Round 13 Review – PS4 NPL 3 NSW Men’s
Goals were the order of the weekend in Round Thirteen of the PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 3 NSW Men’s competition, with a staggering 36 across the six matches at an incredible average of six goals per match.
Rydalmere Lions flexed their muscles with a 7-2 pounding of Dulwich Hill, Sydney University edged out Stanmore Hawks by the odd goal in three at Arlington Oval, Hills Brumbies took a while to get going at Lilys Football Centre before handing Inter Lions a five goal pasting, Granville Rage overcame Western NSW Mariners in an eight goal extravaganza, and Gladesville Ryde Magic got revenge on Balmain Tigers with a narrow win at Magdala Park on Sunday afternoon.
Our feature match was on Saturday afternoon at David Bertenshaw Field in Richmond, where local side, Hawkesbury City SC, met Dunbar Rovers FC.
Dunbar Rovers huffed and puffed and eventually took home the spoils in a tough battle against Hawkesbury City on Saturday afternoon.
A slender half time lead was erased by the home side early in the second stanza, but the workmanlike Dunbar kept at it and scored a couple of more goals to snare a valuable 3-1 away win.
It was a bitterly cold afternoon at Richmond for the fans that braved the temperatures, with both sides mixing it up early, and the physical challenges were true and frequent.
Hawkesbury’s Mick McCrory had the first true attempt at goal, creating it himself after bustling his way past two Dunbar defenders on four minutes before snapping his shot wide of the mark, under challenge from a third defender.
Andrew Doddy responded for Dunbar just two minutes later, weaving his way past a couple of flash Hawkesbury challenges, his swerving low shot almost catching Hakws’ keeper, Daniel Schwarzer, unawares before the custodian gobbled up the rebound.
The match then became a battle of the physical kind – an attribute both sides possess – and no one took a back seat as the game tilted on a knife’s edge.
Hawkesbury almost snatched the lead on 28 minutes, following some great work by McCrory in the inside left channel. Cutting inside a defender, McCrory’s ball landed at the feet of Ben Gray, who unleashed a first time snap shot from the edge of the box that flew past Dunbar keeper, Stephen Deasy. Alas, the leather crashed against the post before being cleared by a Dunbar defender.
The Hawks kept up the pressure and McCrory shot wide from 20 yards after Terry Pannowitz slipped a great pass in to his path after 37 minutes.
Dunbar replied with a great run by Michael Sealy after 38 minutes, stabbing a shot into the hands of Hawks’ keeper, Schwarzer, after a slick one-two with Robbie Deasy.
A huge piece of courage brought about the opening goal, and it came in the 41st minute to put Dunbar Rovers in to the lead.
Andrew Doddy cracked a free kick from all of 20 yards around the Hawkesbury wall and keeper, Daniel Scwarzer, managed to get his body behind it, spilling the ball in the process.
Four players, no less, lunged at the rebound, and Dunbar’s Andrew Green managed to toe poke the ball past the Hawkesbury keeper and two of his defenders. With all four players sprawled on the ground – and thankfully, able to carry on uninjured – the ball trickled in to the net to give Dunbar a half time lead.
Hawkesbury had given as good as they got, and were a little unlucky not to be on even terms at the break.
But they came out all guns blazing in the second half to put the record straight as quickly as possible.
On 48 minutes, a long punt up field was chased by Michael McCrory, and he used his street wise know how to bustle possession of the ball, carrying it in to the box before laying it off for Ben Gray, whose first time shot was well parried by Dunbar’s Stephen Deasy.
The rebound was retrieved by Hawkesbury’s Terry Pannowitz outside the box, who steadied himself before cracking a low shot towards the bottom corner, only for the ever-alert Deasy to brilliantly finger-tip the shot away to safety.
The resultant corner saw Andrew Stevenson’s header loop on to the cross bar before being cleared for another corner. Not to be denied, Stevenson this time crashed his header home to give the home side the equaliser they so craved, and the home fans were in raptures.
Hawkesbury are a dangerous group from set pieces, with a ‘forest’ of tall timbers all encroaching on the opposition penalty area whenever they have a corner or free kick, and on this occasion it paid dividends.
Jolted a little by the equaliser, Dunbar Rovers increased their intensity a little and edged back in front following some magnificent work by the midfield general, Andrew Doddy.
Receiving the ball in the middle of his own half, Doddy played a neat one-two before commencing a slalom run upfield, changing gears as he beat a few Hawks’ challenges on the way to the goal line.
Doddy then cracked over a superb cross, low and firm, which was met by Robert Ezekiel, who had come inside from his left flank, the striker opening up his body to side foot a half volley in to the net from close range.
Hawkesbury almost squared the ledger on 71 minutes. Terry Pannowitz played a delightful chipped through ball in behind the square Dunbar defence, and Michael McCrory hit a superb first time shot from the edge of the box that raced centimetres past Stephen Deasy’s right hand upright.
Desperate to grab something out of the match, and pushing men forward, Hawkesbury were caught with a sucker punch on 86 minutes to effectively close off the match at 3-1.
A high ball from a Dunbar headed clearance was challenged and won by Andrew Green, with his flick on landing at the feet of the unmarked Michael Sealy. The striker played an intelligent ball in to the path of David Desmond, and the substitute gobbled up the chance to stroke the ball past Hawks’ keeper, Daniel Schwarzer.
Despite the reverse, Hawkesbury City gave a good account of themselves and on another day could’ve grabbed something from this match. Best for Hawkesbury ; striker Michael McCrory was the pick of the Hawks, he never shirked the challenges and was a menace all night for the Dunbar defence with his physical presence and good off load play; Andrew Stevenson played with his heart on his sleeve, fierce in the tackle, determined in his approach, and rewarded with a goal; Terry Pannowitz worked hard in the midfield and went often looking to support his attack whenever the Hawks moved forward.
It is a credit to Dunbar that they grabbed all three points in this encounter. The Rovers didn’t take a backward step, mixed it physically, and were smart enough to put together a couple of moves that brought goals and the reward of a victory.
Robbie Deasy had a great captain’s knock, spurring his charges on and leading by example with his work rate and effort; Andrew Green had an effective performance as an old fashioned number nine, challenging in the air as well as on the ground, and earning a goal via his courage alone; keeper Stephen Deasy managed a handful of great saves at important ties to keep his side well in the match.
PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 3 NSW Men’s
Round Thirteen
Saturday, June 25, 2016
David Bertenshaw Field
Referee – Dale Fuda
Assistant Referees – Laken Ledden and Ben McArthy
HAWKESBURY CITY (0) 1 (Stevenson 48’)
DUNBAR ROVERS (1) 3 (Green 41’, Ezekiel 60’, Desmond 86’)
HAWKESBURY CITY;
1.D.Schwarzer, 21.R.Cormack (9.J.Browne 71’), 14.C.EL-Hayek, 10.B.Gray (7.J.Mawein 57’), 12.T.Harrington, 17.M.McCrory (capt), 11.M.Noro (19.I.Kamara 79’), 8.T.Pannowitz, 4.A.Stevenson, 3.E.Stewart, 22.J.Thurtell.
Substitutes Not Used – 20.C.Morley.
Yellow Cards – 10.B.Gray 29’, 4.A.Stevenson 34’, 8.T.Pannowitz 40’.
Red Cards – Nil
DUNBAR ROVERS;
1.S.Deasy, 13.S.Burke, 10.R.Deasy(capt), 8.A.Doddy, 6.R.Ezekiel (16.D.Desmond 63’), 21.A.Green, 3.S.Liu, 11.M.Miller, 12.M.Sealy (7.J.Hems 87’), 4.A.Simpson, 19.G.Swartz (15.N.O’Sullivan 46’).
Substitutes Not Used – 20.M.Naoum.
Yellow Cards – Nil
Red Cards – Nil
STANMORE HAWKS FC – SYDNEY UNIVERSITY SFC 1-2
Saturday, June 25
Arlington Oval @ 7-00pm
Sydney University completed the ‘double’ over Stanmore Hawks on Saturday night, replicating their 2-1 victory back in Round Two with an identical scoreline this time around.
Similarly this encounter was an arm wrestle from the outset, with two evenly matched teams trying to grab an early ascendancy.
After a fierce opening half hour, it was the visitors that snapped the deadlock, with Sydney University’s recent new signing, Valentin Broehl, volleying home following a goal mouth scramble.
Stanmore tried to even the score before the break, but the closest they came was minutes before half time when Heo Wookbum cracked an effort against the upright.
Stanmore lifted their intensity after half time, and their efforts were rewarded when skipper, Steve Liavas, made a dash down the flank before crossing to Wookbum who struck home the equaliser.
The home side kept their foot on the pedal, pushing the ‘students’ back in to their defensive third time and time again. But Sydney University weathered the storm and struck a killer blow in the 76th minute.
Midfield workhorse, Gavin Wenyon, broke at speed before slipping a pass to Rosario Occhipinti. The ace marksman took a touch before unleashing a long range grass cutter that raced inside the Stanmore upright.
The home side upped the ante in the final moments, but could not break through, and Sydney University hung on to grab all the points, moving them to 21, retaining their 5th spot on the ladder in the process.
RYDALMERE LIONS SC – DULWICH HILL FC 7-2
Saturday, June 25
Rydalmere Park @ 7-00pm
Rydalmere Lions sent a very clear message to the other clubs in the NPL3 competition, reigniting their title aspirations with a 7-2 mauling of Dulwich Hill on Saturday night at Rydalmere Park.
Backing up after their midweek loss to Inter Lions at the same venue, Rydalmere quickly fell behind after taking an early lead through Yoel Silvestre on 6 minutes, with skipper, George Lagoudakis, and Vic Koutsoufis edging Dully in front before the quarter hour mark.
But Rydalmere responded with a flurry of goals after peppering the Dulwich Hill defence with attack after attack. Silvestre equalised on 21 minutes, before Amaury Gauthier got in on the act with a brace of his own before half time, scoring on 23 and 37 minutes respectively.
Rydalmere stepped it up a gear after the break, with both Gauthier (51’) and Silvestre (85’) grabbing their hatricks, sandwiching a goal from Lloyd Owusu.
The three points sees Rydalmere climb to 24 points in 4th spot, whilst Dulwich Hill remain in 9th spot on 10 points.
HILLS BRUMBIES – INTER LIONS SC 5-0
Saturday, June 25
Lilys Football Centre @ 7-00pm
Inter Lions, backing up after a midweek victory over Rydalmere Lions, did ever so well to hold out Hills Brumbies for the majority of the match on Saturday night at Lilys Football Centre.
Adam Funari’s marching orders in the 70th minute didn’t help Inter’s cause, and their weary players battled on gamely but couldn’t cope with the ferocity of the Brumbies attack, which notched up five goals without reply to close off the night’s proceedings.
The competition’s top marksman, Peter Cejkaa, helped himself to a hatrick, including two penalties, whilst Greg Giovenali and Jordan Parfait also found the net in a commanding final twenty minutes or so.
The win sees the Brumbies move to 32 points, still on top of the ladder and still one point in front of Dunbar Rovers, whilst Inter Lions remain on 16 points in 8th position.
GRANVILLE RAGE – WESTERN NSW MARINERS FC 5-3
Saturday, June 25
Garside Park @ 7-00pm
Granville Rage and high scoring games seem to go hand in hand lately, but this time the scoreboard tilted in Granville’s favour as a result of their 5-3 triumph over the Western NSW Mariners on Saturday evening.
Granville came out of the blocks firing, taking a two goal lead in the first half an hour via a Luke Mesiti half volley and a Stefan Vrankovic strike.
Andrew Smith pulled a goal back for the Mariners when he finished off a square pass from skipper, Adam Scimone, but the Rage restored their two goal advantage just before half time with Kushaba Kushaba converting a penalty.
Daniel Bittar continued his recent scoring form by netting his team’s next goal to make it 4-1 to Granville early in the second half, opening up what seemed an unsurpassable lead.
But the Mariners would simply not lie down, and reduced the deficit twice to make a game of it.
Nathan Davis broke down the left flank before crossing for Jeremy Judge to make it 4-2, and then centre back, Matthew Corben, did what he does best, and got his head to a looping cross to make it 4-3.
The Mariners pushed men forward to try and retrieve a further goal which would give them a valuable point, but were caught on the counter attack, with Luke Mesiti snaring his brace and striking Granville’s fifth and final goal to wrap up the match.
The valuable three points sees Granville Rage move to 17 and into 6th spot, whilst it’s back to the drawing board for the Mariners.
GLADESVILLE RYDE MAGIC – BALMAIN TIGERS FC 4-3
Sunday, June 26
Magdala Park @ 3-00pm
There was no place at Magdala Park for the faint hearted on Sunday afternoon when Gladesville Ryde Magic and Balmain Tigers produced a seven goal thriller.
25 minutes in and Magic skipper, Chris Gaitatzis, found space on the right had side of the penalty area before shooting low and in to the bottom corner of the Balmain net to open proceedings.
It was 2-0 minutes before half time, Gaitatzis again stroking home after seizing on a loose ball following a Gladesville corner.
In the first round battle between these two teams, at the same venue, Gladesville Ryde Magic lead 2-0 at half time, before Balmain recovered to score four unanswered second half goals and win the match.
Well it may have been a case of déjà vu for some as Balmain caught the home side napping after the break, scoring three goals in a remarkable thirteen minute spell to grab the lead.
Raffaele Moniaci pulled a goal back for the Tigers after 48 minutes, before Domenic Grasso equalised from the penalty spot two minutes later.
Balmain’s dynamic young midfielder, Joshua Spina, was then sent from the field in the 55th minute, but his team mates continued their onslaught and managed to edge in front in the 58th minute, again via Domenic Grasso, and again via the penalty spot.
But Gladesville were determined not to let history repeat itself, and restored parity in the 73rd minute. Joel Carter whipped over a corner and big Nathan Tsoulios headed home, pulling Magic level at 3-3.
The game then swung back and forth as both sides searched for that elusive winner, and incredibly it came in the third minute of injury time.
Gladesville Ryde Magic were awarded a penalty, and up stepped skipper, Chris Gaitatzis, to slot home, giving his team an impressive three points, and nabbing a hatrick in the process.
MIDWEEK CATCH UP
RYDALMERE LIONS SC – INTER LIONS SC 2-4
Wednesday, June 22
Rydalmere Park @ 7-30pm
Inter Lions sprung a surprise of sorts on Wednesday night, overcoming Rydalmere Lions 4-2 on their own patch in an entertaining affair.
Daniel Fogarty was at his scintillating best for Inter, scoring two goals himself whilst earning a penalty for his side, which skipper, Lachlan Wright converted. Adam Funari scored Inter’s other goal with a well struck header.
Rydalmere’s goals on the night came from Matthew Mayora and Amaury Gauthier, but once Matthew Pritchard had received his marching orders in the first half, the home side simply couldn’t bridge the two goal gap and suffered a home loss in the process.
