Round 15 Review – PS4 NPL 3 NSW Men’s
Mother Nature threatened to derail Round Fifteen of the PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 3 NSW Men’s competition, but a last minute venue change, and some wind and sunlight on Saturday meant that the Sydney University-Inter Lion match was the solitary game that fell foul of the weather.
Elsewhere, Hawkesbury won a ‘six-pointer’ against Dulwich Hill by the odd goal in five on Saturday afternoon, Rydalmere Lions stretched their legs in a 4-0 win over Western NSW Mariners in Mudgee, Hills Brumbies made very light work of Balmain Tigers by finding the net on no less than nine times at Lily Football Centre, whilst Gladesville Ryde Magic climbed in to fifth spot courtesy of their Sunday afternoon triumph over Granville Rage.
Our feature match was the very much anticipated contest at Arlington Oval between the competition’s equal second placed sides – Stanmore Hawks and Dunbar Rovers.
Stanmore Hawks and Dunbar Rovers went at it for ninety minutes like two prize fighters, trading blows early before cancelling each other out in a fiercely competitive 1-1 draw at Arlington Oval on Saturday night.
Coming in to match, both sides were equal second on the competition ladder. Separated only by Dunbar’s five goal better goal differential, both sides wanted a win to stay in touch with first placed Hills Brumbies, knowing full well that they could also hear and see the Rydalmere Lions coming over their shoulder.
The rain started to drizzle before kick-off, making the artificial surface just that little bit slippery, just as the fans took their seats in the grandstand to watch the spectacle unfold.
Dunbar Rovers were missing a number of players on the night, notably Andrew Doddy and Malcolm Miller, two of their engine room operators, but you wouldn’t have known it the way the visitors started.
Dunbar opened the scoring on just five minutes. Captain Robbie Deasy seized on a loose ball in the middle of the Stanmore half, slipping a pass in to space for Andrew Green to run on to.
Green drew Stanmore keeper, James Webb, to the edge of the box before gliding the ball past him and in to the net, and Dunbar were in front.
Stanmore responded just three minutes later, when Peter Yannopoulos fired in an angled volley after a dipping far post cross by Heo Wookbum, only for Dunbar keeper, Stephen Deasy, to parry the danger for a corner.
Stanmore kept up the pressure and equalised in the 14th minute.
Domenic Tripodi took a short corner, receiving the ball back from Wookbum, before sending over a superb, dipping far post cross. A few Stanmore players had tickets in the queue at the back stick, but big defender, Sergio Tarazona, was at the front of the line, and he rose majestically to crack home a perfect downward header, sending the home fans into delirium.
After that frenzied opening quarter of an hour, the match then settled down in to a midfield battle where neither team gave an inch, the tackles fierce and the effort endless.
Sergio Tarazona was inspirational at the centre of the Stanmore defence, and he started and almost ended a move in the 36th minute. Tarazona intercepted a Dunbar counter attack around the half way line, beating a challenge before releasing the ball wide, and then connecting with a header after continuing his run into the box, Stephen Deasy making a comfortable save in the Dunbar goal.
Stanmore’s pint sized flanker, Peter Yannopoulos, had the home fans out of their seats in the third minute of first half injury time. Receiving the ball out wide on the right flank, Yannopoulos elected to fire in an unannounced volley that had Deasy scrambling in the Dunbar goal as the ball flew across the face of the sticks.
Stanmore kept up the ante after the break, and Heo Wookbum almost edged them in front in the 51st minute, his cracking 20 yard shot from outside the box brilliantly tipped around the post by Dunbar custodian, Stephen Deasy.
Domenic Tripodi had showed all night why he is one of the competition’s best at all types of set pieces, his corners and free kicks causing Dunbar all sorts of problems. Tripodi was at it again in the 53rd minute, his long range free kick once again parried by the ever alert Deasy in the Dunbar goal, just as the ball sailed towards the top corner.
Dunbar should’ve taken the lead in the 61st minute, following a brilliant run into the right channel of the penalty area by Andrew Green. Green eventually reached the goal line and cut the ball back where Rene Mrva somehow missed from a yard, the ball flashing wide of the Stanmore goal, whilst the Dunbar striker himself ended up tangled in the net.
Having received a caution minutes earlier in the 57th minute, Mrva committed a reckless challenge in the 65th minute, earning a red card in the process, and meaning Dunbar would have to play out the remaining 25 minutes with a man down.
Two minutes later Michael Toscano almost gave Stanmore the lead, his snapshot from inside the box well saved by Deasy once more, the Dunbar keeper diving to his left to divert the ball out for a corner.
But somehow Dunbar managed to get on top of the Hawks in the final ten minutes or so, despite being a man short, and threw everything but the kitchen sink at the Stanmore goal.
Dunbar forced a succession of corners late on, and pushed the big timbers forward for all their set pieces, but just couldn’t penetrate the Stanmore rear guard.
Stanmore’s keeper, James Webb, was commanding during this period, racing out to clear a number of crosses under pressure from friend and foe alike, his best effort coming in the 82nd minute when he dived full length to his left to divert a low shot from Michael Sealy that was heading for the bottom corner.
The man in the middle blew the whistle a few minutes in to injury time, and that was all she wrote, bringing an end to an entertaining game between two of the competition’s heavyweights.
Stanmore did well to recover from that early goal they conceded, restoring parity shortly after, and working hard across the paddock to protect their point.
Big central defender, Sergio Tarazona, had a presence about him all night, winning balls in the air and on the ground, successful in his one-on-one duels, and duly rewarded with a fantastic defender’s goal. Sam Awad and Steve Liavas worked tirelessly all night across the middle of the park, not allowing the Dunbar engine room a moment’s peace, whilst Domenic Tripodi was in everything, winning tackles in defence, supporting in attack, and effective with the dead ball.
Knowing Dunbar Rovers, they would be disappointed to be going home with a point and not the three, but they should be proud of their efforts against the competition’s best defensive team, especially at each end of the battle where they dominated proceedings. Keeper Stephen Deasy was ever alert all evening, making some crucial saves at critical points in the match to keep his side in the contest, whilst brother, and captain, Robbie Deasy, lead by example with his effort both with and without the ball. In a match where defences stood tall, central defender, Clive Delaney, was the tallest, and not only literally speaking. Delaney was a man mountain over the ninety minutes, unbeatable in the air, strong on the ground, and did well to marshall his backline throughout and limit Stanmore’s attacking opportunities.
PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 3 NSW Men’s
Round Fifteen
Saturday, July 9, 2016
Arlington Oval
Referee – Chris Young
Assistant Referees – Dale Fuda and Hugh Carwardine
STANMORE HAWKS 1 (Tarazona 14’)
DUNBAR ROVERS 1 (Green 5’)
STANMORE HAWKS FC; 26.J.Webb, 11.S.Awad, 7.S.Liavas (capt), 6.Y.Mavrou, 4.S.Tarazona, 3.B.Panta, 23.P.Theodosi, 17.M.Toscano (9.N.Philippou 77’), 2.D.Tripodi (5.F.Kamara 90’), 10.H.Wookbum 14.P.Yannopoulos(8.C.Bakoulis 80’).
Substitutes Not Used – 1.J.Adams, 28.T.Masch Marchiori.
Yellow Cards – 23.P.Theodosi 33’, 10.H.Wookbum 50’, 6.Y.Mavrou 57’.
Red Cards – Nil
DUNBAR ROVERS FC; 1.S.Deasy, 13.S.Burke, 10.R.Deasy(capt), 15.D.Deep-Jones, 5.C.Delaney, 16.D.Desmond, 21.A.Green, 9.R.Mrva, 12.M.Sealy, 4.A.Simpson, 19.G.Swartz.
Substitutes Not Used – 20.M.Naoum, 7.M.Jackson, 2.A.Smith, 18.A.Nicolosi.
Yellow Cards – 16.D.Desmond 55’, 9.R.Mrva 57’ / 65’, 12.M.Sealy 90’ +1’.
Red Cards – 9.R.Mrva 65’.
HAWKESBURY CITY SC – DULWICH HILL FC 3-2
Saturday, July 9
David Bertenshaw Field @ 5-00pm
9th placed Hawkesbury City extended the gap between them and 10th placed Dulwich Hill by beating Dully 3-2 at David Bertenshaw Field on Saturday afternoon.
But it was Dully who started the brighter, causing havoc in attack via Tom Bentham and Alex Yin, whilst skipper, George Lagoudakis was pulling the strings in midfield.
Dully edged in front on 15 minutes, and the visitors were looking the goods on what was a big day for the club.
But Hawkesbury are made of sterner stuff, and they fought their way back in to the contest, equalising on the half hour when Rodney Cormack took advantage of a poor Dully clearance to steer the ball into goal.
Dulwich Hill took the lead after break when James Townsend converted after a swift team move, but the visitors were eventually overcome by Hawkesbury’s desire as the home side rallied late on to snatch the points.
Experienced defender Andrew Stevenson was the key protagonist for the home side, scoring two goals to take his season tally to 4, and he now leads the Hawkesbury goal scoring charts.
Hawks’ keeper, Daniel Schwarzer, did manage to repel a Tom Bentham volley when the score was at 2-2, and minutes later the home side had their third goal and that’s the way it remained until full time.
Dulwich Hill’s cause wasn’t helped with two late sending offs – both Tom Bentham and Angus Chance receiving their marching orders, leaving Dulwich Hill to finish the match with nine players on the field, and in dire straits in terms of personnel for next week’s match against league leaders, Hills Brumbies.
WESTERN NSW MARINERS FC – RYDALMERE LIONS SC 0-4
Saturday, July 9
Glen Willow Stadium @ 6-00pm
Rydalmere Lions made it three wins on the trot by defeating Western NSW Mariners 4-0 on Saturday evening, with the scoring tally rising to 18 goals across those three victories.
Wet weather meant a late change in venue for this clash to Glen Willow Stadium at Mudgee, but that couldn’t derail the Rydalmere juggernaut, scoring three goals after the break after leading 1-0 at half time.
Yoel Silvestre grabbed a brace to go with his two hatricks in the previous two weeks, meaning he has scored eight of those eighteen goals his team has scored in the past three games.
Amaury Gauthier and Seijei Tarutani were the other scorers in a comprehensive victory for the visitors.
The loss leaves Western NSW Mariners at the base of the competition ladder, whilst Rydalmere Lions remain in fourth position, but move ominously on to 30 points, just two points behind both Dunbar Rovers and Stanmore Hawks, with a game in hand on both clubs.
HILLS BRUMBIES SC – BALMAIN TIGERS FC 9-1
Saturday, July 9
Lily Football Centre @ 7-00pm
Hills Brumbies tore Balmain Tigers to shreds at Lily Football Centre on Saturday evening, winning 9-1 in a canter after racing to a 5-0 lead at half time.
The league’s top scorer, Peter Cejkaa, helped himself to the smorgasbord on offer, scoring five goals to take his remarkable season tally to 24 goals.
Hills’ other scorers on the night were Sean Mitchell, Wade Giovenali, Dongyong Heo and Nikolas Dimitriadis.
Balmain did manage a consolation goal in the second half, but the loss sees the Tigers remain in 11th position on the ladder, just two points above the Western NSW Mariners.
The win and three points means that the Hills Brumbies have taken advantage of the 1-1 draw between equal second placed Stanmore Hawks and Dunbar Rovers, opening up a six point lead at the summit of the competition.
GLADESVILLE RYDE MAGIC – GRANVILLE RAGE 3-1
Sunday, July 10
Magdala Park @ 4-30pm
Gladesville Ryde Magic were rewarded for their recent spike in form when they climbed in to the top five for the first time this season following their 3-1 home triumph over Granville Rage.
It was in fact the Rage who started the match on the front foot, with Jess Casey bringing the best out of Gladesville’s keeper, Kyriakos Tohouroglou, with a 15 metre shot on 7 minutes.
Ten minutes later it was the turn of Gladesville old boy, Alistair McKie, who cut inside after racing down the left, before blazing over the cross bar with the Magic defenders back pedalling.
Both teams kept at it but couldn’t score in the first half, but the scoreboard attendant was eventually required just four minutes after the break, and it was the visitors who edged themselves in front.
Granville’s striker, Daniel Bittar grabbed his ninth goal of the season with a well struck volley, but instead of the goal inspiring his team mates, it only served to en-‘rage’ the home side, who responded with three goals in a frenzied five minute spell.
Recent signing for the Magic, Johnny Kontos, hit a speculator from 20 yards on 52 minutes which took a slight deflection on its way past Granville keeper, Pat Ferrara, and the home side were level.
Kontos was at it again in the 56th minute, this time diverting a 25 yard free kick from Gladesville’s skipper, Chris Gaitatzis, putting Magic in to the lead for the first time in the match.
The home fans hadn’t had time to sit down and it was 3-1, the evergreen Chris Tomaras sliding in to the penalty area, beating couple of defenders on the way to striking home his side’s third goal of the afternoon.
The three points served a dual purpose for Gladesville Ryde Magic – not only did it open up a six point gap between them and Granville Rage beneath them, but by moving to 23 points the Magic climbed above Sydney University – who themselves did not play this weekend – and in to the coveted fifth semi-final spot.
SYDNEY UNIVERSITY SFC – INTER LIONS SC (washed out)
Sunday, July 10
Sydney University Football Ground @ 3-00pm
Such was the impact of the deluge on Thursday and Friday, this eagerly awaited match was postponed as early as Friday afternoon, two days prior to kick off. Stay tuned to the Football NSW website for details of the rescheduled game.
