Round 7 Review – NPL NSW Men’s
The National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s Easter football fiesta is in the bag and Wollongong Wolves remain on top for the seventh straight week.
Luke WIikshire’s side has stretched their lead at the competition summit to three points after APIA were held to a draw for the second straight week.
Marconi has quickly become a major contender in the race for the title with yet another dominant performance helping them claim all three points and third spot.
Sydney Olympic’s Championship and Premiership double hangover extended into another week as they were held to yet another draw which leaves them outside the top five looking in.
Finally it was a return to winning ways for Sydney United 58 in the last match of Round Seven on Monday and keeps Miro Valstelica’s side in touch with race for finals football after last weeks five goal drubbing.
APIA Leichhardt Tigers 1 – Blacktown City FC 1 at Lambert Park
A late Corey Biczo goal has helped APIA Leichhardt Tigers snatch a point as they were held to a 1-1 draw in their National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s clash against Blacktown City at Lambert Park on Good Friday.
Biczo’s goal helped APIA take home a point from a tentative display from both sides with the match only coming alive in the final stages of the clash.
Blacktown’s James Demetriou would’ve have thought he’d won it for his side when he scored off the bench at Lambert Park for the second week in a row, but Biczo was on hand a few minutes later to save the day for the hosts.
It was the second low scoring draw in as many weeks for the Tigers who once again missed the chance to take top spot.
Sydney Olympic 2 v Manly United 2 at Belmore Sports Ground
A Dimi Petratos goal in the dying minutes has helped Sydney Olympic rescue a 2-2 draw with Manly United in their National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s clash on Friday evening at Belmore Sportsground.
With Olympic eyeing off another crushing defeat with less than four minutes left on the clock, Petratos saved the day with a well hit strike from outside the 18 yard box.
Manly took the advantage twice in the game through Dejan Pandurevic and Scott Balderson, but Olympic cancelled out both of their goals through Mitchell Stamatellis and then Petratos at the death.
It was yet another frustrating result for either side who have struggled to make the most of their chances so far this season.
Marconi Stallions 3 v Sutherland Sharks 1 at Marconi Stadium
Marconi Stallions showed their clinical edge as they put on a flowing attacking performance to beat a gallant Sutherland Sharks 3-1 at Marconi Stadium on Easter Saturday.
The home side kept the attacking rolling after their five-star performance last weekend where they demolished neighbours Sydney United 58.
Mitch Mallia capped off a wonderful all-round performance with a second half strike, while Mirjan Pavlovic and Brandon Vella made it three straight for the Stallions.
For Sutherland the defeat was their fifth of the season and stretches their winless run to six games.
Rockdale City Suns FC 2 v Sydney FC 1 at Ilinden Sports Centre
A two-goal flurry inside three second half minutes has helped Rockdale City Suns to a confidence boosting 2-1 win against Sydney FC at Ilinden Sports Centre on Sunday.
Aleks Canak and Alec Urosevski’s strikes midway through the second stanza lifted the Rockdale faithful and helped interim coach Nick Porecca to his second straight National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s win.
A first half dominated by the goalkeepers opened up after the break with Rockdale desperately pushing for an opening goal.
However, with 20 minutes let on the clock Canak broke through the resilient Sydney defence and Urosevski followed only moments later.
A late goal to Marco Tilio for the Young Sky Blues made for a tetchy closing minutes but a dramatic equaliser wasn’t to be as Rockdale climbed up the table with a big home victory.
Hakoah Sydney City FC 0 v Wollongong Wolves 2 at Hensley Athletic Field
Two ‘golden eggs’ from Thomas James were enough for competition front-runners Wollongong Wolves to overcome Hakoah Sydney City East 2-0 at Hensley Athletic Field on Easter Sunday.
The hosts were denied any opportunities to take a stranglehold of the contest by an energetic Wolves side, whose rapid counter-attacking game proved to be successful yet again.
The sides were ultimately split by two moments of brilliance from emerging Golden Boot favourite Thomas James, who found the back of the net on either side of half time with a precise flicked header on 22 minutes and a 55th minute low drive which nestled in the bottom corner.
Hakoah experienced brief periods of dominance, particularly late in the second half, however were often let down by their final pass on a frustrating day for the Eastgardens faithful.
Overall it was a professional showing from the ladder leaders, who continue to go from strength to strength under new boss Luke Wilkshire.
Sydney United 58 3 v Mt Druitt Town Rangers FC 1 at Sydney United Sports Centre
A sensational Peter Simonoski hat-trick has lifted Sydney United 58 back into the winners circle as they defeated National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s newcomers Mt Druitt 3-1 at Sydney United Sports Centre on Monday.
It was the perfect response from United 58 after last week’s drubbing at the hands of Marconi with Simonoski’s display exactly the performance coach Miro Vlastelica would’ve had in mind when he signed the striker in the off-season.
The former Wolves front man opened the scoring midway through the first half before giving the Edensor Park based side a 2-0 buffer at the interval.
Mt Druitt hit back early in the second-half but despite their efforts to get back into the game they couldn’t stop United 58 and Simonoski who wrapped up the win and his hat-trick 10 minutes from the final whistle.
The result keeps Sydney United 58 on track with the rest of the top five and settles the ship after a few bad results in recent weeks.
