NYL Wrap: Roar Youth Remain Top

Reigning champions Gold Coast United Youth won consecutive games for the first time this season with a 3-2 defeat of Melbourne Heart Youth on Friday whilst Perth Glory moved up to fourth with a 3-2 away win at Adelaide United.

Melbourne Victory Youth remain rooted to the bottom of the ladder without a win after a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Sydney FC Youth.

Just above Victory on the ladder is Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) who suffered their third loss of the season, suffering a 3-1 away defeat to Central Coast Mariners Youth.

Saturday, 19 November
Gold Coast United Youth 3 (Lucas 12’, Bowles 51’, Barker-Daish 63’)
Melbourne Heart Youth 2 (Goodwin 71’, 75’)
Stadium: Owen Park

Gold Coast United Youth secured back-to-back wins after holding off Melbourne Heart Youth in the opening NYL game of Week 5.

Daniel Bowles forced a turn-over on the edge of the Heart box on 12 minutes and set up Chris Lucas to tap the ball into an empty net for the opening goal.

Bowles then doubled Gold Coast’s lead shortly after the break with a neat finish after being played in by Mitch Cooper.

The crossbar prevented Gold Coast from making it 3-0 just sixty seconds later before scoring their third through Jake Barker-Daish just after the hour mark.

But on 71 minutes Craig Goodwin pulled one back for Heart before netting his brace four minutes later.

Despite Heart’s late push for an equalizing goal, Gold Coast held on for their second win of the season.

Saturday, 19 November
Adelaide United Youth 2 (Wooding 62’, 92’)
Perth Glory Youth 3 (Makeche 14’, Vittiglia 26’, Jovic 75’)
Stadium: Burton Park

Perth Glory Youth moved up to fourth position on the table thanks to a 3-2 win over Adelaide United Youth at Burton Park.

Glory dominated the early stages of the game and was rewarded when Ndumba Makeche held of the Adelaide defence before rounding the goalkeeper and slotting the ball into an empty net.

Captain Reece Vittiglia doubled Glory’s lead on 26 minutes when he slid the ball past the keeper after being played in by Brandon O’Neill.

A number of saves early in the second-half by keeper John Hall inspired United back into the game and they were able to pull one back courtesy of Liam Wooding.

But Perth hit back just over ten minutes later to restore their two-goal advantage with Makeche setting up substitute Alec Jovic to tap home from point blank range.

Adelaide pulled another goal back in injury-time once again through Wooding but Glory was able to hold on for the three points.

Saturday, November 19
Central Coast Mariners Youth 3 (Littler 21’, Duke 32’, Oates 63’)
AIS 1 (Karatzas 90 +2)
Stadium: Pluim Park

Central Coast Mariners Youth continued their strong start to the season with a comfortable 3-1 win over the Australian Institute of Sport.

Nicholas Litter put the Mariners ahead on 21 minutes when his glancing header found a way into the back of the net.

That advantage was doubled 10 minutes later when striker Mitchell Duke finished off a great team goal by the Mariners.

They continued to control the match before adding a third goal just past the hour mark when Jimmy Oates capitalized on a miss-hit strike by one of his teammates to guide the ball home.

Central Coast goalkeeper Dylan Mitchell was heading for his third successive clean sheet but John Karatzas scored a mere consolation for the AIS in the second minute of injury-time.

Sunday, 20 November
Sydney FC Youth 5 (Makela 14', 28', Chianese 16', Mallia 33', Mijic 50')
Melbourne Victory Youth 1 (O'Dea 59')
Stadium: Leichhardt Oval

Melbourne Victory Youth’s abysmal start to the 2011/12 National Youth League season continues after they were thrashed once again, this time by Sydney FC Youth at Leichhardt Oval.

Some shocking defending gifted Sydney the opening goal when the Melbourne defence failed to deal with a corner, and after a goalmouth scramble, Juhlo Makela was on hand to push the ball over the line.

Just 90 seconds later and Victory’s misery was compounded when Joel Chianese made it 2-0 after a neat interchange of passes between the Sydney attack.

Makela secured his brace on 28 minutes from close-range before Mitchell Mallia ensured the scores were 4-0 to Sydney FC going into the break.

Just five minutes into the second period Tomlislav Mijic made it 5-0 with another close-range goal.

Victory scored a consolation goal on the hour-mark through Luke O’Dea with the goal-scoring ending there. Victory remains rooted to the bottom without a win and a goal difference of minus 15 after just four games.

Sunday, 19 Novemeber
Newcastle Jets Youth 3 (Virgilli 3', Bradbery 30', 63')
Brisbane Roar Youth 6 (Dougall 2', Fitzgerald 10', 52', 80', Visconte 36', Cirjak 84')
Stadium: Adamstown Oval

A hat trick to Nicholas Fitzgerald helped Brisbane Roar Youth to a 6-3 pummeling of Newcastle Jets Youth on Sunday afternoon.

The scoring began just two minutes into the contest when captain Kenneth Dougall gave the Roar an early lead.

But the lead lasted just a minute after Ali Abbas had a shot saved by Roar goalkeeper Matthew Acton but he could only watch on as James Virgilli slotted the rebound into an empty net.

Roar then restored their lead on 10 minutes when Corey Brown found Fitzgerald unmarked at the back post to net his first of the afternoon.

The lead lasted a bit longer this time but the Jets equalized on the half-hour mark through Kale Bradbery with a smart finish past Acton.

But again Roar went back ahead, this time with Rocco Visconte blasting home a powerful strike.

Brisbane came out of the break looking to add to their advantage and they doubled their lead just seven minutes into the second-half through Fitzgerald.

The scoring fest continued as Bradbery made it 3-4 on 63 minutes before Fitzgerald secured his hat trick with ten minutes remaining.

Roar weren’t finished there as Tomislav Cirjak netted their sixth and ensure they kept their place at the top of the pack.