SUPA IGA NPL NSW Mens 2 Round 16 Review

The SUPA IGA NPL NSW Mens 2 top five was given a good shake up after a round of immensely tight affairs.
Scores were kept low across the ground as Parramatta extended their lead atop the ladder, Northern Tigers leapfrogged Macarthur into second and Central Coast Mariners Academy bumped Mounties Wanderers out of the finals positions.
 
There was joy at long last as Fraser Park claimed a narrow win over Spirit FC, while Sydney University continued to make some noise on the periphery of the top five with a 1-0 win against Bankstown Berries. 
 
Match of the Round – Central Coast Mariners Academy v Mt Druitt Town Rangers
They’ve been looming in the shadows all season but Central Coast Mariners Academy stepped out under the lights of the Mens 2 competition on Saturday night, breaking into the top five with a narrow 1-0 win over Mt Druitt Town Rangers.
 
Nathan Verity’s first half thunder strike was enough to move Mariners into fifth place, while Rangers’ hopes of finals football took a hit as they kept hold of ninth place.
 
Mt Druitt set a quick tempo early and it was a matter of seconds before they had the first sight on goal when Daniel McCann made a darting run down the right flank and whipped in a cross which Mariners failed to clear, but Peter Hubbard’s shot skewed wide.
 
McCann was again in the thick of the action moments later, this time his silky run on the byline almost produced the opener as a miscommunication Mariners goalkeeper Beyhan Irmako and Matthew Hall allowed the ball to dribble across an open goal, although there was no Rangers player to help oblige.
 
The visitors certainly had the brighter start, employing the energetic style of play that has been seen in glimpses this season.
 
But Mariners should have gone ahead with eight minutes down on the clock as Steve Whyte’s scuffed shot fell to an unmarked Josh Bingham in the centre of the park,
only for the striker to send his effort well over the crossbar.
 
Rangers’ desire to remain in touch with the top five was clear and they had back to back chances to trouble the scoreboard approaching the 20-minute mark.
 
Kojiro Jori whipped in a cross to Glenn Mcpherson at the far post, but the resulting half volley was hit straight into the arms of a grateful Irmako.
 
Skipper Hubbard was next to trouble Irmako after Shiyar Cakal teed up the ball for him on the edge of the box, but this one too was hit straight at the Mariners gloveman.
 
But the away side’s momentum was turned on its head after 26 minutes when Nathan Verity fired home to give Mariners Academy a 1-0 lead.
 
Ridge Mapu’s cross found the head of Josh Bingham who couldn’t direct his effort on target, but it fell to the feet of Tom Spencer, who laid it off for Verity and the left-back smashed a thunderous shot into the bottom corner.
 
The goal allowed Mariners to settle into the match and they found their rhythm for the remainder of the half.
 
Mapu and Bingham again combined in the 33rd minute, this time the in-swinger was met with a powerful header from Bingham which sprayed just wide of the upright.
 
Bingham continued to prove a menace for the Rangers defence and his audacious bicycle kick from the edge of the box moments later forced Tom Manos to be on his toes as the shot lobbed towards goal.
 
Mariners certainly had their pick of the chances heading into the break, with Mt Druitt struggling to execute passes in the final third, but Rangers could have restored parity just two minutes out from the half-time whistle.
 
A corner was only headed out as far as Kojiro Hori, who lashed his shot high and wide.
Rangers again came out firing to start the second half but were largely contained by a Mariners outfit pushing for a second but content to rest on their lead.
 
Spencer, playing in his first game since joining Mariners from Mt Druitt, had a chance to double his side’s lead shortly after the resumption, picking up Louis Bozanic’s cutback and forcing a diving save out of Thomas Manos.
 
One of Mt Druitt’s few changes came via a hopeful chip from Shiyar Cakal, but Irmako wasn’t troubled.
 
Grant Brown was a big presence in the Mariners backline, helping to frustrate the visitors.
Their desperate defence was called into action again on the 70 minute mark when Rangers substitute Kuag Reec lunged towards a loose ball only to be denied by a swarm of bodies.
 
The injection of Adam Woodbine provided a boost for Mariners as they looked to put the result beyond doubt.
 
With 9 minutes remaining, Bingham touched the ball beyond the defence for an onrushing Woodbine, but Manos sprinted off his line to claim the ball well.
 
The experienced Woodbine then skinned two defenders down the right shortly after and cut back into open space, but there were no teammates ready to take the chance in the centre of the box.
 
He was at it again just a minute later, crossing for Bozanic on the edge of the area, with Matthew Hall picking up the final ball and shooting just wide.
 
Despite their valiant attempts to nab a late point, Rangers went home empty-handed as Mariners Academy deservedly climbed into fifth place.
 
Rangers co-coach Nick Verdos admits the club is still in a building phase but says it’s easy to identify what areas need addressing.
 
"I think we were the better side to start with, we were very unfortunate not to take the lead," Verdos said. "We copped a goal against the run of play and then we were just chasing.
 
"Simple errors in the final third is the key. It always takes a bit of quality and concentration and I think we lacked that a little bit today.
 
"Central Coast were just very strong defensively, very mobile and we just couldn’t break through. We’re in a development stage again, we’re just trying to find the core group of players and the young players willing to give their all for us every week and we’ll fight game by game."
 
Mariners coach Jason van Blerk believes the victory has his side confident of a finals push.
 
"I think overall we ground out a good 1-0 win," he said. "The second half was a bit scrappy but we’ll take the win any day.
 
"I think the way they came out and played the second half, very forward I think it was very hard to play a bit of football.
 
"Teams come here and try to make it difficult and hit us on the counterattack. We’re a young team and we can just play the way we play.
 
"With 5 or 6 games to go you really try to push forward and stamp your authority pushing into the finals."
 
Central Coast Mariners Academy 1 (Nathan Verity 26′)
Mt Druitt Town Rangers 0
 
Saturday July 12, 2014
At Pluim Park, Lisarow
 
Central Coast Mariners Academy: 11. Josh Bingham, 7. Louis Bozanic (15. Lachlan Wales 90+2′), 13. Grant Brown, 6. Jesse Curran, 16. Joshua Forbes, 8. Matthew Hall, 1. Beyhan Irmako (GK),
5. Ridge Mapu, 4. Nathan Verity, 14. Steve Whyte (10. Adam Woodbine 71′), 12. Thomas Spencer (9. Dean Caletti 81′)
 
Subs not used: 20. Patrick Ferrara, 17. Chris Gavin
 
Yellow cards: Matthew Hall, Nathan Verity, Louis Bozanic, Adam Woodbine
 
Red cards: Nil
 
Mt Druitt Town Rangers: 10. Shiyar Cakal (9. Kuag Reec 67′), 4. Paul Crisp, 6. Paul Davies, 27. Glen Downey, 15. Kojiro Hori, 17. Peter Hubbard, 12. Mitchell King, 1 Thomas Manos (GK), 13. Daniel McCann (7. Rory McGeown 77′), 11. Glenn Mcpherson, 14. Brendan Salameh (8. Lucas Rossi 67′)
 
Subs not used: 5. Andy Matloub, 20. Joel Tinker
 
Yellow cards: Mitchell King
 
Red cards: Nil
 
Mounties Wanderers v Northern Tigers
Northern Tigers were the big winners of the weekend as they took advantage of some favourable results to move into second spot with a 3-1 victory over Mounties Wanderers.
 
Shervin Adeli handed Tigers a 1-0 advantage just a minute before halftime before Daniel Willoughby bagged an equaliser for Mounties shortly after the restart.
 
But Tigers restored their lead four minutes later as Mitchell Smith found the net. Smith completed his brace in the 91st minute to round off an important win for Jason Eagar’s men.
 
Wanderers, meanwhile dropped down to sixth place but have the luxury of an incredibly tight ladder.
 
Mounties Wanderers 1 (Daniel Willoughby)
Northern Tigers (Shervin Adeli, Mitchell Smith 2)
 
Bankstown City v Hills Brumbies
Bankstown City missed an opportunity to move into second spot after grinding out a 1-1 draw with Hills Brumbies at Jensen Park.
 
Brumbies maintained their pressure on the top five by picking up rare points on the road.
 
Bankstown City 1
Hills Brumbies 1
 
Macarthur Rams v Parramatta FC
Parramatta came out on top in the battle of the big guns, claiming a 1-0 win over Macarthur to extend their buffer atop the Mens 2 ladder to 7 points.
 
Rams were determined to halt their difficult run of results lately and it was anyone’s game with scores locked at 0-0 at half-time.
 
But Daniel Rezo’s strike, his 9th of 2014, handed the Eagles a hard fought away win and put them one step closer to finishing the regular season in first.
 
Macarthur Rams 0
Parramatta FC 1 (Daniel Rezo)
 
Bankstown Berries v Sydney University
It was always going to be a close affair at The Crest on Saturday as Bankstown Berries and Sydney Uni met with plenty of rewards on the line.
 
Both sides headed into the break on level pegging, but Sydney Uni’s top scorer Gavin Forbes proved the difference as Raul Blanco’s men claimed a gritty 1-0 win which saw them keep hold of seventh place but move level with fifth-placed Central Coast.
 
Bankstown Berries 0
Sydney University 1 (Gavin Forbes)
 
Fraser Park v Spirit FC
Fraser Park’s efforts have largely been futile this season, with their solid performances often going unrewarded. So the 2-0 win over Spirit FC will be savoured for all it’s worth.
 
Mile Todorovski’s men picked up three points for just the third time this season to bring them back in touch with the rest of the competition.
 
Goals to Ben Vidaic and Jeffrey Issa gave Fraser Park a major confidence boost.
 
Fraser Park 2 (Ben Vidaic, Jeffrey Issa)
Spirit FC 0 
 
– By Mitchell Grima