SUPA IGA NPL NSW Men’s 2 The Teenage Revolution Grand Final Review

There is always something very special about Grand Final day and that was certainly the case this season as the wonderful weather over the weekend complimented the high standard of football on display.

The Grand Finals

The Premiership titles had already been decided and the top five teams in each age group had fought it out over the past three weeks to determine which two of them would be engaged in what is widely regarded as the pinnacle matches of the season. Everyone knew that there could be only one winner in each age group on the day but they also knew that win or lose, all teams could hold their heads high and look back on a season of achievement.

SUPA IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 2 – Grade 12

Sydney University were crowned Premiers when they were five points clear of their nearest rivals at the end of the competition. They had won seventeen matches, drawn two and lost only three times during the home-and-away series. They were the highest scoring team in this age group with seventy goals to show for the season. Uni reached this game by taking the most direct route, winning the Major Semi Final with a 1-0 scoreline over second placed Hills Brumbies.

Spirit FC completed the competition in third place, eight points behind the leaders. They achieved that by posting thirteen wins, six draws and only three losses. They had the second-best defensive record in this age group as they conceded only eleven goals all season. They won their way through to this match the tough way. They suffered a 1-0 loss to the Brumbies in the Preliminary Semi Final, then they recorded a 4-0 win over fifth placed St George in the Minor Semi Final and that gave them a berth in the Preliminary Final where they squared the finals series account with the Brumbies with a 1-0 win.

In head-to-head matches during the competition Spirit were the only team to defeat Uni twice when they registered a 2-1 victory in the first round clash and then they won the second round match with a 1-0 scoreline.

The competition form proved to be a good guide on this occasion but the match was a very competitive spectacle. After Spirit took a 1-1 lead to the break, Uni found a second half equaliser and that the way in remained through to the final whistle. There was no addition to the scoreline in extra time and so the match needed to find a winner from the penalty spot and it was here that Spirit came to the fore, claiming the title with an 8-7 result. That leaves Sydney University as the Premiers and Spirit FC have earned the title as Champions.

SUPA IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 2 – Grade 13

Bankstown Berries completed the competition nine points clear at the top of the table and so they were crowned Premiers. They had posted seventeen wins, three draws and only two losses during the season. The Berries had the best attacking figures in this age group as they scored fifty-seven goals and they also had the best defensive record as they conceded a miserly nine goals. They reached this game the easy way by defeating third placed Mounties Wanderers 2-0 in the Major Semi Final.

Mt Druitt Town Rangers were the competition runners-up and they had fourteen wins, three draws and five losses on their competition record. They made their way through the finals series the tough way. After losing the Preliminary Semi Final 2-0 to the Wanderers, they defeated fifth placed Macarthur Rams on penalties in the Minor Semi Final and then they squared the account with the Wanderers with a win on penalties in the Preliminary Final.

 

In head-to-head matches during the competition the honours were even as the Rangers had won the first round match 2-0 and then the Berries collected the second round points with a 2-1 victory.

It was clear that this was always going to be a very close match and so it proved to be as the action flowed from one end of the ground to the other with chances falling in equal measure at both ends both neither team could find the breakthrough goal before the interval. The Berries found the back of the net in the second half and, try as they might the Rangers were unable to find an equaliser. That means that Bankstown Berries have claimed the dual crowns as Premiers and Champions.

SUPA IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 2 – Grade 14

Mt Druitt Town Rangers were crowned Premiers when they finished the competition fourteen points clear at the top of the table. They recorded eighteen wins, three draws and only one loss on their way to claiming the title and the Rangers had the most potent attack in this age group as they scored fifty-nine goals. They had played only one game in the finals series, a 4-3 victory over Fraser Park and that took them straight through to the Grand Final.

Fraser Park were placed third on the final table for the season and they had the best defensive record in this age group as they conceded only twelve goals. During the competition Fraser Park registered nine wins, eight draws and five losses. In the finals series they were 2-1 winners over second placed Sydney University in the Preliminary Semi Final before going down 4-3 to the Rangers in the Major Semi Final. Fraser Park then bounced back to defeat Bankstown Berries 2-0 in last week’s Preliminary Final.

In head-to-head matches during the competition the first round match ended in a 1-1 draw and then the Rangers claimed all the second round points when they were 1-0 winners.

It appeared that this game would be tight as the Rangers gained a 1-0 advantage from a hard fought first half but they really rolled their sleeves up in the second stanza t add three more goals to their tally for the match to take the final scoreline to 4-0. Scoring those goals were J. Roberts, A. Bangura, B. Ficarra and C. Ribeiro. That has given Mt Druitt Town Rangers the dual titles as Premiers and Champions.

SUPA IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 2 – Grade 15

Mt Druitt Town Rangers claimed the title as Premiers when they finished the competition rounds thirteen points clear at the top of the table. They had recorded twenty wins, one draw and one loss along the way and they were the top scorers in this age group with fifty goals to their credit. They took the direct route to this game thanks to a 5-2 win over Sydney University in the Major Semi Final.

Sydney University were the competition runners-up this season and their defensive figures were the best in this age group as the conceded only fifteen goals. In the finals series Uni were 2-1 winners over third placed Spirit FC in the Preliminary Semi Final before suffering a 5-2 loss to the Rangers in the Major Semi Final. They recovered from that to post another 2-1 success over Spirit when they met again in the Preliminary Final last week.

In head-to-head matches during the competition the Rangers took all the points and both matches were edge-of-the-seat thrillers. In the first round the Rangers produced a 2-1 result and then the second round match they were 1-0 winners.

The competition form gave every indication that this would be another nail-biter and that is precisely what the teams delivered. They had scored one goal apiece before the break and that set the stage for another thrill-a-minute finish. With the chances falling in equal measure at both ends of the pitch it was anyone’s guess about which team would emerge victorious. It was during the second half that the Rangers shaded Uni, scoring two goals to one to take the final score to 3-2 in a memorable match. Mt Druitt Town Rangers have claimed the dual crown as Premiers and Champions.

SUPA IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 2 – Grade 16

Bankstown Berries were the competition runners-up this season, finishing five points behind the winners and they registered thirteen wins, three draws and six losses along the way. In the finals series the Berries defeated Mounties Wanderers 1-0 in the Preliminary Semi Final and then they knocked off Premiers Mt Druitt Town Rangers in the Major Semi Final, a result which took them straight into the Grand Final.

Mounties Wanderers were placed third on the final table for the season and they had the best defence in this age group as they conceded only eleven goals. The Wanderers had eleven wins, eight draws and only three losses to show for their competition matches. In the finals series they lost the Preliminary Semi Final 1-0 to the Berries before defeating fourth placed Parramatta FC 1-0 in the Minor Semi Final and then they produced a 1-0 win over the Rangers in the Preliminary Final.

In head-to-head matches during the competition the Wanderers claimed the first round points with a 2-1 result and then the teams battled out a scoreless draw when they met in the second round.

This match was always going to be a tight affair and that is exactly what happened as neither team could find a goal during normal time despite numerous chances to open the scoring at both ends of the pitch. Extra time was needed in an attempt to find a winner but there were many near misses before it was necessary to go to the penalty spot for a decision. It was here that the Wanderers prevailed as they won the shootout four to three. Mounties Wanderers are the Champions for this season while Mt Druitt Town Rangers are the Premiers.

SUPA IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 2 – Grade 18

Mounties Wanderers claimed the title as Premiers when they were eight points clear at the top of the table after the final match of the season. They had the best defensive figures in this competition, conceding only fourteen goals all season. They posted sixteen wins, three draws and three losses during the competition. They found their way to the Grand Final with a 3-0 win over second placed Mt Druitt Town Rangers in the Major Semi Final.

Fraser Park finished the competition in fourth place and they were the leading scorers in this age grade, finding the net on sixty-three occasions. Fraser Park registered thirteen wins, three draws and six draws during the home-and-away series. In the play-offs they had to do it the hard way, winning the Elimination Semi Final 3-1 over fifth placed Parramatta FC and then defeating third placed Sydney University 3-1 in the Minor Semi Final before recording a 2-1 victory over the Rangers in the Preliminary Final.

In head-to-head matches during the competition the Wanderers claimed the first round points with a solid 4-0 result but then Fraser Park squared the ledger when they came up with a 2-0 win in the second round.

It was somewhat predictable that this would be yet another close contest and so it was. Fraser Park took the lead in the first half and managed to maintain that advantage through to the break. However, in the second half the Wanderers went in search of an equaliser and they found one but neither team could then claim a winning goal before the end of normal time. Extra time was required and it was here that the Wanderers got the upper hand with a goal that gave them the lead. Try as they might, Fraser Park could not find a way to get back into the match. Mounties Wanderers have claimed the dual titles of Premiers and Champions for this season.

-By Barry Davies