IGA NPL NSW Mens 1 – Teenage Revolution Finals Series Review

Grand Final day is always a special event on the football calendar and that was most certainly the case this weekend and the matches definitely lived up to, and in many cases exceeded, the expectations everyone has for this wonderful spectacle which showcases the very best this exceptional competition has to offer.

IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 1 – Grade 12

Blacktown City entered the finals series as the Premiers and they made their way to this match via the most direct route with a win over Blacktown Spartans in the Major Semi Final.

Manly United had finished the competition six points further back in third place and they took a longer path to this match with a loss to the Spartans in the Preliminary Semi Final, followed by a win over South Coast Wolves in the Minor Semi Final before they downed the Spartans in the Preliminary Final.

In head-to-head matches during the competition Blacktown City had claimed all the points with a 1-0 victory in the first round and then a 2-1 result when the teams met in the second round.

This match was very tight from beginning to end with neither team willing to concede a millimetre to their opponents and that resulted in no goals being produced in the game before the final whistle sounded. Extra time was required but still the deadlock remained unbroken and so it was that the match would be decided by penalty kicks. It was here that Blacktown came to the fore as they claimed the match by converting four kicks to Manly’s two. That meant that Blacktown City hold the joint crowns as Premiers and Champions while the valiant Manly were far from disgraced.

IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 1 – Grade 13

Sutherland Sharks completed the home-and-away series as the Premiers and they had only played one match in the finals series, a 4-1 win over Manly United in the Major Semi Final and that had given them the first berth in this game.

Manly United had finished eight points further back in third position on the final table and they had produced a 2-1 win over Blacktown Spartans in the Preliminary Semi Final before losing to the Sharks in the Major Semi Final and they then posted a 3-1 result over South Coast Wolves in the Preliminary Final.

In head-to-head matches during the competition Manly had rolled the Sharks 2-0 in their first round clash and then the teams had fought out a 1-1 draw in their second round meeting.

This time the first half was a very tight affair with neither team being able to find the back of the net but in the second stanza the Sharks found the back of the net twice through C. Jones and K. Grozos while Manly scored one thanks to a strike from M. Veitch. That means that Sutherland Sharks are the Premiers and the Champions for this season while the lads from Manly can hold their heads high with the knowledge that they gave their all to this match.

IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 1 – Grade 14

Sutherland Sharks came into this match as the Premiers and their 2-1 victory over Olympic in the Major Semi Final had taken them straight through to this match.

Sydney Olympic had finished in second spot on the table, just three points behind the Sharks. They were 1-0 winners in the Preliminary Semi Final match with Bonnyrigg White Eagles before losing the Major Semi Final to the Sharks and then recovering to win the Preliminary Final with a 2-1 scoreline over Blacktown City.

In head-to-head matches during the competition Olympic had claimed the first round points with a 1-0 win and then the Sharks took the second round match, also with a 1-0 scoreline.

Given that their previous encounters had been very close, it was perhaps inevitable that this would be yet another tight match and so it proved to be as the scores were locked up at 1-1 when the final whistle of normal time sounded. Extra time was required but there was no addition to the scoreline despite the very best efforts of both teams. In a heart-stopping penalty shoot-out the Sharks prevailed, converting seven spot kicks to the six converted by Olympic. Sutherland Sharks are the Premiers and the Champions while Sydney Olympic can hold their heads very high indeed.

IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 1 – Grade 15

Blacktown City finished the competition as the Premiers and they had produced a 2-1 victory over Bonnyrigg White Eagles in the Major Semi Final to claim their place in this match.

On the final table for the season Sydney United 58 were five points further back in fifth position and they made their way through with a 2-0 win over Sutherland Sharks in the Elimination Semi Final, a 2-1 success over APIA Leichhardt Tigers in the Minor Semi Final and a 3-2 victory over Bonnyrigg White Eagles in the Preliminary Final.

In head-to-head matches during the competition Blacktown City had secured all the points with a 1-0 win in the first round match and another 1-0 result when they teams clashed in the second round.

That form proved to be an accurate guide as Blacktown scored a goal in each half thanks to strikes from J. Pandazopoulos and Y. Al-Tay and that was enough to give them a 2-0 win and the joint crowns as Premiers and Champions. Sydney United 58 were far from disgraced and they will live to fight another day.

-By Barry Davis