FNSW 18/19 PL2 R13 Wrap

Round 13 of the 18/19 Football NSW Premier League 2 competition against Sydney’s Phoenix Futsal was the second last round of the regular season and the final home round of matches for the season.

Earlier this season (Round 6) the club returned from the Phoenix home court with six wins and a draw from the nine competitive matches and an important four wins and a draw for the Club Championship (14 boys and up). Phoenix Futsal always provide challenging games across all age groups. 

To check out the photos of Saturday’s matches head to the Boomerangs photo site.
For full match and highlight videos, head to the BoomersTV YouTube channel.

Development Squad Matches
Phoenix brought down the requisite 11 Boys and 11/12 girls teams, with earlier games featuring the Boomerangs 10 boys taking on the club’s 11 boys and the 9 boys against the 11 girls, on the larger, full-size court. The players ‘graduating’ to competitive age groups will need to get used to playing on the large court week in week out, so it was a good opportunity to for them.

12 BOYS:
Boomerangs 1 – 2 Phoenix Futsal (ht 0 – 0)
The 12 boys wanted desperately to redeem themselves after some fairly ordinary results over the past few weeks. And they played a solid, and improved match against fellow cellar-dwellers, Phoenix. 

Unfortunately, after a strong defensive effort in the first half, they allowed the opposition to score two in the second period, and could only manage to bother the scorer once themselves. A solid effort by the boys, and will hopefully lead on to them securing a much-desired win for their last match of the season next weekend.
Goals to Daniel Kenning
Ladder Position: 8th ( –1 )

13 GIRLS:
Boomerangs 9 – 2 Phoenix Futsal (ht 5 – 0)
The 13 girls were clear in their desire to replicate the convincing victory they had over Phoenix 13s last time they met. And that they did. They hit the court full of running and intent and were comfortably leading 5-0 at half time.

The second half saw the home team practice their fifth-man power play option – in case they need to use it in finals in January (being positive that this win and a win in the final round might be enough for the girls to sneak into fourth spot). And it’s always good to have a different offensive option into the future. Playing without a keeper requires discipline, structure and a sound understanding of how best to penetrate an opponent’s defence – so this was a good learning experience for the girls.

After a short while getting used to the additional player on the court, the Boomers girls found some rhythm and were able to knock home a few more goals on their way to a convincing victory. With results now known from the weekend, the girls need to win their final round match, and hope for other results to go their way to ensure a place in finals.
Goals to Izzy Listar (2), Sofia Palywoda (2), Reilly Yuen,  Maya Osmond, Kiara Meza, Jada Lamond, Tia Burridge
Ladder Position: 5th ( – )

14 BOYS:
Boomerangs 3 – 6 Phoenix Futsal (ht 2 – 2)
The 14 boys came close to grabbing competition points on the away trip to Phoenix earlier this season. With a reduced bench (and six players missing) they were narrowly defeated by a single goal and were in the match the whole way.

For this reverse fixture, the Boomers performed admirably in the first half against a team sitting in third position on the ladder, with Ethan Yuen’s two first-half goals giving the boys the lead twice during the first twenty until Phoenix levelled it back up. A tied up scoreline reflected the first half of play. 

The second half saw the visitors start to dominate ball possession and court position, resulting in them slotting home three goals in the first ten minutes of the half. Unfortunately, the lads couldn’t work their way back into the match leaving them short again of a victory.

The 14s will be very keen to end the season on a high and to grab three valuable points in the final round match against West City Crusaders.
Goal to Ethan Yuen (2), Tom Barbatano
Ladder Position: 7th ( – )

15 GIRLS:
Boomerangs 3 – 1 Phoenix Futsal (ht 1 – 1)
The 15 girls were wary of the Phoenix team that was sitting in fourth on the ladder and keen to protect their finals chances. The last time these two teams met, it was a relatively easy victory to the travelling Boomerangs (5-0 after 3-0 at halftime). 

The girls were right to be wary of this team, as they performed strongly in the first half and were matching the Boomers girls all over the court – the half time score reflecting the evenness of the match.

The halftime coach’s talk did the job though, and the girls found something extra in the second half to push them to work that bit harder both in offence and defence. They were able to slot home two second-half goals whilst successfully protecting their own goal. 

The win keeps them in second spot on the ladder, but a win in the final round and a loss by Raiders Futsal would see them secure the premiership. They can not fall lower than their current second spot on the ladder.
Goals to Jade Brown (2), Elke Aitolu
Ladder Position: 2nd ( – )

16 BOYS:
Boomerangs 1 – 2 Phoenix Futsal (ht 1 – 1)

The 16 boys won a very close match against Phoneix back in Round 6 by a single goal, and this match was destined to not dissapoint those who came long to watch.

Once again the match was end-to-end and played at lightning speed with some incredible skills on display. There was not a lot of control nor structure to much of the play, but that is often how 16 boys matches are played out. 

The Boomers took the lead at the eleven minute mark after Cale Brown comfortably slotted home a free kick given when Keiren Allen was taken down just outside the ‘D’. The lead lasted no time at all as the visitors scored just two minutes later locking the score at 1-1, which is where it stayed until the half time whistle blew.

The second half was just as intense, but with both teams lifting their defensive rating – not wanting to be the first to concede and having to play catch-up futsal. No goals were scored until with just a few minutes remaining, the Boomers 16s created a couple of red hot opportunities that really should have been converted – but weren’t. And alas, as is often the case in these situations, the opposition makes you pay – and that they did with just 16 seconds remaining on the clock.

A disappointing way for the match to end, but the Phoenix lads were more desperate to win to try and sneak into the top four and that desperation paid off. The Boomers 16s will remain in second spot behind the now uncatchable Taipans, with the worst they could finish, third. However it is important for the club as a whole that they grab a win in the final round to contribute three valuable points to the club championship.
Goal to Cale Brown
Ladder Position: 2nd ( – )

18 WOMEN:
Boomerangs 4 – 2 Phoenix Futsal (ht 3 – 1)
The 18 women’s team were defeated by Phoenix in the corresponding away round and they were keen to atone for that loss and to consolidate their position in the top four.

The ladies could not have started the game any better, with two goals in the first two minutes and a third at the nine-minute mark. A 3-0 start to the game rattled the opposition and whilst they managed to grab back one goal before the break, the sense was that it was going to too difficult a challenge for them to overcome.

Maddie Perceval knocked home the team’s fourth halfway through the second period seemingly putting the game to bed, but the tenacious visitors replied soon after to bring the score back to 4-2. A solid focus on defence for the final eight minutes of the match ensured that the Boomers 18s locked down the victory and secured their spot in the finals.

The girls will look to finish off the season strongly in the final round with a win over the Crusaders to lock in their second position and to contribute another valuable three competition points to the Club Championship.
Goals to Lucy D’Arcy, Stella De Marco, Alex McKenzie, Maddie Perceval
Ladder Position: 2nd ( +1 )

YOUTH MEN:
Boomerangs 5 – 2 Phoenix Futsal (ht 2 – 1)
The youth men’s match was once again another exciting, thrilling match to watch. When these two teams met earlier in the season, the Phoenix lads worked up a two-goal lead at halftime only to see the Boomerangs boys whittle the lead away to see the match all tied up at the end at two goals apiece which saw the competition points shared.  

Both teams were keen to secure a win from this match – the Boomerangs in an endeavour to try and lock in top spot and the Premiership, and the  Phoenix lads desperate to try and lock in a final spot (currently in fourth spot with two teams just two points behind them). 

The visitors were the first to score with a nicely worked goal in the sixth minute. The Boomers youth responded just two minutes later after Nic Felizzi tapped in a deflected Jayde James-Ward shot. Felizzi grabbed a second from a narrow angle just before the break to secure the halftime lead.

The first ten minutes of the second half belonged to the home side as they punished gaps in the Phoenix defences with two quick goals to James-Ward to give them a 4-1 lead. Phoenix grabbed a second on 34 minutes, but could not gain any momentum to breach the hard working Boomerangs defences. James-Ward capped off a good night with his third just two minutes from the end.

The youth men remain atop the competition ladder, but must win next week’s match against West City Crusaders to be assured of the Premiership. 
Goals to Jayde James-Ward (3), Nic Felizzi (2)
Ladder Position: 1st ( – )

OPEN WOMEN:
Boomerangs 7 – 1 Phoenix Futsal (ht 4 – 0)
The Boomerangs women continue as they left off. Earlier this season they comfortably defeated Phoenix 10-0 and were confident of their ability to do the same again.  

The women took a little time to warm up but once they opened the scoring in the seventh minute, they regularly breached the visitor’s defence – four by halftime, and another three in the second stanza. Once again the scoring coming from across the court with fourteen players from the roster now having scored multiple goals this season, and no player having scored more then eight across the 13 games to date.   

The Boomers ladies are comfortable on top of the ladder and will be looking to next weekend’s match against West City Crusaders to continue that good form leading into the finals series.
Goals to Grace Basser-Silk (2), Ellie Raymond, Rachael Corbett, Ellen Brown, Maddie Perceval, og
Ladder Position: 1st ( – )

OPEN MEN:
Boomerangs 0 – 5 Phoenix Futsal (ht 0 – 2)
Whilst the Boomerangs women have had a season that has produced results and many positives along the way, the same can not be said for the men’s team. Whilst the effort being put in by the players cannot be denied, they have failed to gather any kind of momentum or runs of good performances.

The last time these two teams met, produced a tight and intense match which the home side won by a single goal, 2-1. 

The visitors made the most of their scoring opportunities in the first half of this match, leading at the break 2-0. Soon after the resumption, having not yet clawed a goal back, and knowing that they needed a win to stay in the finals race, the home side ran with fifth man power play. This either produces results, or doesn’t, but it does change up the match and causes the opposition to play differently. 

Unfortunately for the Boomers men, the fifth man play did not reap the rewards in goals they were seeking and having an unprotected goal leaves a team vulnerable, and so the Phoenix team scored a couple more (including one from a ten-metre penalty).

This loss leaves the Boomerangs men out of finals contention and playing the final round for Club Championship points to contribute to the charge towards PL1. 
Ladder Position: 7th ( –2 )

NEXT WEEK
Next week the club is away for Round 14 – the final regular round of the season – to South Windsor to take on West City Crusaders. 

After the Round 13 matches, the Boomerangs FS have lost top position on the PL2 Club Championship to Raiders Futsal – who now lead by just TWO points – less than a win. Raiders final round sees them take on Sydney City Eagles — and to bring the PL2 Club Championship back to Canberra, the Boomers will need to outperform Raiders Futsal in results in the final round by a minimum three competition points (a single win).