A defiant performance from Manly United FC saw the visitors twice level against a dominant Bonnyrigg White Eagles to grab a 2-2 draw on Saturday night at Bonnyrigg Sports Centre.
Manly bravely held off wave after wave of Bonnyrigg attacks to prevent the league leaders running away with the match as Sean Seavill and Colin Iley cancelled out Aaron Peterson and Adrian Ucchino’s goals.
Iley’s late equaliser sees Bonnyrigg relinquish their spot at the top of the table to Sutherland Sharks who grabbed a big win up on the Central Coast while the result sees Manly United remain comfortably in ninth-spot, well off contention for a finals berth and well clear of the relegation battle unfolding below them.
The continual downpour of the day created slippery conditions for the fixture which was tightly contested throughout.
The rain held off for the first-half as Bonnyrigg looked to assert authority from the outset as they stroked the ball around from kick off to control the early tempo.
While the hosts were holding the greater early possession it was Manly who began the more incisive going forward as they created a trio of early chances.
Seavill created the first opening when he stole possession from Ucchino in midfield before releasing Matthew Sim into the box; Sim’s powerful effort flashed narrowly past the near post.
Seavill then attempted to break the deadlock himself soon after when Bonnyrigg’s backline afforded him a yard of space on the edge of the box yet the midfielder dragged his finish wide of Matthew Nash’s far post when he perhaps should have tested the keeper with a shot on target.
Manly threatened once again minutes later, this time from the dead ball as Sim curved a dangerous free kick beyond the far post; Iley centred the ball with a cushioned header only for captain Chris Tadrosse to intervene with a crucial clearing header.
Bonnyrigg’s central defensive pairing of Alex Mansueto and Vuko Tomasevic soon settled things down at the back with the assistance of Howard Fondyke who dropped deeper from midfield to nullify Manly’s counterattacking threat.
The adjustment allowed the hosts to regain the composure and begin to create chances of their own; their first notable chance was Mitch Long’s effort from the edge of the box midway through the opening half which appeared goal bound when it took a slight deflection en route to goal only for the ball to strike the near post and deflect clear.
Bonnyrigg’s next chance just after the half hour mark saw Peterson break the deadlock while Manly goalkeeper Dylan Mitchell was left blushing in his wake.
A long ball in behind Manly’s backline drew Mitchell off his line only for Peterson to beat Mitchell to the ball, deftly head it over the stranded keeper, and then tuck the ball calmly into an open goal to open the scoring for the home side.
Manly looked to respond instantly as Sim looked to have played Seavill through on goal with their next attack only for Mansueto to recover smartly and outmuscle the midfielder with a vital challenge.
Both sides had chances to add another goal to the score sheet as Fondyke fired well over from range for Bonnyrigg while Sim twice fired a free-kick into the wall at the other end after Tomasevic had pulled down Iley on the edge of the box.
With half-time looming Manly then took full advantage of a defensive error to draw level and change to mood of both dressing rooms during the interval.
A seemingly routine interception for Tomasevic skipped off the defender’s studs in the slippery conditions and Seavill accepted the gift, pouncing to fire the levelling goal past Nash as the sides went into the break at 1-1.
Bonnyrigg coach Brian Brown would have been livid to have conceded so soon before the interval whistle yet his side appeared to have responded well to his half-time team talk as they created a golden opportunity soon after the restart.
Ucchino was the architect, cutting inside his marker on the right flank before delivering a low cross to Robbie Younis who took a brilliant first touch to turn the ball onto his stronger left foot before uncharacteristically blasting his finish wide when he appeared odds on to score.
The hosts continued to threaten as Mansueto headed a Tadrosse corner over while Manly still looked to hit Bonnyrigg on the counterattack as they continued to break forward with speed when the chance looked on.
Peterson came close to restoring Bonnyrigg’s lead and doubling his tally soon after when Bo Hyun Chun threaded a smart pass to him in the edge of the box; Peterson then utilised his close control to glide past James Oates before firing his low finish inches wide of the far post.
Bonnyrigg continued to look the more likely to move ahead and did so just after the hour mark after Chun used his studs to lightly roll the ball into Ucchino’s path on the edge of the box.
With Manly’s defence wrong-footed by the masked pass Ucchino then produced a sublime first-time shot that curled beyond Mitchell and into the top corner to put his side back in front.
The hosts didn’t stop there as they continued to press forward in search of another goal with looking increasingly threatening as he shot wide before combining well with Tadrosse on the left flank to create further chances for his side.
The skies finally opened back up to let the rain pour down for the final quarter hour of the match to create a scrappy end to the match and aid Manly in their hunt for a late equaliser.
With the clock running down Manly forced a late corner which wreaked havoc in the box as the visitors struggled to get a clean shot off while Bonnyrigg struggled to clear; Iley eventually tucked the ball beyond Nash the wet conditions to dramatically level the scores with minutes remaining.
Bonnyrigg pushed forward in numbers in search of a late winner but it was not to be as Manly held on for their share of the spoils.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles coach Brian Brown was understandably disappointed with the final result having seen his side dominate proceedings only to concede late in each half to drop two valuable points:
“It’s very frustrating,” said Brown.
“I feel for the boys, I thought we pretty much dominated the game in both halves and gave away two reasonably silly goals which is the only way I can describe them.
“The first one we weren’t tight enough and the ball broke for the guy (Seavill) and the second one we had enough chances to clear it.
“We worked hard, I thought we played really hard in the second half, just maybe our decision making in front of goal at time was a bit wrong and our crossing we tried to hit to hard instead of placing it.
“I was pretty happy with the way the boys worked, just the outcome was just not right at the moment.
“It’s just not quite clicking and we’re losing bad goals.
“When you’re dominating the game the way we did we just can’t lose cheap goals like that.”
With the draw now out of the way Brown will turn his focus to next weekend’s top of the table clash with new league leaders Sutherland Sharks as they look to reclaim the top of the table:
“We’ve got Sutherland at Sutherland next week,” said Brown.
“We’ll be up for the battle and we’ll be down there and hopefully we’ll play like we can play.
“If we play like we can then there’s no reason why we can’t go down there and win.”
Manly United FC coach Craig Midgely was delighted with the result having seen his side absorb intense pressure to get a point here tonight:
“To come here and get anything is a big result for a club like us with the resources and the squad we’ve got,” said Midgley.
“I think our goals we had to work hard for.
“I’m a bit disappointed that a lot of goals we concede I feel like we gift them and we’ve got to try and shut that up a bit and be a bit tighter.
“Two goals, whatever time they come, it’s good to get two goals away at a place like this and to get a point is great.”
Injury problems have plighted Manly’s season an Midgely is hoping that this result along with the return of a number of players will help them over the coming weeks:
“Hopefully we’ll get a couple of players back,” said Midgley.
“We have to move forward.
“This will be a little springboard now to take us into the next few games.
“If we’re not positive after a game like that then we never will be.
“Hopefully we’ll get a couple of players back, have a good week in training, then we’ll go again against Rockdale.”
Match Stats
Bonnyrigg White Eagles 2 (Aaron Peterson 31’, Adrian Ucchino 62’)
Manly United FC 2 (Sean Seavill 45’, Colin Iley 86’)
Saturday 22nd of June, 2013
Bonnyrigg Sports Centre, Bonnyrigg Heights
Referee: Kevin Peddie
Assistant Referees: Adam Coombes and James Tesoriero
Fourth Official: Nathan Roberts
Bonnyrigg White Eagles: 1.Matthew Nash; 2.Alex Mansueto, 4.Vuko Tomasevic, 5.Chris Tadrosse, 7.Tynan Diaz, 9.Robert Younis (23.David Gullo 78’), 10.Mitchell Long, 16.Howard Fondyke, 18.Adrian Ucchino, 19.Aaron Peterson (14.Jordan Crighton 87’), 21.Bo Hyun Chun
Substitutes Not Used: 3.Masakatsu Tanaka, 15.Steven Hesketh, 33.Nikodin Matic
Yellow Cards: Mitch Long 81’
Red Cards: Nil
Manly United FC: 1.Dylan Mitchell; 2.Leigh Egger, 4.Graeme Forbes, 5.Joshua Lawson, 6.Daniel Grant (25.Dominic Ferguson 63’), 8.Sean Seavill, 10.Colin Iley, 11.Matthew Sim, 14.David Cain (30.Jack Green 79’), 15.James Oates, 16.Josh Ward (24.Tom Morrissey 73’)
Substitutes Not Used: 20.Tonu Liiband, 26.Nathan Sim
Yellow Cards: Leigh Egger 69’, Tom Morrissey 90’
Red Cards: Nil
-By Michael Shoolman
Archives for June 2013
IGA NPL NSW Mens 1 Round 15 Preview
Some mouth-watering encounters await as Round 15 fixtures take place this coming weekend…
Central Coast Mariners Academy v Sutherland Sharks, Saturday 22nd of June, 6:30 pm Pluim Park
Last Week:
Central Coast Mariners Academy 3 Bonnyrigg White Eagles 4
Sutherland Sharks 4 APIA-Leichhardt Tigers 2
Second-placed Sutherland Sharks visits Pluim Park this weekend, Robbie Stanton’s men all too aware of the obstacle the Mariners pose on their home turf.
The Mariners, who do occupy bottom-spot on the ladder, have made life difficult for teams who visit Pluim Park – the most recent to struggle against the side being the league leaders, Bonnyrigg White Eagles, who snatched a 4-3 win, though the side were made to work every single minute of the match for the three-points.
The Sharks have looked the goods this season with the side possessing the belief that had somewhat deserted it somewhat over the past two seasons. Stanton has his playmaker Panni Nikas in exceptional form meanwhile youngster Nicholas Olsen continues to show just how good he is with some tremendous outings this campaign.
The Mariners will have to be ‘switched on’ from the opening whistle, though the integration of the likes of Adriano Pellegrino certainly does make the closing stages of the season an interesting one for the side and its supporters.
With second facing last, the Sharks start overwhelming favourites though a much closer, and tense, encounter is expected in the opening match of Round 15.
South Coast Wolves v Marconi Stallions, Saturday 22nd of June, 7:00 pm John Crehan Park
Last Week:
Sydney United 58 FC 4 South Coast Wolves 0
Marconi Stallions 1 Rockdale City Suns 0
The Wolves have struggled to jumpstart its campaign in 2013, with some good performances still not consistently translated into wins. The visit of Marconi Stallions will again be a massive test for Richard Lloyd’s team. The Stallions are riding a very positive run of form with the last-ditch, dramatic, win over Rockdale City Suns last weekend a massive boost for confidence in the run towards the finals series.
Jean-Paul De Marigny is enjoying his current headache – one where he has a full squad of players to choose from after a horrible run of injuries and suspensions in the early part of the season.
New signing Elsid Barkhousir, who has been instrumental in each of his performances for the side, netted his first goal for the Stallions last weekend, and that may well have opened the gates for many more goals to follow.
De Marigny can also rely on the good form of Sean O’Connell and Tadgh Purcell – both with massive engines for the Stallions – meanwhile Milorad Simonovic and captain Nahuel Arrarte need no introduction whatsoever with both experienced campaigners enjoying fabulous seasons to-date.
The Wolves will be looking to make the most of home ground advantage as new signing Steve Hayes looks to bring back that winning feeling that has deserted the side this season.
Hayes’ temperament is unquestionable, and his experience and ability certainly do stand the side in with a chance of turning its fortunes around before the season’s end.
The Stallions, most definitely, start the match as favourite, with the Wolves looking to use this opportunity to turn its campaign around.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles v Manly United FC, Saturday 22nd of June, 7:00 pm Bonnyrigg Sports Ground
Last Week:
Central Coast Mariners Academy 3 Bonnyrigg White Eagles 4
Blacktown Spartans 1 Manly United FC 1
At Bonnyrigg Sports Ground, the White Eagles will be looking to keep their foot firmly pressed on the accelerator with the visit of Manly United FC on Saturday evening.
The White Eagles have been the most consistent side this season, their position at the top of the league ladder is enough proof of this, and the White Eagles’ supporters will be expecting of more of the same this weekend.
Brian Brown’s men were made to work hard for the win against Central Coast Mariners last weekend, the side once more coming up trumps after the referee’s final whistle, and the task at hand this weekend has been facilitated slightly with Manly United’s in form Brendan Cholakian out through suspension.
Manly United FC will need captain Matt Sim to lead the line, as will coach Craig Midgley be expecting a top performance from experienced duo of Roberto Hamad and Josh Lawson.
A lot to play for, for both sides, we can expect to see goals on Saturday evening.
Rockdale City Suns v Blacktown Spartans, Sunday 23rd of June, 2013, 3:00 pm Ilinden Sports Centre
Last Week:
Marconi Stallions 1 Rockdale City Suns 0
Blacktown Spartans 1 Manly United FC 1
On Sunday afternoon, Rockdale City Suns will be desperate to quickly turn the page after consecutive losses when Blacktown Spartans visit Ilinden Sports Centre.
The Suns phenomenal season has been halted with two heartbreaking, demoralising, injury-time losses, where the side has on both occasions had chances to win each match.
Branko Culina will be looking for his players to return to basics this weekend with the side needing a win to re-find the winning feeling that has accompanied the side this season.
Some concern surrounds the fitness of Richard Cardozo who came off the field with an injury. Culina will be asking his experienced campaigners to lift in front of Suns supporters, with the impressive youngsters at the coach’s disposal all more than capable of making a difference on Sunday.
The visiting Spartans have been an impressive side all season. The work of Ben De Haan has been exceptional, with the side collecting some big scalps thus far. The additions of Phil Makrys and Emmanuel Giannaros stand the side in very good stead to make a challenge for the finals and with a lot of pressure on the Suns this weekend to get a result and return to winning ways, the match may well prove the perfect opportunity for the Spartans to make a big claim for the top-five.
Blacktown City FC v APIA-Leichhardt Tigers, Sunday 23rd of June, 3:00 pm Lily Homes Stadium
Last Week:
Blacktown City FC 3 Sydney Olympic 0
Sutherland Sharks 4 APIA-Leichhardt Tigers 2
Blacktown City FC face APIA-Leichhardt Tigers at home on Sunday on the back of a very impressive win against Sydney Olympic last weekend. Blacktown City were flawless in the first-half, handing new Sydney Olympic coach Grant Lee his first league loss since taking over just over a month ago.
Travis Major inspired his side’s victory with a top performance – perhaps the only downer was that he only found the back of the net once after carving out a large number of opportunities.
Coach Mark Crittenden was more than pleased with his side’s showing after 90’ minutes, with the coach hoping to see some consistency over the coming weeks with some ‘up and down’ results over the first 14 rounds.
The Tigers on the other hand have continued to struggle this season with the side sitting in tenth-spot. Newest additions to the squad, Jason Oswell and Aaron Clapham have been big hits with some fine performances, and the side in general is certainly down to its last chance of making a last bid for the finals. Maximum points are required this weekend for the Tigers to stand any real chance.
Sydney Olympic v Sydney United 58 FC, Sunday 23rd June, 3:00 pm Belmore Sports Ground
Last Week:
Blacktown City FC 3 Sydney Olympic 0
Sydney United 58 FC 4 South Coast Wolves 0
In the weekend’s Match of the Round, former NSL giants Sydney Olympic and Sydney United 58 FC lock horns at Belmore Sports Ground on Sunday afternoon.
There is no love lost between these two clubs that possess a very proud, and successful, history in Australian football.
Both sides have undergone a somewhat ‘topsy turvey’ season thus far, with both the Blues and Reds experiencing highs and lows along the way.
Heading into this encounter, the Reds will certainly be full of confidence following the last-ditch win at Rockdale City a fortnight ago before handing South Coast Wolves a walloping at home last weekend.
Coach Mark Rudan appears to have instilled the confidence that accompanied the side over the first quarter of the season, though somehow went missing after the superb start to the campaign.
The return of Mirjan Pavlovic reaped reward last weekend, and with the side awaiting Robert Mileski (from suspension) and Luka Glavas (from injury) to return, the run towards the end of the season looks to be a very promising one for the Edensor Park side.
Sydney Olympic’s season appeared to gain traction after Grant Lee’s arrival at the club, however last weekend’s heavy loss at Blacktown City FC would certainly have unsettled the Blues somewhat. Lee has had to make do with the loss of a number of players since his arrival, though the likes of Troy Danaskos, William Angel and Zak Elrich have all stepped up with some big performances.
The Blues will need to make the most of home ground advantage to ensure it keeps pace with the Top-Five. With only one-point separating the two sides on the ladder, a win will go a long way for the victors in making a stand for the title this season.
-By Joseph Carlucci
IGA NPL NSW Men’s 1 The Teenage Revolution
The weekend threw up the usual number of so-called “upsets” and that has added even more intrigue to the situation on all the tables and so it is certain that every single result from here on in will have some sort of impact on the table.
IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 1 – Overview
Sutherland Sharks pocketed twelve points last time they faced APIA Leichhardt Tigers and history repeated as the Sharks took twelve points from the encounter again this week.
Blacktown City and Sydney Olympic shared the first round points at nine apiece. This week Blacktown earned seven points and Olympic gained four points from the first four age grades but the results of the Grade 16 and Grade 18 matches were not known at the time of writing.
Blacktown Spartans collected thirteen points from their first round encounter with Manly United, The Spartans were better off this time as they claimed sixteen points from the clash.
Sydney United 58 earned seven points and South Coast Wolves gained ten points last time the clubs saw each other and there was more of the same this time as United pocketed five points and the Wolves collected eleven points.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles secured seven points but Central Coast Mariners bagged ten points from their first round meeting. However, on this occasion Bonnyrigg made off with fifteen points from the fixture.
Marconi Stallions and Rockdale City Suns split the points from their first round clash with each club taking nine points and that is what happened again this week except that the clubs had to settle for seven points each.
IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 1 – Club Championship
Sutherland Sharks arrived at this round as the frontrunners on this table by a margin of ten points and they had claimed all twelve points from their first round meeting with fourth placed APIA Leichhardt Tigers. The Sharks have retained to top spot after they collected all twelve points while the Tigers have slipped back to sixth place.
Blacktown City started the day in second place and they had pocketed nine points last time they saw seventh placed Sydney Olympic. Blacktown remained where they were on the table when they gained seven points from the encounter while Olympic have dropped back to eighth.
Blacktown Spartans were in third position when the first whistle sounded for the day and they had taken nine points when they played sixth placed Manly United in the first round. The Spartans are still placed third following their gain of ten points from this week’s matches and Manly are now in seventh position.
Sydney United 58 came into this round in fifth position and they had taken only four points from their last encounter with tenth placed South Coast Wolves who had earned seven points from that weekend. United have climbed to fourth after they earned four points this time while the Wolves are still tenth despite taking seven points
When the first match kicked off Bonnyrigg White Eagles were in eighth place and they had shared the first round points at six apiece with eleventh placed Central Coast Mariners. Bonnyrigg have shot up to fifth place following their gain of all twelve points from the day and the Mariners have remained at eleventh.
Marconi Stallions began the day in ninth position and they had shared the points from their first round clash with twelfth placed Rockdale City Suns with each club taking six points home. This time the Stallions gained six points from the day and the Suns took three points, leaving both clubs where they were on the table.
IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 1 – Grade 12
Manly United started the day as the competition leaders by a margin of four points and they had taken the first round points with a 2-1 success over second placed Blacktown Spartans. However, this time the teams shared the points when they were locked together at 1-1 when the final whistle sounded. Manly are still leading the way on the table but the Spartans have dropped back to third.
Blacktown City arrived at this match in third position and they were 2-0 winners last time they faced eleventh placed Sydney Olympic. Blacktown completed the double with this week’s 2-1 victory and they have moved up to second place as a result with Olympic are still in eleventh place.
Placed fourth at kick-off time, South Coast Wolves had produced a 3-1 victory over sixth placed Sydney United 58 when they met in the first round but the tables were turned this time as United took the points with a 1-0 win and they have climbed into fifth place while the Wolves have hung onto fourth position. The goal for the winners was scored by N. Milanovic.
APIA Leichhardt Tigers were in fifth place when the first whistle sounded and they had suffered a 2-1 first round loss to seventh placed Sutherland Sharks and the Sharks completed the double when they once again posted a 2-1 scoreline. That has left them at seventh and pushed the Tigers back to sixth. Scoring the goals for Sutherland were M. Sidney and B. Raatz while the goal for the Tigers came from M. Tilio.
Marconi Stallions kicked off this match in ninth position and they were 1-0 winners last time they met tenth placed Rockdale City Suns but this week the teams shared the spoils when they finished at 1-1. The scorer for the Stallions was M. Self and the goal for the Suns came from J. Trajkovski.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles began the day in eighth place and they had come up with a 2-0 victory in their first round clash with twelfth placed Central Coast Mariners. Bonnyrigg did it again as they recorded a 2-0 win this time and that was enough to keep them in eighth position and to leave the Mariners at the foot of the table.
IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 1 – Grade 13
Sutherland Sharks were the competition leaders by a margin of three points when this match kicked off and they had registered a 5-1 win last time they faced ninth placed APIA Leichhardt Tigers. The Sharks completed the double when they won 1-0 and that has left them at the top of the table and the Tigers are still ninth. The winning goal was scored in the first half by J. Skotadis.
Blacktown City started the day in second place and they had posted a 3-0 result in their first round clash with fourth placed Sydney Olympic. Blacktown are still in second spot following this week’s 2-2 draw but Olympic have slipped back to fifth.
Manly United were placed third at kick-off time and they had suffered a 1-0 loss when they met seventh placed Blacktown Spartans last time around. The Spartans claimed all the points again this time when they were 2-1 winners and that has helped them to rise to fifth place.
Manly United also faced the twelfth placed Football NSW Institute over the weekend. Manly had secured the first round points with a 4-0 result and they completed the double this week when they were 3-0 winners, an outcome that has kept them at third and left the Institute at twelfth. Manly’s goals were scored by C. Southee-Sami, N. Corcoran and O. Wiggin.
Placed fifth when this match started, Sydney United 58 had gone down 4-1 to sixth placed South Coast Wolves when the teams met in the first round. When the Wolves won 5-0 this time they shot straight into fourth place while United have slipped back to seventh. The goals for the Wolves came from J. Gjorsevski (4) and B. Learmonth.
Marconi Stallions arrived at in game in eighth place and they were up against thirteenth placed Rockdale City Suns who had lost 7-0 to the Stallions in the first round. This week the Stallions produced a 3-2 victory and that left both teams they were on the table. Marconi’s scorers were D. Wilmering (2) and R. Jordan while J. Christou and A. Graorovski found the net for the Suns.
Central Coast Mariners were in tenth position when this match kicked off and they had recorded a 3-0 result when they faced eleventh placed Bonnyrigg White Eagles last time. The account was squared this week when Bonnyrigg posted a 1-0 win. Both teams have remained where they were on the table.
IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 1 – Grade 14
Leading the competition table by a margin of six points when this match kicked off, Sutherland Sharks had posted a 6-1 scoreline last time they saw tenth placed APIA Leichhardt Tigers. The Sharks maintained their competition leading margin when they produced a 2-0 success over the Tigers who have been forced back to eleventh position. Scoring a double for the Sharks was J. Bell with both goals coming in the second half.
Sydney Olympic started the day in second place and they were 2-0 winners in their first round clash with eighth placed Blacktown City. Olympic are still sitting in second spot thanks to a 1-0 victory over Blacktown, who have now tumbled back to tenth place.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles came into this game in third place and they had suffered a 3-1 loss when they met fifth placed Central Coast Mariners last time around. Bonnyrigg have held onto third position following their 3-1 win over the Mariners, reversing the first round outcome. ,
Placed sixth at kick-off time, Blacktown Spartans had produced a 1-0 victory in their first round encounter with eleventh placed Manly United. When they came up with a 2-1 victory this week, the Spartans climbed to fourth on the ladder.
Manly were also due to face the fourth placed Football NSW Institute on Sunday. The Institute were 1-0 winners last time the teams played each other but on this occasion Many were able to square the account when they produced a 2-1 result thanks to goals from D. Gurd and J. Nicholson. Manly are now in eighth place
Sydney United 58 arrived at this game in seventh place and they had battled out a 2-2 draw in their first round clash with thirteenth placed South Coast Wolves. History repeated this week when the teams once again found themselves locked up at 2-2 when the final whistle sound. The goals for United were scored by D. Brischetto and A. Vastag while J. Nikolovski and T. Russell netted for the Wolves. That has left both teams where they were on the table.
Rockdale City Suns were in seventh place when this match started and they had accounted for twelfth placed Marconi Stallions with a 5-0 scoreline when the teams met last time. However, on this occasion the teams had to settle for a share of the points as they battled out a scoreless draw. That has pushed the Suns back to ninth while the Stallions are still twelfth.
IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 1 – Grade 15
Bonnyrigg White Eagles arrived at this match as the competition leaders, two points ahead of their nearest rivals, and they had beaten ninth placed Central Coast Mariners 3-1 when they met in the first round. Bonnyrigg managed to extend their lead to three points thanks to a 4-1 win this week to complete the double and that has forced the Mariners back to tenth place.
Marconi Stallions were in second place at kick-off time and they were 2-0 winners over twelfth placed Rockdale City Suns last time the teams saw each other. Marconi held onto second spot when they posted a 5-2 success over the Suns.
Rockdale City Suns also faced the Football NSW Institute in Round 11 catch-up action, a game which the Institute won 5-1. That has forced Rockdale back to thirteenth position. Their goal came from M. Lecce and the scorers for the Institute were D. Arzani (2), K. Cimenti (2) and H. Van Der Saag.
Placed third when this match began, APIA Leichhardt Tigers had suffered a 3-1 loss when they faced fifth placed Sutherland Sharks last time around. The Tigers slipped back to fifth when they went down 2-1 to the Sharks this week, an outcome that has moved Sutherland up to third, The Goals for the Sharks were scored by C. Hancock and L. Kizi while M. Del Vecchio netted for the Tigers.
Sydney United 58 came into this match in fourth position and they had defeated thirteenth placed South Coast Wolves 5-0 in their first round clash. However, it was a very different story this week when the Wolves came up with a 3-1 victory to square the account. The Wolves are now in eleventh position and United have dropped back to sixth. The goal scorers for the Wolves were C. Kemp , M. Ferraro and R. Mcalpine and D. Vaccari provided the goal for United.
Blacktown City kicked off this match in sixth position and they had produced a 4-1 first round victory over eighth placed Sydney Olympic. This week Blacktown accounted for Olympic with a 3-0 scoreline, a result that has allowed Blacktown to climb to fourth and pushed Olympic back to ninth.
When this match began Blacktown Spartans were in seventh position and they had won by the odd goal in seven when they faced eleventh placed Manly United last time. This week the Spartans completed the double with a 3-0 win but they have remained in seventh place.
Manly United were also due to face the tenth placed Football NSW Institute after the teams had battled out a 2-2 draw in the first round. This time around the Institute grabbed all the points when they were 4-2 winners. That has allowed the Institute to move up to eighth and Manly have dropped back to twelfth.
IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 1 – Grade 16
Sydney Olympic held a lead of two points at the top of the table when this match kicked off and they had beaten third placed Blacktown City 3-0 when the teams faced each other last time. However, the result of this match was not known at the time of writing.
APIA Leichhardt Tigers came into this match in second position and they had produced a 2-0 victory in their first round encounter with eighth placed Sutherland Sharks. The Tigers completed the double this week when they were 1-0 winners thanks to a second half strike from G. Blackwood.
When this match began Central Coast Mariners were in fifth place and they had fought out a scoreless first round draw with twelfth placed Bonnyrigg White Eagles. However, Bonnyrigg claimed all the points this week with a 2-1 victory but they have remained at twelfth while the Mariners have slipped back to sixth.
Placed sixth at kick-off time, Manly United had suffered a 2-1 loss to ninth placed Blacktown Spartans when the teams met in the first round. The Spartans claimed the double when they produced a 3-0 result this week, an outcome that has lifted them to fifth position.
Manly were also due to face the fourth placed Football NSW Institute who had claimed the first round points with a 2-1 scoreline. That match ended in a scoreless draw, leaving the Institute at fourth a pushing Manly back to ninth place.
Sydney United 58 arrived at this game placed seventh and they had gone down 3-2 to eleventh placed South Coast Wolves in their first round encounter. On this occasion the teams battled out a 1-1 draw with the goals coming from A. Keskin for United and J. Ravnjak for the Wolves. Both teams have remained where they were on the table.
Rockdale City Suns started this game in tenth place and they had come up with a 5-0 result when they last faced thirteenth placed Marconi Stallions. While it was a bit closer this time, the Suns took the points once again when the won 2-1. The goals for the Suns were scored by C. Arditti and M. Trimboli while B. Cosic found the net for the Stallions. This result has taken the Suns up to eighth and the Stallions have remained at thirteenth.
IGA National Premier League NSW Men’s 1 – Grade 18
Leading the way on goal difference at kick-off time, Sydney Olympic had defeated fourth placed Blacktown City when the teams met in the first round. However, the result of this match was not known at the time of writing.
Blacktown Spartans were in second place when this game started and they had battled out a 1-1 first round draw with seventh placed Manly United. This week the Spartans claimed all the points when they were 6-1 winners.
On Sunday, Manly were also due to meet the eighth placed Football NSW Institute who had taken the first round points with a 2-1 result. The teams battled out a 2-2 draw this week and that has left both teams exactly where they were on the table. Both Manly’s goals were scored by O. Green in the first half.
Marconi Stallions came into this match in third place and they were 3-2 winners in their first round meeting with twelfth placed Rockdale City Suns. This time around the teams split the points when their match ended at 1-1 with the goal for the Suns coming from C. Arditti.
Kicking off this game in fifth position, Sydney United 58 had defeated tenth placed South Coast Wolves 3-2 in their first round clash. United are still in fifth place despite suffering a 4-1 loss to the Wolves who are still tenth. The goals for the Wolves were scored by S. Onana Awono (2), S. Hristovski and S. Isabella while M. Loupis netted for United.
APIA Leichhardt Tigers started the day in sixth place and they had edged out eleventh placed Sutherland Sharks with a 2-1 scoreline when the teams faced off last time. The Tigers completed the double when the produced another 2-1 win this time. Their scorers were J. Press and Z. Ribeiro while K. Tye scored for the Sharks. Neither team moved on the table.
Central Coast Mariners arrived at this match in ninth position and they had recorded a 2-1 victory over thirteenth placed Bonnyrigg White Eagles in their first round encounter. The Mainers claimed the points again when they were 1-0 winners. Both teams remained where they were on the table.
-By Barry Davis
Ibrahim Haydar wanting to learn under Mark Rudan
Sydney United 58 defender Ibrahim Haydar is hoping to bring the glory days back to his new club.
Haydar, 25, made a mid-season transfer from Sydney Olympic to join the Edensor Park side last week.
“Sydney United is a massive club and I am more than happy to be here,’’ he said.
“They have welcomed me with open arms and I am really looking forward to a big second half of the season.
“I’ve played with a few of the current players like Chris Triantis and Robbie Mileski.
“They are top notch players and I am really looking forward to linking up with them for the remainder of the season.’’
The centre-back has won titles with Sydney FC’s youth team and Sydney Olympic in the past few seasons.
After learning from several senior players in his younger years, Haydar is aiming to pass on his knowledge.
“I was lucky enough to be in teams that won the competition and I learnt a lot of things from all the senior players I came across with,’’ he said.
“I am just hoping I can pass on a bit of that experience to the younger boys that we have here at Sydney United.
“Looking across the park there is so much talent with these young boys and I’ve got a bit of experience so hopefully it rubs off on them.’’
Despite having great experience in the IGA NSW National Premier Leagues Mens 1 competition having played with the Bankstown City Lions and Sydney Olympic previously, Haydar said the lure of being coached by Mark Rudan was too hard a offer to refuse.
“I was more than happy to come across especially with Mark here being a former centre back as well,’’ he said.
“I am only 25, I still feel as if I’ve got a lot to learn and he is a coach that can teach me a lot.
“In training sessions you listen to a few things he says and it is stuff you have never heard before so I take it on board.
“The minute you think you know everything in football you start going downhill so I am always willing to learn.’’
Sydney United 58 sits in fourth position on the ladder and are a good chance for a title tilt in 2013.
After his brother Ali won the competition with the Marconi Stallions last season the brothers have one title each.
But Ibrahim has already sent a message to his brother for the years to come.
“At the beginning of the season I told my brother that he won one and I’ve won one,’’ he said.
“But I promised him by the end of our careers that I would have more trophies than him and I stand by that.’’
-By Chris Georges
Boardman, Bonnyrigg, Balls and Banter
Brad Boardman is never one to be serious off the pitch if a good laugh can be had so when asking the difference between Sutherland Sharks when he last played here to returning this season you get what you expect.
The main difference is that I am now 30-years old rather than 26,” he utters with that cheeky grin before continuing.
“But other than that there is little change to be honest.
“The club set-up is the same, many of the lads are still here and I couldn’t be happier to be back at Seymour Shaw Park playing for Sutherland Sharks again.”
Sitting second behind league leaders Bonnyrigg White Eagles, the team he left the Sharks for, and battling them for top spot is slightly ironic.
“It’s a big, big season for both clubs like you say and we’ve started it off pretty good and want to finish it well also.
“Obviously with Bonnyrigg still ahead of us, when we had the chance to go top last week, are obviously our main target and to keep up our momentum and hopefully overhaul them of course.”
There is no extra incentive for the burly striker that it is the club he went to that Sutherland are chasing.
“Not at all, Bonnyrigg are a great club too but I’m back at Sutho now and my heart is with this club.
“The White Eagles have been a benchmark club for the last few years and last season, he spent time playing with Dapto Dandaloo in the Illawarra Premier League, I kept tabs on both sides and of course Bonnyrigg dominated the 2012 campaign and we have made it a target to keep in touch with them and overtake them hopefully.”
Many believe the difference between the two coach’s is little more than Brown (Bonnyrigg) is a dead-ball specialist whereas the emphasis in a Stanton (Sharks coach) produced side is all about running on and off the ball structured around speed but having played under both, Boardman begs to differ.
“Brian (Bomber) Brown is a very gifted coach and his philosophy over the years has been to work hard with his team, get them really fit and to organise a good support structure in the way he wants his teams to play and the way he goes about achieving that.
“Stanno (Robbie Stanton) is a more modern, up to date type of coach where he adopts a lot of passing drills and by-the-book moves that has got us playing some good football that certainly isn’t based purely on pace.
“Both have their own ways of motivating players and although speed is important it is of little use if the final product isn’t the back of net due to haste.
“The ability of both sides to break quickly, and even dead-ball situations, are just part of the armoury of each team but so is the ability to defend in depth and work as a unit to get the points and so far this season it seems the two of us are better than the rest at this but that can change at the drop of a hat and we need to be constantly alert to this.”
Both Bonnyrigg and Sutherland are playing pretty but effective football so far in 2013 with the Round 16 clash between the two to come in a couple of weeks at Seymour Shaw and the possibility of meeting in the Final of the Waratah Cup looming on the horizon it remains to be seen who will come out as top dog.
One thing for sure, there are a number of sides sliding under the radar who will also have a mighty big say between now and Round 22 and the perennial question remains – Who will hold their nerve to the end in what promises to be an eventful couple of months?
-By Micky Brock