SUPA IGA NPL NSW Mens 2 Round Two Finals Series Review
Macarthur Rams have sealed their spot in the SUPA IGA NPL NSW Mens 2 grand final after trumping Premiers Parramatta FC 2-1.
They now await either Parramatta or Northern Tigers, who advanced to the preliminary final at the expense of Central Coast Mariners Academy.
SEMI FINAL 1 – Central Coast Mariners Academy v Northern Tigers
Northern Tigers moved within a step of the big dance after sealing a comprehensive 5-0 win over Central Coast Mariners Academy on Saturday evening.
Tigers will face Parramatta FC in next week’s preliminary final after a Mitchell Smith hat-trick and goals to Daniel Stuart and Aram Tayebi Derazkala ended Mariners Academy’s fruitful season.
There was youthful exuberance right across the park with Mariners’ crop of youngsters and Tigers calling upon eight Under 20s players across the squad.
So as could be expected, the opening period leant itself to the nervy end of the finals emotional scale.
A misplaced pass here, a falsely timed run there. Five minutes on, though, and both sides looked to have the jitters out of their systems.
The first attempt on goal came from nothing as Jamie Craig sent a long throw down the line for Max Glanville, who opted for an audacious chip that failed to trouble Mariners gloveman Beyhan Irmako.
Irmako’s distribution sparked a quick break and Mariners had a chance of their own to go ahead in what looked like their most likely route to goal all game.
Left-back Nathan Verity sent an early cross into the box for Tom Spencer, but the striker glanced his header wide of the mark.
Just twelve minutes in, Tigers surged into a lead courtesy of a slick passage of play and some lax defending on the Mariners’ part.
Glanville prodded a cross behind the defence and Mitch Smith, almost effortlessly despite being surrounded by two markers, poked the ball home for the opener.
There was similar confusion just over a minute later as Mariners failed to deal with a long throw into the box, allowing Tigers midfielder Lucas Dawson to charge onto the ball and unleash a wayward shot.
Tigers have traditionally found success with their fullbacks marauding down the touchline, but they looked more reserved as the back four maintained their solid shape, courtesy of the midfield’s work rate.
In contrast, Mariners’ fullbacks Grant Brown and Nathan Verity were regular exponents of an attacking run.
And it was via one such move from Brown that Central Coast almost found an equaliser. His pinpoint cross picked out Spencer in the centre of the box, but the striker’s effort breezed over the crossbar and onto the roof of the net.
Tigers regularly deployed the pacy and tricky Glanville down the right, but it was the winger’s long throw in that almost proved problematic for Mariners, with Mitch Smith’s flick on putting Daniel Stuart in on space, the youngster denied by a good save from Irmako, who plucked the ball out of Stuart’s path.
Their next raid on goal was more successful as Stuart made it 2-0 just beyond the half hour mark. Steven Baveas spotted Stuart’s speedy diagonal run into the box and the attacker sent what looked like a fairly innocuous chip goalward, only for Irmako’s tame palm sending the ball across the line.
Both fixtures between these two sides in the regular season were highlighted by Mariners comebacks and they looked determined to continue that trend, piling on the pressure in the early stages of the second half.
Just two minutes after the resumption, it looked like their vibrance was rewarded as Louis Bozanic’s corner was met by a strong Spencer header, but Tigers keeper Stuart Page produced a sublime diving save to ruin the party.
It seemed Tigers had learnt their lesson from the previous two outings, though, and they showed no signs of shutting up shop.
A visibly injured Glanville sparked a great chance to extend his side’s lead, picking the pocket of Balneaves and charging down Liam O’Dell’s clearance to send Stuart towards goal. Yet Irmako was called into action and duly obliged with a fine save.
It was a matter of minutes later that Tigers found the breathing space they craved. Shervin Adeli’s crafty corner was met by an onrushing Mitch Smith, whose powerful header left Irmako no chance and pushed the score out to a comfortable 3-0.
Mariners’ uphill battle doubled in magnitude on the 63rd minute mark as half-time substitute Bozanic was shown a deserved red card.
As Tigers defender Oliver Skelding shielded the ball on his own goal line, Bozanic lunged in front behind with an ugly challenge that will surely be attributed to frustration.
Mariners continued to pluck away and switched to a three-pronged backline which made them vulnerable on the counter.
One such Tigers break resulted in the fourth goal of the match as O’Dell brought down Braden Cheng in the box, allowing Aram Tayebi Derazkala to step up from the spot and put the result beyond doubt at 4-0.
Despite Mariners’ valiant efforts, it was Tigers who had the host of the final chances. With five minutes left on the clock, Stuart split the Mariners defence and sent Cheng through one-on-one, which Irmako again blocked out for a corner.
There was no denying Mitch Smith his hat-trick, though. Deep into additional time, Cheng’s through ball found Smith, the striker rounding Irmako and tucking the ball away into an empty net for the clincher.
Despite the loss of key players Guilherme De Souza (injury) and Liam Mcconaghy (suspension), Tigers march on and coach Jason Eagar was particularly impressed with the ability of his side to kick on with the result in the second half.
"To be honest, at the start they had the better of the play," Eagar said. "But we knew we just had to be patient and keep our defensive structures in place and eventually we backed ourselves to get a goal.
"During the season we were up both times and they came back at us. So the boys came out a bit slow in the first minute or two but then they went on with it which was fantastic.
"The boys were acutely aware of it so they made sure it wouldn’t happen again.
"I had two of the first graders with injury issues and we were on our last legs so it was good to be able to give some of the younger boys a chance.
"I’m just looking forward to extending the season another week and we’ll see how we go."
Mariners Academy bow out with their heads held high and coach Jason van Blerk insists the club achieved success beyond their results.
"We ended up second and the majority of the team are under 20," he said. "I brought on a 15-year-old tonight so the development of these players has been a great achievement for all the young boys.
"The way we play football, you always have to believe in yourself and believe you can go and get something from the game.
"Their keeper pulled out a great save from a corner that could have got us back to 2-1 and anything could have happened.
"Like I said to the boys, the season doesn’t reflect on this 5-0 loss. Over the season we learnt a lot and I think other clubs should take note of that, that you should give younger boys the chance in this competition.
"The Central Coast Mariners Academy has developed good, young players and if we keep these players around next year, you’ll see a completely different team."
Central Coast Mariners Academy 0
Northern Tigers 5 (Mitchell Smith 12′ 60′ 90+2′, Daniel Stuart 33′, Aram Tayebi Derazkala 69′ PEN)
Saturday September 6, 2014
At Sydney United Sports Centre
Central Coast Mariners Academy: 5. Todd Balneaves, 11. Josh Bingham (13. Trent Buhagiar 73′), 3. Grant Brown, 15. Jesse Curran (8. Matthew Hall 73′), 1. Beyhan Irmako, 6. Daniel Mcfarlane (7. Louis Bozanic 45′), 2. Liam O’Dell, 12. Thomas Spencer, 14. Steve Whyte, 10. Adam Woodbine, 4. Nathan Verity
Subs not used: 20. Patrick Ferrara, 16. Jack Ragen
Yellow cards: Louis Bozanic, Liam O’Dell, Matthew Hall
Red cards: Louis Bozanic
Northern Tigers: 7. Shervin Adeli, 36. Jamie Craig, 3. Lucas Dawson, 1. Stuart Page, 4. Michael Rolston, 15. Oliver Skelding (2. Samuel Ryder 74′), 18. Mitchell Smith, 19. Daniel Stuart, 17. Aram Tayebi Derazkala, 16. Steven Baveas (23. Hayden Krha 78′), 8. Max Glanville (13. Braden Cheng 62′)
Subs not used: 21. Harrison Devenish-Meares, 20. Julian Lim
Yellow cards: Max Glanville
Red cards: Nil
Semi Final 2 – Parramatta FC v Macarthur Rams
Macarthur Rams have advanced to the SUPA IGA NPL NSW Mens 2 grand final after putting in one of their most impressive performances of the season to down Parramatta FC 2-1.
Second half goals to Gerard Ouffoue and Alvaro Malmierca pushed Rams out to a 2-0 lead, while the Eagles pulled one back via Robert Tribbia to ensure a nervous final period.
Macarthur stated their intentions early and had a sniff of goal from their first corner. Alvaro Malmierca’s delivery was left by Shannon Hankin at the near post, allowing Calum Fleming a shot which he sprayed wide.
The opening exchanges were dominated by a tense midfield battle and it became apparent the wide channels would be the most likely route to goal given the strength of both sides in the middle of the park.
Parramatta settled into the match ten minutes in should probably have done better from their first clear cut chance. Mathew Clowes sent a deft chip across for Shayne Ardle, who did well do spring the offside trap but misdirected his header from a good position.
The Eagles went even closer two minutes later as Clowes’ corner was picked out by a towering John Tsironis at the far post, only for the striker to be denied by a superb reaction save from Chad Taylor.
Rams had a half chance on the 20 minute mark as Joel Craig’s deep cross was met on the head of Gerard Ouffoue, but his effort was too looping to trouble Luke Turnbull.
Macarthur looked dangerous thereafter and showed no reservation in front of goal, forcing Parramatta into a series of blocks.
Ardle was a lively source for the Premiers and had his bench off their seats with five minutes remaining in the first half as his powerful strike from distance forced Taylor to get down well to his right.
Macarthur were gifted the opportunity to head into the break with an important advantage when Daniel Gullo brought down David McMurray in the area.
But Craig Cooley’s effort from the penalty spot was too true, allowing Turnbull to save well and deny the skipper a goal.
The miss served as motivation for Rams, though, and they emerged from the sheds full of vigour.
An early Craig Cooley corner was headed skyward by Gerard Ouffoue but Parramatta failed to clear from there and it was Ouffoue who showed more hunger, pouncing on the scraps and burying his shot into the net to make it 1-0.
Macarthur were quickly warned against complacency as Parra moved down the other end immediately and went agonisingly close to bagging an equaliser.
Clowes’ corner found John Tsironis in the centre of the box and his beautifully controlled acrobatic effort drew a fine save from Chad Taylor.
Corners were exchanged freely at both ends of the pitch, with Robert Tribbia going closest for Parramatta on two occasions and Shannon Hankin showing his aerial prowess for Rams.
Macarthur’s counter attack has been a keynote of their season and it almost yielded a second goal as McMurray sent Reuben Agyei Danso down the left flank, only for the midfielder to be denied by the outstretched palm of Turnbull.
Parramatta’s urgency to equalise allowed Rams to break regularly and it was by the same method that they surged out to a 2-0 lead.
Shannon Hankin burst into the Eagles half and offloaded to Alvaro Malmierca, who steadied himself and carressed the ball into the net off the right hand upright.
The celebrations were shortlived, though, as Parramatta handed the expectant crowd a grandstand finish, pulling a goal back seconds later.
Daniel Rezo’s free kick was flicked on by the head of Robert Tribbia, who directed his effort into the top corner to make things 2-1 with 10 minutes left on the clock.
The closing stages were a free for all but Rams’ backline remained solid to affirm their place in the decider two weeks from now.
Macarthur’s long serving skipper Craig Cooley, who advances to his first grand final with the club, applauded the resilience of his charges to close out the match.
While it was a disappointing result for Parramatta, coach Franco Cosentino was left with plenty of positives to take from the match, with plenty of chances created in attack and a reshuffled defence, in the absence of captain Patrick Gatt, also holding strong.
The Eagles will now play Northern Tigers in next week’s preliminary final for a right to challenge Macarthur for the Championship
Parramatta FC 1 (Robert Tribbia 80′)
Macarthur Rams 2 (Gerard Ouffoue 49′, Alvaro Malmierca 79′)
Sunday September 7, 2014
At Sydney United Sports Centre
Parramatta FC: 23. Shayne Ardle, 12. Jess Casey (2. Andre Schroeder 72′), 8. Mathew Clowes, 3. Lord Darkoh, 13. Joshua Gersbach (15. Blake Brooker 83′), 6. Daniel Gullo, 10. Daniel Rezo, 16. Joshua Symons, 4. Robert Tribbia, 19. John Tsironis, 1. Luke Turnbull (GK)
Subs not used: 11. Suad Ameti, 20. Justin Biega, 17. Domenic Trimboli
Yellow cards: Shayne Ardle
Red cards: Nil
Macarthur Rams: 14. Reuben Agyei Danso (3. Naoyuki Nomura 71′), 2. Craig Cooley, 15. Joel Craig, 5. Calum Fleming, 9. Shannon Hankin (18. Louis Duchesne 86′), 19. Alvaro Malmierca, 12. David McMurray, 11. Gerard Ouffoue, 16. Daniel Ramirez, 1. Chad Taylor (GK), 8. Simon Valastro
Subs not used: 13. Emanuel Elali, 20. Harrick Sinpraseuth, 10. Sam Knowles
Yellow cards: Naoyuki Nomura, Joel Craig
Red cards: Nil
– By Mitchell Grima
