Thumping United Go Top

Played in some very difficult conditions following a huge downpour prior, and during, the match, the Reds overcame some early Suns dominance of possession to record 2011’s biggest win.

Ben Vidaic opened the scoring on 14 minutes, before Elsid Barkhousir was on hand to volley home for 2-0, one minute after the Suns were denied a penalty claim.

Man of the Match Steve Hayes setup Barkhousir for his second one minute later before Sash Tirovski reduced the deficit prior to the break.

Hayes added his name to the score sheet with a fabulous strike into the top left-hand corner from 20 yards. The Suns’ afternoon got worse as Joshua Lawson was shown a straight red card in the 62nd minute. Barkhousir then completed his hat-trick in the 88th minute before Luka Glavas chimed in with a goal of his own to round out the 6-1 result.

At Seymour Shaw, Sydney Olympic’s 100 per cent record came to an end with the side falling 2-1 against Sutherland Sharks in an entertaining encounter.

The Sharks, who move into equal first-place on the League ladder with this win, skipped to a two-goal lead following strikes by Sam Awad and Matt Bailey after the break, though Alex Smith’s fifth goal of the campaign five minutes from the end made the final stages very nerve-wracking for the home side.

Despite Sydney Olympic’s best efforts in getting men forward, the Sharks’ defence, led marvellously by captain George Souris, administered proceedings to record a tremendous victory for Sutherland.

The Sharks again proved that Seymour Shaw will certainly be a difficult venue for opponents to visit and take points, meanwhile Sydney Olympic will be sweating on the fitness of playmaker Robbie Mileski, who was forced to leave the field moments prior to half-time with a hamstring injury.

Blacktown City FC dominated proceedings against Parramatta FC on Sunday, though could only take one-point from Melita Stadium following a frustrating afternoon in front of goal.

Blacktown City took the lead in the 71st minute courtesy of Mitchell Duke’s well taken diagonal effort across Anthony Costa and inside the Parramatta FC goalkeeper’s right-hand post. Despite creating a plethora of goalscoring chances – and hitting the frame of the goal three times during the game – the visitors failed to kill off the match as Kataiba Elrich won his side a penalty 12 minutes from the end. Experienced campaigner Chris Camilleri stepped up for the spot-kick and comfortably slotted home to secure his side a point in some very difficult, wet, conditions at Melita Stadium.

Defending Premiers Bonnyrigg White Eagles remain winless after three rounds following their third consecutive draw of the season on Saturday evening against Bankstown City.

In a fierce, fast-paced encounter where both defensive lines stood strong and left very little space for their adversaries, neither side was capable of carving out any real clear-cut opportunities.

Shannon Burgin created the first real goalscoring attempt 10 minutes into the second-half, though his long-range effort was well dealt with by Phil Zabaks in the White Eagles goal. Nathan Elasi replied for Bonnyrigg after combining with Brad Boardman, though the speedy striker forced his effort across the face of goal.

In the closing stages of the match, both teams were reduced to 10 men as Peter Peralta first, for Bankstown City, picked up his second yellow card in the 85th minute, before Brad Boardman too was shown a second yellow card in the 90th minute, ruling the striker out of Bonnyrigg’s clash against Sydney United next weekend.

At Marconi Stadium, the Stallions squandered a two-goal lead and had to settle for a point against a strong finishing Manly United FC. Manly United has made a real habit of finishing matches strongly, and overturning deficits in the closing stages of matches, with the side recording three consecutive 2-2 draws to-date. New Stallions signing Matthew Mayora grabbed his first goals for the season with an impressive brace after the break, though Craig Midgley’s introduction of Justin Hayward paid immediate dividends after the 70th minute. Hayward headed Manly United back into the match in the 77th minute, before drawing his side level five minutes later with a firm drive past Stallions’ shot-stopper James Chronopoulos for a share of the spoils.

South Coast Wolves secured a very impressive 3-2 victory away from home against A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt Tigers to further demonstrate the side’s ambitions to challenge for finals football this season.

The visiting Wolves mastered the wet conditions quickest, running to a 2-0 lead courtesy of Sasho Petrovski and Chris Nathaniel before the break.

Despite a much better showing by the Tigers in the second-half, the Leichhardt side had to wait until the 85th minute to breach the Wolves goal. The Wolves’ Nick Littler fouled Sam Messam inside the penalty area, and Chris James stepped up to convert the penalty. Despite the momentum purely in favour of the home side, South Coast Wolves re-instated their two-goal lead via Chris Littler’s long-range rifle.

Tigers’ substitute Anthony Hartshorn came off the bench to head home for the Tigers in injury-time, though the home side could not find an equaliser to avoid defeat.

-By Joseph Carlucci

Results

APIA Leichhardt Tigers 2 (Christopher James 89m Anthony Hartshorn 90m) South Coast Wolves 3 (Saso Petrovski 23m Christoper Nathaniel 41m Cameron Littler 83m),

Parramatta FC 1 (Chris Camilleri 79m) Blacktown City FC 1 (Mitchell Duke 71m),

Sydney United 6 (Benjamin Vidiac 14m Elsid Barkhousir 32/33/88m Steven Hayes 55m Luka Glavas 90m) Rockdale City Suns 1 (Sash Tirovski 38m).

Bankstown City FC 0 Bonnyrigg White Eagles 0,

Sutherland Sharks 2 (Sam Awad 11m Matthew Bailey 57m) Sydney Olympic 1 (Alexander Smith 86m),

Marconi Stallions 2 (Matthew Mayora 57/68m) Manly United FC 2 (Justin Hayward 77/82m).

Table

Fixtures