Round 11 Review – PS4 NPL 2 NSW Men’s

An extraordinary result at Jensen Park has put the rest of the weekend’s results into the shadows after Macarthur Rams smashed third placed Bankstown City 6-3 away, all nine goals coming, if you can believe it, in the second half. 

That amazing scoreline aside, Sydney FC have opened up a four-point gap at the top of Playstation 4 National Premier Leagues 2 NSW after a 4-1 win over North Shore Mariners, with second placed Western Sydney Wanderers being held at home 1-1 by Marconi.

Fellow A-Leaguers, Central Coast Mariners also claimed the points after defeating Spirit FC 3-2.

Spirit FC v Central Coast Mariners

An opening three goal blitz virtually handed Central Coast Mariners the three points against Spirit FC, the poor start skewering any real hopes Spirit might have had from taking something from this game.

It took only five minutes for the Mariners to take the lead and it came from a Spirit error. A misplaced pass in defence was gifted to Trent Buhagiar who had little difficulty in curling his shot around David Lowery for the first of the night.

If that wasn’t bad enough, eight minutes later Spirit found themselves two down. A cross from the right by Shelford Dais was turned into his own net by Jayden McLeod, and it seemed that even this early, it would be a long night ahead for the home side.

When it became 0-3 at the twenty minute mark, Buhagiar using his electric pace to get clear before sweetly hitting his second of the game, the points already seemed secure.

Apart from a bicycle kick from McLeod, which was on target and drew a good save from Adam Pearce, Spirit’s opportunities in the opening half were limited. Nathan Jagelman tried hard but the Mariners defence was well organised, and on more than one occasion, Spirit would be brought back by the linesman’s flag.

The second half was a different story however. Whatever was said at the break by John McLafferty, standing in for the unavailable Mark McCormick for the game, must have worked as Spirit worked hard to get themselves back in the match. It might have been no classic, but there was no denying the effort put in by the men in yellow, even if the Mariners continued to deny clear cut chances.

Midway through the second half though, the result should have been put to bed.

A long clearance by Central Coast found its way once more to Buhagiar and again, his pace was unmatched. Clear on goal against Lowery, a fourth goal seemed certain but a wild shot by the front man found its way over the bar and into the nearby national park.

A let off for sure for Spirit FC, whose already slim hopes of a comeback would have been extinguished if that went in.

As it happened, Central Coast were made to sweat for the final whistle. A late Spirit flurry saw Pearce tip over a Jagelman strike before a handball in the area resulted in a penalty, converted by Daniel Cunningham. Having been on the field for only four minutes, still not quite over an injury concern, Cunningham showed plenty of composure to bring it back to 1-3.

With two minutes left of normal time, that score would be 2-3 when Mark McAlpine snuck his shot under Pearce. Hopes lifted but time ran out and Spirit, and McLaffery, would be left to rue that opening twenty minutes.

Spirit FC 2 (Daniel Cunningham 81’ pen, Mark McAlpine 88’) v Central Coast Mariners 3 (Trent Buhagiar 5’, 20’, Jayden McLeod own goal 13’)

Saturday 14 May 2016

at Christie Park, Marsfield

Referee: Roberto Mattei

Assts: Avrol Beecham and David Haslett

Spirit FC: 51. David Lowery 3. Henry Wells 4. Michael Streeter 5. Andrew Robertson 8. Grant Cornwell (c) 10. Kim Changyu (15. Alexander Doyle 60’) 11. David Mavisa (34. Liam Taylor) 14. Jayden McLeod (2. Daniel Cunningham 77’) 16. Mark McAlpine 17. Robbie George 20. Nathan Jagelman.

Subs not used: 1. Murray Nelson 32. Jaylan Reiher

Yellow cards: Nil

Coach: Mark McCormick

Central Coast Mariners: 1. Adam Pearce 2. Brian Jamba 3. Reece Papadimitrios 4. Joshua Forbes 7. Lachlan Wales 9. Shelford Dais (18. Steve Whyte) 10. Ryan Peterson 11. Christopher Hurley (5. Daniel Tuddenham 84’) 12. Trent Buhagiar 14. Nathan Verity (8. Adam Berry 60’) 15. Cade Mapu.

Subs not used: 13. Cooper Buswell 20. Jack O’Malley

Yellow Cards: Shelford Dais, Christopher Hurley

Coach: Ben Cahn

Northern Tigers v Bankstown Berries

Northern Tigers returned to the winner’s circle with a 3-1 victory over Bankstown Berries, but they remain seventh despite the win.

Mitchell Smith scored the first to put Tigers in front but Dimitri Zakilas, for his third goal in three games, drew the Berries level before half time.

Northern Tigers came close to retaking the lead after the restart, hitting the woodwork twice but once Joel Hardwick eventually put the Tigers’ noses back in front, the result seemed safe. Substitute Jun Arima made absolutely certain, scoring late on to round out the points.

Northern Tigers 3 (Mitchell Smith, Joel Hardwick, Jun Arima) v Bankstown Berries 1 (Dimitri Zakilas)

Referee: Craig Fisher

Northern Tigers: 1. Matt Nemes 2. Russell Farrell 3. Jamie Craig 6. Paul Davies 7 Joel Hardwick 9. Liam McConaghy (5. Max Glanville) 10. Lucas Dawson 11. Mitchell Smith 112. Braden Cheng 14. Juliam Lim 16. Steven Baveas (13. Jun Arima).

Subs not used: 20. Riley Keayes 18. Paul Turrin 19. Alexander Brown

Yellow Cards: Russell Farrell, Julian Lim, Joel Hardwick

Bankstown Berries: 1. Tonu Liiband 4. Alexander Becerra 5. Liam McKenna 7. Kyle Ewart 9. Gavin Forbes 11. Tai Smith (18. Jake Bradshaw) 12. Garang Awac (2. Andrew Vitucci) 14. James Ralston 15. Riccardo Milano 16. Stephen Stavropoulos 19. Dimitri Zakilas.

Subs not used: 40. Christopher Becerra 17. Min Lee 20. Emre Agar

Yellow Cards: James Ralston, Alexander Becerra, Kyle Ewart

Mounties Wanderers v St George

Matthew West scored his seventh goal of the season as Mounties narrowly defeated St George 1-0 in what became a feisty encounter at Valentine Park.

A dominant Mounties lay siege to the St George goal in the first half without being able to break through a massed Saints defence, and it was only ten minutes after half time that Mounties were able to get on the scoresheet, despite their best efforts. West took advantage of a poor clearance to put Mounties a goal up.

St George recovered well and were unfortunate not to get an equaliser. A much improved second period saw Bruno Pivato have a goal bound shot tipped onto the bar by Danial Sadaka before either of two late strikes by the Saints in the final five minutes could have drawn them level. Reuben Lagos had a shot flash wide before Pivato, with just two minutes left, had space and time when clear but again, the shot missed by inches. 

Mounties Wanderers 1 (Matthew West 55’) v St George 0

Mounties: 21. Daniel Sadaka 5. Patrick Gatt (c) 7. Neftali Gonzalez 9. Matthew West 17. Milorad Simonovic 20. Reid Taylor (11. Joshua Viera 77’) 22. Wade Oostendorp 24. James Letta 25. Christian Torelli (23. Glen Downey 90+2’) 28. George Codrea (6. Aleksandar Tomic 69’) 29. Jake Ingle

Subs not used: 2. Domenic Dileo 33. Michael Cklamovski

St George: 1. George Bouropolous 3. Ali Nasreddine 6. Reuben Lagos 7. Stefan de Jesus 8. Tarik Ercan 10. Nicholas Rouco 11. Wassim Hijazi (38. Jacob Sullivan 46’) 13. Peter Vassilis (c) (19. Daniel Kamel 80’) 15. Nicholas Perez 16. Thomas Menton 17. Bruno Pivato.

Subs not used: 50. Mark Stivic 21. James Togias 28. Anthony Morabito

Mount Druitt Town Rangers v Fraser Park

Rangers made it four games without defeat with a close 1-0 win over Fraser Park. But while it may have been a narrow scoreline, and Mount Druitt’s third win in the past month by the closest of margins, the three points are all that matters.

Kuag Reec got the all important winner, taking his tally to four for the season.

Mount Druitt Town Rangers 1 (Kuag Reec) v Fraser Park 0

Sydney FC v North Shore Mariners

The Sydney FC juggernaut just keeps on rolling along, as the league leaders made it ten in a row with a comfortable 4-1 victory over North Shore Mariners.

No surprise as to which players got on the scoresheet with Bai Antoniou netting as early as the third minute, sweeping home a cutback from Christian Gonzalez, before the league’s leading scorer, Charles Lokolingoy doubled the lead midway through the first half.

North Shore pulled one back courtesy of a Michael Cole penalty but the two goal buffer was regained when Sydney FC were awarded a penalty of their own, captain Yianni Spyrakis converting.

Spyrakis scored once more with six minutes to go, sliding in at the back post for 4-1.

Sydney FC 4 (Bai Antoniou 3’, Charles Lokolingoy 21’, Yianni Spyrakis 52’ pen, 84’) v North Shore Mariners 1 (Michael Cole 27’ pen)

Western Sydney Wanderers v Marconi

The Wanderers dropped their first points in a month after a 1-1 draw at Popondetta Park against Marconi.

After going a goal down a minute before half time, Sam Perre putting the Stallions in front, it was not until the final fifteen minutes that they got the equaliser, Lachlan Scott celebrated signing his first team contract with the Wanderers scrambling the ball over the line to draw level.

Western Sydney Wanderers 1 (Lachlan Scott 75’) v Marconi 1 (Sam Perre 44’)

Bankstown City v Macarthur Rams

In a scarcely believable scoreline, Macarthur Rams exploded into life at Jensen Park on Sunday night, smashing six goals past the Lions, while conceding three themselves, in a nine-goal extravaganza.

At half time it was still 0-0, but an extraordinary nine goals were scored in the second forty five minutes, most of them to the Rams, leaving Bankstown nothing but shellshocked.

It is a phenomenal result, which will surely echo around for league for days to come.

In a scarcely believable scoreline, Macarthur Rams exploded into life at Jensen Park on Sunday night, smashing six goals past the Lions, while conceding three themselves, in a nine-goal extravaganza.

At half time it was still 0-0, but an extraordinary nine goals were scored in the second forty five minutes, most of them to the Rams, leaving Bankstown nothing but shellshocked.

It is a phenomenal result, which will surely echo around for league for days to come.

Bankstown City 3 (Huseyin Jasli 2, Kojiro Hori) v Macarthur Rams 6 (Eli Squillacioti 2, David McMurray, Cristian Leiva Martinez, Kevin Ly, Damien Travis) 

– by Peter Rowney, Play Station 4 National Premier Leagues 2 NSW Men’s Reporter