Futsal Premier League Round 3 Review

While Dural Warriors and Inner West Magic had their Futsal NSW Premier League games versus Mascot Vipers and Phoenix postponed due to Futsalroo commitments, Boomerangs leveled Mountain Majik 9-2 at the AIS Training Halls and Campbelltown Quake pumped Enfield Rovers 5-3 at Minto Indoor Sports Stadium.

Round 3

Campbelltown Quake 5 (Danny Martinez, Harley Da Silva, Marco Filipovic, Jordan Mundell, Simon Keith) Enfield Rovers 3 (Jacob Di Mento, Giovanni Leuzzi)

Boomerangs 9 (Daniel Bennett x2, Ryan Keir x2, Kristian Collins, Jason O’Dwyer, Callum Smith, Daniel Fulton, Michael Reeve) Mountain Majik 2 (Andrew Stevenson, Corey Bizco)

Boomerangs topple Mountain

Boomerangs gave newcomers Mountain Majik a dusting at the AIS Training Halls on Saturday night, turning a tight 2-1 halftime edge into a 9-2 thumping to go top of the table.

Daniel Bennett and Kristian Collins elevated Boomerangs to a 2-1 halftime advantage before the home side cut loose in the second stanza – Bennett grabbing another, Ryan Keir bagging a double, and Jason O’Dwyer, Callum Smith, Daniel Fulton and Michael Reeve also adding their dames to a congested scoresheet. Andrew Stevenson and Corey Bizco were Majik’s goalscorers.

Boomerangs remain undefeated and have put the pressure right on Dural and Inner West to perform on their return to league competition next week.

Boomerangs co-coach Kristian Collins called it a good win. “We made it harder for ourselves than we had to and it was only 2-1 at the break, so we changed a couple of things at really put it together in the second half,” he said.

“It’s fantastic to be still undefeated but we do have some tough games coming up, starting with Campbelltown next week who have been a real bogey side for us.”

Mountain coach Fabio Macerola was succinct. “We were in it at halftime, but we weren’t in it at fulltime,” he said.

“Actually it was a good eye opener for us as it shows how much we have to step up. Boomerangs were at a different level to our first two games – quicker, more physical, more quality players… but we still have half our side to come back so I’m not overly concerned.”

Quake rumble Rovers

A second-half blitz lifted Campbelltown Quake to their first win of the summer, a gritty 5-3 triumph over Enfield Rovers at Minto Indoor Sports Stadium on Saturday night.

Jacob Di Mento and Giovanni Leuzzi goals helped Enfield take an early 2-1 jump before Danny Martinez and Harley Da Silva responded for Campbelltown to peg the scores back to 2-2.

Rovers scored again to push their noses back in front at halftime but the tide turned in the second term with young gun Marco Filipovic leveling at 3-3, Jordan Mundell sending Quake in front and old hat Simon Keith turning back the clock with a late 5-3 clincher.

Campbelltown manager Carlos Martinez was ecstatic. “It was a tough game as we had five players missing [Dean Lockhart with Futsalroos in Thailand, Shayne Ardle suspended, Mark Symington injured, Miles Downie at a tournament in Cairns] so we were really down to our bare minimum,” he said.

“I don’t think Enfield played to their best to be honest but we fought all the way, took our chances when they came and held on well at the end.”

“It was a very gutsy effort, and it’s difficult trying to predict what we’re going to do when we can play like this… but it was a great day for Quake overall winning seven of the nine games.”

Rovers coach Lachlan Wright shook his head at yet another wasted opportunity. “It is pretty disappointing as it’s been our story of the season so far where we’ve created a lot of chances and didn’t put them away,” he said.

“I think we thought we’d already won it at halftime and then we cop a goal and the momentum swung their way and we never got it back; but Campbelltown always gives you a tough game; they’re very well organised.”

Next week’s games

Round four of the NSW Futsal Premier League sees Boomerangs face Campbelltown Quake at Minto Indoor Sports Stadium, Mountain Majik tackle Phoenix at Ryde Sports Centre, Inner West Magic battle Mascot Vipers at All Sorts Indoor Sports Centre, while Enfield Rovers meet Dural Warriors at the Morris Iemma Indoor Sports Centre. Check the footballnsw.com.au for Saturday’s kickoff details.

-By Dan De Nardi