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Round 10 Preview – NPL NSW Men’s

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The four-team race for the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s Premiership could be whittled down to two as Round 10 action takes place this weekend. 

The penultimate round of the regular season features two potential premiership deciders on Sunday as competition leaders Rockdale Ilinden travel to Sydney United 58, while fifth placed Sydney FC play host to second placed Wollongong Wolves.

Nothing less than a win will be an option in what is the closest premiership race in the competition’s recent history with five teams are still in the running to finish the season on top. 

The matches get underway with a triple header on Friday as Manly take on Mt Druitt at Cromer Park, Blacktown are at home against APIA Leichhardt and Marconi battles for a place in the finals against North Shore Mariners.

Finally, Sydney Olympic will take on Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday night as they look to stay in the premiership race.

You won’t want to miss a moment of the action, with every game streamed live on NPL.TV

 

Manly United FC v Mt Druitt Town Rangers, 7.30pm Friday at Cromer Park

Manly United will be determined to claim a win in their last home game of the season when they host Mt Druitt Town Rangers at Cromer Park on Friday night.

The boys from the Northern Beaches fought back to claim a draw against Marconi last week after a sublime finish from Brendan Cholakian.

The emergence of the side’s young players such as Luca Kmet, Marley Peterson, Jordan Devries and James Georgaklis has been a bright spot in what has been a season of mixed results.

Coach Adam Griffiths will be looking for another big performance from his rising stars this week.

They will be up against a Mt Druitt side which was on the wrong side of a 5-0 demolition from Sydney FC last week.

The Franco Cosentino coached side has been a competitive outfit all season and will be looking to take maximum points from their final two games.

Rangers captain Carlos Saliadarre has been a star performer in goals all season and will be called on to lead from the back once again.

It is set to be an open contest and could go down to the wire.

 

Blacktown City v APIA Leichhardt, 7.30pm Friday at Lily Homes Stadium

Blacktown City will be out to make it back to back wins for the first time this season when they host APIA Leichhardt at Lily Homes Stadium on Friday.

It was a massive return to form from City in Round 9 as they stunned premiership hopefuls Sydney United 58 5-1.

Leroy Jennings was the star of the show for the Seven Hills based side scoring a sublime hat trick in the win.

Rhett Desilva was another player who wowed the fans after scoring a thunderous strike from range.

Both players will be ones to watch this week against a leaky APIA defence.

APIA come into the contest after a thrilling 3-2 loss to Rockdale and will be out to finish a season of struggles with a win.

Hardman Paul Galimi marked his return to the starting line-up in style with a goal last week and will be out to build on that performance against Blacktown.

Themba Muata-Marlow was another key defender who has made a recent return to the side and will be needed if APIA are to take home the win.

Both sides have had their struggles during the rebooted season, but this game will be a chance to put a positive spin on what has been a hard campaign for their players and fans alike.

 

Marconi Stallions v North Shore Mariners, 8pm Friday at Marconi Stadium

Marconi Stallion’s finals hopes go on the line as they host a gritty North Shore Mariners on Friday night at Marconi Stadium.

The Stallions are two points outside the top five and will need to win at least one of their last two matches if they are going to play in the postseason.

A draw last round against Manly was a frustrating result for the Peter Tsekenis coached side and he will be urging his players to rediscover their scoring touch.

Marko Jesic has been in fine touch upfront for Marconi but he will need support from his teammates if they are to return to their free-scoring ways.

Injuries have plagued Tsekenis’ men but they still have the likes of keeper Nenad Vekic, Anthony Costa, Connor Evans, James Andrew, Anthony Frangie, Martin Fernandez and Nathan Millgate to guide them through to a hopeful Finals Series finish.

Looking to stop them will be a Mariners team who last round held premiership contenders Sydney Olympic to a 1-1 draw.

It was a dogged performance from the Mariners highlighted by a sublime Chris Lindsay free-kick.

The Mariners will be determined to avoid the wooden spoon and will be out to make life difficult for the teams battling at the top end of the table.

Mitchell Smith will lead the team up-front and he will hope to add a couple more goals to his impressive goalscoring tally.

Marconi will be favourites at home but it won’t be easy going against a determined North Shore team.

 

Sydney Olympic v Western Sydney Wanderers, 7pm Saturday at Lambert Park

It’s crunch time for Sydney Olympic in the race for the Premiership as they host Western Sydney Wanderers at Lambert Park on Saturday night.

Olympic sits in fourth place, three points behind ladder leaders Rockdale, and will need to win both of their remaining matches to give them the best shot of finishing the regular season in first place.

A frustrating 1-1 draw against North Shore Mariners last week was a difficult result for Olympic to swallow, but they must bounce back and rediscover their attacking prowess when they take on the Wanderers.

Look to experienced strikers Fabio Ferreira and Charles Lokolingoy to lead the charge as the Ante Juric coached outfit battles to keep their Premiership hopes alive while Hagi Gligor continues to find his old self with some good performances in midfield.

Looking to stop them is a Western Sydney Outfit which has developed a penchant for challenging the competition’s best.

Central defender Tass Mourdoukoutas has held his own against the A-League’s best strikers and will be tasked with marking up against Olympic’s star frontline.

Fellow defender Mohamed Al Taay has also been solid for the Red and Black’s and he will need to be at his best to thwart out any Blues attack.

The Wanderers have some skilful attacking stars of their own in Rory Jordan, Peter Grozos and Ali Auglah.

Olympic will go into the match as favourites but the Wanderers will push them for the full 90 minutes.

 

Sydney United 58 v Rockdale Ilinden, 3pm Sunday at Sydney United Sports Centre

Sydney United Sports Centre will be host to a possible Premiership decider as Sydney United 58 go up against Rockdale Ilinden on Sunday.

United 58 led the competition before a horror 5-1 loss to Blacktown City last round which dropped them down to third on the ladder, two points behind new leaders Rockdale.

It was the first major slip-up in over month for The Reds who had previously seemed unflappable as they headed towards a premiership title.

However, last week’s major slip up means they will need to win on Sunday if they have any chance of finishing the season on top.

Patrick Antelmi continued his brilliant scoring run despite defeat last week and will again be an integral player in United 58’s chances.

Yianni Perkatis is another to keep an eye on as he pulls the strings from midfield.

For Rockdale the match is a chance to stretch their lead at the top of the competition and move one step closer to a historic title.

Their 3-2 win last week against bogey side APIA Leichhardt proved coach Steven Zoric has helped his players take their game to a new level.

Tomoki Wada has etched an important role in the centre of the park for Rockdale and will be the key player for them in this contest.

Alec Urosevski’s late winner after coming on as a substitute was another incredible showing from the talismanic striker, who for years has been the main man at Ilinden Sports Centre.

This game has so much riding on it so expect a finals-like atmosphere on the pitch.

Neither side is going to give any less than their best with a possible premiership on the line.

If you can only catch one game this week – make sure it is this one. You won’t want to miss it.

 

Sydney FC v Wollongong Wolves, 6.30pm Sunday at Ilinden Sports Centre

Premiership hopes go on the line on Sunday night as Sydney FC host Wollongong Wolves at Ilinden Sports Centre on Sunday.

Fifth placed Sydney FC are four points off the pace and must win their next two games if they are to pull off an incredible premiership run.

After a period of frustrating results, the Young Sky Blues returned to form last week with a 5-0 domination of Mt Druitt.

Thomas Fay scored a brilliant hat trick in the win, while Jordi Swibel claimed a brace.

The form of Sydney’s young strikers including current Golden Boot leader Patrick Wood is one of the side’s strengths at this crunch time of the season.

They come up against the second placed Wollongong Wolves who are n a campaign to win the premiership for the second straight year.

A hard fought 1-0 win against Western Sydney last week helped them claim a vital three points and keep the pressure on competition leaders Rockdale Ilinden.

Josh Bingham had made a slow start to his time at the Wolves, but the striker has found form when it matters most as proven by his match winning goal last week.

The pressure will be on him and Thomas James to take the match to the youthful Sydney FC defence.

With so much riding on this game neither side can afford to lose.

It is set to be a blockbuster.

Round 9 Review – NPL NSW Men’s

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The Premiership race has been blown wide open after Round 9 of the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition.

Shock defeats for Sydney United 58, as well as draws for Sydney Olympic and Marconi, has completely shaken up the top five with Rockdale and Wollongong Wolves now in first and second position.

Rockdale have a two-point lead at the summit of the competition after this weekend’s action as they edged rivals APIA Leichhardt.

Sydney FC powered back into contention with a big win against Mt Druitt, while Blacktown City stunned everyone with their one-sided thrashing of United 58.

With only two matches in the regular season remaining, the premiership and finals places are very much for the taking. 

 

Blacktown City 5 (Jennings 13′, 21′, 61′,  Collins 47′, Desilva 50′)  – Sydney United 58 1 (Antelmi 25′) at Lily Homes Stadium

Sydney United 58’s Premiership hopes have suffered a significant blow after a Leroy Jennings hat trick lifted struggling Blacktown City to a shock 5-1 demolition of the ladder leaders at Lily Homes Stadium on Friday.

It was an incredible return to form for City with on-fire winger Jennings leading the way against an out of sorts United 58 side who slumped to their worst and most humiliating defeat of the season.

It was one-way traffic from early on in the contest with Jennings striking twice inside the first 20 minutes as United 58 struggled to contain City’s skilful winger.

Patrick Antelmi claimed his seventh goal of the season in the 25th minute to get the visitors back into the contest.

United 58 showed signs of life late in the first half as they pushed for an equaliser, but would go into the interval trailing a fired up Blacktown side 2-1 at the break.

The home side took their game up a level after the restart and punished some sloppy United defending when Daniel Collins headed home Blacktown’s third goal in the 47th minute.

Blacktown delivered a moment of brilliance in the 50th minute courtesy of Rhett Desilva.

The tricky midfielder unleashed an absolute thunderbolt into the top corner of the net from 35 yards out to give City their fourth goal of the match.

Jennings wrapped up the result on the hour mark in style with a header at the far post to claim his hat trick and give Blacktown one of the most spectacular wins of the season.

 

Marconi Stallions 1 (Jesic 55′)  – Manly United 1 (Cholakian 66′) at Marconi Stadium

Marconi Stallions hopes of playing finals football have taken a significant hit after they were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against Manly United on Saturday.

A second half volley from Manly’s inspirational captain Brendan Cholakian helped the visitors fight back and snatch a point a gusty Marconi Stadium.

The result means the Stallions remain in sixth place, two points outside the top five with only two matches to play in the regular season.

It was a slow start to the match with neither side creating any clear cut opportunities to score.

Manly spurned a gilt-edged chance in the 25th minute when an unmarked Dejan Pandurevic fired over the crossbar with only the keeper to beat from only 9 yards out.

It proved to be the best chance of the opening stanza with the windy conditions hampering the play of both teams as they went into the break locked at 0-0.

Marconi didn’t take long to find the back of the net after the restart with club captain Marko Jesic heading home from close range to give the home side a 1-0 lead.

Manly was not to be denied and hit back shortly after with Cholakian volleying home with his left foot after a sloppy defensive clearance from the Stallions to level the score at 1-1.

Cholakian had a chance to steal victory for his side in the dying stages, but Marconi shot-stopper Nenad Vekic expertly saved his stinging effort as both sides were forced to settle for a point.

 

Sydney Olympic 1 (Gligor 47′) – North Shore Mariners 1 ( Lindsay 31′) at Lambert Park

Sydney Olympic has missed a chance to move into the top spot on the NPL NSW Men’s competition table after they were held to a shock 1-1 draw with bottom side North Shore Mariners on Saturday.

A second-half strike from Hagi Gligor cancelled out North Shore captain Chris Lindsay’s first-half free-kick as the home side were forced to settle for a point.

The draw could prove costly for Olympic’s Premiership hopes as they were unable to make the most of league leader.

After a mostly uneventful opening to the match, the Mariners took the lead after 30 minutes courtesy of Lindsay.

The North Shore captain fired in a sublime curling free-kick from the edge of the penalty area which flew into the top corner to give the visitors a shock 1-0 lead at the break.

Olympic raced out of the blocks after the interval and was able to equalise less than 90 seconds after the restart when Chris Gligor poked the ball home from close range after the Mariners were unable to clear a corner kick off their line.

Tempers frayed through the second-half as frustrations got the better of both sides.

Olympic pushed for a winner late in the contest, but it wasn’t to be as the Mariners clung on to claim a hard-earned point which felt like a victory for Joe Hayward’s side who stung Ante Juric’s highly talented squad.

 

Mt Druitt Town Rangers 0 – Sydney FC 5 (Swibel 11, 59′, Fay 12′, 36′, 89′) at Popondetta Park

A quality Thomas Fay hat-trick has helped revive Sydney FC’s Premiership hopes as the Young Sky Blues claimed a dominant 5-0 drubbing against a hapless Mt Druitt Town Rangers outfit at Popondetta Park on Saturday.

It was a sensational bounce-back performance from Sydney after their 4-0 loss last week as they move back into the top five, only four points behind ladder leaders Rockdale.

A fast start to the match had the visitors on top early with Jordi Swibel converting from the penalty spot and Fay claiming his first goal of the game to give Sydney a 2-0 advantage inside the opening 15 minutes.

Fay claimed his third minutes out from the interval with Sydney in complete control of the contest.

It was more of the same in the second stanza with the visitors stretching their lead from the penalty spot in the 60th minute as Swibel claimed a brace in his first start of the season.

Mt Druitt had a few moments of their own late in the second half but was unable to make the most of their chances.

In the last minute of the match, Fay wrapped up his hat trick with a simple tap in at the back post to secure the 5-0 win for Sydney FC.

 

Wollongong Wolves 1 (Bingham 32′) – Western Sydney Wanderers 0 at Albert Butler Memorial Park

A first-half goal from Josh Bingham was all it took for Wollongong Wolves as they claimed a 1-0 win against Western Sydney Wanderers at Albert Butler Memorial Park on Sunday.

The result moves Wollongong into the second spot on the ladder, two points behind first-placed Rockdale Ilinden with two games left in the season.

Josh Bingham opened the scoring for the home side on the half-hour mark with Wollongong taking their 1-0 lead into the break.

Western Sydney fought back in the second stanza but could not break down a composed Wolves defence.

Despite a spirited performance from the Wanderers, it wasn’t enough as Wollongong clung on to claim all three competition points.

 

Rockdale Ilinden 3 (Neill 44′, Casella 63′, Urosevski 89′ )  – APIA Leichhardt 2 (Galimi 52′, Diaz 74′ ) at Ilinden Sports Centre

In what appeared to be the game of the round thanks to all the heart stomping action, Rockdale Ilinden has jumped to the top of the NPL NSW Men’s competition ladder after a dramatic final minute goal from ‘the baker’ Alec Urosevski has helped them to a 3-2 win against rivals APIA Leichhardt.

Ilinden now sits two points clear of second-placed Wollongong Wolves and are in pole position to take out the premiership with only two matches left in the regular season.

Urosevski’s goal capped off a thrilling contest and helped Rockdale claim a rare victory against their bogey side APIA.

APIA took the game to their opponents from the opening whistle and had the best chances of the opening stanza.

However, it was the home side who would take the lead on the cusp of half time.

A rasping shot from Tomoki Wada clanged off the woodwork before falling at the feet of Michael Neill who tapped home from only a few yards out.

APIA hit back almost immediately after the restart with Paul Galimi heading home from a corner kick to level the score at 1-1.

Rockdale would take the lead once again in the 62nd minute when Jaden Casella finished a counter-attacking move from the home side.

It was an end to end match, and both sides refused to roll over.

APIA found an equaliser courtesy of Tynan Diaz in the 74th minute when the veteran winger finished a flowing move with a composed shot past the keeper

With the game headed for a draw, Rockdale delivered a final twist with Urosevski claiming a dramatic late winner firing past Luke Turnbull with his second effort to snatch the win and all three competition points.

Round 9 Preview – NPL NSW Men’s

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It’s Round 9 in the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition and it’s crunch time in the race for the Premiership.

With only three games to play, there are still six teams in contention to finish the rebooted regular season on top making every match a potential premiership decider.

The week’s action gets underway on Friday night with Blacktown City FC hosting competition leaders Sydney United 58.

A triple header will take place on Saturday starting with Marconi Stallions at home against Manly United FC.

Saturday will also feature Sydney Olympic up against North Shore Mariners and Mt Druitt taking on Sydney FC.

Western Sydney Wanderers will travel to take on Wollonong Wolves this Sunday before Rockdale will go head to head with APIA Leichhardt in the final match of the round.

 

Blacktown City FC v Sydney United 58 FC, 7.30 pm Friday at Lily Homes Stadium.

Blacktown City will be out to prove they have turned a corner with victory against league leaders Sydney United 58 on Friday.

It has been a horror campaign for City who linger in second last place, but last week’s win against Manly has given hope they have rediscovered their magic touch.

In that match it was a pair of first half goals courtesy of captain Matt Lewis and striker Suleyman Bangura which was the difference as Blacktown made the most of their fast start to the match.

It will take a similar recipe if City are to pull off an upset this week, with early goals from the attack of Leroy Jennings, Hassan Jalloh and Charles Mendy needed to shake the usually unflappable United 58 defence.

United 58 come into this game in impressive form winning their last four matches to fly to the top of the table.

Striker Patrick Antelmi has proven unstoppable with six goals in only four games.

However, it is United 58’s dynamic midfield of Yianni Perkatis, Matt Sim and Glen Trifiro which has been the real powerhouse behind the club’s recent success.

The trio’s combination to set up Antelmi last week in the 2-1 win against Marconi is the perfect example of how easy they can dismantle a well organised defence.

United 58 will go in to this match as overwhelming favourites, but don’t write off Blacktown as they will be determined to put a spanner in the works of their rival’s premiership aspirations.

 

Marconi Stallions v Manly United FC, 4 pm Saturday at Marconi Stadium

A bounce back win will be on the agenda for Marconi Stallions when they host Manly United at Marconi Stadium on Saturday.

The Stallions went down 2-1 to rivals Sydney United 58 last week which put a big dent in their chase for the premiership.

However, The Peter Tsekenis coached side are only five points behind the ladder leaders and will believe they can win all of their remaining games to snatch an unlikely title triumph.

This game will be all about how fast Marconi can take advantage of a young Manly defence with attackers Anthony Frangie, Marko Jesic and Mitch Mallia key to their success.

Nathan Millgate has been a solid performer in the backline for Marconi in recent weeks and will provide a stable platform for the team to build off.

Their opponents are a Manly United team which has struggled for consistency as demonstrated in last week’s 2-1 defeat against a struggling Blacktown City outfit.

The boys from the Northern Beaches have shown they are capable of bringing it against the league’s best but are equally capable of conceding important goals at the worst possible occasion.

Captain Brendan Cholakian has for many years been one of the most dynamic midfield players in the competition and his recent form has only reinforced that.

He will need to lead from the front if Manly are to cause an upset along with young gun attacker Marley Peterson.

Marconi will be favourites for this clash but their own lapses in concentration this season could open the door for Manly if they are not careful.

 

Sydney Olympic v North Shore Mariners, 7 pm Saturday at Lambert Park

Nothing less than three points will be considered an acceptable result when Sydney Olympic host bottom side North Shore Mariners on Saturday night.

After leading the competition going into last round, Olympic now sits in third spot after a 1-0 defeat against Wollongong Wolves.

The pressure is on coach Ante Juric and his Olympic team to make a statement this round with a big win.

This match is a chance for the attacking trio of Fabio Ferreira, Charles Lokolingoy and Adam Parkhouse to shine.

Standing in their way is a Mariners side which has shown marked improvement as the season has progressed, but still linger at the foot of the table.

The form of Mitchell Smith has been a bright spot this campaign for the Mariners and they will rely on him to add to his goal tally this round.

This match could be a one sided affair but if the Mariners dig in and frustrate Olympic early they could be in with a shot of pulling off one of the upsets of the season.

 

Mt Druitt Town Rangers v Sydney FC, 7 pm Saturday at Popondetta Park

Mt Druitt Town Rangers will be out to end Sydney FC’s finals hopes when the two sides face off this Staurday night at Popondetta Park.

The Rangers are coming off a 1-0 loss to APIA Leichhardt but a return home should be the perfect remedy as they push for a bounce back win.

Club Captain Carlos Saliadarre has been a rock for Mt Druitt in between the posts this season and the club captain will be up for another big game this week.

The possible return of John Roberts, who missed out last week, could be the difference maker for the Rangers with his dynamic play up front likely to test the inexperienced Sydney FC defence.

The Young Sky Blues have hit a few hurdles in recent matches which has seen them drop from first down to sixth on the ladder.

They remain only five points off top spot and will be pushing hard for at least a maiden finals berth.

The combination of Patrick Wood and Antonio Saracino at the top of the attack will be key if Sydney are to take all three points.

Mt Druitt has proven a tough side to beat this season and Sydney FC will need to rediscover their early season magic if they are to take all three points from this contents.

 

Wollongong Wolves v Western Sydney Wanderers, 2.30 pm Sunday at Albert Butler Memorial Park

Wollongong Wolves will be out to keep their premiership defence on track with a win against Western Sydney Wanderers on Sunday.

The Wolves knocked off last week’s ladder leaders Sydney Olympic in a hard fought 1-0 victory to keep their title hopes alive and will be determined to keep the winning run going starting with the clash against the Wanderers.

Takeru Okada has quickly become a key cog in the Wolves side with his ability to both score and assist proving invaluable.

His service to strikers Josh Bingham and Thomas James will be imperative in this match and all of Wollongong’s remaining games – James in particular will be hungry to open his goalscoring account after missing from the spot against Olympic last weekend.

Defender Nick Littler should return to the side this week after serving his suspension following his red car in Round 7.

They face off this week against an exciting Western Sydney team which has shown they are more than capable of causing an upset.

Ali Auglah scored a brace last week in a 2-1 win against North Shore Mariners and he will be one to watch this week.

Rory Jordan is another player who has earned plenty of plaudits this season and offers the Wanderers a dynamic option in attack while Dean Pelekanos has been a warrior in midfield winning aerial battles and challenges keeping his team competitive.

Wollongong is arguably the toughest road trip in the competition and the Wolves have had an incredible home record because of this.

Western Sydney have shown they don’t give up and it could be this fighting spirit which helps them snatch an unlikely victory.

 

Rockdale Ilinden v APIA Leichhardt, 3 pm Sunday at Ilinden Sports Centre

Rockdale Ilinden will be determined to put their horror record against APIA Leichhardt to bed when the two sides go head to head at Ilinden Sports Centre on Sunday.

APIA has been a bogey team for Rockdale for the past few seasons, but with a possible premiership on the line the Steven Zoric coached side will be more driven than ever to take all three points.

Rockdale are second on the ladder, only one point behind league leaders Sydney United 58.

Tomoki Wada will be key to victory in this match, with the Japanese import becoming arguably the most important player in Rockdale’s line up.

The dynamic midfielder has shown the full gamut of skills in the centre of the park as well as incredible game IQ as demonstrated with his sensational goal last round as he chipped the keeper from 45 yards out after some brilliant quick thinking.

The strike force of Amaury Gauthier, Alec Urosevski and Nikola Taneski have also been in fine form as have the defensive unit of Michael Neill and Daniel Petkovski.

Looking to stop them will be an APIA side which should be full of confidence after a narrow victory last week.

It has been a difficult season for the reigning champions and with finals all but out of the picture, APIA will be focused on ending their season on a high note.

Chris Payne was a tough customer for the Rangers defence last week and will be looking to test Rockdale’s backline.

He broke the deadlock last Friday and will be hoping to extend his goalscoring run.

The club is hoping to see more of its experienced stars return with Themba Muata-Marlow looking at getting back to the pitch after an injury layoff.

APIA will use their stunning winning record against Rockdale to give themselves a mental edge but they will need more than that if they are to snatch victory on Sunday.

 

 

Round 8 Review – NPL NSW Men’s

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Sydney United 58 has jumped into top spot of the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition as Round 8 came to a close on Sunday.

With only three weeks left in the regular season, the battle for Premiership honours is set to go down to the wire.

United 58 claimed a massive victory against rivals Marconi to move ahead in the title race.

Rockdale Ilinden’s big win against Sydney FC has them only a point behind, while Sydney Olympic’s loss meant they drop to third, two points behind the leaders.

It was a big week for APIA Leichhardt and Blacktown City who both claimed vital victories after a long winless run.

 

APIA Leichhardt 1 (Payne 85′) – Mt Druitt Town Rangers 0 at Lambert Park

A Chris Payne penalty has helped APIA Leichhardt to their first win in a month defeating Mt Druitt Town Rangers 1-0 at Lambert Park on Friday.

It was a much-needed victory and a sure confidence booster for APIA who have struggled during the rebooted season.

The visitors made a fast start to the match and were inches away from taking an early lead when a long-range effort cannoned off the upright in the sixth minute.

APIA forced two big saves from Rangers keeper Carlos Saliadarre midway through the half as both teams traded chances without capitalising.

The match remained deadlocked at 0-0 during the half-time interval, but it looked destined to change with APIA making a strong case after the restart.

Some desperate defending from Mt Druitt denied a brilliant APIA chance in the 64th minute, but it all came unstuck for the visitors eight minutes from time when Payne won his side a penalty.

The veteran marksman fired into the back of the net from the spot to secure all three points and the win.

 

Manly United 1 (Cholakian 24′) – Blacktown City 2  (Lewis 19′, Bangura 28′) at Cromer Park 

A brilliant attacking performance in the first half has helped Blacktown City to their first win of the rebooted season as they defeated Manly United 2-1 at Cromer Park on Friday.

It was Blacktown’s first win in eight weeks with the three points moving them off the bottom of the ladder.

The visitors made a rapid start to the match and had Manly on the back foot early.

Blacktown was rewarded for their early endeavour winning a penalty in the 17th minute.

City’s Lewis had his spot-kick saved by a sensational diving effort from Manly shot-stopper Dylan Mitchell. Still, unfortunately for the home side, the ball bounced straight back to the Blacktown skipper who fired into the net with his second effort.

Manly hit back almost immediately courtesy of a powerful, driven free-kick from captain Brendan Cholakian which deflected off a defender and into the back of the net to make it 1-1.

The action was end to end, and in the 29th minute, Blacktown took the lead once again.

Suleyman Bangura swooped on an errant backpass from Manly’s defence on the edge of the penalty area before firing into the back of the net with a composed shot past the outstretched arms of keeper Mitchell.

Bangura went inches away from scoring another on the cusp of half-time when a long-range shot sailed narrowly wide.

Blacktown continued to have the ascendency in the second half with Adam Berry hitting the crossbar from a sublime curling free-kick after 62 minutes.

Scott Balderson had a late chance to snag an equaliser for the home side, but it was expertly saved as City clung on to end their winless streak.

 

Western Sydney Wanderers (Auglah 46′, 60′) v North Shore Mariners (Smith 26′) at Valentine Sports Park

A second-half brace from the highly talented Ali Auglah has helped Western Sydney Wanderers to a 2-1 come from behind victory against North Shore Mariners at Valentine Sports Park on Saturday.

The 18-year-old striker fired moments after the restart to score an equaliser before securing the win with a composed penalty.

It was the Mariners who had started the stronger of the two sides and took a 1-0 lead after 26 minutes when Mitchell Smith made the most of an enterprising run from Charles William to score from 10 yards out.

North Shore would hold onto their lead until the half-time interval before Western Sydney found an equaliser on seconds after the restart.

Auglah tapped past the keeper to finish a rapid Wanderers counter-attack which went from one end to the other in less than 10 seconds.

Only 15 minutes later the Wanderers would take the lead when Auglah fired from the penalty spot after Chris Lindsey was taken down inside the edge of the box.

The Mariners pushed for an equaliser, but it wasn’t to be with the Wanderers clinging on for the win and all three competition points.

 

Wollongong Wolves (Okada 19′) 1 – Sydney Olympic 0 at Albert Butler Memorial Park

Wollongong Wolves have injected life into their Premiership hopes edging competition leaders Sydney Olympic at Albert Butler Memorial Park on Sunday.

A Takeru Okada goal midway through the first half was the difference with the Wolves now within three points of top spot after the win.

Wollongong took control of the contest from the opening whistle and appeared a side on a mission as they took the game to their premiership rivals.

In the 19th minute, the home side was rewarded for their dominance when Okada fired past the keeper after dribbling past three Olympic defenders to give Wollongong a 1-0 lead.

It should’ve been 2-0 in the 38th minute when the Wolves won a penalty after the referee ruled a handball in the box against Olympic defender Thomas Whiteside.

However, Thomas James spurned the chance, firing his penalty kick wide with Wollongong taking a 1-0 lead into half-time.

Sydney Olympic bounced back in the second half and found their mojo in attack to put pressure on the Wolves defence.

However, the visitors failed to make the most of their opportunities in front of goal spurning chance after chance.

It would prove to be a deciding factor in the game with Olympic unable to find an equaliser as Wollongong clung on to claim a win and a vital three competition points.

 

Sydney United 58 (Antelmi 65′, Sim 68′) 2 – Marconi Stallions (Jesic 23′) 1 at Sydney United Sports Centre

Sydney United 58 has shot to the top of the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition with a 2-1 win against local rivals Marconi Stallions.

A second-half flurry from United 58 was the turning point with the home side scoring two goals in three minutes to fight back from 1-0 down.

United 58 were unlucky not to take the lead inside the first 20 minutes when Patrick Antelmi fired into the side netting after going around.

However, it was Marconi who took the lead in the 23rd minute thanks to a textbook set-piece.

Marko Jesic headed home from close range after being set up from a lofted header from Nathan Millgate.

Both sides were creating chances but lacked the finishing touch to capitalise on their opportunities.

Marconi would hold their lead into the half time break, but United 58 was far from a beaten team after the first 45 minutes.

It took only 15 minutes into the second stanza for the home side to hit back with Antelmi completing a sublime passing move.

A brilliant ball from Yianni Perkatis found Glen Trifiro on the edge of the penalty area who then set up Antelmi to tap in with a cutting pass to the back post which dissected the Marconi defence.

Moments later United 58 took the lead thanks to more brilliance from Perkatis.

The midfielder delivered a well-weighted lofted ball over the backline which fell perfectly for Matt Sim to fire past the goalkeeper and make it 2-1 for the home side.

It set up a tense finish to the match, but United 58 were able to cling on and take a vital three competition points which catapulted them to top of the competition ladder.

 

Rockdale Ilinden (Neill 45′, Gauthier 52, Urosevski 80′, Wada 82′) 4 v Sydney FC 0 at Ilinden Sports Centre

A dominant Rockdale Ilinden has boosted their Premiership hopes with a 4-0 win against Sydney FC at Ilinden Sports.

A Michael Neill goal on the cusp of half-time had Rockdale in the driver’s seat after the first 45 minutes, but it was their three goals in the second stanza which secured the result.

It was a tight contest from the opening whistle with both teams unable to capitalise on their chances.

With the match headed for a scoreless stalemate at the half, Rockdale claimed a surprise goal as Micheal Neill fired in from the left edge of the penalty area after a brilliant run off the win.

Rockdale’s momentum carried on after the restart, and it took less than ten minutes for the home side to double their lead.

Amaury Gauthier delivered a clinical finish from close range to tap home from 6 yards out after a driven cross into the box.

Rockdale made it 3-0 with ten minutes left on the clock when  the club’s ‘local baker’ star frontman Alec Urosevski fired into the back of the net after Tomoki Wada stole the ball from the Sydney FC defence.

A quick-thinking Wada claimed a contender for goal of the season in the 83rd minute when he chipped the keeper from 45 yards out after winning a free-kick to make it 4-0 and wrap up the win for Rockdale.

Round 8 Preview – NPL NSW Men’s

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It’s round 8 of the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition and with only four games remaining the Premiership race is set to go down to the wire.

Sydney Olympic sits on top of the ladder going into this week’s matches, their second-week holding first place, but have only a one-point advantage ahead of Sydney United 58. 

Only three points separate first from sixth place setting up an incredible run towards the finals.

The action gets underway on Friday night with two matches as APIA Leichhardt host Mt Druitt and Manly United take on Blacktown City.

On Saturday night, competition newcomers Western Sydney Wanderers will face off against North Shore Mariners at Valentine Sports Park.

Finally three matches on Sunday will wrap up the round including Wollongong against Sydney Olympic, Sydney United 58’s clash with Marconi and finally Sydney FC going head to head with Rockdale. 

It’s another massive week of matches and you can catch all the action live on NPL.TV

 

APIA Leichhardt v Mt Druitt Town Rangers, 7 pm Friday at Lambert Park

APIA Leichhardt will be determined to claim their first win in over a month when they host Mt Druitt Town Rangers on Friday.

A 4-2 loss to Sydney Olympic in Round 7 was the fourth game in a row without a victory for the reigning champions as they remain slumped only two points ahead of last place.

Despite the defeat last weekend, there was plenty of improvement in the performance from APIA.

After weeks of toil, veteran midfielder Franco Parisi was finally rewarded with a goal against Olympic and coach John Calleja will be hoping it inspires him to bring another big performance against Mt Druitt.

APIA’s young players look up to Parisi and his leadership could be imperative to get the team performing at their best despite their morale-sapping run of poor results.

The club is hoping they can welcome a couple of its injured experienced stars as they look towards bagging their second win of the competition.

Their opponents, Mt Druitt come into the game on the back of a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Marconi Stallions and will also be looking for a return to the winner’s circle.

Jack Stewart has been in fine form this season and could be an influential player if the Rangers are to collect full points from the fixture.

Shot stopper Carlos Saliadarre is another key man for Mt Druitt and the experienced gloveman will need to be at his best to stop the likes of Sean Symons, Jeremy Cox and Chris Payne in the APIA attack.

This will be a tight match with no side standing out as favourites

APIA will be hoping the home ground advantage helps them to Victory, but if they’re not careful the Rangers are more than capable of snatching an upset.

 

Manly United v Blacktown City, 7.30 pm Friday at Cromer Park

A bounce-back win will be the only thing on the menu for Manly United when they host Blacktown City on Friday night.

Manly suffered a shock loss at the hands of North Shore Mariners last round and will be determined for nothing less than victory against competition cellar dwellers Blacktown City.

Coach Adam Griffiths will be stressing the importance of a fast start and the pressure will be on his attackers Brendan Cholakian, Dejan Pandurevic and Marley Peterson to find an early breakthrough.

Their opponents Blacktown City come into this match after claiming their first points in over a month with a dramatic late draw against Sydney FC.

It’s been a very difficult season for the Mark Crittenden coached team since the restart with Blacktown slumped at the bottom of the table

Attacker Leroy Jennings will be full of confidence after scoring a late equaliser last week and can hopefully provide the firepower his Blacktown side has been lacking so far this season.

Manly will be the favourites at home, however, Blacktown will be worthy opposition and will take any opportunity they can to snatch an upset – a club with a never say die attitude, expect club skipper Matt Lewis and co to give the young Manly United side a huge test as they look towards getting off the foot of the ladder.

 

Western Sydney Wanderers v North Shore Mariners, 7 pm Sunday at Valentine Sports Park

The newcomers to the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition on Saturday as Western Sydney Wanderers host North Shore Mariners at Valentine Sports Park.

While finals football may be out of reach for both sides, there will be no taking it easy with the Wanderers and Mariners both determined to finish the season on a high.

Western Sydney were unlucky in a 4-2 defeat to United 58 last week, but will take plenty of positives from the match including their brilliant start to the game which had their high profile opponents on the back foot.

Rory Jordan and Tass Mourdoukoutas both found the back of the net last week and will be again central to the Wanderers hopes against the Mariners.

The Mariners come into the match after a sensational 2-0 win against Manly in Round seven.

It stretched the Joe Haywood coached team’s undefeated streak to three games with the Northbridge based side showing plenty of improvement from their early-season struggles playing some organised football that has made them one tough team to beat.

Mitch Smith and Lawrence Frederick have led the scoring for the Mariners with two and three goals respectively.

The pair will need to add to their tally if North Shore make it back to back wins.

Both teams play an exciting brand of football and it is building up to be a thrilling contest between the league’s newest teams.

 

Wollongong Wolves v Sydney Olympic, 2.30 pm Sunday at Albert Butler Memorial Park

Wollongong Wolves will be determined to stay in the Premiership race with a win against Sydney Olympic at Albert Butler Memorial Park on Sunday.

Defeat last week to Rockdale meant the Wolves dropped to sixth on the ladder, four points behind Olympic at the top of the table.

Sunday’s match will give the reigning premiers a chance to cut the deficit to only one point.

Wolves coach Luke Wilkshire will be buoyed by returning striker Thomas James finding the net against Rockdale with the hope the English born marksman can rediscover his golden boot form for the run home.

They will be without defensive leader Nick Littler who was sent off in Round seven and serves his one-match suspension this week.

Standing in Wollongong’s way is a Sydney Olympic team edging closer to the peak of their powers.

A free-scoring performance in a 4-2 win against APIA Leichhardt in Round seven showed what the Ante Juric team is capable of when the make the most of their chances.

Attacking stars Charles Lokolingoy and Adam Parkhouse both scored a brace against APIA and are in incredible touch heading into the final weeks of the regular season.

Without Littler, Wollongong will have an almighty task ahead of them if they are to stop Olympic’s star-studded front three.

However, Wolves have plenty of big-name talent of their own and with the home ground advantage will be ready for a fight, but beware, Olympic have been on fire in 2020.

 

Sydney United 58 v Marconi Stallions, 3 pm Sunday at Sydney United Sports Centre

A historic rivalry will be renewed on Sunday as Sydney United 58 takes on Marconi Stallions at Sydney United Sports Centre.

However, much more than just bragging rights will be on the line with both United 58 and the Stallions in a tight battle for the premiership with only four games remaining in the regular season.

United 58 have found their stride in recent weeks and, after a 4-2 win against Western Sydney Wanderers last round, are only one point behind ladder leaders Sydney Olympic.

The incredible form of The Red’s veteran stars is sure to scare opposition sides while Patrick Antelmi is scoring for fun since his return to the squad after his stint with A-League outfit Western United.

In only his third game as United 58 coach, Anthony Crea will be determined to keep his side firing on all cylinders over the final few weeks of the shortened reboot season and for the finals.

Looking to stop United 58’s momentum will be the fourth-placed Marconi Stallions who are determined to close the three-point gap between them and first place on the ladder.

Marconi is blessed with a deep squad in all positions, with their big-name stars also in fine fettle.

Martin Fernandez has become one of the most dangerous game-breakers in the NPL NSW Men’s competition with his ability to change a match in an instant with a moment of magic.

On equal standing is veteran Mitch Mallia who put in one of the most complete attacking performances in the first half of Marconi’s round six match.

With so much firepower on each side of the pitch, this match is sure to be an absolute blockbuster and one not to miss.

 

Sydney FC v Rockdale Ilinden, 6.30 pm Sunday at Ilinden Sports Centre

Sydney FC will be determined to keep their Premiership challenge alive when they take on Rockdale Ilinden on Sunday.

A loss and a draw in their last two matches have meant the one-time competition leading Young Sky Blues are now in fifth place, three points behind Sydney Olympic at the top of the table.

Sydney coach Jim van Weeran faces an almighty task to help his youthful side discover a second wind through the final four games of the campaign.

One player who will be central to Sydney FC is striker Patrick Wood.

Wood has been in incredible form this season scoring eight goals in seven matches this season as well as providing a handful of assists.

He will be up against the league’s best defence with Rockdale only conceding four goals this season including an incredible run of five clean sheets.

Rockdale have been in brilliant form this season and showed what they are capable of in an impressive 3-1 win against Wollongong last weekend.

Japanese midfielder Tomoki Wada had his best game of the season scoring two goals including a sensational free-kick from the edge of the box.

Coach Steven Zoric has helped Rockdale discover improved consistency with their performances and they will need to display that again this week if they are to beat Sydney FC.

Nothing less than a win will be enough for either side with every competition point vital with so few games left in the season.