PS4 NPL NSW Men’s 1 Round 17 Review
Sydney United 58 FC might be Waratah Cup winners, but it won’t feel like that after losing 2-1 to a rampant Bonnyrigg White Eagles outfit.
The White Eagles are not just one point off PS4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s 1 ladder leaders Blacktown City FC, which was held to a draw at home by a resilient Rockdale City Suns FC.
As a result, APIA Leichardt has been left to lick its wounds having fallen to third on the table after failing to defeat Sutherland Sharks despite holding a 2-0 lead deep into the second half.
ROUND 17 REVIEW
Sydney United 58 FC 1-2 Bonnyrigg White Eagles, at Sydney United Sports Centre
If ever there was a goal to seal three points in a Sydney United 58 FC v Bonnyrigg White Eagles derby, Aaron Peterson’s was it.
Peterson scored an immaculate volley from 35-yards out after the Untied defence struggled with a clearance to seal three points and all the pride that goes with it in the latest chapter of this historic rivalry.
The White Eagles rode their luck early on and relied on an uncharacteristic miss from United’s Nikola Taneski in just the fifth minute of play.
Bonnyrigg’s Robbie Younis was not feeling as charitable in front of goal and when his chance came from a corner after 25 minutes, he made no mistake in putting the ball into the back of the net for his 10th of the season.
Justin Pasfield was heroic in the Sydney United 58 goal, but he was powerless to stop Peterson’s wonder strike, meaning substitute Michael Cindric’s late goal was nothing more than a consolation.
Sutherland Sharks 2-2 APIA Leichardt, at Seymour Shaw Park
Sutherland Sharks pulled off an escape David Copperfield would have been proud of on Saturday night when they snatched a point from the jaws of defeat against APIA Leichardt.
The Tigers weren’t to know at the time, but the two points dropped are massive in the context of Sunday’s results.
Failing to capitalise on a 2-0 lead with just six minutes to go has cost the Tigers a golden opportunity to gain two points on leaders Blacktown City.
The match had got off to a dream start for the Tigers, too, as Blake Powell made a triumphant return from trialling with A-League outfit Wellington Phoenix when his cross-come-shot found the back of the net in the opening minute.
It got better in the 52nd minute when Franco Parisi found former Shark Nathan Elasi who made no mistake from close range with a cool finish.
From there, the dream quickly turned into a nightmare.
The Sharks announced their comeback through Sean O’Connell who gave the ball plenty of fury when he thrashed it into the back of the net.
O’Connell was only upstaged by Jordan Figon, who sealed an unlikely point in stoppage time.
Blacktown City 0-0 Rockdale City Suns, at Lilys Football Centre
Who said no goals means no excitement?
Despite the lack of goals, the paying customer could hardly complain at what was on offer at Lilys Football Centre when Blacktown City welcomed Rockdale City Suns, not that Blacktown will be revelling in the result.
Blacktown controlled the majority of possession but failed to effectively deliver the ball into the box to a frustrated Mitch Mallia who battled hard all day.
Sasa Macura and Connor Evans were outstanding in midfield for the league leaders, but still their position at the top of the table looks increasingly under threat despite stretching their run of games without a loss to nine on Sunday.
The best chances in this fixture fell to the Suns despite their lack of possession, as they effectively countered thanks largely to the exceptional hold up play of ex-A-League hit man Dylan Macallister and the speed and guile of Alec Urosevski.
As good as the Suns’ duo were, they had to work for everything they got against an inspired central defensive duo of Matt Lewis and Zach Cairncross, backed up brilliantly by the superb Nenad Vekic.
Sydney Olympic FC 1-5 Manly United FC, at Belmore Sports Ground
How long does it take to win a football match?
Just five minutes if you’re Manly United FC.
For five brilliant, wonderful minutes, Manly was an unstoppable juggernaut.
That was all the time it needed to hammer three, yes three, goals past Olympic.
First it was Dejan Pandurevic, then Bradley McDonald and then Daniel Saric, who all scored in the 22nd, 25th and 27th minutes respectively.
Just for good measure, Saric scored another in the 33rd minute.
In one of the most dominant one-half performances of the PS4 National Premier Leagues NSW season, this contest was done before it was barely a half-hour hold.
Frustration did not take long to set in and Scott Balderson found himself heading to the dressing rooms after a second bookable offense before the first half was over.
To Olympic’s credit, it drew the second half 1-1 with just 10 men on the field, but with the game all but won, you might forgive United for taking its foot off the pedal.
Christopher Payne made it 5-0 in the 85th minute, before Brayden Sorge scored a last-minute consolation for Olympic on a disappointing night for the home supporters.
Blacktown Spartans 2-1 Marconi Stallions, at Blacktown Football Park
If Marconi Stallions are relying on luck for their much anticipated third win of the season, they might be waiting a while.
The Stallions performed admirably away to Blacktown Spartans on Sunday but became the latest team on an increasingly long list to fall victim to another late Spartans comeback.
The Spartans continue to prove a real threat to the established order in the league as it moves closer and closer to the top five and there can certainly be no doubting their character.
Josh Da Silva and Josh Tanner were Blacktown’s saviours as they turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 win and another three valuable points with two second half goals to cancel out Jack Press’ 54th minute opener.
South Coast Wolves 4-2 Parramatta FC, at WIN Stadium
There is an unlikely finals contender shaping up in Wollongong.
That’s the verdict after the South Coast Wolves put a struggling Parramatta FC to the sword with a big 4-2 win.
Peter Simonoski and Jordan Murray both scored braces, and may both have been disappointed not to score hat-tricks, as the Wolves moved further away from the bottom end of the table and closer to the finals places.
The chances came thick and fast for the Wolves who spurned them almost as quickly as they made them, but with so many opportunities forthcoming it was only a matter of time before Parramatta’s heroic goalkeeper Luke Turnbull let one in.
That moment came in just the 17th minute, after Turnbull had already been called upon several times to save his side through Simonoski.
He got his second 20 minutes later when he got the better of Turnbull again, before Murray finally got in on the act just before half-time.
Parramatta got the first of its consolation efforts in the 57th minute when a Daniel Rezo cross was sent into the Wolves’ net via their own defender, before Murray reinstated the three-goal advantage.
Eagles defender Josh Symons reinstated some pride in the score line with an 87th minute effort that found the bottom corner, but it was up to Turnbull again to keep the deficit to two in the dying minutes when he pulled off perhaps his best save yet to deny Simonoski a hat-trick.
– By Matthew Galea, PS4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s 1 Editor.