Round 5 Review – NPL 3 NSW Men’s
A remarkable Round Five of the 2018 National Premier Leagues 3 NSW competition over the weekend saw every single one of the 14 clubs find the net, with a total of 30 goals across the seven matches at an average of greater than four goals per match..
The Western NSW Mariners had their third draw of the campaign when they held the visiting Hawkesbury City 1-1 in Orange; Stanmore Hawks overcame Camden Tigers 2-1 in a tight tussle at Arlington Oval; SD Raiders made it 23 goals in 5 games with a 4-2 victory over Dunbar Rovers at Ernie Smith Reserve on Saturday night; Bankstown City smacked Fraser Park 5-2 on the back of four first half goals to keep up the pressure at the top of the ladder; Sydney University trounced Granville Rage 4-1 at Seymour Shaw Park on Sunday afternoon; and St George City FA came from 0-2 down to take all three points with a 3-2 triumph over Inter Lions at Fraser Park on Sunday evening.
FNSW ventured out to Magdala Park in North Ryde to watch the much anticipated clash between Gladesville Ryde Magic and Dulwich Hill.
MATCH OF THE ROUND
Gladesville Ryde Magic vs Dulwich Hill
In the scheme of things, Gladesville Ryde Magic and Dulwich Hill did each other no favours when they laboured to a 1-1 draw at Magdala Park on Saturday afternoon.
A point is always better than none, and the point has kept Magic in touch with the leaders, now sitting in 4th spot on the ladder on 10 points and just three points behind SD Raiders and Bankstown City.
For Dulwich Hill, it was another disappointing afternoon, with one of the competition’s favourites now sitting in 9th place on the ladder on 5 points, with just the solitary win this season to their name.
Gladesville Ryde Magic came in to this match having suffered their first loss of the season last week, succumbing 0-3 to Hawkesbury City after three successive victories to start the campaign.
Magic were however down on troops, missing the influential Chris Triantis in the front third, and also absent were key defenders Sergio Tarazona, Frank Calcagno, Aaron Khan and Johnny Martinez.
Gladesville Ryde Magic have always been known to give youth an opportunity, blooding youngsters Ben Kennedy, Izzack Munoz and Nic Pearson in this match, as well as Peter Voukidis, who got a start.
This match was also the last scheduled game at Magdala Park before the big move to Christie Park, sporting a brand new artificial surface, which could be conducive to the technical ability in Magic’s attack.
The first real opportunity of the game actually resulted in the first goal.
Dulwich Hill were awarded a free kick near the half way line.
The kick dropped at the feet of Dully’s big central defender, Nathan Bowden-Haase, just outside the Gladesville penalty box. Bowden-Haase has been in a rich vein of goalscoring form of late, and continued that here, the big man controlling the leather, before turning and stroking the ball into the back of the net with his left foot past the outstretched hands of Magic’s keeper, Kiriakos Tohouroglou.
It got worse soon afterwards for Gladesville Ryde Magic, being a goal behind, and then going a man down. Jonathan Gowdy, who had received a yellow card on 25 minutes, was then dismissed just three minutes later, a straight red, for what was deemed a dangerous tackle, and Gladesville were facing an uphill task.
Instead of hindering Magic, being a man and a goal down seemed to spark the home side in to action, and at times it was difficult to ascertain who had the extra man advantage.
Much to the delight of the home fans, Gladesville Ryde Magic conjured up an equaliser when Peter Voukidis netted after some clever lead up work from Cameron Newton on the left hand side.
Half time brought a reprieve for both sets of players, with the two sides locked at 1-1.
Both teams went at it after the break, continuing to attack in search of a goal.
Dully’s 36-year-old striker, Gosue Sama, of My Kitchen Rules fame, produced a powerful shot on goal on 63 minutes, only to be denied by the only man on the field older than him. 46-year-old Magic custodian, Kiriakos Tohouroglou, repelled the danger with an acrobatic save to deny the visitors.
10-man Gladesville Ryde Magic were out of their feet, but captain, Chris Gaitatzis, kept inspiring his team forward. The injection of some youthful legs during the last half hour in Ben Kennedy, Izzack Munoz and Nic Pearson gave the home side some much needed energy, but they simply couldn’t trouble the scoreboard.
Gladesville Ryde Magic almost pinched it at the death, firstly with a Michael Gaitatzis header that flashed wide, whilst moments later, brother, Chris Gaitatzis, produced a powerful strike from inside the Dully penalty box that narrowly missed the target.
That was all she wrote, with both teams left to rue what could have been, taking home a point with their focus now firmly on next week.
Match Stats
National Premier Leagues 3 NSW Men’s
Round Five
Saturday, April 7, 2018
GLADESVILLE RYDE MAGIC 1 (Voukidis 36’)
DULWICH HILL 1 (Bowden-Haase 19’)
Referee – Adam Weir
Assistant Referees – Aaron Wunderlich and Jan Blower
GLADESVILLE RYDE MAGIC; 33.K.Tohouroglou, 2.C.Newton, 5.L.Harte, 6.A.Mickael, 9.C.Gaitatzis (capt), 10.C.Tomaras (25.I.Munoz 73’), 13.B.Kerr (30.N.Pearson 85’), 14.A.Jolly, 16.J.Gowdy, 17.M.Gaitatzis, 18.P.Voukidis (27.B.Kennedy 67’).
Substitutes Not Used – 1.L.North, 32.D.Fanayan
Yellow Cards – 16.J.Gowdy 25’.
Red Cards – 16.J.Gowdy 28’.
DULWICH HILL; 4.M.Frost, 2.J.Duvcevski, 5.N.Bowden-Haase, 22.D.Burbidge, 7.H.Wells (capt), 10.G.Sama (8.G.Paradanta 72’), 11.A.Chance, 13.S.Burke (4.N.Jagelman 78’), 14.N.Stanojevic, 17.J.Wilkin (9.J.Blagojevic 58’), 21.B.Vidaic.
Substitutes Not Used – 12.D.Plowright, 3.E.Bardsley.
Yellow Cards – 13.S.Burke 32’, 10.G.Sama 35’, 2.J.Duvcevski.
Red Cards – Nil
Western NSW Mariners – Hawkesbury City 1-1
High flying Hawkesbury City had their wings clipped at Sir Jack Brabham Park at Orange on Saturday afternoon, after being held 1-1 by the Western NSW Mariners.
It was a fairly even and scoreless first half, with neither side able to make many inroads on the unusually long grassy surface.
Lachlan Thomas had a decent opportunity for the Mariners on the half hour mark but diverted his header wide of the mark following a good run and cross by Adam Scimone.
Scimone then tried his luck shortly afterwards but his long range effort skimmed wide of the Hawkesbury upright after some neat build up play from Kenny McCall.
The second half got underway, and the Mariners finally got the breakthrough they so desperately wanted on the hour when Kenny McCall played a ball over the top into Matthew Hobby’s feet, and he was brought down in the box.
Kenny McCall converted the spot kick to continue his positive form of late, edging the home side in to the lead.
Hawkesbury City sprung in to gear and managed an equaliser in the 71st minute, Bradley Gibson netting a pearler from the edge of the Mariners penalty area.
Brock Logan produced another stellar performance in goal for the Mariners with some telling saves, including one last ditch effort at the death where he saved from Hawkesbury’s Luke Miskovich in a one-on-one.
The points apiece sees Hawkesbury City remain undefeated and move in to outright third position on the ladder on 11 points, whilst this was the third stalemate in the opening five rounds for the Western NSW Mariners.
Stanmore Hawks – Camden Tigers 2-1
Stanmore Hawks continued their positive of late when they overcame a stubborn Camden Tigers 2-1 at Arlington Oval on Saturday night.
Camden Tigers gave themselves some hope of the points when in fact they edged themselves in front just after the break following a scoreless first forty five minutes.
But Stanmore recovered to put two goals past the Tigers courtesy of Sam Awad and Mark McAlpine and take home the spoils.
The two sides are in 5th and 7th spot respectively, but the win has extended the gap to four points with Stanmore in 5th position on 10 points following the opening five rounds of the competition.
SD Raiders – Dunbar Rovers 4-2
The SD Raiders continued on their merry goal scoring way at Ernie Smith Reserve on Saturday night, with Dunbar Rovers this time feeling the brunt of their attacking forays following the Raiders 4-2 triumph.
It was a feisty encounter if the cautions are any evidence, with seven yellows and a red card handed out on the night – 5 cautions to Dunbar, and Luke Mesiti of the Raiders sent off.
It was the Rovers who had the best opportunity of the opening exchanges, but Yoel Silvestre couldn’t find the target and the chance went begging.
The Raiders clicked in to gear thereafter, and before you knew it, it was 3-0 leading in to the break.
Sebastian Malfara broke the deadlock with a superb long range lob, finding Dunbar’s keeper, Stephen Deasy, off his line.
Then both Ben Welch and Matias Toro Suazo netted in similar fashion for the home side, beating Deasy in one-on-one situations.
Dunbar came out of the sheds with renewed vigour to reduce the deficit with a goal by Micaiah Te Rata, but the home side restored their three goal advantage within minutes, Goran Ljuboja first to nod in the rebound after a shot had come back off the woodwork.
Henry Kamleitner grabbed a late reply for Dunbar, but it was too little too late and the Riaders prevailed.
It was the third loss of the campaign for Dunbar Rovers, who remain on 4 points but drop to 10th position.
The Raiders juggernaut continues to roll on, with the club sitting in equal first position on the ladder on 13 points, but are first on goal differential following a massive 23 goals scored in the five matches played so far this season.
Fraser Park – Bankstown City Lions 2-5
Bankstown City Lions kept the heat on at the competition summit when they trounced Fraser Park 5-2 in Marrickville on Saturday night.
The match was all over bar the shouting by half time with the Lions holding a 4-1 lead, with both teams netting a goal each after the break to round off proceedings.
Ante Tomic got things going for Bankstown City with a spectacular free kick from 35 yards out that ended up where the spiders live.
Aron Berg then scored with a bullet header after connecting at the near post following a corner to make it 2-0.
It was 3-0 shortly afterwards when Nikola Todoroski did all the spade work, darting down the right side before cutting it back for Ante Tomic to slot in his second and his side’s third goal of the evening.
Nikola Todoroski then got in on the act just before the break, converting from the spot with a sweetly struck shot to the keeper’s right after he himself was brought down inside the penalty area.
Andrew De Brito pulled a goal back for the home side just before half time, the Fraser Park captain firing a superb free kick from 25 yards around the wall and into the Bankstown City net.
The second half was a mere formality given the half time scoreline, but Nikola Todoroski did bag his second goal of the match when he raced through to face Fraser Park goal keeper, Mark Villaescusa, in a one-on-one, slotting it past him to make it 5-1 to the visitors.
There was time for one last goal, and it was a consolation for the home side, with Chris Sheerin connecting at the back stick to plant his header in to the net and reduce the deficit to 2-5.
Following last year’s exploits, this season has been a rude awakening for Fraser Park, who now find themselves propping up the competition ladder after five rounds with just the two draws to their name.
On the other hand, the win and subsequent three points sees Bankstown City Lions move onto 13 points, equal first with SD Raiders but second on goal difference.
Sydney University – Granville Rage 4-1
Sydney University grabbed a morale boosting victory on Sunday afternoon when they defeated Granville Rage 4-1 at Seymour Shaw Park.
The ‘students’ had had a miserable start to the season, winning just one of their opening four league matches, and being bundled out of the FFA Cup by State League outfit, Central Coast United.
But they got things right at Seymour Shaw, the four goals coming from Conor Quilligan, Blake Serafin, and Tim Bowman, who notched a brace.
The win and three points sees Sydney University climb to 8th spot on the ladder on 6 points ahead of the grudge match next weekend against Dunbar Rovers.
Inter Lions – St George City FA 2-3
St George City FA returned to the winner’s circle with a 3-2 triumph over Inter Lions at Fraser Park on Sunday evening.
St George did it the hard way, failing to convert a penalty, losing a player to a red card, and going down 0-2 before storming home to take all three points on offer.
Jacob Di Mento had a hand in both of Inter’s goal’s, with his 25th minute free kick taking a deflection off St George defender, Sean Thomas, on its way in to the net to give Inter a 1-0 lead.
Inter replicated that minutes later, with Jacob Di Mento this time sending brother, Domenic, away on his bike down the flank, before the latter’s cross was tucked away by Rosario Occhipinti who was lurking at the back stick.
St George City pulled a goal back almost immediately when Alvaro Malmierca netted from a neat cut back, and then were presented a wonderful opportunity to square the ledger right on half time when they were awarded a spot kick.
Inter’s goal keeper, Robert Fanella, produced a remarkable save to deny Malmierca, diving to his right to keep Inter in front 2-1 at the half time break.
The short rest did nothing to quell St George City’s desire to get back in to the match, and they duly scored two goals in the opening minutes of the second half.
Steve Kuzmanovski equalised in the 47th minute with a free kick, and then Samuel Messam edged St George City in front 3-2 on 58 minutes to complete a remarkable turn around.
Despite both sides having numerous opportunities, including the woodwork coming to the aid of both keepers, the scoreboard remained untouched, allowing St George City to collect all three points on offer.
St George City also endured the sending off of Kerim Mumsuz on 83 minutes after collecting his second caution with 14 minutes, holding on for the win.
The victory sees St George climb to 8 points, and they now sit in 6th position on the ladder.
