1996/1997 Season Round 01 Results written by Thomas Esamie
Played (11/10/1996) Breakers Stadium Referee : C Diomis, Crowd : 4581
Newcastle Breakers Liam Baker, Shane Pryce, Glen Sprod, Robert Ironside, David Lowe (Harry James 45 (Scott Thomas 76)), Troy Halpin, Gary Wilson (Glenn Moore 56), Todd McManus, Jason Bennett, Mark Wilson, Matt Austin Goals : Bennett 62, 67, 69, 72, Thomas 78, Sprod 80	6	-	1	West Adelaide Michael Harkness, Jamie Perin, Robert Slager, Robert Hooker, Richie Alagich, Alex Castro, Pablo Cardozo, Branko Milosevic (Rechat Mezensof 86), Nathan Day (John Cutillo 71), Frank Tibaldi (Con Kokkinoplitis 69), Andrew Borghetto Goals : Perin 55
The season opener certainly proved to be an interesting match in which the game was scoreless until halftime. Just after the restart West Adelaide took the lead from a well placed, though not particularly well struck, free kick. You would be excused for thinking the Breakers had done well in holding the Sharks out for that long but instead they went on what I can only call a fucking rampage and annihilated the visitors. Well done.
Played (12/10/1996) Bruce Stadium Referee : G Leverton, Crowd : 3500
Canberra Cosmos Anthony Giannasca, Paul Dee, Peter Mazis, Richard Watson, Mladen Rogic, Paul Wade, Norman Kelly, Lachlan Armstrong (David Milin 70), Tony Lemezina (James Baxter 39), Marko Perinovic, John Koch Goals : Kelly 11, Perinovic 86	2	-	3	Marconi-Fairfield Bob Catlin, Robert Stanton, Matthew Bingley, Andrew Harper, Craig Foster, Bradley Maloney, Andrew Ravanello (Luke Casserly 69), Aaron Holst (Paul Souris 45), Dominic Longo, Zeljko 'Sean' Babic, Vlado Zoric Goals : Zoric 14, Foster 34, Babic 49
Norman Kelly capitalised on an airswing clearance by a Marconi defender who has paid me handsomely to preserve his anonymity. Then a funny thing happened, Marconi took a free kick before the whistle went Canberra halfheartedly cleared it and Vlado Zoric took the ball down with his foot from in front of Paul Dee's face and volleyed the ball into the goal. Shitty luck for Canberra but Marconi were the better side and still had to endure some anxious moments late in the game when Canberra threatened to level the game.
Played (12/10/1996) Falcons Park Referee : E Brazzale, Crowd : 3235
Gippsland Falcons Jim Kourtis, Doug Marcina, Marcus Stergiopoulos, Steve Mangos, Nick Palamaras, Hugo Giminez, Mark Foy, Eddie Krncevic (Carlo Villani 73), Alex Duric (Billy Mitroulas 73), Clayton Bell, William Hastie	0	-	0	South Melbourne Michael Petkovic, Con Anthopoulos (Steve Panopoulos 85), Nick Orlic, Alex Kuzmanovic, Jason Polak, Vaughan Coveny, Paul Trimboli, Warren Spink, Steve Iosifidis, David Clarkson, Fausto De Amicis
Crap, do better next time and I'll say something worthwhile.
Played (13/10/1996) Perth Oval Referee : E Lennie, Crowd : 9639
Perth Glory Tom Maras, Doug Ithier, Gareth Naven, Gavin Wilkinson (Dale Wingell 67), Vinko Buljubasic, Paul McVittie, Paul Strudwick (Vladimir Beretovac 70), Slobodan Despotovski, Alan MacKenzie, Scott Miller, Craig Naven Goals : MacKenzie 89	1	-	4	UTS Olympic George Bouhoutsos, David Barrett, Adam Ciantar, Scott Baillie, Peter Tsekenis, Norman Tome (George Sorras 64), Alistair Edwards (Elias Augerinos 84), Walter Ardone, Kris Trajanovski, Derek Poimer (Nick Meredith 57), Milan Blagojevic Goals : Trajanovski 22, 65, Tome 63, Ithier 72og
The new boys seem to have been a little more nervous than their Collingwood counterparts and despite some excellent chances and a penalty kick they found themselves 4-0 down before they finally did notch up a goal. It was a fine diving header from a cross. I hope to see Perth do well and if West Adelaide perform as poorly at home as they did away, then Perth are in for a fun time.
Played (13/10/1996) Victoria Park Referee : G Connolly, Crowd : 10200
Collingwood Warriors Frank Juric, Dean Fak, George Jolevski, Alan Scott, Enrico Cerrachio, Carlo Talladira, Andrew Vlahos, Kimon Taliadoros, Ernie Tapai, Goran Lozanovski (Tom Karapatsos 73), Con Boutsianis (Brian MacNicol 73) Goals : Boutsianis 5, Taliadoros 68, 72	3	-	0	Melbourne Knights Vilson Knezevic, David Cervinski, Zoran Markovski (sent off 66), Andrew Marth, Mark Silic, Lubomir Lapsansky (Ante Deak 75), John Markovski (Mijo Trupkovic 75), Ice Kutlesovski, Damian Vojtek, Tomislav Pondeljak, Ransford Banini
It must be irritating for the Knights to fail to score against their previous seasons keeper only to see his replacement concede three. More galling still that this team is one of the new additions to the 96/97 season. John Markovski used his famed left leg to try launching a Collingwood player into the back of the net instead of the ball with a shot on the turn. It must have been disappointing for Jonesy not to have scored and the kickee was none too pleased either. Funny then that Johns namesake ends up being sent off, though not for the same incident I hasten to add.
Played (13/10/1996) Sydney United Sports Centre Referee : M Breeze, Crowd : 4085
Sydney United Zeljko Kalac, Joe Vrkic (sent off 76), Mark Babic, Tony Popovic, Chad Gibson (Damir Cvetko 62), Robert Enes, Ante Moric (Velimir Kupresak 83), Paul Bilokapic, David Zdrilic, Kresimir Marusic, Ante Milicic Goals : Zdrilic 9, Babic 37, Milicic 81	3	-	3	Wollongong City Brett Hughes, Richard Lloyd, Stephen Laybutt, Jason Connolly, Neil Harlock, Matthew Horsley, Sonny Sevin (Lujpco Naumovski 60), Michael Reda (Martin Bourke 81), Anthony Surjan, Tony Perinich, Nick Joseski (Sasho Dimoski 88) Goals : Horsley 7, 52, Sevin 15
Funny thing, veteran Velimir Kupresak was benched to give young Joe Vrkic a chance. Joe proceeds to make two very poor tackles and gets himself sent off. Reduced to 10 men and 3-2 down Sydney United get the late equaliser they didn't really deserve.
Played (13/10/1996) Hindmarsh Stadium Referee : W Dade, Crowd : 3719
Adelaide City Jason Petkovic, Bradley Armour, Mark Yates, Milan Ivanovic, Alex Tobin, Ross Vershoor, Bradley Hassell (Joe Barbaro 82), Dino Mennillo (Travis Dodd 67), John Gibson, Michael Brooks, Mark Brazzale (Angelo Costanzo 56)	0	-	0	Brisbane Strikers Clint Bolton, Alan Hunter, Gary Phillips, Sean Cranney, Rod Brown, Danny Wright, Troy Cranney, Wayne Knipe (Reece Tollenaere 58), Andrew Brayshaw (Vedran Becirbegovic 68), Chay Hews, Kasey Wehrman
Goran Lozanovski, Damian Mori, Craig Foster. These are 3 players Adelaide City used to have, they are all goalscoring threats, they just happen to be goalscoring threats for other teams now. On the other hand Brisbane have their main striking force coaching the team, probably not the ideal team to practice goalscoring on. Accordingly despite a good collection of chances no goals were scored.