Under 18s NSW Premier League Grand Final: Dramatic comeback sees Blacktown City beat Parramatta FC to Under 18s title
Parramatta appeared to be in control at the interval after Jordan Parfait and Jaushua Sotirio cancelled out Jayden Priest?s early opener.
Sam Perre led Blacktown?s second half revival as his set pieces created all three second half goals; Daniel Araujo levelled from Perre?s corner before Priest and Daniel Collins headed home crossed free kicks to wrap up with win for Tony Candy?s squad.
Parramatta appeared the more comfortable from kick off as they pressed Blacktown in the opening minutes.
An early Daniel Holz corner was narrowly missed by the head of Alexander Kelly before Holz was denied by a crucial intervention from Collins.
Having staved off early pressure Blacktown hit the lead with their first clear chance of the match as Araujo picked out Priest with an inch perfect cross; the Blacktown target man beat his marker in the air to head the ball inside the near post to open the scoring.
Priest came close to doubling his tally minutes later as he ran onto Tom Mallatt?s well weighted throughball, however Jair Fernandez was quick off his line to spread his frame and make a confident block.
Fernandez was called into action once again soon after as he was forced to tip Perre?s cross over his crossbar before denying Priest with another vital save midway through the first half.
Blacktown threatened from range once again around the half hour mark as Bruno Antelmi?s smartly taken corner was fired goalward from 25-yards by Perre, however Fernandez was well positioned to hold the long range effort.
Parramatta settled down around the half hour mark and began to create chances for themselves as Daniel Moffett saw his 30-yard effort held by Mitchell Seager.
Devante Clut?s free kick found Sotirio via Kelly?s head; the header lacked conviction and was easily gathered by Hernandez, yet the warning signs were there before Parramatta hit the lead via a quickfire double.
Ryan Peterson?s last man challenge deflected off Sotirio and fell to Jordan Parfait; the winger produced an opportunistically clinical finish as he drove his first time effort low and inside the far post to level the scores.
The Parramatta fans had barely retaken their seats before they were brought to their feet once again as their side hit the lead.
Still shell-shocked from the equaliser, the Blacktown defence allowed Raffael Moniaci the space to break down the right flank and get a shot off on goal; Seager was able to block the shot yet Parfait was in the right place at the right time to tuck home the rebound and grab his side the lead.
It was just the response Parramatta coach Jakob Tielman was looking for from his side as they controlled the run of play to hold their lead going into the interval.
The break appeared to benefit Blacktown as they emerged from the sheds with renewed confidence following Tony Candy?s half time team talk.
Peterson headed over seconds after the restart while Parramatta Kelly?s made a fine last man challenge to deny Ray Coletta a route to goal.
Blacktown soon reaped the rewards of their new found attacking confidence as they grabbed a deserved equaliser from the set piece.
Perre?s corner was flicked on at the near post by Don Dileo; Araujo was first to react as he turned to ball past Fernandez to level the scores.
Blacktown came agonisingly close to grabbing the lead soon after when Coletta?s goalbound effort from Perre?s corner was deflected narrowly over by substitute defender Gianluigi Truglio.
Dileo showed a great turn of pace to burst clear of Kelly and find his way through on goal; however the ball took a bobble off the pitch as he lined up his finish, forcing him to mishit his finish which skewed well wide of goal.
Blacktown were handed a golden opportunity midway through the second period as Perre lined up a free kick from 25-yards and the youngsters took full advantage as Priest managed to get his head onto Perre?s delivery to deflect the ball past Fernandez to put his side into the lead.
Parramatta rallied in search of a route back into the match yet were undone from the set piece once again late on; another marvellous ball from Perre found Collins unmarked in the box and the Blacktown captain took full advantage as he headed home to secure the win.
Tempers temporarily flared late on as Perre and Clut clashed near the sideline before referee Daniel Stack intervened to diffuse the situation before suitably booking the pair for their outbursts.
Blacktown comfortably saw out the closing stages of the match and could have extended their lead as Priest skipped past James Do only to be denied the opportunity for a hattrick by a crunching last ditch challenge by Trugilo.
It was a hard earned win by Tony Candy?s side as they showed great resilience to battle back from behind to claim the title after Parramatta appeared to have taken the initiative in the first half.
Match Stats
Blacktown City FC 4 (J Priest 10?, 65?, Daniel Araujo 50?, Daniel Collins 78?)
Parramatta FC 2 (Jordan Parfait 34?, Jaushua Sotirio 35?)
Monday October 1st, 2012
Bonnyrigg Sports Centre, Bonnyrigg
Referee: Daniel Stack
Assistant Referees: Nick Brisbane and Blake Herbert
Fourth Official: Chris Abela
Blacktown City FC: 60.Mitchell Seager, 2.Daniel Collins, 4.Bruno Antelmi, 5.Braeden Robins, 8.Ryan Peterson (6.Kisha Pitso 81?), 9.Jayden Priest, 10.Daniel Araujo (7.Mitchell Morris 73?), 11.Sam Perre (12.Lewis Beumie 86?), 13.Shane D?Cunha, 14.Ray Coletta, 15.Don Dileo
Substitutes Not Used: 50.Blake Tuxford
Yellow Cards: Sam Perre 79?
Red Cards: nil
Parramatta FC: 1.Jair Hernandez, 6.Kwasi Nsiah (3.Paul Georgiadis 81?), 8.Devante Clut, 9.Alexander Kelly (21.Andre Groiosa 78?), 10.Dylan Holz, 11.Jaushua Safirio (13.Gianluigi Trugilo 46?), 12.Daniel Mallatt, 14.Raffael Moniaci (4.Jack Press 90?), 15.Tom Mallatt, 17.James Do, 16.Jordan Parfait (7.Lawrence Hanna 65?)
Substitutes Not Used: nil
Yellow Cards: Dylan Holz 42?, Devante Clut 79?
Red Cards: nil
-By Michael Shoolman
