Round 17 Review – PS4 NPL 3 NSW Men’s
With much more at stake as we near the final rounds of the PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 3 NSW Men’s competition, defences have become predictably tighter and matches a lot closer, as evident in the fiercely contested Round Seventeen played over the weekend.
Hawkesbury City and Rydalmere Lions will have to deal with some additional fixture congestion given their match on Saturday was postponed due to the waterlogged David Bertenshaw Field.
Elsewhere, Gladesville Ryde Magic returned from Mudgee with the spoils after a narrow win over the Mariners, Hills Brumbies overcame stubborn resistance from Granville Rage to record their fourteenth win of the season, Sydney University and Balmain Tigers shared the points in a six goal thriller, whilst Dunbar Rovers overran Inter Lions at Concord Oval on Sunday afternoon in a match which saw three red cards.
Our feature match this week was the much anticipated inner west derby between Stanmore Hawks and Dulwich Hill.
Dulwich Hill came in to this match against the high flying Stanmore Hawks a little weary, but full of confidence, given their 3-1 triumph just 48 hours earlier against a gallant Western NSW Mariners.
Stanmore Hawks were keen to take advantage of the fact and keep up the pressure on league leaders, Hills Brumbies, with another three points in what has been a consistently successful season so far.
The first half hour or so was a cagey affair, both teams working hard to grab control of the match, with both sets of strikers starved of any real clear cut opportunities given the defensive focus at both ends.
Overlapping right back Peter Theodosi had Stanmore’s first shot at goal after just three minutes, blasting over after Michael Toscano had provided a neat layoff on the edge of the Dulwich Hill penalty area.
Ten minutes later it was the turn of Dulwich Hill, with Mitchell Lensink unleashing a superb curling free kick from 25 yards that was destined for goal, but Stanmore keeper, James Webb, produced a brilliant stop, lunging to his left to divert the ball to safety.
A familiar avenue of goals this season for Stanmore has been Sam Awad connecting to a Domenico Tripodi set piece. The two combined on 16 minutes from a corner, with Awad’s header clearing the Dully crossbar by inches.
A turnover of possession from Dully in the middle of the half gave Stanmore’s Heo Wookbum the opportunity to fire in an angled shot on goal in the 20th minute, only for the ever-alert Dully keeper, Michael Frost, to parry the shot away for a corner.
The game needed a goal and it came on the half hour.
Stanmore winger, Peter Yannopoulos, fired in a shot from the edge of the area that was parried by Dully keeper, Michael Frost. The ensuing scramble saw the ball bounce around like a pinball, eventually rolling to the feet of Michael Toscano, and he duly dispatched it from a yard to put the Hawks in front.
Dulwich Hill came out after half time full of vigour, and equalised in the 50th minute, when a James Duvcevski cross bounced awkwardly before literally ricocheting off Dully striker, James Townsend, looping in to the net from a few yards.
The match then degenerated into a dour struggle, Dully looking happy to hang on for a point, whilst Stanmore looked void of ideas.
But the Hawks snatched the lead back on 79 minutes, when a long range Tripodi free kick was met by big central defender, Sergio Tarazona, and he guided a looping header into the far side inside netting.
Tarazona wasn’t finished just yet, intercepting a Dully counter attack on the halfway line in injury time, before exchanging passes with Sam Awad as he raced forward in to the attacking third. Reaching the edge of the penalty area, Tarazona slipped a ball in Awad’s path, and the experienced Stanmore midfielder slammed home goal number three, low and hard to Michael Frost’s right hand side.
Dulwich Hill put up a brave fight on the night, their efforts going unrewarded after playing their second match in 48 hours. Goalkeeper Michael Frost was excellent between the sticks, ever alert to the danger and vocal in his organisation; Mitchell Lensink put in a honest shift, first in midfield and then as a striker, throwing his weight and height about in attack.
The win and subsequent three points puts Stanmore in outright second on the ladder. It was a typical grinding result by the Hawks, not pretty at times, but effective in the end. The centre back pairing of Yorgi Mavrou and Sergio Tarazona were impregnable throughout, working well as a pair to win balls in the air and on the ground, whilst Tarazona even managed a crucial goal to edge his team in front near the end; Peter Theodosi and Bibel Panta did a great job as outside backs, always quick to snap at the feet of the Dully attack, whilst often adding plenty of support in attack as overlapping wingbacks.
PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 3 NSW Men’s
Round Seventeen
Saturday, July 23, 2016
Referee – Adam Weir
Assistant Referees – Mark Sayer and Christos Papoulias
STANMORE HAWKS (1) 3 (Toscano 30’, Tarazona 79’, Awad 90’ + 3’)
DULWICH HILL (0) 1 (Townsend 50’)
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 (27.C.Bottalico 81’), 2.D.Tripodi , 10.H.Wookbum (9.N.Philippou 78’)14.P.Yannopoulos(8.C.Bakoulis 74’).
Substitutes Not Used – 1.J.Adams, 28.T.Masch Marchiori.
Yellow Cards – 7.S.Liavas 12’, 4.S.Tarazona 34’.
Red Cards – Nil
DULWICH HILL;
1.M.Frost, 16.T.Elliott-Orr, 17.J.Duvcevski, 7.G.Lagoudakis(capt) (4.V.Koutsoufis 62’), 18.M.Lensink, 22.N.Lopino, 6.A.Pessego, 15.J.Savor, 8.A.Yin (31.H.Bamba 80’), 19.J.Townsend, 21.S.Swamy (27.A.Chance 46’).
Substitutes Not Used – 25.L.Maniakas, 29.S.Callas.
Yellow Cards – 6.A.Pessego 40’.
Red Cards – Nil
HAWKESBURY CITY SC – RYDALMERE LIONS (washed out)
Saturday, July 23
David Bertenshaw Field @ 5-00pm
A pitch inspection after some heavy rain late on Friday resulted in David Bertenshaw Field being deemed unplayable, causing the postponement of the Hawkesbury City – Rydalmere Lions encounter. Neither side will enjoy the rigours of a midweek match scheduled between two weekend fixtures, but stay tuned for to the Football NSW website for details of the rescheduled game.
WESTERN NSW MARINERS FC – GLADESVILLE RYDE MAGIC 1-2
Saturday, July 23
Glen Willow Stadium @ 6-00pm
Gladesville Ryde Magic grabbed a very welcome three points on the road when they overcame a stubborn Western NSW Mariners at Mudgee on Saturday night.
The Mariners were backing up after rescheduled match on Thursday night against Dully, two matches in 48 hours a tough ask for anyone.
But Gladesville Ryde came with a game plan, looking to stay on the heels of 5th placed Sydney University, and duly took the lead when Chris Tomaras put the visitors in front in the first half. Magic skipper, Chris Gaitatzis, doubled their advantage after the break, and they looked on track for the win.
But Gladesville substitute, John Kontos, was sent off in the 66th minute, and the Mariners rallied, eventually replying via Jeremy Judge to make a game of it. However they simply couldn’t muster an equaliser, a familiar story in recent matches for the home side.
The win sees Gladesville Ryde Magic climb to 26 points, behind 5th placed Sydney University only on goal differential.
HILLS BRUMBIES SC – GRANVILLE RAGE 2-0
Saturday, July 23
Valentine Sports Park No.3 @ 7-00pm
Hills Brumbies keep on, keeping on, effecting a narrow 2-0 win over Granville Rage on Saturday night at Football NSW headquarters.
But they didn’t have it all their own way, with the Rage putting up a stubborn defensive front to thwart the Brumbies over and over, managing to keep the league’s top goalscorers at bay during an even, scoreless first half.
But the Brumbies did eventually get the goals they needed to win the match, courtesy of Peter Cejkaa and Daniel Morsillo, retaining their 8 point lead at the top of the ladder by moving to 44 points.
INTER LIONS SC – DUNBAR ROVERS FC 1-4
Sunday, July 24
Concord Oval @ 3-00pm
Dunbar Rovers returned to winning ways when they overcame Inter Lions 4-1 at Concord Oval on Sunday afternoon.
But it was Inter Lions who started the brighter, Daniel Fogarty using his speed to get in behind the Rovers defence before slotting home the opening goal after 15 minutes.
Andrew Doddy responded for Dunbar on 32 minutes with a brilliant lob, sending the teams in to the break all square at 1-1.
David Desmond made it 2-1 for Rovers in the 48th minute, but the visiting fans had barely time to sit down before Rene Mrva scored a contender for goal of the season, extending Dunbar’s lead to 3-1 in the 50th minute.
Then came a few minutes of mayhem with three red cards, no less.
Inter Lions skipper, Lachlan Wright, was first to go, receiving his marching orders on 66 minutes after his second yellow card.
Within a minute and he was joined by team mate, Nathan Mastroianni, and Dunbar’s Michael Sealy, both sent off for a scuffle, leaving Dunbar’s ten men to do battle against Inter’s nine men for the remainder of the match.
David Desmond grabbed his second of the match in the 85th minute, giving Dunbar Rovers a resounding 4-1 triumph.
SYDNEY UNIVERSITY SFC – BALMAIN TIGERS FC 3-3
Sunday, July 23
Sydney University Football Ground @ 3-00pm
Balmain Tigers’ improved form continued on Sunday afternoon when they took a point from Sydney University in a six goal thriller.
Just like the week before against Stanmore Hawks, Balmain had a two goal lead at one stage in the second half, before allowing the ‘students’ back in to the match with a couple of goals to steal a point.
There was only the solitary goal in the opening half, and it came for the Tigers, with Marcelo Turdera nodding home the rebound after a Matthew Casali thunderbolt had come back off the bottom of the cross bar.
Rosario Occhipinti almost equalised for Sydney University within minutes, himself hitting the cross bar before the ball was cleared from danger.
Five minutes after the break Sydney University restored parity, and it came via the head of skipper, Tommy Hyde. Johnny Gowdy swung over a free kick for Hyde to score the 6th goal of his state league career, and he showed due respect for his old club by declining to celebrate.
But Balmain edged themselves back in front shortly after when Raffaele Moniaci struck home from inside the penalty area after collecting a pinpoint cross, and 2 quickly became 3 for Balmain minutes later, Masa Wada scoring with screams of offside from the home fans.
Sydney Uni striker, Scott Tonkin, bagged six goals last time these two teams met, and he managed to get his name on the scoresheet again this game.
Firstly, he pulled a goal back after getting on the end of a Josh Karpes through ball, and then managed to scramble home the equaliser after a Gavin Wenyon corner created havoc in the Balmain goal.
Both teams threw a little caution to the wind late on, but to no avail, both taking home a point for their efforts.
The point sees Balmain extend the gap to four points between themselves and bottom placed Western NSW Mariners, whilst Sydney University sneak back in to the top five on goal difference at the expense of Gladesville Ryde Magic, who occupied fifth spot overnight.
MIDWEEK CATCH UP
WESTERN NSW MARINERS FC – DULWICH HILL FC 1-3
Thursday, July 21
Sydney United Sports Centre @ 8-30pm
Some midweek rain caused an initial postponement of this fixture in Mudgee, but some quick fire phone calls managed to rearrange the match at a moment’s notice, and the teams travelled to Sydney United Sports Centre to do battle.
The Mariners contingent went from playing at ‘home’, to all of a sudden needing to organise transport to Sydney for a late 8-30pm kick off, meaning some of the players would not be arriving home until the wee hours of Friday morning.
With both clubs at the wrong end of the club championship table, there was plenty at stake, but it was Dulwich Hill who prevailed with a couple of superb late goals to break a 1-1 deadlock.
Dulwich Hill’s scorers on the night were James Townsend, Mitchell Lensink, and Aaron Pessego, whilst skipper, Adam Scimone, grabbed the consolation goal for the Western NSW Mariners.
