Sydney Olympic, Bonnyrigg White Eagles, Blacktown City and APIA-Leichhardt Tigers are the unbeaten teams after round two of the PS4 NPL NSW Men’s 1.
The four sit with two wins from two this season and the signs are they will be at the pointy end when the whips are cracking, though it is early days yet.
In the Match of the Round, Sydney United 58 scored a convincing 3-0 win over Sutherland Sharks at Sydney United Sports Centre.
ROUND 2 REVIEW
Blacktown Spartans 4-2 Rockdale City Suns, at Blacktown Football Park
Rockdale City Suns conceded four goals for the second time in as many rounds, blowing a 2-0 lead to a resurgent Blacktown Spartans.
Marko Jesic gave Rockdale the lead early in the match and when David Dascal doubled the lead only five minutes later the Suns looked good value for the win.
Shu Sasaki scored twice in two minutes though and, after Dascal was sent off, Futa Nakamura made it 3-2. Sasaki completed his hat-trick before the end to bookend a superb come-from-behind victory.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles 4-0 Marconi Stallions, at Bonnyrigg Sports Centre
Marconi didn’t have far to travel but it didn’t matter as they were dealt with by a clinical Bonnyrigg White Eagles.
It took less than two minutes for the home side to take the lead through the ever-dependable Robbie Younis.
Marconi held on to go into the interval only a goal down but that all changed in the second half.
Aaron Peterson scored followed by Ray Miller only three minutes later to put to bed this game. Alex Mansueto scored a rocket with ten minutes to go to ice the cake.
Sydney United 58 FC 3-0 Sutherland Sharks, at Sydney United Sports Centre
Sydney United 58 scored thrice but Sutherland missed two penalties as the Reds came away 3-0 winners at Edensor Park.
United too had a penalty, converted with panache by Mirjan Pavlovic, who showed more than a hint of Panenka as he deftly chipped the ball into the back of the net.
Sean O’Connell then saw his penalty saved by Justin Pasfield before Ante Tomic made it 2-0 to United.
Another penalty went Sutherland’s way but Seongjin Park missed, denied by the post. A fierce late strike by Anthony Tomelic made it 3-0 and added a bit of gloss to the score line.
APIA-Leichhardt Tigers 3-1 Manly United, at Lambert Park
APIA made it two from two with a 3-1 win over Manly United as they continued their impressive start to the season.
It took only three minutes for the Tigers to open the scoring, Franco Parisi scoring his third goal of the season with a neat finish.
Manly managed to draw level through Chris Payne but a goal to Blake Powell before the break edged APIA back ahead. Powell scored again 12 minutes from time with a superb finish after great lead up work by Brett Studman and Sean Symons.
South Coast Wolves 1-4 Blacktown City, at WIN Stadium
Wolves welcomed Blacktown City to WIN Stadium but perhaps were too welcoming, allowing the visitors to leave with all three points.
Blacktown City striker Joey Gibbs scored twice, his goals split by one for Danny Choi.
A penalty from Peter Simonoski reduced the deficit to two goals early in the second half but Sasa Macura added the fourth late on to ensure Blacktown City made the long trip home with the points in their back pocket.
Parramatta FC 0-4 Sydney Olympic, at Melita Stadium
It wasn’t a happy return to Melita for Parramatta who welcomed top division football back to Sefton but couldn’t make an impression against Sydney Olympic.
Olympic ran away 4-0 winners with Dimitri Hatzimouratis the chief destroyer, scoring a hat trick.
Go Shirai opened the scoring for Olympic in the sixth minute and Hatzimouratis made it 2-0 only five minutes later. The striker then scored twice in two minutes after the hour mark to kick Olympic clear and ensure the match ball was his at full time.
Image Credit: Football NSW
