Football NSW

18 Men  

Grays Point SC 2

Collaroy Cromer Strikers 1

In what was one of the games of the day, Grays Point Soccer Club stole the Champion of Champions title with the last kick of the game against Collaroy Cromer Strikers. 

Having been behind at half time, Grays Point overturned their deficit with two second half goals to seal the victory, 2-1.

In a tight beginning to the game, Grays Point would be the first to test the opposition keeper. Ethan Mifsud let fly from close to 35 metres out from a set piece, forcing Zac Downs to tip the ball over the bar.

Mid-way through to the first half, the Strikers would hit the front. Some fine determination and grit from Ashton Yates had him come away with the ball on the edge of the area before powering a shot beyond the Grays Point goalkeeper.

The Strikers almost made it two as James Buchanan forced Ruben Wilshaw into a good save.

Again, it was the team in the lead to threaten, this time thwarted by Evan Dracopoulos with a fantastic goal line clearance.

With the second half the heavens opened as Grays Point went in search of their equaliser.

Rowdy Graves was the first to go close to equalising, his shot somehow smothered by Downs.

As the game looked destined to finish the way of the Strikers, Grays Point found their equaliser with just over 10 minutes to go. Andres Vallejos was put through and he made no mistake with his finish, taking a deflection off Downs before bouncing in.

With the Strikers tiring, it was Grays Point finishing the stronger.

Grays Point should have gone in front with five minutes remaining as Graves cut the ball back for Luke Hewitt who got his bearings wrong and could not find the target from a good position.

They came again, this time Grady O’Brien forcing Downs into a save with his feet before the Grays Point striker found himself in another good position, this time not finding the target with his effort.

Downs was under siege and made a phenomenal save to deny Vallejos his second with only two minutes left, tipping the ferocious shot onto the bar.

But there would be no denying Grays Point in the final seconds as Graves put the game to bed with the last kick of the game. Failing to clear their lines, Graves ran onto a ball on the edge of the area and let fly on the half volley, giving Downs no chance in the Strikers goal and sealing the title with the last kick of the game for the Sutherland Shire Football Association team.

Match Stats

Collaroy Cromer Strikers 1 (Yates 21’) 

Grays Point Soccer Club 2 (Vallejos 78’, Graves 90’)

Collaroy Cromer Strikers: 1. Downs,  2, Muir, 3. Yates, 4. Beck, 5. Collins, 6. Ka. Marshall-Witte, 7. Buchanan, 8. Phillips, 9. J. Wood, 10. Eason, 11. Pasalich, 12. Weight, 13. Williamson, 14. Dewar, 15. T. Wood, 16. Ke. Marshall-Witte, 17. Eberhardt.

Grays Point Soccer Club: 1. Wilshaw, 2. Allen, 4. Bruce, 5. C. Poulter, 6. Pickup, 7.O’Brien, 9. E. Poulter, 10. Slater, 11. Graves, 12. Schwoepfinger, 15. Sainsbury, 17. Z. Poulter, 20. Vallejos, 21. Hewitt, 25. Cox, 30. Mifsud, 99. Dracopoulos.

15 Girls

Pittwater RSL 3 v Emu Plains 0

Pittwater RSL triumphed in a wet encounter, courtesy of a second half blitz.

The Northern Beaches side were on the front foot in the early stages. With ten minutes played, Maya Atkinson’s free kick caused havoc in the Emu Plains penalty area and Emilia Lawrence’s shot was saved by Emu Plains shotstopper Andi Simmons. A minute later, Pittwater had another chance after Andie Bonasera played a dangerous through ball – Lily Fowler saved the day for Emu Plains with two perfectly timed tackles.

Emu Plains nearly caught their opponents napping on 17 minutes as Rachel Turner looked to outrun the defence, but Pittwater goalkeeper Matilda Warren took charge to snuff out the danger. Warren’s services were required again in the 26th minute when she punched a corner kick away from the goal, with Emma Garvey’s follow up shot going wide.

It was Bonasera’s turn to go close in the 31st minute. She broke free on the right side of the penalty area and blasted the ball, drawing a fine save from Simmons. Then with the last kick of the first half, a loose ball fell for Pittwater’s Kiah Saunders, however she could not keep her shot down.

Pittwater opened the scoring four minutes into the second half when Chloe Currie intercepted the ball, found space, and curled a beautiful 25 yard shot into the bottom corner.

Chasing a second goal, Pittwater kept up the pressure and on 43 minutes Georgia Calleia tried her luck from outside the area, firing the ball over the crossbar.

In the 51st minute, Maya Atkinson gave Pittwater a 2-0 lead with a moment of magic. Atkinson stepped up for a free kick which seemed too far out to cause any problems, but her strike had the perfect trajectory to loop above the goalkeeper and over the line.

Emu Plains will still be wondering how they did not score on 59 minutes. Zara Stanford’s persistence led to a big chance and as Pittwater hesitated, Stanford’s shot on the turn hit the post. Turner appeared to have the goal at her mercy as she chased the rebound, only to be denied by Indianna Cameron’s wonderful goal-saving tackle.

Pittwater weren’t fazed by that defensive scare, sealing the win two minutes later. Currie showed a great turn of pace to beat a defender and slotted the ball in from a tight angle to make it 3-0 – a brilliant individual goal that had their fans singing in the rain.

Match Stats

Pittwater RSL 3 (Chloe Currie 39’ 61’, Maya Atkinson 51’) v Emu Plains 0

Pittwater RSL: 1. Matilda Warren, 2. Star Howell, 3. Brianna Laforest, 4. Tiana Walsh, 5. Mia Links, 7. Georgia Calleia, 8. Kiah Saunders, 9. Chloe Currie, 10. Emilia Lawrence, 11. Indianna Cameron, 12. Maya Atkinson, 13. Zara Humphrey, 14. Asha Bouveng, 17. Tasha Lillycrop, 28. Andie Bonasera

Emu Plains: 50. Andi Simmons, 4. Skye Haladus, 5. Claire Nicholls, 9. Lucy Geyer, 14. Rachel Turner, 15. Zara Stanford, 17. Brianna Atkins, 18. Mia Jones, 19. Emma Garvey, 20. Ella Tykvart, 26. Alyssa Merriman, 27. Jessica Van Den Brink, 43. Lily Fowler

13 Girls

Lilli Pilli 1

Manly Allambie United 0

Lilli Pilli from the Sutherland Shire Football Association took out the 13 girls title after a hard fought 1-0 victory over Manly Warringah FA team Manly Allambie United FC.

It was the odd goal from Emily Bishop in the first half that settle the 13 girls Champion of Champions.

It was Lilli Pill that looked the more dangerous in the opening exchanges, holding better field position, only for United to create the chances.

Manly Allambie had the first chance after a free kick taken by Eireann Ryan, only for the ball to bounce into the hands of the Lilli Pilli goalkeeper.

Emily Bishop then had an attempt for United but there was not enough power behind the effort to trouble Lilli Pilli.

With five minutes remaining in the first half, Lilli Pilli took the lead.

Alarna Penfold started the move with a sweeping ball to the right which Emiline Bourke then delivered into the box after showing some explosive speed down the wing. Isabel Adams received the ball in the box, her touch fell to the feet of Penfold who poked the ball home.

United looked for an immediate response and almost found it through Eve Goldsworthy, only for her shot to go just over the bar.

After the break it was Lilli Pilli that went close following a corner, Bourke’s effort looping over the bar.

Again, it was Lilli Pilli going close, this time India Knight forcing the keeper into a save with her legs. With the resulting corner, Lilli Pilli went closest to doubling their advantage as Kayla Babington’s curling effort rebounded off the crossbar.

Goldsworthy was looking most likely for United and almost had an equaliser, forcing the Lilli Pilli keeper into a good save.

With less than 15 on the clock, United should have equalised as Bishop broke through the Lilli Pilli defence, moving in on the opposition goal but unable to find the back of the net with her tame effort.

The chances started to mount for United as Goldsworthy found herself with acres of space after a fine team move, only to rush her effort and not get the desired connection with the ball from only metres out.

United had one final chance, falling to the feet of the energetic Goldsworthy, grazing the top of the bar with her powerful shot from just outside the area.

Match Stats

Manly Allambie United FC 0

Lilli Pilli FC 1 (Penfold 25’)

Manly Allambie United FC: 4. Henley, 5. Quarrell, 6. Middleton, 7. Morgan, 8. Ryan, 9. McGrath, 10. Goldsworthy, 11. Ross, 12. Molinia, 14. McNamee, 15. Moore, 16. Hamilton, 22. Kennedy, 88. Bishop.

Lilli Pilli FC: 2. Herbert, 3. Lyons, 5. Adams, 6. Tindall, 7. Penfold, 8. Babington, 9. Knight, 10. Bourke, 11. Degnan, 12. Graham, 13. Street, 15. Anderson, 20. Matthes, 27. Macartney, 110. Weigand.

17 October, 2022 by Mark Stavroulakis, Football NSW

Football NSW is set to host its 52^nd Champion of Champions Finals this Sunday at Valentine Sports Park as nineteen matches will be served as the main course for what will be a huge day as 38 of NSW’s cream of the crop grassroots clubs will meet to determine who will be the Champion of their respective age group.

Over 300 teams participated Football NSW’s prestigious knockout tournament as over five thousand plus players battled week in week out in the hope of landing a coveted spot in Sunday’s Finals.

This Sunday’s Champion of Champions instalment will be extra special following a two-year absence from the football calendar due to COVID.

Football NSW’s spiritual headquarters Valentine Sports Park will come alive with football action commencing at 8:30am with the final matches kicking off at 5:15pm.

A bumper crowd is expected to soak in the sights, sounds and atmosphere on what will be one of the organisation’s most popular events for grassroots football.

In an amazing achievement, the Sutherland Shire Football Association (SSFA) will field the most teams with as many as seven that will hope to capture as many titles as possible for the proud region.

Alongside SSFA, Northern Suburbs FA (5), Football South Coast (4), Manly FA (4) and Football St George (4) will also have strong representatives at the big dance.

Clubs from the Eastern Suburbs FA (3), Macarthur FA (2), Nepean FA (2), Central Coast Football (2), Hills Football (2), Southern Districts SFA (1), Canterbury District SFA (1) and Bankstown District Amateur FA will also fight for their right to win silverware in this well-respected tournament.

A special mention to Football South Coast’s Shellharbour JFC who will have 3 teams featured (14 Boys, 15 Boys, 16 Girls), while Central Coast’s Terrigal United (12 Girls, 16 Girls) and Macarthur FA’s Harrington United (14 Girls, 18 Women’s) will have two teams pushing for glory this Sunday.

All 19 matches will also be streamed live and exclusive only on NPL.TV.

Champion of Champions Fixtures 2022

*Deploy Football is the official ball sponsor for the 2022 Champion of Champions Finals

Official Tournament Hashtag: #ChampionOfChampions

*A reminder that Valentine Sports Park is a sport venue and smoking, alcohol and pets are prohibited