Round 8 of the 15/16 NSW Premier League 2 season saw the club at home at mPowerdome taking on the strong Hakoah Club from Sydney. In Round 1, when the Boomerangs travelled up to Alexandria to take on Hakoah for the first time in season 15/16, the club returned back down the Hume Highway with five wins and four losses – considered a reasonable return for a Round 1 away match against a traditionally tough club. For this home round, the club was looking for a minimum of six wins from the day against the club sitting third on the Club Championship table.
After an 11 boys development squad game where the Hakoah juniors once again taught the locals a few futsal lessons, the competitive matches for the day started with the 12 boys and produced a sensational, edge-of-the-seat game resulting in a drawn match. From there, the day only got better for the Boomers club at home with positive results in the remaining eight matches.
(The match day photos can be found HERE)
12 Boys
Boomerangs FS 2 – 2 Eastern Suburbs Hakoah
The 12 boys match was one of the more exciting games seen this season. A clash between the top teams of this age group produced a game befitting the best two teams in the league. The youngest Boomers played some wonderful structured futsal in the first half built on some rugged defence, resulting in them not conceding for the first twenty.
The boys went into the break a goal to the good at 1-0 and were looking to build on that in the second period. They doubled the lead, only to have Hakoah claw one back soon after. The boys looked to have been able to protect a strong surge by Hakoah during the final five minutes only to be dealt a cruel blow – an own goal whilst defending the goal line! A 2-2 result probably a fair reflection of a very even match.
The teams retain their positions at first and second on the league table.
An exciting start to the day’s proceedings!
(Goals: Seb Woods, Odhran Traynor)
Competition Ladder Position: 2nd
13 Girls
Boomerangs FS 5 – 2 Eastern Suburbs Hakoah
In Round 1 of this year’s competition, all of the Boomers female teams prevailed, so the expectation was for more of the same on the home court. The Hakoah youngest girls though were a tough unit and pressed the Boomer girls all the way in the first half resulting in the Boomers being up by a solitary goal, 2-1 at half time.
The second half saw the value of the home court as the 13s pulled away with some lovely goals – while keeping their defensive line tight. A great result for the youngest Boomer girls.
(Goals: Cec Matic 2, Stella De Marco, Lily Martens, Lilli Thomas)
Competition Ladder Position: 2nd
14 Boys
Boomerangs FS 7 – 2 Eastern Suburbs Hakoah
The previous time these two teams met, it was a comfortable 4-1 victory to Hakoah – and the Boomer boys felt they had the ability and capability to defeat this team at home. And so it was that the lads came out of the box firing, and never let up during the full 40 minutes.
Up 4-0 at half time, the lads could have been forgiven for cruising the second, but they went even harder to increase their lead. As the game opened up in, the boys slotted home three more, but also left their defences slightly ajar allowing Hakoah to grab a couple back.
A terrific effort by the boys – and something to build on for the remainder of the season as they push for a finals berth.
(Goals: Ryan Edwards 3, Will Manalo, Ollie McCarthy, Luca Gagliardi, Murphy Shaw)
Competition Ladder Position: 5th
15 Girls
Boomerangs FS 3 – 2 Eastern Suburbs Hakoah
Whilst the Hakoah 15 girls have not had the best of season – 1 draw and 5 losses prior to this match – they were certainly no easy beats, and took it hard to the Boomers 15 girls. Indeed the last time these two teams met, the Boomers prevailed by the solitary goal 1-0.
And that’s how this match also finished, a single goal win to the Boomers, after the Boomers grabbed the initiative in the first half to go to the break at 2-1 up, and holding out across the second half that saw a goal a piece scored.
Both teams retained their respective positions on the ladder.
(Goals: Ashlyn Garrity, Charlotte Grandy, Ellen Brown)
Competition Ladder Position: 2nd
16 Boys
Boomerangs FS 6 – 2 Eastern Suburbs Hakoah
Coach of the 16 boys, Mark Dowling, was confident his charges were up for a big match today after they had been training well recently and he was seeing improvement across the board with his players. A confident coach indeed, as the previous time these two teams met, Hakoah gave our lads a dusting 8-0 at Alexandria.
The boys were at full pace from the first whistle to the last and gave no respite to the travelling Hakoah 16 boys.
Up 4-1 at half time, the Boomerangs lads continued to press for more in the second half, but the Hakoah lads lifted to not allow a blow out in the second twenty. A remarkable turnaround from Round 1, and hopefully a sign of things to come for this team as the back end of the season approaches.
The result – which saw seventh placed Boomers defeat second place Hakoah, means the 16 Boys are now only a single win from third place on the ladder.
(Goals: Zac Barbatano 2, David O’Gorman, M Piccirillo, Harry Williams)
Competition Ladder Position: 7th
17 Girls
Boomerangs FS 5 – 1 Eastern Suburbs Hakoah
The 17 girls were preparing themselves for a tough battle with their Hakoah counterparts – in another top of the table clash. Earlier this season, the Boomerangs 17 girls won convincingly in Sydney 4-0; but since then, Hakoah had not lost another game.
It was all set up for a close battle. The Boomer girls though – inspired by the earlier efforts of the younger age groups – came out strongly and never let up during a torrid first half. They went into the break leading 4-1 and were looking to consolidate in the second period.
As with earlier matches – and a sign of good teams – the Hakoah girls came out more determined in the second half. But much to the credit of the Boomers 17 girls, they held strong and played some of their best defensive futsal in the second half to run out deserved winners 5-1. No doubt these two teams will again meet in finals at season end.
(Goals: Alicia Meuronen, Alex Martens, Amelia Turner, Grace Basser-Silk)
Competition Ladder Position: 1st
Youth Men
Boomerangs FS 5 – 2 Eastern Suburbs Hakoah
The Boomerangs Youth went down to Hakoah in Round 1, and since that match, Hakoah had not won another. Conversely, the Boomers Youth have not since lost. With this in mind the Boomerangs Youth Men were full of confidence that they could win this return match if they applied themselves and played to their potential; which is exactly what they did.
Some moments of fantastic futsal were delivered by the Youth men and they eased out to a 3-2 lead at the break, never looking in trouble. And as they have done so often this year, they have powered home in the second stanza to put the match to bed.
A solid victory for the lads. A sterner test awaits them next week away to Sydney City.
(Goals: Michael Rinaudo 2, Chris Smith, Nick Rathjen, Kai Thornton)
Competition Ladder Position: 1st
Open Women
Boomerangs FS 2 – 1 Eastern Suburbs Hakoah
The Boomerangs Open Women’s team are now constantly under pressure to maintain their unbeaten record this season (with the only blemish a draw in Round 6 to Raiders Futsal). For much of this game it seemed that the fourth placed Hakoah team might take the points from the Boomerangs Women team that found it hard to put it together at the offensive end.
Down 1-0 at half time the ladies endeavoured to lift their effort in the second half but were matched by the well drilled Hakoah team. It wasn’t until five minutes remaining in the match that two goals were scored in fairly quick succession to bring home the competition points.
And with this win, the Women maintain their top of the table position, and their unbeaten season.
(Goals: Michelle Aurousseau, Rachel Corbett)
Competition Ladder Position: 1st
Open Men
Boomerangs FS 5 – 2 Eastern Suburbs Hakoah
The last time these two teams met, saw a close 2-1 victory to the Boomerangs Men at Alexandria.
The home team went hard from the kick off, and lifted their intensity throughout the match. Three terrific first half goals (Smith and Forward 2) – to Hakoah’s single saw them comfortable at the break.
Hakoah came out of the blocks the fastest in the second stanza scoring within the first minute – and looking to work their way back into the game. The Boomers though, showed too much experience and composure to allow Hakoah to gain, and then maintain, momentum.
A cracking goal by Brett Forward in the second half gave him a hat trick, and a coolly finished back post goal by Wilsener put the match to bed.
The Men maintain their joint points leadership of the ladder – although in third on goal difference – after both Raiders Futsal and Sydney City also won their Round 8 matches.
(Goals: Brett Forward 3, Cal Smith, Jake Wilsener)
Competition Ladder Position: 3rd
After this round eight, the Boomerang’s lead in the club championship has increased to eleven points – ahead of Raiders Futsal.
The next round of matches for Boomerangs teams is next weekend away to Sydney City Eagles at Morris Iemma Stadium in Riverwood. Once again the club will be looking to improve on its Round 2 performance that saw the club take six wins and a draw from the nine competitive matches played.