The status quo remains at the pointy end of the table after round seven, which saw games played across Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
Sydney United 58 FC remain the leaders, but APIA Leichhardt Tigers and Sydney Olympic are not far behind.
In the Match of the Round, Manly United not only upset Blacktown City, but thrashed them, winning 4-1 at Lilys Football Centre.
ROUND 7 REVIEW
South Coast Wolves 3-2 Bonnyrigg White Eagles, at WIN Stadium
Wollongong is a tough away trip at the best of times, let alone on a cold Thursday evening in the midst of some of Sydney’s wildest weather.
It was a surprise this game even went ahead, but WIN Stadium’s surface had held up well as usual, and the home side scored their first win of the season.
Bonnyrigg went ahead early through perennial goalscorer Robbie Younis, before Bradley Welch equalised for South Coast. Younis found the back of the net again to put Bonnyrigg ahead for the second time, only a minute after Welch’s goal, before Brendan Griffin brought Wolves level in the second half.
Peter Simonski sealed a famous victory by scoring Wolves’ third as the home side got off the mark in 2015.
Sutherland Sharks 6-2 Rockdale City Suns, at Seymour Shaw Park
Sutherland Sharks ran riot in their local derby against Rockdale City, winning 6-2 against the winless Suns.
Rockdale went ahead through Alec Urosevski, but a double to defender Jacob Tratt, of all people, and a goal to Jordan Figon saw the home side take a 3-1 lead into the sheds at half time.
Chris McStay made it 4-1 shortly after the interval, and the fifth came through Seongjin Park.
Nikola Taneski pulled one back for the Suns, before Rockdale defender Steven Hesketh saw red, which wasn’t ideal as the Suns were chasing three goals.
Sutherland Sharks substitute Peter Crevani rounded out the scoring with his side’s sixth, and the game’s eighth, with ten minutes to go.
Blacktown City 1-4 Manly United, at Lilys Football Centre
What a result for Manly.
Paul Dee’s side, came, saw, and conquered, against a Blacktown City side playing well below par. Manly took the lead early on through the ever consistent Chris Payne, before a rare Travis Oughtred goal made it 2-0.
Blacktown City were all at sea and when Brendan Cholakian’s free kick squirmed in to make it 3-0 to Manly before the break, it looked all over.
Blacktown City’s Joe Gibbs pulled one back, and they should have pulled another one back a minute later, but Travis Major was denied from the spot by Manly goalkeeper Tonu Liiband.
The home side kept coming, but they left the back door unlocked and in stoppage time, Brendan Cholakian raced clear to make it 4-1 and really put the icing on the cake.
Blacktown Spartans 1-0 Parramatta FC, at Blacktown Football Park
Blacktown Spartans are now unbeaten in three, after a scrappy win against Parramatta FC.
It wasn’t a match for the purists, but Ben De Haan won’t mind too much as his side took an important three points at home.
A Xavier Quigley goal on the hour mark was all Spartans needed to bag the victory in Rooty Hill.
Sydney United 58 FC 1-1 APIA Leichhardt Tigers, at Sydney United Sports Centre
Sydney United 58 remained on top of the table after sharing the points with APIA Leichhardt Tigers.
United’s young goalkeeper Jayden Diacono was in the thick of the action, making several good saves, before conceding a penalty which he then saved. Unfortunately for him the rebound was turned in.
United 58 took the lead after a free kick from Chris Triantis, who is finally fit after a succession of serious injuries, found its way past APIA goalkeeper Ryan Norval, who was once more preferred to Andrew Bazi between the sticks.
Diacono’s foul on Nathan Millgate gifted the Tigers a penalty though, and even though Diacono saved Blake Powell’s spot kick, it wasn’t enough as the APIA number 9 tucked away the round to level the score.
Sydney Olympic 5-1 Marconi Stallions, at Valentine Sports Park
After three changes to kick off for this one, finally a location and time was settled upon and the match turned out to be well worth the wait.
Sydney Olympic “hosted” Marconi Stallions at the home of football, Valentine Sports Park, on the brand new artificial surface.
Olympic certainly made themselves at home, running out 5-1 winners, even of the scoreline was perhaps harsh on the Stallions.
Olympic took the lead through Harris Gaitatzis, and the lead was doubled within 60 seconds by William Angel.
Marconi hit back through Jacob Ott, but further goals to Gaitazis again, from the spot, and a double to Go Shirai, put Marconi Stallions well and truly to bed and sent Olympic to within striking distance of Sydney United 58 FC at the pointy end of the table.
