Futsal Premier/State League Round 3 Review
Rovers are Futsal Premier League top dogs after beating crestfallen Phoenix 9-4 in round three action. Dural is behind on goal-difference only following a 5-2 win over lifetime rivals Campbelltown, Inner West showed Mountain who’s king with a 6-zip zing, and Mascot demonstrated plenty of pride in an 8-3 defeat of UTS Northside.
The results have Enfield pegged with Dural at the top of the tree, but just four points separate the top seven teams in an intriguing competition.
It was a goalfest as Enfield Rovers ran out 9-4 winners over Phoenix Futsal Club at Morris Iemma Indoor Sports Centre, extending their unbeaten premier league run to six games.
Enfield were on top 5-2 at the break and made the most of their chances to register a comfortable victory. It was a 15th straight league game without victory for hapless Phoenix – one short of Sydney City’s record struggle three summers ago.
Defending champs Dural Warriors laid down the trophy gauntlet with a commanding 5-2 win against Campbelltown Quake at Minto Sports Stadium.
It was neck and neck in the first half as Warriors led 3-2 at the break, Mark Symington and Danny Martinez grabbing Campbelltown’s goals, but as they inevitably do a rampant Dural second half closed out their 5-2 victory.
And hail the road warriors as Dural clocked up 10 unbeaten away games to pass their golden run over the 2011/12-2012/13 summers – no-one likes hosting the Warriors in open men’s!
It was fireworks at Valentine Sports Park alright, but as Inner West Magic lit up the skyline Mountain Majik fizzled in a 6-0 rout.
Inner West were on top of their game and built a solid two goal halftime advantage, and they broke free in the second term to complete a six-goal whitewash on the back of a superb Daniel Vellonio hat-trick.
More significantly, Magic dominated the entire day’s play with seven wins and a draw from nine grade fixtures to take a giant-sized step toward yet another club championship with a dominant points claim over their closest rival from last summer.
Mascot Vipers mustered up true character to defeat UTS Northside 8-3 at All Sorts Indoor Sports Centre and avoid the premier league’s all-time win-less streak.
Vipers led 6-0 at oranges and UTS threw caution to the wind with a fifth-man press only to fall short in the end, handing the Mascot open men’s side their first ‘W’ in 15 matches.
Vipers heart and soul Zvi Ben David applauded his young team’s tenacity and promised more would follow. “Yes, we will get better. We have a lot of new players who are serious about it. A new team takes time to develop, but it will happen,” he said.
Next week’s games
Some great match-ups shape Round Four of the Futsal Premier League as Campbelltown Quake welcome Phoenix Futsal Club to Minto Indoor Sports Centre and Inner West Magic hosts UTS Northside at Valentine Sports Park.
Enfield Rovers meet old foes Mascot Vipers at Morris Iemma Indoor Sports Centre, while Dural Warriors battle Mountain Majik at Dural Sport & Leisure Centre.
Futsal State League Round Three
Sydney City Eagles downed Boomerangs 3-1 in their early top-of-the-table duel at Dural Sport & Leisure Centre and take the state league ascendancy after round three.
And what a match at Emerton Leisure Centre where a fired-up West City Crusaders came from three goals down at halftime to claim a point from second-placed Western Wolves in a sizzling 6-6 draw. Wolves led 5-2 at the changeover thanks to an Evan Daglis hat-trick but they couldn’t hold off a dramatic Crusaders fightback led by two-goal hero Brenden Riley.
South Coast Taipans piled on the goals in a 15-5 triumph against Mount Druitt Town Ranges at Kevin Butts Stadium to join Boomerangs in third spot, Raiders accounted for Sutherland Shire 6-2 despite having a player sent off at Menai Indoor Sports Stadium, Sydney Futsal Club beat International Football School Futsal 7-2, and win-less Parramatta Pumas met Botany Bay Pirates at Dural Sport & Leisure Centre. Eastern Suburbs Hakoah had the bye.
Next week’s games
It’s déjà vu in Round Four of the Futsal State League as Sydney City Eagles face a successive top-of-the-table clash, this time against Western Wolves at Dural Sport & Leisure Centre.
Botany Bay Pirates meet South Coast Taipans in a battle for the waves at Hurstville Aquatic Centre and Boomerangs play Raiders at Canberra’s mpowerdome.
International Football School Futsal clash confront a rising West City Crusaders at Peninsula Leisure Centre, while All Sorts Indoor Sports Centre hosts a doubleheader with Eastern Suburbs Hakoah versus Sutherland Shire and Sydney Futsal Club against Parramatta Pumas.
Mount Druitt Town Rangers has the bye.
