Round 6 Review – PS4 NPL 3 NSW Men’s
For some clubs, Round Six of the 2017 PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 3 NSW Men’s competition produced a few Easter goals and points to celebrate, whilst others will need to put the festivities behind them as quickly as possible, and focus on turning things around during the next round of fixtures.
Saturday’s six matches saw Inter Lions defeat Balmain Tigers with a 2-0 win at Valentine Sports Park, Hawkesbury City register their first win of the campaign with a 3-1 triumph over Western NSW Mariners, Gladesville Ryde Magic put up a good fight before succumbing to Fraser Park by 2-0, Dulwich Hill coming unstuck to a Granville Rage penalty at Garside Park, Sydney University also winning via a penalty against St George City FA, whilst SD Raiders came back from a goal down at half time to account for Stanmore Hawks.
Round Six kicked off back on Thursday evening, and Football NSW was there to watch Dunbar Rovers and Rydalmere Lions renew their rivalries at Hensley Athletic Field.
Match of the Round
Dunbar Rovers v Rydalmere Lions
The Easter weekend kicked off early for Dunbar Rovers and Rydalmere Lions, with two of the league’s formidable clubs meeting head to in one of the more fancied fixtures on the NPL 3 calendar.
Dunbar came in to the match missing Hezio Silva Neto and skipper, Paul Rawlings, but were relieved the see tough defender, Neil O’Sullivan, return to the fray without missing a beat, despite being substituted in last week’s match against Gladesville Ryde Magic with a facial injury.
Zak Elrich and Amaury Gauthier returned after missing Rydalmere’s thumping win over Stanmore Hawks last week, and it didn’t take long at all for Gauthier to get in to the action.
With literally the first play of the match after 20 seconds, Gauthier was in to space and through on goal, taking a touch inside before his low shot was diverted for an early corner by Dunbar’s keeper, Dylan Wilson. Wilson was called in to the Dunbar starting lineup at the last moment when regular keeper, Ayman Hill, twisted his ankle in the warm up.
The ensuing corner created havoc in the Dunbar goal mouth, and Rydalmere’s Zac Watters took advantage to strike home from a couple of yards to make it 1-0 before many fans had had the chance to sit down.
Dunbar were not perturbed by the early goal, more so they sparked in to action by showing an increased urgency in their application, and made a few inroads in to the attacking third before eventually drawing level on 13 minutes.
Hayden O’Kelly received the ball out on the left flank, and whipped over a superb outswinging cross behind the Rydalmere defensive line. Dunbar’s big central striker, Tod Bamber, charged in at the back stick to thrash the ball home to make it 1-1, and score his 5th goal of the season in the process.
Dunbar continued to work hard in the middle of the park, but their final pass or cross was leaving much of their effort undone. Despite falling back into their shell somewhat, you could always sense that Rydalmere could flick a switch and sneak a goal on the counter attack whenever they wanted to.
One such moment occurred in the 31st minute, when a swift passing movement saw Zak Elrich provide a fantastic early far post cross from the right wing, only for Ahmad Elrich to stab wide from a tight angle.
Ryan Shaughnessy was being starved of the ball in the first half, but the Dunbar playmaker did slip his marker in the 38th minute, blasting over the crossbar with a left shot from outside the penalty area.
Rydalmere edged themselves in front in the 41st minute, following a scramble of sorts outside the Dunbar penalty area. Mitchell Gibbs displayed great tenacity to win the ball a couple of times in succession, before slipping it to Zak Elrich just inside the penalty area. Elrich showed composure to square to Gauthier, who in turn drew the keeper before providing Elrich with a simple tap in in to an empty net.
The half time team talks must have had some overlapping messages because both teams were intent on breaking through the opposition in the opening fifteen minutes of the second half.
Zac Watters almost scored for Rydalmere as early as the 48th minute, driving inside from the right flank before unleashing a grass cutter that Dunbar keeper, Dylan Wilson, did ever so well to tip around the post.
Some hesitation in the Dunbar defence did create an opportunity for Rydalmere’s ever alert attackers in the 53rd minute, with Amaury Gauthier pouncing between defenders to eventually be brought down by Wilson after the Dunbar keeper was forced to advance off his line.
Gauthier jumped to his feet confidently, and sent Wilson the wrong way to convert the penalty and give Rydalmere a 3-1 lead.
Two minutes later and Alexander Nicolosi’s determination brought Dunbar a lifeline.
Nicolosi chased a high bouncing ball, heading over the advancing Rydalmere keeper, Harrick Sinpraseuth, before hitting the ball in to an unguarded net to send the Dunbar fans in to raptures.
But that two-goal lead was reinstated only three minutes later, when Amaury Gauthier powered home a header from an outswinging Ahmad Elrich corner, the Dunbar defence seemingly static as Rydalmere went in to a 4-2 lead.
Dunbar’s second half substitute, Tunahan Guner, then found himself in space out wide just inside the Rydalmere penalty area, but skewed his half volley wide of the goal.
Pushing men forward left Dunbar a little exposed at the back, and young keeper, Dylan Wilson, did exceptionally well late on to keep the score intact, saving from Zak Elrich’s 25 yard shot by tipping over the bar in the 83rd minute, as well as stopping Elrich and Gauthier on two separate occasions when the lethal attackers were through on goal.
Dunbar striker, Tod Bamber, wriggled his way past a couple of Rydalmere defenders in injury time, but his low shot fizzed across the face of goal and missed the far upright by a matter of centimetres.
The referee brought matters to a halt moments later, with Rydalmere taking home all the eggs on offer, and in the process registering their fourth win from as many games in the 2017 NPL 3 competition.
Dunbar as always give a good account of themselves, and despite the final result, will often produce an honest shift highlighted by a hard work ethic. On the night they just simply couldn’t contain Rydalmere’s quality in attack, and paid the price for some careless defending.
Tod Bamber was always a threat, winning most balls in the air and showing good strength as a target man, often bringing his team mates in to play. Young Dylan Wilson did enough once his nerves settled to show his capabilities, stopping the score from being extended with some excellent one-on-one stops late in the match.
Who is going to stop the Rydalmere juggernaut? To their own admission, they didn’t play for the full ninety minutes, but did more than enough to suggest they can punish teams by changing gears very quickly.
The front three of Zac Elrich, Amaury Gauthier and Zac Watters were difficult to contain collectively, with their speed, as well as their pressing game, and each of them are always on the prowl in the front third. Ahmad Elrich provided the composure of a ring master, having a hand in most of his team’s attacks on a triumphant night for the Lions.
Match Stats
PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues 3 NSW Men’s
Thursday, April 13, 2017
DUNBAR ROVERS 2 (Bamber 13’, Nicolosi 55’)
RYDALMERE LIONS 4 (Watters 2’, Z. Elrich 41’, Gauthier 53’/ 58’)
Hensley Athletic Field
Referee – Adam Susz
Assistant Referees – Valerio Bertuccioli and Joon Park
DUNBAR ROVERS: 1.D.Wilson, 7.Tod Bamber (capt), 18.D.Deep-Jones, 22.R.Gabey, 2.B.Karpin (19.M.Dubdub 80’), 9.A.Nicolosi, 6.H.O’Kelly, 13.N.O’Sullivan, 16.S.Philby (15.T.Guner 46’), 10.R.Shaughnessy, 8.G.Swartz.
Substitutes Not Used – 21.A.Hill, 20.A.Brokman, 23.L.Kita.
Yellow Cards – 1.D.Wilson 53’, 15.T.Guner 71’, 2.B.Karpin 74’.
Red Cards – Nil
RYDALMERE LIONS: 1.H.Sinpraseuth, 21.A.Elrich (19.S.Zahra 72’), 7.Z.Elrich, 4.R.Farrell, 25.A.Gauthier, 8.M.Gibbs, 15.M.Mayora (capt), 11.A.McKie, 6.A.Sayan (32.M.Pombart 80’), 2.A.Sopina, 9.Z.Watters (14.E.Stewart 84’).
Substitutes Not Used – 5.K.Allybokus.
Yellow Cards – 9.Z.Watters 23’.
Red Cards – Nil
Inter Lions – Balmain Tigers 2-0
Inter Lions returned to winning ways when they overcame Balmain Tigers 2-0 at Valentine Sports Park No.2 on Saturday afternoon.
Inter welcomed back skipper, Lachlan Wright, to the fold after missing for the last two games, and they opened the scoring on 20 minutes when Micaiah Te Rata chipped Balmain keeper, Pat Ferrrara, from the edge of the penalty area.
Flanker, Michael Candy, made it 2-0 in the 70th minute when he converted an Adam Funari cross, but even though Daniel Fogarty almost found the net on a couple of further occasions, that’s the way the score line remained until full time.
The win and subsequent three points means Inter move to 9 points and 5th position on the competition ladder.
Hawkesbury City – Western NSW Mariners 3-1
Hawkesbury City cracked it for their first victory of the 2017 season when they overcame the visiting Western NSW Mariners at David Bertenshaw Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Mariners almost took the lead when Andrew Smith let fly early on with a 30-yard bomb, but Hawks custodian, Daniel Schwarzer, did ever so well to tip the ball over the bar.
Schwarzer was at it again minutes later to deny Adam Scimone this time, diverting his low drive and keeping the match scoreless until the break.
The goals all came after half time, with Santiago Pallares Palomeque grabbing a brace for Hawkesbury, whilst Benjamin Gray scored the third for the home side.
The Mariners’ consolation goal came from Milton Dellerba, juggling the ball as he swivelled inside the penalty area for a quality strike past Schwarzer in the Hawkesbury goal.
The victory and three points means Hawkesbury join the Western NSW Mariners on 4 points, but now sit in 10th spot on the ladder courtesy of goal difference.
Fraser Park – Gladesville Ryde Magic 2-0
Fraser Park scored two goals late on to overcome a stubborn Gladesville Ryde Magic on Saturday night at Marrickville.
Magic made inroads as early as the 7th minute, when Fraser keeper, Anthony Costa, was at full stretch to deny a Chris Gaitatzis volley following good lead up play by Chris Tomaras.
Tomaras then let one fly from range on 12 minutes, with Costa again coming to the rescue of the home side.
Fraser Park began to threaten late in the first half following a couple of dangerous free kicks, but the scoreboard remained untouched and the two teams went in at the break at 0-0.
Peter Crevani cleared the Gladesville cross bar in the 61st minute with a direct free kick, whilst Gladesville responded just two minutes later, Michael Sada’s header well saved by the ever alert Fraser keeper, Anthony Costa.
Gladesvile Ryde Magic lost attackers Chris Tomaras and Majid Elslami to injury, and that played right in to Fraser Park’s hands as their fitness saw them come home with a wet sail.
Fraser Park striker, Tai Smith, broke the deadlock by heading in the opening goal in the 86th minute, and he played provider in the final minute, controlling a long clearance by keeper, Anthony Costa, before cutting it back for fellow striker, Ben Vidaic, to strike home.
A disappointing night for Gladesville, taking nothing away after a great effort on the night, and dropping to 11th position as a result of the loss.
Fraser Park continue on their merry way, and have now made it five wins from as many matches, sitting proudly in 1st position on 15 points.
Granville Rage – Dulwich Hill 1-0
Granville Rage registered their first victory of the 2017 season, and in the process, took the scalp of the previously unbeaten Dulwich Hill, hanging on to record a 1-0 triumph at Garside Park.
There was drama in just the 8th minute when Dully defender, Phillip O’Reilly, handled a Granville effort on his own goal line, and the referee had no hesitation in sending him for an early shower, leaving Dulwich to play over 80 minutes with 10 men.
Goran Ljuboja stepped up to convert the penalty and give Granville a lead they would not surrender for the remainder of the match.
Dulwich Hill still managed to create numerous opportunities despite being a man short, but the Rage held firm and kept the visitors at bay.
That was until midway through the second half when Dulwich Hill received their very own spot kick, but Vic Koutsoufis failed to convert, and with that there was no more change to the scoreboard.
Their first loss of the season sees Dulwich Hill remain on 12 points, but drop to 3rd on the ladder, whilst Granville’s first victory sees them move to 9th position on 5 points.
Sydney University – St George City FA 1-0
Sydney University edged out St George City FA in a tight tussle on Saturday night, with the solitary goal coming from the penalty spot in the 82nd minute.
Both sides had a few chances in a scoreless first half, with Uni keeper, Carl McMahon, keeping St George City at bay following a couple of great saves.
Adrian Porcu almost broke the deadlock for Sydney Uni in the second half, but his low shot went inches wide of the upright, whilst Juan Chavez should’ve done better minutes later but he fluffed a clear opportunity for St George.
Peter Kardasis took responsibility and stepped up in the 82nd minute to convert a penalty for ‘students’, but Sydney University needed the work of central defender, Adriano De Moraes, who cleared an effort off his own goal line in the final minute to keep the result intact.
The three points sees Sydney University climb above St George City to 9 points, one position ahead of their match day opponents in 6th spot.
Stanmore Hawks – SD Raiders 1-2
SD Raiders came from a goal down at the break to register a valuable victory at Valentine Sports Park No.2 on Saturday night.
Raiders’ skipper, Tomi Romic, was injured during the warm up, so it was time for Under 20s keeper, Matthew Massarotto, to step up, and he produced a couple of great one-on-one saves during the encounter to keep his side in the contest.
It was Max Riganias who netted for Stanmore in the first half to give the Hawks a half time lead, but the Raiders – missing up to five first team regulars – didn’t read the script and came home to take all three points.
Tyrone Gatt marked his return from injury with an equaliser on 70 minutes with a long-range effort that hit the top corner, before substitute, Lucas Rossi, nabbed the winning goal with minutes to spare, after fantastic lead up work by Dylan Stivala and Daniel Martinez.
The victory and subsequent three points moves SD Raiders to 11 points, where they are occupying fourth position on the competition ladder, a great effort given their promotion from the State League in 2016.
