Round 21 Review – PS4 NPL NSW Men’s 20s

Sutherland Sharks clinched the 2017 Premiership with a narrow victory at Parramatta while results elsewhere mean ASydney FC, Sydney United 58, Rockdale City Suns and Hakoah Sydney City East will compete for three remaining positions in the top five next Sunday.

Saturday

Parramatta 0-1 Sutherland Sharks, 5.00pm at Melita Stadium

Deren O’Brien’s first-half strike was enough for Sutherland Sharks to seal the 2017 premiership after beating a spirited Parramatta side 1-0 at Melita Stadium on Saturday.

Sutherland have led the competition outright since round one and will enter the finals series as huge favourites.

The loss is Parramatta’s sixteenth loss in a row but will no doubt restore a huge amount of pride to the struggling Eagles who managed to hold off the Premiers with a vastly shuffled and inexperienced line-up

The Melita Stadium outfit will aim to break their duck in next week’s fixture against Bonnyrigg.

Sydney FC 2-3 Bonnyrigg White Eagles, 5.45pm at Lambert Park

Bonnyrigg White Eagles ensured it will be a far more nervous round 22 for Sydney FC than anticipated after upsetting the Sky Blues 3-2 at Lambert Park.

A Liam Ivanovic strike and brace from Michael Guse were enough to make it back to back losses for Sydney who found the back of the net through Benjamin Kop and Marco Tilio.

Due to their significantly inferior goal difference the White Eagles are almost certain to miss out on the top five even if a win over Parramatta next week is followed by losses for Sydney, Sydney United 58, and Rockdale.

The Sky Blues will need to take maximum points against Wollongong Wolves or risk what would be a disastrous slip out of the top five.

Sunday

Manly United v Sydney United 58, 1.00pm at Cromer Park

Sydney United 58 retained their position in the top five after beating Manly United 3-2 in a thrilling match at Cromer Park.

Goals from Sam Perre, Liam Ivancic and Stjepan Paric made it five wins on the trot for the Reds who can assure themselves semi-finals football if they defeat Blacktown City next Sunday.

Jamie Glover netted his ninth of the campaign for Manly alongside a Todd Balneaves strike but it wasn’t enough for the Cromer Park outfit to avoid their twelfth defeat of the season.

Manly will finish a disappointing campaign at Hensley Athletic Field against Hakoah Sydney City East.

Rockdale City Suns v Wollongong Wolves, 1.00pm at Ilinden Sports Centre

Rockdale remain in the hunt for finals football after edging Wollongong Wolves 1-0 at Ilinden Sports Centre.

James Temelkovski was the man once again for the Suns with the forward claiming his eighth goal in four matches to set up an exciting match up against APIA Leichhardt next week.

Rockdale are in sixth position as a result of Sydney United 58’s win over Manly and will need to beat APIA to claim a position in the top five.

Wollongong play host to Sydney FC as the eleventh-placed Wolves bid goodbye to an underwhelming campaign.

Sydney Olympic 0-4 Hakoah Sydney City East, 3.00pm at Lambert Park

Hakoah Sydney City East defeated Sydney Olympic 4-0 in Sunday’s final fixture to keep their finals hopes alive.

Goals from Connor Eldridge, Nathan Roberts, Josh Orchard and Harry Jones move Paul Hubbard’s side onto 32 points ahead of their must-win encounter with Manly on Sunday.

Hakoah must defeat the 2016 premiers and hope Sydney United 58, Rockdale and Sydney FC all lose to scrape into the top five.

Sydney Olympic will finish their season away to newly-crowned premiers Sutherland.

–         -By Jacob Windon