SUPA IGA NPL NSW Men’s 2 – Finals Week 2 Review

The first of the Grand Final competitors has been decided with St George moving into the season’s finale in a fortnight’s time, with their opposition to come from either Macarthur Rams or Mounties Wanderers.
Fraser Park were eliminated from their otherwise fine season after a 0-1 defeat to the Mounties. 
Mounties Wanderers v Fraser Park
Semi Final 1
It may have been close in the end, but Mounties Wanderers did enough to bring to an end Fraser Park’s season, winning 1-0 in the minor semi final on Saturday.
The only goal came courtesy of Daniel Severino, who could hardly have missed from right in front and only a couple of metres out, after Michael Frost could only touch away a deep cross. The goal came early, thirteen minutes in, meaning that Fraser Park would need to come from behind two finals games in succession.
Fraser had made only the one change from last weekend, Hussein Akil starting with Carlo Musumeci, injured against the Berries, on the bench but Mounties were without the injured Peter Day and Alvin Singh, Singh failing a late fitness test but still claiming a spot on the bench. David Gardiner, returning from suspension, took over at right back.
As it was, Mounties could perhaps have done with Singh’s clinical finishing, as while they only scored the one, they certainly threatened to score another. Not so much in the first half, which lacked clear opportunities for both sides, but definitely in the second, as Mounties piled on substantial pressure.
Gardiner could have doubled the score just after the break, blasting over from a good chance and Daniel McCann drew an excellent save from Frost. Fraser Park had few decent shots on target, Ben Vidaic having one of the few, but lacking power.
Fraser seemed to lack the urgency which they displayed last week, despite being a goal behind, although Mounties did not allow Fraser the space afforded them by the Berries. It was only in the last ten minutes or so that Fraser Park upped the tempo enough to give Mounties a real scare.
Kevin Oliviera, overlapping down the right flank, looked to cause a danger, but the crosses were invariably cleared or collected by Ali Akbal. Vidaic tried hard but was crowded out by a determined Mounties, who were giving every impression that they learned the hard lesson from last week. 
Mitchell Davidson almost scored in the dying moments, in the right place and a metre out, but an awkward bounce, and the quick pace of the ball proved too much. If that had have gone in, who knows what might have happened, as Fraser were finally starting to show signs of the impetus they had exhibited last week.
But this time, they really left it too late, and there can be little argument that Mounties deserved to progress.   
“I thought maybe we could have had a couple more”, considered Glenn Lockhart. “The surface suited us and we said to just go out and enjoy yourselves. Maybe three would have been right”.
“Overall, we are happy with the performance. Daine Merrin was excellent again, he has really had some great games recently, and Della [Mark D’Alessandro] is ageless. He is a great motivator for the side”.
“And that was Daniel Willoughby’s first full game back too, it is great to have him again”.
Definitely a happier Mounties outfit this week. 
Mounties Wanderers 1 (Daniel Severino 13’) v Fraser Park 0
Saturday 7 September 2013
at Sydney United Sports Centre
Referee: Andrew Best
Assts: Lance Greenshields and Sebastian Brennan 
Mounties Wanderers: 20. Ali Akbal 3. Tim Salvaggio 18. Mark D’Alessandro (c) 16. Scott Goodwin 8. David Gardiner 2. Eli Squillacioti 17. Daniel McCann 27. Daniel Severino 31. Daine Merrin 10. Daniel Willoughby (24. Klime Setkukoski 88’) 4. Greg Baldock (14. Mark Symington 58’). 
Subs not used: 1. Jackson Franich 25. Alvin Singh 38. Adrian Debrincat.
Yellow cards: Ali Akbal, Greg Baldock
Coaches: Aiden Desmond and Glen Lockhart
Fraser Park: 1. Michael Frost (c) 2. Rocci Gabey 3. Andrew Vitucci 19. Nick Dimitropoulos 7. Kevin Oliviera 20. Hussein Akil (17. Fabio da Silva 65’)  8. David Wilson (11. Carlo Musumeci 58’) 15. Sash Tirovski 18. Mitchell Davidson 4. Thomas Taylor (29. Shivan Swamy 76’) 14. Ben Vidaic.  
Subs not used: 6. Davide Talone 40. Wayne Estavao 
Yellow Cards: Mitchell Davidson, Rocci Gabey, Kevin Oliviera, Ben Vidaic, Fabio da Silva.
St George v Macarthur Rams
Semi Final 2
Premiers St George are the first team through to the Grand Final after a closely fought game against Macarthur Rams, the Saints running out 2-1 victors at Jensen Park.
 The afternoon could not have started any better for St George when David Dascal scored direct from a free kick inside the opening two minutes. The inswinging left footer curled into the top corner evading all and sundry, including keeper Chad Taylor. 
That may have put the Rams on the back foot, as far as the scoreboard was concerned, but they wasted little time in seeking to restore parity. This was a fast paced game, played with plenty of intensity, with Macarthur having no option but to attack. They did so with plenty of relish, though St George’s defence was certainly up to the task.
The usual control of St George may have been lacking a little, turning over possession more than is customary, but it was that type of game. Quick, maybe a little scrappy, but not lacking in intestinal fortitude from either side.
Alvaro Malmierca was dominant for the Rams and but for a late saving tackle from Bill Tsanidis, could well have drawn the Rams level.
But it took an exquisite pass from Bruno Pivato into the path of Juan Chavez which saw the second goal of the game. Pivato made a great run through the middle before slipping the ball perfectly for Chavez, who had time to pick his spot.
2-0 at the break was a handy lead for St George but Macarthur were anything but done. Ko Kimura, the hero last week, had a chance and Hankin flicked a header wide. But on the hour, the Rams were well back into it. Malmierca returned a ball back into the area, and a diving Hankin headed in low at the far post 
That set up the game for a dramatic last half hour, as both sides searched for another goal, the Rams to draw level and the Saints to kill off the game. Sam Messam, on for Chavez, made a good run before setting up Aleks Jovovic on the left but that shot lacked power while Pivato was just wide with a great drive.
For the Rams, Malmierca had a go, and Calum Fleming just failed to connect with a header which must surely have gone in, before Hankin shot just wide of the post in the last few minutes. St George prevailed though, greeting the full time whistle with quiet jubilation.
It was an understandably happy Manny Spanoudakis after the game.
“That result really caps off an outstanding week for the club,” he stated. “We successfully secured tenancy to OKI Jubilee during the week which means we will have the best facility in the Mens 1 competition next year. We are really looking forward to promotion and with it also being full steam ahead for our new facility, things couldn’t be better for the club”.
“We won the Premiership, the Club Championship and now we are the first team into the Grand Final”.
As St George rightfully look towards next season, there is still plenty to consider for this.
“Today’s game may have been a little ugly, but it shows that we can match sides physically. We knew that Macarthur Rams would be a tough side, they always are, but we never pulled out and it is a credit to our team that we weren’t outfought”.
“We can look forward to Wednesday now with our game against Sydney FC, it will be a great chance to have another hit out. And for the Grand Final, I will have a full squad of nineteen available. It will require some tough decisions, like today when I had to leave out Simon [Verrender] and Marino [Musumeci], but there is still plenty to think about”, he finished.  
St George 2 (David Dascal 2, Juan Chavez 35’) v Macarthur Rams 1 (Shannon Hankin 60’)
Sunday 8 September 2013
at Jensen Park, Sefton
Referee: Kevin Peddie
Assts: Andrej Giev and James Tesoriero 
St George: 23. Dion Shaw 35. Costa Andricopoulos 5. Bill Tsanidis 2. Michael Smith 3. David Dascal 12. Aleks Jovovic 16. Jonathan Castano-Acero 18. George Codrea (18. George Codrea 75’) 19. Nick Napoli 10. Bruno Pivato (7. George Lagoudakis 86’) 11. Juan Chavez (c) (9. Sam Messam 57’).
Subs not used: 6. Sean Thomas 60. Daniel Nash.
Coach: Manny Spanoudakis 
Macarthur Rams: 1. Chad Taylor 16. Daniel Ramirez (30. Luke Beezem 73’) 5. Calum Fleming 13. Daniel Carozza 2. Craig Cooley (c) 23. Aaron Farringdon (18. Joseph Cartisano 61’) 8. Neftali Gonzalez 7. Ko Kimura 19. Alvaro Malmierca (27. Ashir Kadric 85’) 9. Shannon Hankin 11. Almir Dizdaric.
Subs not used: 25. Blake Szumski 40. Augustin Machedo.
Coach: Claudio Canosa
Under 20s 
Bankstown Berries triumphed 3-1 over St George to keep their season alive, scoring three second half goals to take a 3-0 lead before St George pulled one back very late.
Pan Gotsis got the Berries’ first before the lead was doubled by Mohammed Rahimi. A third to Matthew Trotter gave the Berries a comfortable lead, and the win, despite a late goal to the Saints by James Spanoudakis. 
Spirit FC moved into the Grand Final but needed extra time to secure the win. After Spirit and Premiers Hills Brumbies were locked at 1-1 at the end of normal time, Spirit scored in the second period of extra time for a 2-1 win. Even a late send off couldn’t damage their hopes.