Round 13 Review – NPL NSW Men’s

Round 13 of the National Premier Leagues NSW season is in the books and Sydney Olympic has once again ended the week sitting on top spot of the competition ladder. 

The Abbas Saad coached side maintains its three point lead at the summit after a hard fought draw against APIA Leichhardt Tigers on Sunday.

For the second straight week Blacktown City has missed a chance on cutting the gap between them and the top two sides after they suffered defeat at the hands of Sydney United 58.

Manly United and Hakoah Sydney City East were forced to share the spoils on Saturday as did Bonnyrigg White Eagles and Marconi Stallions.

Sutherland Sharks claimed a win against bottom side Sydney FC

Rockdale City Suns wrapped up the week’s action with a comprehensive win against Wollongong Wolves in Sunday’s late match.

Manly United 0 – Hakoah Sydney City East 0 at Cromer Park

Manly United and Hakoah Sydney City East played out a tight 0-0 draw at Cromer Park on Saturday night.

In a match which seemed destined for stalemate, clear cut chances were far and few between.

The hosts will feel hard done by after maintaining the majority of second half possession, but often failing with their final pass.

However if it were not for a couple of outstanding stops from Shaun Catlin, it may well have been Hakoah who travelled home with all three points.

Now sitting narrowly outside of the all-important top five, both teams will be looking to recapture their form in front of goal and return to the winner’s circle next week.

Marconi Stallions 2 – Bonnyrigg White Eagles 2 at Marconi Stadium

Marconi Stallions and Bonnyrigg White Eagles were forced to share the spoils after playing out a hard fought 2-2 draw at Marconi Stadium on Saturday.

Bonnyrigg snatched a point from the result thanks to a clinical Shervin Adeli penalty in the 62nd minute.

It was another difficult result for Marconi who were in prime position to claim victory before conceding a second half equaliser.

Bonnyrigg captain Ray Miller gave the visitors the perfect start with a goal in the eighth minute which proved to be the only goal of the first half as the White Eagles went into the break with a 1-0 lead.

However, the home side hit back early in the second stanza as a 48th minute strike from Peter Pelekanos levelled the score before Sean Rooney put Marconi in front 2-1 ten minutes later.

But it wasn’t to be for the Stallions as a handball in the box only moments later gifted Bonnyrigg an equaliser and an all important competition point.

Sydney FC 0 – Sutherland Sharks 2 at Lambert Park

Sutherland Sharks dug deep at Lambert Park to come away with a 2-0 win over Sydney FC on Saturday night.

A goal either side of halftime enough to see the visitors through to a valuable three points.

The hosts might have largely controlled the match but Sutherland made their chances count where they had them.

Ryoga Suyama and Leroy Jennings needed no second invitation when the opportunity to score presented itself as they netted in the 18th and 90th minute.

Sydney FC had their moments but were unable to trouble the scoresheet in a tough night for the Young Sky Blues

Sydney Olympic 1 – APIA Leichhardt Tigers 1 at Belmore Sportsground 

A last gasp Nathan Millgate header has helped a 10-man APIA Leichhardt Tigers snatch a 1-1 daw against Sydney Olympic at Belmore Sportsground on Sunday.

It was a heartbreaking result for Sydney Olympic who dominated the majority of the match and should’ve taken a six point lead at the top of the National Premier Leagues NSW competition ladder.

Jinya An gave the home side the lead in the 35th minute with a cool finish from inside the penalty area after a scrap for possession from a looping corner kick.

APIA were determined to fight back but were reduced to 10-men when Brandon Lundy was shown a second yellow and sent off in the 68th minute.

However, the visitors would find the equaliser they were ever so desperate for as Millgate jumped above two markers to nod home the equaliser.

The result means Olympic stay at the top of the competition with a three point lead over the second placed Tigers.

Blacktown City 0 – Sydney United 58 1 at Lily Homes Stadium

It was a winning start for Miro Vlastelica as Sydney United 58 defeated Blacktown City FC by a 1-0 scoreline at Lily Homes Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The new coach’s first match at the helm resulted in three valuable points thanks to a decisive early goal from Matt Sim.

The result narrows third-placed Blacktown’s lead over United, reducing the gap from a daunting seven points to a hope-instilling four as teams begin to jostle for positions as we push into the back half of the 2018 NPL NSW Men’s season.

Rockdale City Suns 4 – Wollongong Wolves 1 at Ilinden Sports Centre 

The resurgence of the Rockdale City Suns continues after a comprehensive 4-1 win against Wollongong Wolves at Ilinden Sports Centre on Sunday.

An inspired second half performance was the difference as Rockdale scored three in the second stanza despite going into the interval locked a 1-1.

Aleks Canak opened the scoring after only 13 minutes but Peter Simonoski found an equaliser right on the half time whistle.

It was a completely different story in the second stanza as the floodgates opened for the Suns with Alec Urosevski and Bai Antonio netting before Aleks Canak wrapped up the result with a goal at the death.

The result catapults Rockdale into a tie for fifth spot on 17 points while Wollongong drops down to ninth.