SUPA IGA NPL NSW Mens 2 Round 18 Review
Parramatta FC became the first team to qualify for the 2014 SUPA IGA NPL NSW Mens 2 finals after securing a late 2-2 draw with Mounties on Saturday night to give them an unassailable 13-point lead over the sixth-placed Wanderers with four games remaining.
The race for the remaining four finals spots remains wide open as Central Coast Mariners Academy, Hills Brumbies, Fraser Park, Macarthur Rams, Northern Tigers and Sydney University also featured in stalemates.
Mt Druitt were the weekend’s big winners with a 3-0 win over Bankstown Berries.
Match of the Round
Mounties Wanderers v Parramatta FC
Parramatta FC came away from Cook Park with a well-earned draw but they left it until the final minute of normal time to do so. Substitute Frank Martey maintained his composure to side foot home inside a crowded area as the clock ticked down, leaving Mounties shattered after they had looked to claim an all-important three points in their finals quest.
It was a game which finished in a blood and thunder manner, a welcome and enthralling second half making up for a first period which lacked any real goalmouth action. It was clear that this was a game between two evenly matched sides despite the difference in the current league standing and while there was plenty of effort in the opening half, both Ali Akbal and Luke Turnbull were rarely seriously threatened. The best chance of the half did fall to the Eagles though, a snapshot from John Tsironis from the edge of the box being cleared off the line, just before the half hour.
The game really opened up after the Mounties had taken the lead ten minutes after the break. It was a goal worthy of the lead too, the evergreen Daniel Willoughby controlling neatly just outside the area before turning and striking well past Turnbull in a sweeping movement. It would have been worthy of being a winner too, and it seemed that might be the case until a flurry of goals inside the final thirteen minutes.
With Northern Tigers snapping at their heels in the title hunt, Parramatta weren’t going to go down wondering, and after going a goal behind, they increased the pressure on the Mounties. Wand Jajaw and Tsironis gave everything with Jajaw particularly, after having earlier come off second best in a chase for the ball against Akbal, a clash which raised the ire of the Eagles bench, feeling the worse for wear. Parramatta’s coach Franco Cosentino brought on the speedy Martey to look to open up the solid Mounties backline and his contribution was almost immediate, a low cross just evading the outstretched Tsironis.
Two minutes after that, and Daniel Rezo tried his luck with a free kick from outside the box, but Akbal collected easily. The game was opening up well now and Mounties only just survived a further cross across the face of goal, the ball just sneaking past the upright.
With thirteen minutes left to go, the Eagles eventually got their deserved reward, with an unmarked Tsironis getting on the end of a cross from the right to sweep home past Akbal. It was a goal which raised the immediate hopes of Parramatta to search for a winner but disaster struck for the visitors almost from kick off. Within a minute, it was Willoughby again who popped up to put the Mounties ahead for the second time, firing past Turnbull once more.
The Eagles had to do it all again, but if they were, Mounties were ensuring that they would have to work all the way. It was a barnstorming final quarter of an hour, as could be expected from two sides with plenty on the line.
Parramatta were searching for an equaliser once more, as Mounties sought that third goal which would seal the match, breaking rapidly through either Eli Squillacioti or Willoughby when possible. With Mounties looking like they would hold on for the valuable maximum points, the Eagles threw the dice one final time, though even this was not without its controversy.
A deep free kick from the right hand side was lofted into a packed penalty box, all rose, with the cleared ball falling to Martey, who smoothly struck home the equaliser. Mounties were furious, claiming that Akbal had been impeded, and it took some time for the game to restart. Akbal and Mark D’Alessandro earned yellow cards for their vehement discussion with the referee, clearly feeling that the goal should not have stood.
But stand it did, and the Eagles claimed a precious point heading into the final month. They will look forward to a busy week ahead, with next weekend’s fixture against fellow title challengers Northern Tigers being brought forward to this Wednesday, allowing the Eagles plenty of time leading into their Westfield FFA Cup game against St Albans the following Tuesday.
The point keeps Mounties in sixth spot, above the Central Coast Mariners Academy on goal difference, in a very tight race for the finals.
Match Stats
Mounties Wanderers 2 (Daniel Willoughby 55’, 78’)
Parramatta FC 2 (John Tsironis 77’, Frank Martey 89’)
Saturday 26 July 2014
at Cook Park, Mt Pritchard
Referee: Kurt Ams
Assistant Referees: Michelle Allan and Tristan Harris
Mounties Wanderers: 1. Ali Akbal 13. Milan Zoric 16. Scott Goodwin 18. Mark D’Alessandro 6. Aleksander Tomic 11. Daniel Severino (Alex Boyadjian 78’) 10. Daniel Willoughby 31. Daine Merrin 27 Steven Veleski (27. Klime Sekutkoski 84’) 2. Eli Squillacioti 9. Matt Viera.
Subs not used: 29. Jake Ingle 40. Kristian Sekutkoski
Yellow Cards: Daine Merrin, Eli Squillacioti, Ali Akbal, Mark D’Alessandro
Coach: Steve Appleby
Parramatta FC: 1. Luke Turnbull 12. Jess Casey 5. Patrick Gatt 16. Joshua Symons (3. Lord Darkoh 73’) 4. Robert Tribbia 8. Wand Jajaw (7. Frank Martey 62’) 8. Matthew Clowes (11. Suad Ameti 78’) 6. Daniel Gullo 10. Daniel Rezo 23. Shayne Ardle 19. John Tsironis.
Subs not used: 20. Justin Biega 2. Andre Schroeder
Yellow Cards: Nil
Coach: Franco Cosentino
Central Coast Mariners Academy v Hills Brumbies
Mariners Academy and Hills shared the points with a 0-0 draw at Pluim Park, although Central Coast would have undoubtedly gone home the happier of the two sides.
Mariners remain in seventh equal on points with Mounties, while Hills are a further four points back in eighth.
Central Coast Mariners Academy 0
Hills Brumbies 0
Fraser Park v Macarthur Rams
Macarthur missed a chance to regain second place after being held to a 1-1 draw with Fraser Park.
Jeffrey Issa found the net for the hosts to earn them a valuable point, while Craig Cooley was the sole Rams player on the scoresheet.
Rams sit in third, five points inside the top five and look to be gaining some momentum, particularly after an impressive performance in the midweek 1-0 defeat to Western Sydney Wanderers.
Things didn’t change at the foot of the Club Championship with Hills and Fraser Park sharing identical results across all three grades to remain in 11th and 12th place respectively.
Fraser Park 1 (Jeffrey Issa)
Macarthur Rams 1 (Craig Cooley)
Bankstown Berries v Mt Druitt Town Rangers
Mt Druitt bounced back from a streak of three losses on the trot with a convincing 3-0 victory against Bankstown Berries.
Paul Davies opened the scoring to give Rangers a 1-0 halftime lead, while new recruit Daniel Nash saved a penalty to keep Berries at bay.
Kuag Reec and Mitch King sealed the result with second half goals.
Bankstown Berries 0
Mt Druitt Town Rangers 3 (Paul Davies, Kuag Reec, Brendan King)
Northern Tigers v Sydney University
Sydney University continued to gather momentum in their bid for a finals finish, securing a come-from-behind 1-1 draw with Northern Tigers on Sunday afternoon.
Tigers took the lead in the 55th minute after Mitch Smith brought down a cross with some close control and buried his half volley into the bottom left corner.
But Uni captain Peter Crevani again rescued his side, just a week after bagging a match-winning brace, to ensure they remain in fourth.
Northern Tigers 1 (Mitch Smith)
Sydney University 1 (Peter Crevani)
Spirit FC v Bankstown City
Bankstown City remain firmly in the hunt to play finals football after salvaging a 1-1 draw with Spirit on Sunday.
Spirit, who look to have found their swagger in recent weeks, took a 1-0 lead into the break courtesy of Joel Carter, but Jason Naidovski struck in the second period to help the Lions cling onto fifth spot.
Spirit FC 1 (Joel Carter)
Bankstown City 1 (Jason Naidovski)
– By Peter Rowney
