Reserve Grade Semis

[hollywood]

Our Reserve Grade won 3-1 against Bankstown today. Well done to all of the boys! We now play Blacktown next week for a spot in the Grand Final.

[paoktzi]

Massive well done boys!!!!

where and when is the game next week!!

who scored? guys

[hollywood]

Next Sunday, not sure where yet.
Alan Kovosavic, Jerry Kalouris and Dimi Petratos (Penalty)

[anothermp]

top stuff boys well done!

ultras to make a finals appearance?

ps Bonno v Syd Utd next weekend LOL

[paoktzi]

Under 20s

Blacktown City FC v Sydney Olympic

Winner advances to the Grand Final to take on Sydney United

[hollywood]

We lost 2-1 tonight. Petratos was outstanding!!

[anothermp]

gutted. I wanted ultras at the grand final!

[paoktzi]

Blacktown City set up Grand Final date with Sydney United in Grade 20’s
22.08.10 18:25

Blacktown FC defeated Sydney Olympic 2-1 to set up a rematch with Sydney United for the Grade-20 title in the NSW Premier League at Lily Homes Stadium on Saturday night.

The first-half of the match was a fairly even sided affair in terms of possession and field position, though Blacktown City made more of their clearer chances to take a two goal lead into the break.

Early on, David Talevski and Bernie Ibini looked to combine but the defence cut out the threat with a great interception to deny Ibini an early shot on goal.

Sydney Olympic answered quickly when Dmitri Petratos chipped the ball forward but the ball was put well over the crossbar by his team mate.

In the 7’ minute a free-kick from 30-metres out on the right was played into the near post by Andrew Hajjar and Chris Bedzo headed the ball down and into the back of the net at the near post to put his side a goal up.

Again Sydney Olympic tried to respond through Petratos but his run down the right came to nothing when his cut back was intercepted by the Blacktown defence.

In the 19’ minute Denis Jevtic and Talevski combined but the cut back to Ibini was this time cut out by the Blues defence. The ball went back to the other end of the field and Anthony Perri turned on the ball in the area, looping it over the goalkeeper but also over the crossbar.

In the 23’ minute David Talevski went down in the penalty-area but claims of a penalty were quickly dismissed by the referee.

Just after the half hour Sydney Olympic had a couple of half chances but both opportunities came to nothing, the first thanks to a poor cross after good lead up work by Clayton Musumeci and Sean Robertson, the second after Alan Kovacevic curled the ball just the wrong side of the far post.

Over 10’ minutes that followed Blacktown created a few half chances but players were just unable to get to the final ball or the defence, led by Nemanja Tomic, were able to get in and take the ball away from danger.

Finally Blacktown broke through again in the 43’ minute. Bernie Ibini laid the ball back to Bruno Pivato who smashed the ball off the crossbar, many in the crowd thinking it bounced down, behind the goal-line and then out, but Denis Jevtic was smart enough to follow up and head the ball just to make sure.

Blacktown City came out in the second-half and belied what was about to happen for most of that period by attacking early. Ibini and Bedzo combined down the right for Bedzo to put the ball across the face of goal but Talevski just missed it. Had he got anything on to the ball he would have scored. From that point though Blacktown sat back and this allowed Sydney Olympic to have more of the ball and attack the game much more. The problem for the Blues was that continually their final ball let them down.

On the hour Jerry Kalouris got the ball from the other side of the field and half volleyed it back into the penalty-area where Kovacevic just missed the ball in what was a great chance for his side to get back into the match.

10’ minutes later Dmitri Petratos was given a free-kick just outside the penalty-area and fired the ball on target only for Justin Biega to dive magnificently and tap the ball onto the crossbar. The ball bounced away to Kovacevic who could only smash the ball into the side netting. 5’ minutes later, Biega was at it again, palming the ball away from danger after another shot on target by Petratos.

Finally, in the 78’ minute, Sydney Olympic scored the goal their play in the second-half deserved. A shot from deep was spilt by Biega and Kovacevic tried to pounce at the same time as the keeper did. The ball once more spilt free and Kovacevic was the first onto the ball this time, tapping it into the back of the net.

Sydney Olympic were back in the match and for a while the confidence of the home-side was obviously shaken. This was demonstrated in the 81’ minute when George Degener headed the ball at the back, the second time past his own goalkeeper and almost into the path of his opponents, 15-metres out from the target.

Then, in the 84’ minute, an Olympic cross was hit towards his own goal by a Blacktown player, only for it to bounce off Biega’s stomach and away from danger.

With 3’ minutes to go Keiran Paull crossed to Bedzo from the right but Bedzo tried to get his foot to the ball when it may have been easier to try to head the ball home, instead the ball finished harmlessly away from danger.

Despite a frantic few final minutes Sydney Olympic was unable to get the second goal they were earnestly seeking. In the end two goals were enough to see Blacktown City FC through to a repeat of their clash with Sydney United a week ago, but this time at the Grand Final stage.

Match Stats

Blacktown City FC 2 (Bedzo 7’, Jevtic 43’)

Sydney Olympic 1 (Kovacevic 78’)

Referee: Tom Klein

Assistant Referees: Nick Backo and Mike Robertson

Fourth Official: Nick Tragoustis

Crowd: 400

Saturday 21st August 2010

Lily Homes Stadium, Seven Hills

Blacktown City FC: 20.Justin BIEGA; 24.Stepan PARIC (29.Luke JENNER 75’), 27.Denis JEVTIC, 28.Andrew HAJJAR, 30.Keiran PAULL, 32.David TALEVSKI (35.Reyce KELLY 72’), 33.George DEGENER, 34.Bruno PIVATO, 31.Zac FREEBURN, 8.Chris BEDZO (21.Dean CALETTI 89’), 12.Bernie IBINI (12.Daniel BRAGG 81’)

Substitutes Not Used: 60.David BRADESEVIC

Yellow Cards: Nil

Red Cards: Nil

Sydney Olympic: 1.Luke TURNBULL; 6.Dimi PETRATOS, 8.Clayton MUSUMECI (30.Jake MASON 60’), 16.Nemanja TOMIC, 18.Jerry KALOURIS, 23.Luke GEARIN, 24.David CHIN, 28.Alan KOVACEVIC, 29.Anthony PERRI, 32.Michael CANDY (19.Alex MCCRACKEN 74’), 37.Sean ROBERTSON

Substitutes Not Used: 26.Theo KOFINAS, 36.Alexi MITROGIANNIS, 20.Nathan KENYON

Yellow Cards: Nil

Red Cards: Nil

-By Stuart Jones

[mr_football]

shame to see them bow out

wasnt the best 20s season we've had but hopefully next year they can go all the way