Round 13 of the 15/16 NSW Premier League 2 season – the final round of matches before a Round 14 bye for the Boomerangs – had the club travel to Wetherill Park in Sydney to take on Raiders Futsal in nine competitive matches.
The round was critical for both clubs in their endeavour to secure club championship points and for promotion to PL1, and of course to secure positions in the finals series to start in a fortnight.
The Boomerangs stats gurus determined that 2 wins and a draw, or better still, three wins for the round would be enough to deny Raiders the chance to gain enough points to take the lead in the club championship (based also on the presumption that they would take 27 points from bottom placed Botany Bay Pirates in Round 14).
The day started poorly with the 12 boys hammered by the home team, but things were more positive after the 13 girls secured a tough 3-1 win, but the losses of the 14 boys, 15 girls and 16 boys provided moments of nervousness for the club. A fantastic one goal victory by the 17 girls (in a rain shortened match) put the day back on track, followed up by convincing victories by the Youth Men and Open Women. The men failed to overcome the strong Raiders men’s team, and allowed the Raiders to take five wins from the nine matches for the day.
Four wins though – from nine very tough matches (in which there were 23 yellow cards displayed by the referees, 17 to Raiders players, and a red card to each club) – was enough for the Boomerangs to lock in a 36 point lead in the club championship – a lead which is unassailable, even if Raiders did manage to whitewash Botany Bay in Round 14.
For individual teams, the 17 girls and Open Women have wrapped up Minor Premierships and will play in qualifying finals in week one of the finals series. The 12 boys, 15 girls and Youth Men look likely to finish in second spot, also giving them a spot in the qualifying finals. The 13 girls could yet finish minor premiers, but by finishing in the top two will also play a qualifying final.
The 16 boys – in finishing either third or fourth – will play in an elimination final in week one of the finals’ series, as will the Open Men. Only the 14 boys have no chance of making finals this season.
A summary of the day’s results against Raiders Futsal:
12 Boys
Boomerangs FS 1 – 8 Raiders
(Goals: Seb Woods)
Competition Ladder Position: 2nd
(Have locked in 2nd position)
13 Girls
Boomerangs FS 3 – 1 Raiders
(Goals: Ellen Brown 2, Lucy D’Arcy)
Competition Ladder Position: 1st
(Will drop back to second if Mt Druitt win in Round 14)
14 Boys
Boomerangs FS 2 – 3 Raiders
(Goals: Murphy Shaw, Ryan Edwards)
Competition Ladder Position: 5th
(will most likely finish in 5th position)
15 Girls
Boomerangs FS 2 – 3 Raiders
(Goals: Ashlyn Garrity, Lefty Meuronen)
Competition Ladder Position: 2nd
(have locked in 2nd position)
16 Boys
Boomerangs FS 2 – 10 Raiders
(Goals: Massimo Piccirillo, o/g)
Competition Ladder Position: 3rd
(will likely finish 4th)
17 Girls
Boomerangs FS 4 – 3 Raiders
(Goals: Rachel Corbett 2, Alex Martens, Amelia Turner)
Competition Ladder Position: 1st
(have secured top spot and the Premiership)
Youth Men
Boomerangs FS 4 – 1 Raiders
(Goals: Michael Rinaudo, Chris Kazolis, Grant Barlow, Nick Dahl)
Competition Ladder Position: 1st
(could remain on top, but will likely finish 2nd)
Open Women
Boomerangs FS 6 – 2 Raiders
(Goals: Rachel Corbett, Nat De Marco, Olivia Gurney, Alex Martens, Amelia Turner, Lucy Rowland)
Competition Ladder Position: 1st
(have secured top spot and the Premiership)
Open Men
Boomerangs FS 5 – 8 Raiders
(Goals: Jake Wilsener 2, Jason O’Dwyer 2, Brad Sawyer)
Competition Ladder Position: 3rd
(will finish the season 3rd)
(Match day photos can be found HERE)