Round 11 – National Premier Leagues 3 Men’s Review
Round Eleven of the 2018 National Premier Leagues 3 NSW competition produced its usual dose of thrills, spills, and plenty of goals across the seven matches, all played at 7pm on Saturday night.
SD Raiders accounted for the hapless Western NSW Mariners by winning 3-0 at Ernie Smith Reserve; St George City made it 7 wins on the trot by brushing aside Fraser Park 6-0; Hawkesbury City retained top spot with a 4-0 drubbing of Granville Rage at Garside Park; Dulwich Hill’s long unbeaten run came to an end when they lost 0-3 to Camden Tigers at Ron Dine Stadium; Sydney University cracked it for a long overdue win when they beat Gladesville Ryde Magic 2-1; Dunbar Rovers produced a remarkable come back to grab a 3-3 at Bankstown City Lions after being 0-3 down at one stage.
This week’s feature Match of the Round saw Stanmore Hawks entertain Inter Lions at Arlington Oval.
MATCH OF THE ROUND – Stanmore Hawks vs Inter Lions
Stanmore Hawks – Inter Lions 2-2
Stanmore Hawks and Inter Lions predictably shared the spoils in a tense 2-2 draw on Saturday night at Arlington Oval.
Stanmore had gone 5 games without a point, let alone a win, and made some personnel changes during the week in a bid to resurrect their fortunes.
Inter Lions on the other hand had shown positive signs of late in a desperate bid to make something of their season. A win and a draw in the previous three games showed an increase in application of late, and they came in this encounter knowing a win would take them above their match day opponents.
Separated by one spot and two points going in to the match, a win was to prove elusive to both as they fought out a stalemate.
The game started very cautiously with both teams prodding the other to try and gain some sort of ascendancy.
Although the game came alive when Inter Lions broke the deadlock on 21 minutes.
Sean Richardson, a forceful winger with a real presence on the flank, sent over a dangerous cross towards the far post after beating his man on the wing.
Experienced marksman, Juan Chavez, connected sweetly with the ball, sending his header across the face of the goal back towards where it came from, the ball nestling in to the net to give Inter Lions a 1-0 lead.
It wasn’t long before Stanmore Hawks drew level, however, and it was their own most experienced player who did the honours.
Inter Lions goal keeper, Robert Fanella, got in a tangle with his defence and the ball squirmed free, much to the delight of Sam Awad, who stroked it home for the equaliser.
From being a goal down, Stanmore Hawks regrouped and remarkably found themselves a goal up on 33 minutes.
Quick fire winger, Julian Rinaldi, found himself in space behind the Inter defence, and stayed composed to stroke the ball past Inter’s keeper, Fanella, and put Stanmore Hawks 2-1 in to the lead.
It had been a classic case of a combination of experience and youth to edge Stanmore in to the lead, a lead they would hold on to until half time.
On the back of the words of experienced coach, Michael Urukalo, it only took Inter Lions five minutes to draw level once the two teams had returned from their half time break.
Dario Espejel won possession for Inter before spraying the ball wide, and following a series of swift passes, the ball found itself at the feet of Hezio Silva Neto. The Inter Lions playmaker controlled the leather before striking in low into the Stanmore net to restore parity.
Given what was at stake, both sides wanted the win, but were cautious enough to at least make sure they took home at a minimum one point.
The best of the final chances fell to Inter’s Sean Richardson, but his effort was well saved after facing Stanmore’s keeper in a one-on-one.
The draw meant a welcome point for Stanmore, stopping their rut of five consecutive losses. The point doesn’t help a lot in the scheme of things on the ladder, with Stanmore Hawks remaining in 10th spot, but they have climbed to 11 points.
For Inter Lions it was their second successive 2-2 draw, and means they’ve now only lost one in the last four matches. The point sees Inter climb to 9 points, but drop to 12th position, after Sydney University hurdled them on the back of their 2-1 victory over Magic.
There is still 15 rounds of the competition proper to be played, and that’s a total of 45 points to be won, but both Stanmore Hawks and Inter Lions will need to get a move on if they’ve got any aspirations for finals football come season end.
Match Stats: Round 11 Saturday, May 19, 2018 – Arlington Oval, Dulwich Hill
STANMORE HAWKS 2 (Awad 24’, Rinaldi 33’)
INTER LIONS 2 (Chavez 21’, Silva Neto 50’)
Referee – Adam Susz
Assistant Referees – Wayne Crabb and Nathan Lara
STANMORE HAWKS;
4.C.Bottalico, 5.H.Brown, 8.S.Awad (capt), 11.R.Alassmi, 12.A.Caragher, 14.M.Nicolaou, 16.C.Kolistasis, 17.J.Rinaldi, 18.S.Georgiou, 29.J.McMenamie (23.P.Theodosi 68’), 31.D.Vaccaro.
Substitutes Not Used – 41.N.Kayik, 36.K.Tsournakakis, 51.D.Malouf.
Yellow Cards – 12.A.Caragher 23’, 11.R.Alassmi 61’, 16.C.Kolistasis 74’.
Red Cards – Nil
INTER LIONS;
1.R.Fanella, 2.R.Gabey, 5.C.Lawson, 6.D.Espejel, 7.D.Arcella, 10.H.Silva Neto, 11.S.Richardson, 12.J.Chavez (9.R.Occhipinti 71’),17.G.Di Mento (capt), 24.G.Tsokos, 30.C.Gallagher.
Substitutes Not Used – 28.K.Bowry, 26.D.Habib, 61.J.Soulios, 14.C.Stephan.
Yellow Cards – 24.G.Tsokos 74’.
Red Cards – Nil
SD Raiders – Western NSW Mariners 3-0
SD Raiders jumped two positions on the competition ladder in to 4th spot courtesy of their 3-0 victory over the Western NSW Mariners at Ernie Smith Reserve on Saturday night.
Matias Toro Suazo managed to score a brace of goals on the night, whilst Mathew Barkho grabbed the other as the Raiders made it 7 points in their last 3 games.
With Dulwich Hill and Gladesville Ryde Magic both losing on Saturday night, SD Raiders move above both teams in to 4th spot on 20 points, whilst the Mariners remain on 3 points in penultimate position, yet to record a triumph this season.
Fraser Park – St George City FA 0-6
St George City FA continued on their merry way on Saturday night, this week putting Fraser Park to the sword on their own pitch with a 6-0 thumping.
Alvaro Malmierca got things moving for City when he netted after just 2 minutes, and Sam Messam doubled their advantage in the 12th minute, a lead that St George City carried in to the second half.
St George City put the game well and truly to bed just on the hour mark when they scored three goals in the space of 7 minutes.
Messam grabbed his double in the 54th minute, Kokubo made it 4-0 in the 57th when he connected with a free kick to deliver a bullet header, and Geoffry Lino made it 5-0 in the 61st, tapping home from close range following a great team move.
Young Steve Kuzmanovski, returning from an injury spell on the sidelines, wrapped up proceedings with the final goal of the night in the 86th minute.
The loss means Fraser Park remain winless after 11 matches, propping up the competition ladder on just 2 points.
St George City FA on the other hand are flying, remaining in 2nd spot and moving to 26 points, just a point behind Hawkesbury City.
Granville Rage – Hawkesbury City 0-4
Competition leaders, Hawkesbury City, made light work of Granville Rage on Saturday night, remaining on top following their 4-0 triumph at Garside Park.
The Hawks were backing up from Wednesday night’s 0-3 loss to NSW NPL side Sydney Olympic in Round Six of the FFA Cup, but you wouldn’t have known it.
Daniel Morsillo has been in great form of late, and he once again opened proceedings here on 29 minutes, rounding Granville goalkeeper, Samuel Bortolazzo, to slot home after Hawkesbury pinched possession and hit Rage with a clinical counter attack.
Moments in to the second half and it was 2-0, with Joaquin Veliz Coccolo on the receiving end of a give and go before finding space and finishing past Bortolazzo in the Rage goal.
Morsillo put the game beyond doubt on 85 minutes with his second goal of the night – and his 11th of the campaign – before Johnathon McCrea rounded off the night’s scoring in the final minute. Bradley Gibson created the opportunity for McCrea to make it 4-0 and give the Hawks all three points.
The loss sees Granville remain in 9th spot on 12 points, but worrying for the Rage is that this was their 3rd loss on the trot, conceding 14 goals in the process without managing to find the net.
For Hawkesbury City, it’s another three points in the bag which puts them on 27, retaining first spot, only one point ahead of second placed St George City FA.
Bankstown City – Dunbar Rovers 3-3
Dunbar Rovers produced a remarkable comeback at Jensen Park on Saturday night, coming home strongly to snare a 3-3 draw against Bankstown City Lions after being 0-3 down at one stage.
Some social media interest during the latter part of last week added interest to the fixture, and fans barely had time to take their seats before Bankstown City took the lead within 2 minutes.
An Ante Tomic free-kick was whipped in from 25 metres out and not dealt with by the Dunbar defence, with Nathan Lopino scrambling it home from a few yards to open the scoring.
As the half continued, Dunbar Rovers seemed to get better started taking the game to Bankstown City. Ruben Mendes had a couple of half chances, Ryan Shaughnessy attempted a clever chip that almost paid dividends, and Andrew Doddy smacked a piledriver of a free-kick just over the bar, but it remained 1-0 to the Lions at the break.
Bankstown City started the second half like a house on fire, extending their lead to 3-0 in the process.
The Lions took hold of possession across the midfield, putting together a slick passing move that involved Lawrence Hanna and Lachlan Willmore which provided Ante Tomic the opportunity to slot past Stephen Deasy, Dunbar’s goalkeeper.
It was soon 3-0 when Jacob Boutoubia raced on to a through ball before striking home past Deasy to seemingly put Bankstown City in the box seat for all three points.
However Dunbar Rovers have always been known for their never-say-die attitude, and they reduced the deficit on 63 minutes when Ruben Mendes pulled a goal back with a header at the back stick.
Dunbar skipper, Andrew Doddy, then well and truly put the cat amongst the pigeons in the 80th minute, cracking home a volley from 25 yards that found the left hand corner of the net to make it 3-2.
Deep in to injury time, when all eyes were on the referee to blow full time, Ryan Shaughnessy produced a brilliant cross-field ball to Yoel Silvestre, who took a touch before placing the ball under the advancing Bankstown City keeper, Enol Ordonez Suarez, sending the visiting Dunbar contingent in to ecstacy.
The match was a fantastic advertisement of entertainment for NSW NPL 3 football, with both sides sharing the spoils in a 3-3 draw.
The point sees Dunbar Rovers move to 17 points, retaining 7th spot on the ladder, whilst Bankstown City remain 3rd, moving to 24 points, and are now 3 points off Hawkesbury City at the top.
Camden Tigers – Dulwich Hill 3-0
Camden Tigers grabbed all three points on offer with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Dulwich Hill on Saturday night at Ron Dine Stadium.
Following on from a scoreless first period, the deadlock was broken on 62 minutes when Jayden Russell converted from the spot after Camden Tigers were awarded a penalty for an infringement inside the penalty area.
Russell has been in scintillating form this season for Camden, and the striker extended his team’s lead to 2-0 by bagging his second goal of the night in the 83rd minute.
The experienced Stephen Lloyd closed off proceedings on 89 minutes, scoring the home side’s 3rd goal of the night in front of a vocal home crowd.
After losing the opening two games of the season, the loss was Dully’s first reverse in 9 weeks following a majestic run of 6 wins and 2 draws. This loss sees Dulwich Hill remain on 20 points, but drop to 5th on goal difference.
Camden Tigers move on to 16 points on the back of this triumph, and are up to 8th spot and within striking distance of the top half of the ladder.
Sydney University – Gladesville Ryde Magic 2-1
Sydney University managed to win their first game in six weeks when they overcame Gladesville Ryde Magic 2-1 at the Uni Football Ground on Saturday night.
Following a disappointing start to the season, Sydney Uni provided debuts to a number of new signings in Michael Loupis, Liam Flack and James Tsokos as they looked desperately to change their fortunes.
The game was a tight affair in the opening 20 minutes or so as both teams tried valiantly to gain control.
After signing last week from St George City FA, debutant Michael Loupis was looking especially dangerous, and he in fact opened the scoring. Racing on to a clever through ball, Loupis advanced on goal before drilling the ball past Magic goal keeper, Kyriakos Tohouroglou to make it 1-0 to the ‘students’.
At the other end of the park, ex Sydney Uni player, Johnny Gowdy, was also looking dangerous and linking well with Gladesville skipper, Chris Gaitatzis.
Uni goalkeeper, Charlie Fanner, had to be alert on a couple of occasions to repel both players following good strikes from distance.
Early in the second stanza Sydney Uni doubled their lead, and it was Michael Loupis in thick of the action again, this time combining with Robbie Shields to release Scott Tonkin in to space.
The tall central striker kept his cool to slot home against his former club and make it 2-0 to Sydney Uni, celebrating his birthday in style.
Magic made a fist of it on 70 minutes when Chris Tomaras, entering the fray despite not being 100% fit, played in Johnny Gowdy who reduced the deficit with a clever finish.
Despite some very near misses in the closing minutes at both ends, Sydney University hung on to record a valuable victory.
Gladesville Ryde Magic remain on 20 points but drop to 6th position on the ladder, whilst the win and three points sees Sydney University climb to 10 points, moving above Inter Lions in to 11th position on the ladder.
