigg White Eagles. The Tigers had the best defensive record in this age group as they had conceded only seventeen goals during the competition.
In head-to-head action during the competition the Tigers were 2-0 winners in the first round match and then the second round game ended in a 2-2 draw.
The Tigers has a 1-0 lead at half-time but this was to be Sydney United’s day as they scored two second half goals to lead 2-1 when the final whistle sounded and that was enough to take them into the Preliminary Final while the Tigers have bowed out of the play-offs for this season.
Major Semi Final
Blacktown City arrived at this match as the Premiers and their last six games had produced four wins.  
Second placed Bonnyrigg White Eagles were the leading scorers in this age group with sixty goals to their credit. They had registered four wins from their last six matches before winning the Preliminary Semi Final.
In head-to-head action during the competition Bonnyrigg had collected all the points, winning both games with a 2-1 scoreline on each occasion.
After a first half where the scoreboard attendant was untroubled, Blacktown scored twice and Bonnyrigg found the back of the net once and that 2-1 result was sufficient to take Blacktown into the Grand Final while Bonnyrigg will play in the Preliminary Final.
IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 1 – Grade 16
Minor Semi Final
Blacktown Spartans were in fourth place on the final table for the season and they had posted five victories from their last six competition matches before beating fifth placed Sutherland Sharks in the Elimination Semi Final.
Blacktown City finished in third position and their last six competition matches had yielded four wins and a draw before suffering a loss to Sydney Olympic in the Preliminary Semi Final
In head-to-head action during the competition City claimed the first round points with a 3-0 result and then the Spartans turned the tables on them with their own 3-0 victory in the second round.
That most recent match proved to be an accurate guide as the Spartans prevailed once again, winning this match 3-1 after leading 2-0 at the interval to take their place in the Preliminary Final while City have said farewell to this season’s finals series.
Major Semi Final
APIA Leichhardt Tigers came into this match as the Premiers and they had the best attacking and defensive figures in this grade, scoring sixty-two goals and conceding only twenty-one. They had registered four wins and two draws from the six matches leading into the finals series.
Sydney Olympic were the competition runners-up and they recorded three wins and a draw in the six matches immediately before the play-offs and then they won the Preliminary Semi Final.
 
In head-to-head action during the competition both matches were draws, 2-2 in the first round and 1-1 in the second round.
The Tigers raced out to a 2-0 first half lead and then they went on with the job to post a 4-0 final scoreline thanks to goals from L. Scott, H. Griffin-Colls, G. Blackwood and S. Eve. That has given them the direct route to the Grand Final while Olympic will play in the Preliminary Final.
IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 1 – Grade 18
Minor Semi Final
Sydney Olympic finished in fifth place and they had two wins and two draws to show for their last six competition matches before they defeated APIA Leichhardt Tigers in the Elimination Semi Final.
Blacktown City were the competition runners-up and they were the joint top scorers in this grade with sixty-two goals to their credit and they shared the best defensive record, conceding only twenty-three goals. They had posted five wins and a draw in the six games before the finals and then they lost the Preliminary Semi Final to Sydney United 58.
In head-to-head action during the competition Olympic were 2-1 winners in the first round and then Blacktown won 1-0 the second time around.
There had to be a winner in this match and on this occasion it was Blacktown City who claimed victory with a 2-1 scoreline and that has carried them into the Preliminary Final while Olympic will take no further part in this finals series.
Major Semi Final
Blacktown Spartans came into this game as the Premiers. They were they joint leading scorers with sixty-two goals. They had produced three wins and a draw from the six matches leading into the finals series.  
Third placed Sydney United 58 had three wins and a draw to show for their last six competition matches before defeating Blacktown City in the Preliminary Semi Final
In head-to-head action during the competition the Spartans were 2-1 winners in the first round but the account was squared when United won the second round match 3-1 in a game played a fortnight ago.
The second round form held true as United produced a 1-0 win thanks to a goal in the second half and they have taken the first berth in the Grand Final while the Spartans will compete in the Preliminary Final.