SUPA IGA NPL NSW Mens 2 Round 20 Review

Parramatta FC have been crowned 2014 SUPA IGA NPL NSW Mens 2 Premiers after picking up a determined 2-1 win against Sydney University.

The Eagles’ result, and Spirit FC’s tremendous comeback from a 2-0 half-time deficit to deny Macarthur any points, meant Franco Cosentino’s men clinched top spot with two games remaining.

There was a shake up in the finals race as Central Coast Mariners Academy replaced Sydney Uni in the top five, while Bankstown Berries climbed off the foot of the ladder.

With just three points separating the bottom five, the other six teams still well and truly in the finals race and promotion and relegation still on the platter, things couldn’t be tighter.

Sydney University v Parramatta FC

Rewind five months. I give Parramatta coach Franco Cosentino a call to chat about the upcoming season. "Rebuilding" is one of the words that springs to mind. It’s a new squad, he says, it could take time to gel. Finals would be nice, not essential. Westfield FFA Cup? "We’ll treat it however our ladder position demands us to."

Not the words of a cocky coach trying to play down expectations but one modest about his rejuvenated side’s chances. He had every faith in them, though, and they duly obliged.

As word filtered through at full-time that Macarthur had gone down to Spirit, the boys in red walked off the pitch with a significant swagger in their step. Deserved, too.

They’d just clinched the Premiership with two games to spare. It was clinical, although not easy.

Sydney Uni skipper Peter Crevani continued his impressive scoring streak with a fourth minute goal to put the hosts 1-0 up, but John Tsironis’ 12th minute equaliser and Shayne Ardle’s thunderbolt on the stroke of half-time handed Parramatta a decisive 2-1 win.

Crevani scored his tenth goal off the season to give Uni an early advantage with a fine finish. Hyams Tomohiro’s cross was flicked on to the captain at the far post, who hit a first time half-volley low into the bottom corner to stun the visitors.

There were positive signs early from Raul Blanco’s men, who looked very mobile in attack.

They had a chance to double the scores on the ten minute mark when some neat movement between Niram Kanoun  and Adrian Porcu opened up space for Gavin Forbes to shoot wide of the mark.

But the Eagles hit back just two minutes later when John Tsironis was gifted a chance on goal. Matthew Clowes’ early cross to the far post caught Uni defender Daniel Mifsud off guard, with his failed clearance falling to Tsironis, who lashed home past Marko Bozic.

Parramatta almost had a second shortly before the half hour mark when Tsironis touched down for Daniel Rezo, who sent Frank Martey through on goal. The winger’s wayward touch proved favourable, but his finish was less desirable.

There were gasps from the crowd moments later as Uni thought they had retaken the lead. Kanoun’s cross behind the defence was cut out by a sliding Pat Gatt, who denied Forbes a chance on goal and sent the ball inches to the right of the post for a corner.

The right backs from both sides were in fine form, with Uni’s Tomohiro and Parra’s Jess Casey controlling their respective wingers with aplomb.

It was a rapid finish to the first half, and Forbes again troubled Luke Turnbull in the Parramatta goal. After spotting Turnbull off his line, Forbes sent an audacious chip from range which forced the goalkeeper into a fine fingertip save.

There were simple passes going astray across the pitch and Eagles’ Daniel Gullo was a beneficiary, his venomous shot forcing the best out of Bozic.

Parramatta went into the sheds riding high after Shayne Ardle put them ahead in emphatic fashion. Martey offloaded to Ardle who cut inside and blasted a pile driver into the top corner.

The second half played out as expected, with Parra tightening up and Sydney Uni showing signs of a team desperate to keep their finals hopes alive.

Crevani’s pace provided plenty of opportunity for Uni down the left and his confidence was on show with a brilliant bicycle kick that put Turnbull on red alert.

Uni had a bag of chances to bag an equaliser, most notably on the hour mark when Graham Forbes laid it off for substitute Dean Bereveskos, whose powerful strike brushed past the upright.

The breakthrough should have come inside the final ten minutes, Jeremy Butnaru sending a delightful chip over the Parra defence, only for Adrian Porcu to be denied by a brilliant one-on-one save from Luke Turnbull.

There was one last chance for Uni to salvage something from the match as Crevani’s free kick was headed on target by Phillip Bures, with Mathew Clowes forced to pull out a goal line clearance.

Parramatta held on to surge clear at the top of the Mens 2 ladder and kicked off their celebrations, although the focus will quickly turn to the Club Championship and the league championship.

Match Stats

Sydney University 1 (Peter Crevani 4′)

Parramatta FC 2 (John Tsironis 12′, Shayne Ardle 45+1′)

Saturday August 10, 2014

at Hensley Athletic Field

Sydney University: 21. Marko Bozic, 18. Phillip Bures, 6. Jeremy Butnaru (20. Nathan Amore 88′), 4. Peter Crevani, 9. Gavin Forbes, 7. Niram Kanoun, 14. Daniel Mifsud, (26. Dean Bereveskos 27′ (25. Victor Anyimba 75′)), 16. Adrian Porcu, 13. Alexander Sopina, 2. Hyams Tomohiro

Subs not used: 31. Matthew McKenzie

Yellow cards: Nil

Red cards: Nil

Parramatta FC: 23. Shayne Ardle, 12. Jess Casey, 8. Mathew Clowes, 5. Patrick Gatt, 6. Daniel Gullo, 7. Frank Martey, 10. Daniel Rezo, 16. Joshua Symons, 4. Robert Tribbia (3. Lord Darkoh 40′), 19. John Tsironis, 1. Luke Turnbull

Subs not used: 11. Suad Ameti, 21. Justin Biega, 9. Wandi Jajaw, 2. Andre Schroeder

Yellow cards: Nil

Red cards: Nil

Central Coast Mariners Academy v Bankstown City FC

Mariners Academy claimed the spoils in a six-pointer at Pluim Park on Saturday night, picking up a vital 1-0 win against Bankstown City.

Promising striker Josh Bingham provided the only goal of the match with a pearler, sending his half volley into the bottom corner after 52 minutes.

It proved enough as Mariners Academy jumped into fourth place, while Bankstown City remain in seventh and still well within a shot of the finals despite the setback.

Central Coast Mariners Academy 1 (Josh Bingham 52′)

Bankstown City FC 0

Bankstown Berries v Hills Brumbies

Bankstown Berries took home the spoils in a thriller at The Crest, downing Hills Brumbies 3-2 in a result that had big ramifications for both sides.

Berries climbed off the foot of a congested ladder, while Hills’ survival hopes took a significant hit.

Goals to Kyle Ewart, Dimitri Zakilas and Matthew Trotter were enough for the hosts to cancel out strikes from Brumbies’ Kojiro Hayashi and Jake Bradshaw.

Bankstown Berries 3 (Kyle Ewart, Dimitri Zakilas, Matthew Trotter)

Hills Brumbies 2 (Kojiro Hayashi, Jake Bradshaw)

Fraser Park v Mounties Wanderers

Eli Squillacioti popped up at the death to rescue a 2-2 draw with cellar dwellers Fraser Park on Saturday night.

Fraser Park, who would be more concerned about avoiding relegation than their position on the Mens 2 ladder, took an early lead, with Jeffrey Issa striking eight minutes in.

But Wanderers clawed their way back into the match shortly after, with Jake Ingle restoring parity after a quarter of an hour.

It took another 60 minutes for the next goal of the game and it was the rejuvenated hosts that hit the front once more as Kevin Oliveira got his name on the scoresheet to make it 2-1.

But Eli Squillacioti’s 86th minute equaliser did the trick as Mounties kept hold of fifth place.

Fraser Park 2 (Jeffrey Issa 8′, Kevin Oliveira 75′)

Mounties Wanderers 2 (Jake Ingle 15′, Eli Squillacioti 86′)

Macarthur Rams v Spirit FC

Spirit FC produced a remarkable turnaround to secure an impressive 4-2 win over Macarthur.

Rams surged out to a 2-0 lead after 15 minutes, with striker Gerard Ouffoue helping himself to a brace that sent the hosts into the break with what looked like a comfortable buffer.

But Spirit seemed to return with the same confidence that same them claw back a 3-goal deficit the last time these two sides met in round 9.

Having equalised by the 80th minute, a thrilling final period ended with two goals in injury time to hand Spirit a deserved three points that moved them into eighth place.

Rams’ woes were compounded by a late red card to midfielder Simon Valastro.

So Claudio Canosa’s side dropped back into third spot and are still yet to consolidate their place in the finals series.

Macarthur Rams 2 (Gerard Ouffoue 2)

Spirit FC 4 (Abraham Majok 2, Gosue Sama, Ryan Johnstone)

Northern Tigers v Mt Druitt Town Rangers

Northern Tigers all but confirmed their place in the finals series with a gritty 1-0 win against Mt Druitt on Sunday afternoon.

Liam McConaghy bagged the only goal of the match to move Tigers back into second place on 35 points, meaning they need just one point to guarantee finals football and give them a chance to cement a top three finish next week.

Meanwhile, Mt Druitt dropped into 11th place on goal difference.

Northern Tigers (Liam McConaghy)

Mt Druitt Town Rangers 0

– By Mitchell Grima