NSW Premier League Round 19 Review

Two quick goals before the break, and an absolute gem from Milorad Simonovic on the hour mark, secured the points for Brian Brown's men as the chasing pack - apart from Blacktown City FC - dropped points in Round 19.

The White Eagles hit the front in the 42' minute as a Jamie McMaster corner was deflected into his own net by youngster Jimmy Oates. In the dying stages of the half, Nathan Elasi combined well with Milorad Simonovic before the former Melbourne Victory player drove the ball home for a 2-0 lead.

Bonnyrigg rounded out the result in the 61' minute as Simonovic drove a rifle into the top right-hand corner from outside the penalty-area, leaving Manly United goalkeeper Brad Swancott with no chance of saving.

Blacktown City FC moved into second-spot on the League ladder with a fantastic 3-1 defeat of Marconi Stallions. Inspired by a red-hot Tolgay Ozbey - Blacktown City striker bagged a hat-trick - Blacktown City surpassed Marconi on the League ladder for a sole-hold of second-spot. Ozbey dispossessed Marconi goalkeeper James Chronopoulos to open the scoring in only the 3' minute, before the leading marksman doubled the tally in the 23' minute with a ferocious free-kick. Marconi did re-open proceedings with a well-taken Nathan Jagelman goal shortly after the hour, though Ozbey re-instated the two-goal lead with a well-worked goal in the 73' minute to seal the points.

A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt Tigers moved into fifth-spot on the League ladder with a phenomenal 5-4 victory in a goal fest against Sydney United.

The match produced some very interesting numbers: nine goals, four penalties, a hat-trick to Robert Younis, two goals to Elsid Barkhousir and Joe Vrkic, one red card, seven yellow cards and a thousand thrills and spills.

Nick Rizzo opened the scoring for the Tigers in only the 4' minute before Robert Younis doubled their lead via the penalty-spot on 25' minutes. Elsid Barkhousir pulled a goal back for the Reds with a well-taken header in the 28' minute, though Younis added a third following Cem Akili's red card. The Reds goalkeeper was disposed by Younis and forced to foul the Tigers' striker, leaving the referee with no choice but to send the goalkeeper off. Replacement goalkeeper Ryan Norval saved Younis' spot-kick, though the rebound fell back at the Tigers' number 9's feet for an easy finish.

Sydney United added their second of the afternoon - captain Joe Vrkic converted a 43' minute penalty - before the Reds captain scored a second penalty shortly after the break to draw Sydney United level.

Hirofumi Moriyasu put the Tigers 4-3 ahead in the 71' minute with a fine finish from close-range before Younis added his third of the afternoon moments later. Barkhousir re-opened the contest 5' minutes from the end with a well-taken goal, though it was too little too late for the Reds, as the Tigers' magical run continues.

At Jensen Park, Bankstown City squandered a 2-0 half-time lead to draw 3-3 with Sutherland Sharks. The final result does very little for both sides' ambitions as the Sharks fall out of the Top-Five, meanwhile the Lions hopes of clawing their way back into contention have all but ended with this result.

Richard Luksic headed the Lions ahead on 14' minutes via a Damien Brosque free-kick, before Robbie Mileski's in-swinger 10' minutes later was diverted into the back of the net by a Sharks player.

Lions goalkeeper Zlatko Joseski kept the lead at two with a fine save off Stephen McConologue prior to the break, before Sutherland was reduced to ten-men shortly after the re-start as George Souris was shown two yellow cards in the space of 30'' seconds. Despite going a man down, the Sharks cut the deficit to one via the boot of Neil Jablonski, before Jim Bakis converted with a fine finish on the turn to make it 2-2.

Bankstown City substitute Hussein Akil had the Lions ahead on 80' minutes as he latched onto Shannon Burgin's through ball, before Jablonski sealed the Sharks a point with a fine glancing header off Huseyin Jasli's floated free-kick 1' minute later.

Rockdale City Suns kept their mathematical hopes of reaching the finals series alive with a 1-0 defeat of South Coast Wolves in Rockdale.

A fine defensive display by the visiting Wolves had Rockdale City frustrated for large spells in-front of their home supporters, though as a record twelfth draw for the season seemed on the cards, Saso Trajcevski latched onto an Adem Kir cross to score the Suns a vital three-points. Wolves goalkeeper Brody Crane denied the Suns a second moments later, though the Suns supporters hopes of finals football remains alive with three rounds of the League remaining.

At Sydney Olympic Athletic Centre, Sydney Olympic came from a goal down to defeat the Berries 2-1 in an entertaining 'local derby'. New Berries signing Glen Trifiro opened the scoring for the Berries in the 36' minute with a well-worked goal, though James Monie had the Blues level on the hour. Second-half substitute Todd Bamber sealed the win for Sydney Olympic in the 87' minute with a fantastic effort from distance sending the Blues above Manly United FC and South Coast Wolves on the League ladder.

- Joe Carlucci

NSW Premier League Round 19 Results

Rockdale City Suns 1 (Saso Trajcevski 82) South Coast Wolves 0,

Manly United FC 0 Bonnyrigg White Eagles 3 (Nathan Elasi 43/45m Milorad Simonovic 62m),

Bankstown City Lions 3 (Richard Luksic 15m Own Goal 24m Andrew Mercuri 81m) Sutherland Sharks 3 (Neil Jablonski 69/82m Jim Bakis 70m),

APIA Leichhardt Tigers 5 (Nicola Rizzo 4m Robert Younis 25/35/78m Hirofuni Moriyasu 71m) Sydney United 4 (Elsid Barkhousir 28/83m Joseph Vrkic 44/48m),

Blacktown City FC 3 (Tolgay Ozbey 1/21/73m) Marconi Stallions 1 (Nathan Jagelman 63m),

West Sydney Berries 1 (G Trifiro 36m) Sydney Olympic 2 (James Monie 61m Todd Bamber 87m).

NSW Premier League Round 19 Table