There was something for everyone in the opening round of the PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW 2016 Season.
With the first fixtures complete, Blacktown City has returned to their position at the top end of the table after a come from behind 3-2 win against Sydney United 58 FC.
Parramatta FC claimed the biggest upset of the round with a last minute 3-2 win against Blacktown Spartans while Sutherland’s 2-0 win against Manly
While the results of round one won’t make or break a team’s season, coaches will be determined to get their sides firing sooner rather than later.
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Blacktown Spartans 2 - Parramatta FC 3 at Blacktown Football Park
Parramatta kick started its PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s season with a snatch and grab win against Blacktown Spartans.
A 90th minute goal to Luke Grima ensured Franco Consentino’s side went home with all three points only moments after Blacktown Spartans had equalised for the second time in the match.
Blacktown paid the price for a sluggish start with Gosue Sama’s clinical finish from an Ibrahim Haydar cross making it 1-0 after 25 minutes.
The game came alive in the second half with the Spartans hitting the back of the net through Luka Dukic and Matin Vazquez, but a long range strike from Parramatta’s Ante Tomic had the game seemingly headed for a draw.
Late substitute Luke Grima had different ideas and volleyed home from inside the box to give the visitors a deserved 3-2 round one win.
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Blacktown City FC 3 - Sydney United 58 FC 2 at Lily’s Football Centre
A match winning goal to Travis Major in the 76th minute was enough for Blacktown City to claim all three points in the first match of it’s PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s campaign.
Goals to Major, Sasa Macura and Joey Gibbs helped last season’s PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s Grand Final runners up to a round one win but it wasn't all easy going.
Enterprising play from Sydney United 58 FC and goals to Panni Nikas and new signing Eddie Bosnar had Blacktown trailing 2-1 with 20 minutes to play.
A red card to Bosnar in the 71st minute gifted a penalty to Gibbs while Major headed home moments later as the home side took advantage of their one man overlap.
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Manly United 0 - Sutherland Sharks 2 at Cromer Park
Sutherland Sharks coach Carlos Villazon has promised his team will play attacking football at every opportunity, and they didn't let their gaffer down in their round one clash at Manly’s Cromer Park.
Goals to new signing Josh Da Silva and Nick Littler was the difference as Sutherland made the perfect start to the season.
It was end to end action as Manly and Sutherland traded chances at both ends of the ground.
Manly was unlucky not to trouble the scoresheet with Brendan Cholakian and Dejan Pendurevic a constant presence throughout the match.
In the end the visitors were too good in the “Battle of the Beaches”.
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APIA Leichhardt 1 - Sydney Olympic 1 at Lambert Park
APIA and Sydney Olympic had their fair share of chances but neither did enough to find a winner in Sunday’s PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s clash at Lambert Park.
The 1-1 scoreline was a fair reflection of hard fought and exciting clash between the two competition heavyweights.
Tasku Sekiya’s 17th minute goal for APIA opened the scoring but was cancelled on 20 minutes later when Harris Gaitatzis’ early entry for goal of the season tied the scores at 1-1.
APIA had the momentum in the dying stages but opportunities to Adrian Ucchino and Sekiya failed to hit the target.
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Wollongong Wolves 3 - Hakoah Sydney City East 2 at Win Stadium
There was no shortage of entertainment at Win Stadium as PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s new boys Hakoah Sydney City East suffered a narrow away loss to Wollongong.
It was an incredible start to the match with the Wolves taking the lead after only 35 seconds courtesy of a powerful shot from Chris Price.
Neil Jablonski hit back only 90 seconds later for Hakoah to have the scores tied at 1-1 after a mere three minutes of football being played.
Despite the rapid start to the match, Wolves failed to find their shooting boots and missed chance after chance to go ahead against a back-pedalling Hakoah outfit.
With 15 minutes left in the match the visitors took the lead courtesy of a clinical Kevin Lopes finish.
However Wollongong still had something left in the tank with Nicholas Bernal and Peter Simonoski scoring two late goals to secure all three points for Jacob Timpano’s side.
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Rockdale City Suns 2 - Bonnyrigg White Eagles 2 at Iliden Sports Centre
PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s Champions’ Bonnyrigg White Eagles have fought back from a two goal deficit with only 10 men on the park to secure a 2-2 draw with Rockdale City Suns.
Rockdale seemed set for a round one victory at their Iliden Sports Centre home until a spirited fightback from Brian Brown’s Bonnyrigg outfit.
A ninth minute goal to Alex Canak and a clinical finish from Hristijan Tanoski in the 37th had Rockdale in the drivers seat .
However, two clumsy tackles from Rockdale’s Steven Hesketh gave life to Bonnyrigg with Robbie Younis hammering home from the penalty spot in the 42nd and 84th minutes.
A red card to the White Eagle’s Nikola Zongic provided further drama in a match that had everything.
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