Round 2 Review – PS4 NPL 3 NSW Men’s
Goals and more goals were on the menu of the PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 3 NSW Men’s competition as Round Two took its course across the weekend.
The opening day of the season produced 27 goals, and remarkably, the twelve teams worked hard to replicate that effort and produce another 27 goals in Round Two.
Granville Rage scored five as they brought home three points from their trip to Bathurst, whilst Sydney University made it a night to remember, opening up their new football ground with two brilliant goals and a subsequent victory.
On Sunday, Hills Brumbies came from 1-3 down at half time to overcome Inter Lions, likewise Balmain Tigers had a welcome three points at Gladesville after overturning a half time deficit, whilst Dunbar Rovers continued on their merry way with a victory on Sunday evening against Hawkesbury City.
Dulwich Hill welcomed the visit of Rydalmere Lions to Arlington Oval on Saturday evening in the featured Match of the Round, a battle between two of the most attack minded teams in the league.
Rydalmere Lions made it two wins from two with a workmanlike 2-0 victory over Dulwich Hill at Arlington Oval on Saturday night. Goals in either half to Shane Webb and Seiji Tarutani were enough to give the Lions the points in a match that probably delivered less than it promised for the neutral supporter.
Dulwich Hill came in to the game having scored eleven goals during the past week, with three in a 3-3 league draw against Granville Rage last Saturday, and another eight in a remarkable 8-4 Westfield FFA Cup triumph against Southern and Ettalong on Wednesday.
Rydalmere set the standard last week with an 8-0 demolition of Balmain Tigers in Round One, and were ready to continue that form on the superb artificial surface at the picturesque Arlington Oval.
The first stanza was much of a battle in the middle third of the park, with both teams grappling with each other trying to make a break through.
The challenges were fierce and enthusiastic, nothing the referee, Mr Rob Nieuwenhuis, couldn’t handle, dishing out five yellow cards amongst plenty of verbal warnings as he kept the action flowing as best as possible.
It took a full 24 minutes for the first genuine attempt at goal, with Rydalmere’s Seiji Tarutani’s shot in anger from 20 yards flashing wide of the Dully posts.
Three minutes later and the visitors had the lead.
A poorly taken Dully short free kick near the half way was intercepted by Lloyd Owusu, and he quickly exchanged a couple of passes with Tarutani as the pair counter attacked with speed.
The ball was then rolled in to the path of Shane Webb on the edge of the Dully penalty area, and the experienced campaigner curled a peach of a shot over the despairing dive of the Dully keeper, Michael Frost, the ball cannoning off the inside of the post on the way in to the net.
Chances were far and few between, with Michael Brown blasting wide from distance for the Lions on 40 minutes, whilst Dully responded when Anthony Musumeci’s snapshot from the edge of the Rydalmere penalty area was hit down the throat of the Lions custodian, Harrick Sinpraseuth.
Rydalmere had a glorious opportunity to double their advantage in first half injury time, when both Matthew Mayora and then Lloyd Owusu agonizingly failed to get a touch to the same low cross by Tarutani.
Ten minutes in to the second period, and Dulwich Hill substitute, Hussein Rachid, who had picked up a caution right on half time, was dismissed for a second caution and Dully were down to ten men. Fortunately central defensive partner, Rocci Gabey, was a man inspired on the night, and continue to man the line as he kept his side in the match with some effective defensive work. Rydalmere’s Matthew Mayora almost made the punishment worse when his ensuing brilliant free kick from wide on the right cannoned off the Dully cross bar.
Despite looking in control, Rydalmere Lions only had the solitary goal to show for it, and Dulwich Hill started to throw caution to the wind to try and restore parity.
Anthony Musumeci picked up an intercept on 59 minutes, sending Adam Johnston away down the right, whose low cross was met by Hayden Pronin, his blast blocked by a desperate defender.
Dulwich Hill’s left back, Jacob Maruca, mad a run down the left in the 62nd minute, his pin point cross headed over from a few yards by Johnston as the Dully fans sighed in frustration.
Dully could smell a goal and kept at it, Anthony Musumeci’s free kick dipping over the ball but just clearing the cross bar in the 70th minute.
It seemed to be only a matter of time before Dully would score.
The turning point came on 78 minutes. Maruca again made a telling run down the left, swinging his left foot cross in to the penalty area. Dully substitute, Stephen Hrysanthos, did brilliantly, controlling the ball with his back to goal, before swivelling and cracking a shot towards the roof of the net.
Somehow Rydalmere’s keeper, Harrick Sinpraseuth, produced an incredible save, flinging himself high and to his left to divert the shot wide, much to the angst of the Dulwich Hill contingent.
Ten minutes from the end and Rydalmere had the chance to finish off the match. Dully defender, Tobias Elliott-Orr, executed a rash challenge on Seiji Tarutani inside the box, and the Lions had a penalty.
Substitute Chris Camilleri blasted his kick well enough, hard and low towards the right hand corner, but Dully keeper, Michael Frost, chose correctly to divert the kick, his second successive spot kick save in successive weeks.
Whilst the gods seemed to be doing everything to provide Dully with a share of the spoils, Rydalmere defied them and eventually grabbed their second, the goal coming in stoppage time. Left back, Lahai Tengbeh, made a weaving run down the left and along the goal line, beating a couple of defenders, before crossing brilliantly to the far post for Tarutani to head home.
Dulwich Hill made a real go of it after the break, after a subdued effort in the first forty five minutes. Rocci Gabey was a fierce presence in central defence, Jacob Maruca tidy and efficient at left back, and skipper, George Lagoudakis, didn’t give an inch all night with some tenacious ball winning, but it wasn’t enough for the home side.
Rydalmere Lions were sound all over the park, but will heed warning that they need to turn that domination into goals, given Dully could easily have restored parity a number of times when the score was only 1-0.
Shane Webb and Michael Brown were an effective pairing in midfield, Seiji Tarutani was involved in everything the Lions produced in the attacking third, his energy and support play very effective, whilst left back, Lahai Tengbeh, produced a polished and error free match at left back.
Match Stats
Saturday, April 9, 2016
Arlington Oval
Referee – R.Nieuwenhuis
Assistant Referees – P.Liaris and D.Richards
DULWICH HILL FC 0
RYDALMERE LIONS SC 2 (Webb 27’, Tarutani 90+3)
DULWICH HILL FC; 1.M.Frost, 5.D.Burbidge (12.H.Rachid16’), 16.T.Elliott-Orr, 13.R.Gabey, 9.K.Hayashi (21.E.Martinez 77’), 6.A.Johnston, 7.G.Lagoudakis (capt), 3.J,Maruca, 17.A.Musumeci, 11.H.Pronin(10.S.Hrysanthos 68’), 15.A.Savetta,
Substitutes Not Used – 27.A.Chance, 25.L.Maniakas.
Yellow Cards – 17.A.Musumeci 10’, 12.H.Rachid 45’+2’ / 55’.
Red Cards – 12.H.Rachid 55’.
RYDALMERE LIONS SC; 1.H.Sinpraseuth, 12.M.Brown, 5. H.Lee, 15.M.Mayora (7.Z.Elrich 61’), 9.L.Owusu (capt) (10.C.Camilleri), 25.M.Pritchard, 27.J.Steenbergen, 16.S.Tarutani, 18.L.Tengbeh, 8.S.Webb (17.S.Yole 61’), 6.Y.Samba.
Substitutes Not Used – 13.C.Ekwerike, 28.S.Molcott.
Yellow Cards – 15.M.Mayora, 27.J.Steenbergen 42’, 12.M.Brown 45’+2’, 6.Y.Samba 62’, 17.S.Yole 90’+2”
Red Cards – Nil
SYDNEY UNIVERSITY – STANMORE HAWKS 2-1
Saturday, April 9
Sydney University Football Ground
Sydney University celebrated the launch of their new state of the art football ground with a 2-1 victory over Stanmore Hawks on Saturday evening.
Read more about the new venue at http://www.footballnsw.com.au/index.php?id=149&tx_ttnews%5Byear%5D=2016&tx_ttnews%5Bmonth%5D=04&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=10975&cHash=7a9210e51b86e37762de73a5faae8357
The club’s Under 18s and 20s had been victorious earlier in the day to set the scene for the first grade match, and Brian Dene’s boys did not disappoint.
Sydney University started the better and created a number of half opportunities, before taking the lead in the first half with a goal befitting the memorable occasion.
Gavin Wenyon was released down the left flank, and beat a defender before crossing deep in to the penalty area. The ever alert Rosario Occhipinti was lurking, and he executed a perfect bicycle kick, leaving Stanmore keeper, James Webb, stranded, whilst sending the home support into delirium.
Stanmore made some changes at the break, and the new structure paid immediate dividends when the Hawks restored parity early in the second half.
An arm wrestle had developed from that point, with Stanmore playing the part of party poopers, almost taking the lead a couple of times from successive corners except for some excellent keeping by Uni’s custodian, Oliver Gibson.
But just when it seemed the sides would share the spoils, up popped Johhny Gowdy to snare the winning goal. Receiving a cross field ball from Jay Wynter, Gowdy cut inside before curling a super effort into the top corner, much to the jubilation of the home club.
It was a timely victory for Sydney University, the welcome three points having come on the back of their opening round loss, and making the opening of their new venue a night to remember for all.
WESTERN NSW MARINERS – GRANVILLE RAGE 1-5
Saturday, April 9
Proctor Park
Granville Rage made sure the bus trip home from Bathurst was a celebratory one with a convincing 5-1 victory against Western NSW Mariners on Saturday night.
Zac Watters scored a first half brace to help Granville establish a 3-0 half time lead, and it was too big a gap to bridge for the young Mariners, the Rage eventually scoring two more to round off the result at 5-1.
Daniel Bittar, Luke Mesiti and Daniel Bortolazzo also got on the scoresheet for the visitors, who were relentless in their pressing game, forcing and capitalising on errors from the Mariners.
The Mariners themselves never stopped trying, and had an improved second half, their efforts rewarded with a goal minutes from the end from young substitute, Jayden Hutchins, but it was too little too late for the home side.
Eight goals scored in the first two games is a healthy return for the Rage, and they’ll need more of the same next week when they tackle Rydalmere Lions in Round Three, whilst the Mariners host Sydney University at Sir Jack Brabham Park.
INTER LIONS SC – HILLS BRUMBIES 3-5
Sunday, April 10
Fraser Park
The old cliché ‘it’s a game of two halves’ was clearly evident at Fraser Park on Sunday afternoon, with Hills Brumbies overcoming Inter Lions in dramatic fashion.
Lachlan Wright slipped a through ball for Kachi Enyi on 10 minutes, the burly striker volleying home to give Inter Lions the lead.
Quarter of an hour later and Inter extended their lead. Daniel Fogarty played a neat one-two inside the box with Clayton Musumeci before striking home Inter’s second goal.
Inter Lions were dominating possession, and moved in to the break full of confidence.
But 2-0 is a dangerous score line, and Hills Brumbies came out firing after the break to blow the match apart.
Peter Cejkaa scrambled home early in the second half, and it was just the spark Hills needed. Cejkaa went on to score a hatrick, whilst lively substitute, Chris Bedzo, bagged a double as Hills stormed to a 5-2 lead.
Daniel Fogarty pulled a goal back for Inter, his second of the match, but it was too little late for the Lions. Hills could even afford the late sending off of Dongyong Heo, and still managed to hold on to a valuable three points.
BALMAIN TIGERS – GLADESVILLE RYDE MAGIC 4-2
Sunday, April 10
Magdala Park
Gladesville Ryde Magic must have thought they were ready to record their first victory of the league season at Magdala Park on Sunday afternoon, when they struck up a 2-0 lead by half time.
Skipper Chris Gaitatzis found himself unmarked in the penalty area on 39 minutes. He steadied himself before burying his shot to give Magic the lead.
A minute later it was 2-0, Gaitatzis this time the provider, his through ball expertly finished by Majid Eslami, much to the delight of the home fans.
But someone forgot to tell Magic the game is won over 90 minutes, and Balmain Tigers came out a determined bunch in the second half.
Remarkably, the Tigers scored four goals inside a fruitful 20 minute spell. Yu Takahashi pulled a goal back before Sangyu Park equalised. The influential Christian Bottalico was rested midweek in the Cup loss against Picton Rangers, and it was he that put the Tigers in front, before Harrison Feller completed the comeback near the end of the match.
It was a welcome three points for Balmain after a tough week, whilst Magic will need to regroup in time for their third round match next week against Dulwich Hill.
DUNBAR ROVERS – HAWKESBURY CITY 3-0
Sunday, April 10
Hensley Athletic Field
Dunbar Rovers continued their impressive start to 2016 with a sound 3-0 victory against Hawkesbury City on Sunday evening.
It was evenly matched battle in the first half, except on the scoreboard. Malcolm Miller managed to get his head on the end of two free kicks to give the Rovers a 2-0 lead at the break.
Hawkesbury came out full of vigour after half time, eager to peg a goal back, but Rene Mrva put paid to that with Dunbar’s third goal midway through the second half, and that was that.
The Rovers hit the woodwork a couple of more times before full time, but it finished 3-0 to the home side, who will now look forward to an enticing clash next weekend when they travel to play another side with 100% record, Hills Brumbies.
