Round 22 Review – PS4 NPL 2 NSW Men’s

Western Sydney Wanderers extended their lead at the head of the PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues 2 NSW Men’s competition following a dramatic 3-3 draw away at Central Coast Mariners, as Sydney FC were the latest to fall victim to Fraser Park.

Marconi and Bankstown City both won, seemingly cementing their place in the top six, while Mounties Wanderers, despite their loss, also look likely. As to the final makeup, that is anyone’s guess.

Fraser Park v Sydney FC

It was a phenomenal game and, for Fraser Park, a phenomenal result on Saturday night when the home side overcame Sydney FC with a dramatic late winner, sending the crowd into raptures and adding yet another chapter to Fraser Park’s simply amazing season turnaround.

From the start of this game, Sydney FC were dominant and had it not been for the woodwork, the acrobatics of Fraser keeper Wayne Estavao, and a little wayward finishing, the Sky Blues could have expected another night of goals.

As it was, despite attacking and setting the pace from kick off, they found themselves two goals down by half time. The first came with Fraser Park’s first shot on goal after the opening fifteen minutes had seen Sydney FC pour forward in waves. A free kick was awarded Fraser’s way after Ben Vidaic was fouled just outside the area, and Jordan Roberts’ neat freekick cleared both the wall and a diving Mitchell Evans. A surprising lead for the home side then, who had been largely contained in their own half, save for a couple of forays.

Sydney FC set about righting the ledger and a flurry of chances went their way, none of which could find the net. Brendan Curtis flashed a shot across goal, just going wide, ten minutes after going behind, but it was an eight minute stretch after the half hour which really confounded striker Bai Antonoiu. How he failed to find the back of the net, no one could know. The football gods were clearly not working in his favour.

The first chance came after a quick Sydney FC counterattack, following a poor Fraser Park freekick, but Antoniou’s shot struck the bar, the second three minutes later saw Estavao superbly save from Antoniou, tipping another goal bound strike onto the bar and over, before the Fraser keeper again denied the Sky Blues striker just five minutes further on. On another night it could have been a hatrick.

And of course, what is most likely to happen? Five minutes before the break, Fraser Park go 2-0 up, courtesy of some brilliant play of their own. A neat flick inside the area falls straight into the path of a rushing Nathan Sansom, who shoots low, hard and accurately like a seasoned striker, under Evans for number two. Crazy scenes as Fraser Park celebrate once more, Sansom charging half the length of the field to the Fraser bench, who leap as one.

As if that wasn’t enough, it was almost three a minute before half time, when Jordan Simpson somehow had an unchallenged header inside the box, connecting to a free kick but Evans was to the rescue.

It was more of the same after the break as Sydney FC controlled possession and Fraser defended doggedly. The Sky Blues continued to play the ball, seeking to work their way through the Fraser defence, but at 2-0 up, Fraser Park were not going to let them through easily. They stayed solid at the back, and if Sydney FC did break through, Estavao was having a night of nights.

Eventually the dam broke, and Sydney FC pulled one back with twenty five minutes left on the clock. And how relieved must Antoniou have felt, his first time shot on the turn finally finding a way past Estavao.

That seemed plenty of time for Sydney FC to get another, and indeed they did, but with only six minutes left, and only after Rocci Gabey had deflected an Antoniou shot over the bar, almost as a reflex.

A minute later, and Sydney FC finally drew level, as Patrick Flottman rose at the far post to head in from close range. At last, Sydney FC must have felt, they were back on level terms after all that effort.

But Fraser Park, who could have been shattered by the late equaliser, took Sydney FC on from kick off, and sixty seconds later had retaken the lead, with one of the most audacious strikes to win a game. As Sydney FC cleared an inbound free kick, Zac Ribeiro spun and struck on the turn from well outside the area, the ball flying over the mass of players, and Evans, into an empty net.

Celebrations once more, on the field, in the stand and on the bench, but it was still far from over.

Five minutes of time added on, and Sydney FC kept their nerve. They didn’t rush, continuing to play their controlled football and it almost paid dividends.

Right at the death, if not for Rocci Gabey again clearing off the line, it would have been 3-3.

Instead, Fraser Park stuck it out, and once more, their drive, desire and passion won out.

Fraser Park 3 (Jordan Roberts 15’, Nathan Sansom 40’, Zac Ribeiro 85’) v Sydney FC 2 (Bai Antoniou 65’, Patrick Flottman 84’)

Saturday 30 July 2016

at Fraser Park, Sydenham

Referee: Roberto Mattei

Assts: Chris Hughes and Bradley Wright

Fraser Park: 1. Wayne Estavao 2. Rocci Gabey 5. Nicholas Dimitropoulos (c) 6. Aleksandar Todoroski 8. Zac Ribeiro 9. Jeffrey Issa (13. Song Ho Lee 90+5’) 14. Nikola Todoroski 15. Jordan Simpson 16. Ben Vidaic (18. Alvaro Malmeirca 89’) 17. Nathan Sampson 20. Jordan Roberts.

Subs not used: 7. Tobias Norval 19. Joseph d’Elia 76. Daniel Joseph

Yellow Cards: Jordan Simpson, Nikola Todoroski, Ben Vidaic

Coach: Jason Culina

Sydney FC: 1. Mitchell Evans 2. Brendan Curtis (14. Cristian Gonzalez 64’) 3. Patrick Flottman 4. George Timotheou 6. Nikola Kuleski 7. Daniel Araujo (c) 8. Juan Zapata (19. Daniel Maskin 64’) 9. Bai Antoniou 11. Christopher Arditti 16. William Mutch 17. Chris Zuvela

Subs not used: 12. John Iredale 13. Matthew Green 20. Nicholas Sorras

Yellow Cards: Daniel Araujo, Christopher Arditti, Brendan Curtis.

Coach: Robert Stanton

Central Coast Mariners v Western Sydney Wanderers

A scoreless first half preceded a goal flood in the second period as Central Coast Mariners and Western Sydney Wanderers shared six second half goals, a desperately late Kyle Cimenti equaliser giving the Wanderers a point, and a two point buffer at the head of the table.

Just a minute after the restart, Jordan Morfitis snuck the Wanderers in front, a lead quickly doubled when Brenton Fox scored four minutes later.

But the Mariners fought back well, Lachlan Wales giving the Mariners hope and their effort was rewarded further when Cooper Buswell levelled the scores with two minutes of normal time remaining.

That might have been enough for both sides, but a goal for each in time added on stretched the scoreline out to 3-3. Reece Papadimitrios scored what seemed a Mariners winner, but Cimenti equalised with virtually the last kick of the game, shattering their hopes.

Central Coast Mariners 3 (Lachlan Wales 54’, Cooper Buswell 88’, Reece Papadimitrios 90+1’) v Western Sydney Wanderers 3 (Jordan Morfitis 46’, Brenton Fox 50’, Kyle Cimenti 90+4’)

North Shore Mariners v Marconi

Marconi defeated a ten man North Shore Mariners 3-1 to stay third on the ladder, a double to Kenta Hasegawa before the break setting themselves up for victory.

North Shore had keeper Stefan Giglio dismissed after fifteen minutes for handling outside of the area, and it was always going to be an uphill battle from there.

But before the send off North Shore weren’t without their chances and could have gone a goal up but Tadgh Purcell’s good chance was blasted over.

Hasegawa’s brace put Marconi in the driving seat and even though Purcell brought one back, from the spot with seven minutes remaining, Marconi always appeared safe. Sean Rooney made absolutely certain three minutes into time added on.

North Shore Mariners1 (Tadhg Purcell pen 83’) v Marconi 3 (Kenta Hasegawa 37’, 41’, Sean Rooney 90+3’)

North Shore Mariners: 36. Stefan Giglio 2. Zac Sfiligio (23. Joshua Mbakwe 69’) 4. Jack Grant 6. Ricky Woodward 10. Julian Aguirre (38. Addison Sayyan 51’) 13. Marquin Smith 15. Jordan Mbakwe (1. Anthony Zecchinati 15’) 26. Christian Desa 30. Tadhg Purcell 37. James Scott 49. Gianni Stensness.

Marconi: 1. Chad Taylor 2. Jarrad Ross 4. Simon Valastro (6. Raimond Coletta 33’) 5. Peter Pelekanos 9. Kenta Hasegawa 10. Marko Jesic (8. Sean Rooney 71’) 11. Sam Perre 16. Noah Chianese 17. Steven Drewery 18. Brandon Vella (7. Mirjan Pavlovic 67’) 23. Christopher Nunes

St George v Northern Tigers

A late, late winner fell St George’s way in Sunday’s late kickoff with Yuta Konagaya and Ali Nasreddine combining superbly before the Japanese hotshot shot home the only goal of the game, in time added on.

The Saints’ cause was helped by a red card to Northern Tigers’ Steven Baveas moments before half time, but it took some time for the advantage to count.

St George came close a few times, Dimitri Zakilas being inches wide with a header, as was Thomas Menton, while the Tigers largely relied on set pieces, dangerous for all that.

But Konagaya’s late strike kept the points at the Stadium, a win which throws St George into late semifinals contention.

St George 1 (Yuta Konagaya 90+1’) v Northern Tigers 0

St George: 1. George Bouropoulos 3. Ali Nasreddine 4. Johnathan Kontalis 5. Billy Darwich (9. Stevan Ilic 69’) 7. Stefan de Jesus (17. Tayfun Buyukkopru 90+3’) 10. Bruno Pivato 13. Peter Vassilis 16. Thoman Menton 18. Yuta Konagaya 19. Dimitri Zakilas 20. Jayden McLeod.

Northern Tigers: 1. Matt Nemes 2. Russell Farrell 4. Michael Rolston 5. Max Glanville (18. Diren Kartel 46’) 6. Paul Davies 7. Joel Hardwicke 10. Lucas Dawson (12. Braden Cheng 84’) 11. Mitchell Smith (9. Liam McConaghy 71’) 15. Josh Ward 16. Steven Baveas 19. Alexander Brown.

Bankstown Berries v Spirit FC

Bankstown Berries recovered from going a goal down, to defeat Spirit FC 2-1 moving themselves yet further away from the wooden spoon, and inflicting Spirit’s first loss in six games.

An own goal to Hyams Tomohiro early in the first half put the Berries on the back foot but they recovered well, equalising through Tai Smith on the half hour.

The Berries then hit the front a few minutes later when Nicholas Paras converted from the spot, for his fourteenth goal of the season, following a foul in the area by Jake Harris on Jake Bradshaw.

The red card for Harris made it difficult for Spirit, whose reduced numbers couldn’t claw back the deficit.

Bankstown Berries 2 (Tai Smith, Nicholas Paras pen) v Spirit FC 1 (Hyams Tomohiro own goal)

Macarthur Rams v Mount Druitt Town Rangers

Mount Druitt Town Rangers took the points away from Lynwood Park, giving themselves plenty of hope of playing top six football come September. Goals to Kuag Reec and Frank Martey helped Rangers to the victory, a timely turnaround after last week loss to St George.

The Rams find themselves in something of a bind, this their fourth defeat in five games, with their own hopes of a finals berth becoming more difficult by the week.

Macarthur Rams 0 v Mount Druitt Town Rangers 2 (Kuag Reec, Frank Martey)

Bankstown City 2 v Mounties Wanderers 1

Details To Be Advised

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