PS4 NPL NSW Men’s 2 Round 6 Review

There is a three way tie at the head of the PS4 NPL NSW Men’s 2 competition after Northern Tigers claimed victory over Central Coast FC and Hakoah Sydney City East overcame Mount Druitt Town Rangers, to all draw level on 12 points.

The wet weather played its part in the round again, causing the cancellation of the two games at Fraser Park and Spirit FC.

Feature Game

Hakoah Sydney City East v Mount Druitt Town Rangers

Hakoah Sydney City East moved back to the top of the ladder with a relatively comfortable 2-0 win over Mount Druitt Town Rangers, easing their way to number one courtesy of goal difference.

Once Neil Jablonski put the home side 1-0 up midway through the first half, the more experienced Hakoah were always likely to take the points from this game, against their younger rivals, who were without regulars Robert Tribbia and Ryan O’Shea.

Jablonski, who passed a late fitness test to take the field, and fellow striker Michael McCrory, both resumed after missing the match against Spirit last week, and the wise heads up front certainly made a difference. The Hakoah captain scored from the spot in the twenty third minute, neatly sending Rangers keeper Robert Kolak the wrong way, after referee Jerry Bitas awarded the spotkick after a push in the area, as Rangers defended a free kick.

It was a careless way for Mount Druitt Town to concede, as they had been matching their opponents up until that time. The goal gave Hakoah the lead they wanted, and apart from a near post header from Osadolor Edosomwan, which hit the side netting, Rangers had few first half chances.

Rangers did have a chance just after the break, Nathan Ralph letting fly three minutes in, but it was Hakoah who were to get a second goal, just before the hour. Jacob Esposito, wide on the right, took a chance with Kolak off his line, and lobbed the keeper from outside the area, the ball neatly slipping in under the cross bar.

The doubling of the lead set Hakoah up nicely and with Jablonski being forced from the field not long after, that second goal was never more important.

The home side could even have had a third. A Michael Randall cross flew across the face of goal just eluding the onrushing McCrory, who just failed to connect. McCrory himself left the field with thirteen minutes to play, and while Hakoah lost their two main men up front, Rangers were unable to claw back a goal.

They tried hard enough, working hard but finding it difficult against tough opposition. Ralph could have come close after good work from Edosomwan, but failed to connect at the crucial moment.

Hakoah were home, and the three points gained led them straight back to first.

Hakoah Sydney City East 2 (Neil Jablonski 23’ pen, Jacob Esposito 59’) v Mount Druitt Town Rangers 0

Sunday 26 April 2015

at Hensley Field

Referee: Jerry Bitas

Assts: Adam Naylor and Jack Bell

Hakoah Sydney City East: 1. Matthew Symes 2 Remy Wolanski 4. Bradley Walker 5. Michael McCrory (26. Federico Kertscher 78’) 8. Paul Orgad 9. Neil Jablonski (7. Kevin Lopes 66’) 10. Deklan Gilmartin 13. Michael Randall 16. Brad Paikin 19. Jacob Esposito 20. Joseph Dingwall.

Subs not used: RGK Jesse Lenn 27. Alex Nicolosi 35. Christopher El-Hayek

Yellow Cards: Jacob Esposito

Coach: Mark Robertson

Mount Druitt Town Rangers: 1. Robert Kolak 2. Brian Griffin-Colls 7. Luke Clifford (3. Liam Daynes 71’) 8. Shayne Ardle (6. Daniel Embleton 82’) 9. Bryan Soane 10 Daniel Vellonio (11. Koji Hori) 12. Osadolor Edosomwan 14. Daniel McCann 15. Rainer Smahel 16. Nathan Ralph 18. Luke Jenner.

Subs not used: 17. Dylan Owusu 41. John Tinker.

Yellow Cards: Robert Kolak, Bryan Soane, Rainer Smahel, Nathan Ralph.

Coach: Aiden Desmond

Northern Tigers v Central Coast

Northern Tigers made it a three way tie at the top after defeating the previous leaders Central Coast 2-1 at Mills Park.

Shervin Adeli gave the Tigers a first half lead before Daniel McFarlane equalised for the Coast.

But substitute Dan Stuart scored the winner for the Tigers to set up another big match at Mills next week, when Hakoah Sydney City East visit. The Tigers also will have a tough midweek, as Macarthur Rams visit in the Westfield FFA Cup sixth preliminary round.

Northern Tigers 2 (Shervin Adeli, Dan Stuart) v Central Coast 1 (Daniel McFarlane)

Bankstown City v Mounties Wanderers

Mounties Wanderers claimed their first point of the season with a draw at Bankstown City, after club captain Mark D’Alessandro drew the Mounties level, in stoppage time of the second half.

Dean Heffernan, making his debut for the Lions, had given the home side the lead ten minutes before half time and it seemed it would be enough for Bankstown.  But D’Alessandro’s late equaliser, in the final moments, was just what Mounties needed, and the point was enough to lift the Wanderers off the bottom of the table.

Bankstown City 1 (Dean Heffernan 35’) v Mounties Wanderers 1 (Mark D’Alessandro 91’)

Sydney University v Macarthur Rams

The season continues to be a tough one for Sydney University, who slumped to their fifth straight league defeat, after going down 2-1 to Macarthur Rams in Sunday’s late kick off.

Their performance though did not suggest a team without a win, after Uni matched the Rams for large periods of the game, and the visitors had to work all the way for their victory. It was Eros Bergamin who put the visitors in front, picking up a rebound and drilling home from twenty metres, midway through the first half. Within two minutes though, Uni had drawn level. Gavin Forbes rose high to put away a looping header from an Adrian Porcu free kick.

Craig Cooley scored the Rams winner, cruelling Uni’s hopes, curling a left footer inside the left hand post.

Sydney University will have a chance to change focus when Rockdale City Suns, bottom of PS4 NPL NSW Men’s 1, travel to Lambert Park on Wednesday for their Cup clash.

Sydney University 1 (Gavin Forbes 28’) v Macarthur Rams 2 (Eros Bergamin 26’, Craig Cooley 68’)

Washed Out

Fraser Park v Bankstown Berries

Spirit FC v St George

– by Peter Rowney, PS4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s 2 Reporter