Week nine of the National Premier Leagues NSW Competition is in the bag after another big weekend of fixtures.
Rockdale Ilinden clings to the top spot for another week but only hold a two-point lead ahead of second.
Blacktown City was the big mover this round and will go into next week with their eye on taking first place.
APIA Leichhardt returned to the winners’ circle, as did Sydney Olympic, with the historic clubs beginning to find their feet after a difficult start
Sutherland Sharks also claimed a much-needed win after a shock victory in the battle of the beaches against Manly United.
If you missed any of the weekend’s action you can catch full match replays on NPL.TV
Manly United 0 – Sutherland Sharks 1 at Cromer Park
Sutherland Sharks FC lifted themselves off the bottom of the NPL NSW Men’s 1 ladder with a tense 1-0 result against Manly United FC tonight at Cromer Park.
Fresh from their dramatic seven-goal thriller, Manly United FC looked to cement their spot in the top four against the struggling Sutherland Sharks.
The home side dominated the first half but was unable to find the back of the net and fell to their second defeat of the season.
Tonight’s result was a much-needed relief for the Sutherland Sharks FC with James Andrew converting the winning goal from the penalty spot.
APIA Leichhardt 2 – Wollongong Wolves 1 at Lambert Park
A pair of first-half goals have helped APIA Leichhardt to their third win of the season as they claimed a 2-1 win against Wollongong Wolves at Lambert Park on Friday night.
Strikes from Mathieu Cordier and Sean Symons before the interval were enough for APIA as they held out an improved Wolves display in the second stanza to secure all three competition points.
It was a second straight loss for the Wolves who have only two wins from their opening nine matches.
Marconi Stallions 0 – Mt Druitt Town Rangers 2 at Marconi Stadium
Mt Druitt Town Rangers have secured a valuable victory away from home on Saturday night, with a 2-0 win over Marconi Stallions at Marconi Stadium.
The victory extends Mt Druitt’s unbeaten run to four games as they continue to claw their way up the NPL NSW Men’s ladder as Stewart Montgomery’s side have become one tough team to take on.
Goals to the in-form Jack Stewart and Takumu Tsujimura were unanswered by the home side, who struggled to convert their multitude of opportunities throughout the match and have now gone almost a month without a victory in the NPL NSW Men’s competition.
Blacktown City 3 – Sydney FC 0 at Lily Homes Stadium
A big second-half showing has helped Blacktown City to a dominant 3-0 win against Sydney FC at Lily Homes Stadium on Sunday.
While the match was locked scoreless at the break, Blacktown City found their rhythm in the second stanza as Travis Major, Mario Shabo and Suleyman Bangura hit the back of the net to secure all three competition points.
It was another frustrating result for Sydney FC who have now gone six matches without a win.
The win moves Blacktown City into second place on the ladder, only two points behind competition leaders Rockdale Ilinden.
Rockdale Ilinden FC 0 – Sydney United 58 0 at Rockdale Ilinden Sports Centre
Sydney United 58 has dug deep to claim a point in a scoreless grand final rematch against Rockdale Ilinden at Rockdale Ilinden Sports Centre.
Early dominance from Rockdale equated to nothing as poor finishing and an improved second half from United 58 ensured both sides shared the spoils.
Neither side was able to produce that one moment of inspiration to take all three points in an entertaining end-to-end game of football.
Sydney Olympic FC 2 – Northbridge Bulls 1 at Belmore Sports Ground
Sydney Olympic returned to the winner’s circle with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Northbridge Bulls at Belmore Sports Ground on Sunday.
The first match of Olympic’s ANZAC Day doubleheader ended in positive fashion for the hosts as a Jason Madonis penalty and Mohammed Adam spot-kick cancelled out Jake Holman’s spectacular opener.
It was Olympic’s first win in three weeks and moves them to sixth on the ladder, while it was a third straight defeat for Northbridge who finish the week in 11th.