Round 9 of the 15/16 NSW Premier League 2 season saw the club travel Highway 31 (and the M5) to visit the home court of Sydney City Eagles; Morris Iemma YMCA Sports Centre at Riverwood.
In Round 2 of this season’s competition, the Eagles visited mPowerdome and took just two wins and a draw back up to Sydney. The Boomerangs club was looking to emulate that result, but knowing full well that clubs are often more competitive on their home court.
As it was; five wins, a draw and three losses resulted from the nine matches played. An excellent effort – just shy of the club’s objectives of an average of six wins per round. It certainly keeps the club in with a good shot at winning the Club Championship – and importantly all teams are still in the mix to play finals.
(The match day photos can be found HERE)
12 Boys
Boomerangs FS 6 – 5 Sydney City Eagles
The day started with yet another 12 boys match that was a skillful, exciting goal-fest that left both sets of supporters on the edge of their seats until the final whistle.
The youngest Boomerangs boys started strongly in the first half and worked hard to build a 3-2 half-time lead. The second half was a see-sawing event that saw the momentum of the match swing back and forward between the teams. Tremendous determination and strong desire to win pulled the boys through as they looked to defend a single goal lead for the final few minutes.
A top notch game, and another building block for this team. They remain in second spot on the ladder, one win behind Hakoah (a team they defeated last week).
(Goals: Odhran Traynor 3, Jak Matic, Thomas Barbatano, Sam Godwin-Wiseman)
Competition Ladder Position: 2nd
13 Girls
Boomerangs FS 4 – 2 Sydney City Eagles
The 13 girls continue to display their quality throughout this season with yet another fine performance against another top four team. The game was tight in the first half, with defence the primary objective for both teams.
A 1-0 half-time lead gave the girls confidence as they took the court for the second half, and they showed just why they are premiership favourites, with another solid second twenty where they slotted three further goals, whilst conceding but two.
This quality team should finish the regular season atop the ladder should they continue to display this kind of form for the remaining rounds.
(Goals: to be confirmed)
Competition Ladder Position: 1st
14 Boys
Boomerangs FS 1 – 3 Sydney City Eagles
The 14 boys knew that taking on the top-of-the-table Eagles was going to be a tough ask, but they never shirked their responsibility, giving their all in an endeavour to grab a win. The previous time these two teams met, the Eagles slotted nine goals into the Boomers net on their way to a victory by four goals. The Boomer boys were determined not to let this happen this time round.
An arm wrestle of a first half saw the Eagles go into the break with a two goals to none lead – a much better start to the match for the Boomerangs 14s. However, while the back court work was solid, the lads could not easily penetrate the defence of the Eagles. The final score reflected a far better effort to that of Round 2 and it shows how much the boys have developed as a team since they previously met Sydney City.
(Goals: Luca Gagliardi)
Competition Ladder Position: 5th
15 Girls
Boomerangs FS 4 – 1 Sydney City Eagles
The Boomers 15 girls continue on their merry way through the season – and it seems to matter not whether they have a full contingent of ‘at age’ players, or they are a few short – like this week – and rely heavily on the 13 girls to fill their bench and play an important role.
Some terrific work by all players ensured that they worked their way through the match methodically and ‘in control’ as reflected by a 2-0 half-time leading being converted to a 4-1 final score. A nice spread of goal scorers also indicates a balanced team effort.
Another great effort by a team that will definitely finish top two and play finals futsal.
(Goals: Ashlyn Garrity, Stella De Marco, Cec Matic, Sonia Pasquariello)
Competition Ladder Position: 2nd
16 Boys
Boomerangs FS 8 – 4 Sydney City Eagles
What a game – and what a turn around since Round 2 when the lads were trounced by this same team 7-3.
The boys built their game from solid foundations in the first half as they took a 2-1 lead into the break. The second half saw them unleash some ‘highlight reel’ offensive work – notably two beautiful chipped goals by Barbatano and then by Tabatabaei. These quality goals were built on the solid determined performance by all players that took the court.
For the second week in a row, this team has convincingly defeated teams above them on the table and have made their way from seventh on the ladder to fifth (and only out of the top four on goal difference). Should their form continue, they will definitely be playing finals futsal at season end, and could indeed finish as high as second on the ladder.
(Goals: Zac Barbatano 2, John O’Gorman 2, David O’Gorman, Harry Williams, Jack Williams, Parsa Tabatabaei)
Competition Ladder Position: 5th
17 Girls
Boomerangs FS 2 – 2 Sydney City Eagles
The 17 girls were in control of this match for most of it, and it seemed another win was on the way to being registered.
After leading the match at half-time (2-1), the girls could have run away with another goal or two, however a strong and determined effort by the Eagles opposition resulted in a second goal to the home club, and ensured that the match ended tied up at two a piece.
The girls remain atop the competition ladder, with a massive goal-difference advantage, but have a couple of challenging games on the run home to season end.
(Goals: Alex Martens 2)
Competition Ladder Position: 1st
Youth Men
Boomerangs FS 2 – 4 Sydney City Eagles
The Boomerangs Youth comfortably accounted for the Eagles Youth in Round 2, 5-1, however at the time it was acknowledged that the Eagles did not bring their strongest team to mPowerdome.
This match was expected to be tough – and indeed it was. Both teams battled strongly in the first half and the strong defensive effort by both teams ensured a low scoring first half – at one goal each.
The second half saw the Eagles fire the better of the two teams and they took a 3-1 lead into the final five minutes. Opting for a ‘fifth man’ fly keeper play, the Boomers scored one back – but also conceded into an undefended net to see the match end up as a two goal loss.
This loss drops the lads down to third on the competition ladder. More wins than losses will be required during the run home to ensure a top two finish to ensure a double chance in the finals series.
(Goals: Michael Rinaudo, Ben Basser-Silk)
Competition Ladder Position: 3rd
Open Women
Boomerangs FS 6 – 1 Sydney City Eagles
The Boomerangs Open Women’s team continue on their merry way to the premiership, and likely grand final.
The first half of the match was a stern test of the women’s skills, patience and determination, however after hitting half time up by a goal, 1-0, the players decided it was time to put the game to bed in the second stanza. And that they did, scoring freely as they netted a further five goals and conceding just a single.
The Boomers women sit comfortably on top of the ladder, seven points ahead of second place. They have built up a massive goal difference of 31, having scored 38 goals over eight matches and conceded fewer than a goal a game.
(Goals: Olivia Gurney 2, Hayley McLachlan 2, Najwa Allen, Isobel D’Amico)
Competition Ladder Position: 1st
Open Men
Boomerangs FS 3 – 4 Sydney City Eagles
The Boomerangs Men now sit in third place on the competition ladder – by a single win – after this loss to the Eagles and a win by Raiders (over Hakoah). These three teams sit head and shoulders above the other teams in the Men’s PL2 competition.
Back in Round 2, the Boomerangs Men narrowly defeated the travelling Eagles 3-2 at mPowerdome. On the road, and travelling a couple of players light, meant that this return match was going to be a sterner test for the Boomers Men.
Down 1-3 at half-time required a lift in intensity and improved offensive and defensive effort for the second period. And whilst the players did indeed lift, putting the goal into the net often enough proved to be the challenge.
The Boomers had significant momentum going into the final few minutes – scoring with a fifth man play – when an Eagles player from the bench was ejected from the stadium. The resultant loss of precious minutes, saw the momentum peter out and the lads proved unable to score the final goal required to tie it up in the dying seconds of the match.
(Goals: Daniel Fulton, Nick Rathjen, Jason O’Dwyer)
Competition Ladder Position: 3rd
After this Round Nine, the Boomerang’s lead in the club championship has remained at eleven points – with Raiders Futsal also having five wins and a draw (against Hakoah).
The next round of matches for Boomerangs teams is at home against the Botany Pirates when the club will endeavour to emulate the away success that saw wins across all nine age groups.