1996/1997 Season Round 09 Results written by Thomas Esamie
Played (6/12/1996) Breakers Stadium Referee : S Micallef, Crowd : 2231
Newcastle Breakers Liam Baker, Shane Pryce, Glen Sprod, Glen Moore, Peter Ritchie, Robert Ironside, Scott Thomas, Clayton Zane, Todd McManus, Mark Wilson, Harry James (Liam McGuire 51) Goals : Palamaras 18og, Wilson 50	2	-	2	Gippsland Falcons Jim Kourtis, Marcus Stergiopoulos, Steve Mangos, Nick Palamaras, Hugo Gimenez (Manny Gotis 60), Mark Foy (Joe Tricarico 55), Eddie Krncevic (Billy Wright 59), Alex Duric, Clayton Bell, William Hastie, Levent Osman Goals : Krncevic 15, Duric 66
A far post header by Krncevic was soon canclled out by Palamaras who, upon seeing the dearth of Breakers ready to receive the corner-cross took it upon himself to help out and slot it home much to the surprise of his teammates. Mark Wilson finally managed to find a path past the in form Kourtis slotting home a cutback pass before Duric scrambled an equaliser which was hard-fought for but perhaps not entirely deserved.
Played (6/12/1996) Brandon Park Referee : G Leverton, Crowd : 3948
Wollongong City Brett Hughes, Gary van Egmond, Martin Bourke (Scott Chipperfield 86), Matthew Horsley, Sonny Sevin, Lujpco Naumovski, Michael Reda, Neil Harlock, Nick Joseski, Richard Lloyd, Jason Connolly (Michael Kariamis 57) Goals : Harlock 24, Joseski 43	2	-	0	West Adelaide Nathan Wildy, Hamilton Thorp, Jamie Perin (Frank Tibaldi 45), Robert Slager, Robert Hooker, Alex Castro, Ross Aloisi, Con Kokkinoplitis, Nathan Day (Richie Alagich 51), Andrew Borghetto (Pablo Cardozo 74), Jim Tsekinis
Wollongong continue their good run with a solid home win, Harlock scoring from a glancing header after a great cross from Michael Reda and Joseski rounded the keeper after a fast break from their own half. There were a further two goals, one to each team, but Aloisi used his hand to steer the ball into the net (and was carded for his trouble) and Reda was judged to be offside after he controlled a ball over the Adelaide defence and slammed home the volley.
Played (7/12/1996) Suncorp Stadium Referee : M Shield, Crowd : 4028
Brisbane Strikers Clint Bolton, Alan Hunter, Gary Phillips (Matt Bell 56), Frank Farina, Danny Wright, Troy Cranney, Mark Battistin, Vedran Becirbegovic (Wayne Knipe 71), Andrew Brayshaw (Brad Ditton 29), Kasey Wehrman, Reece Tollenaere Goal : Battistin 88	1	-	5	Perth Glory Vincent Matassa, Craig Naven, Paul Strudwick, Gavin Wilkinson (Doug Ithier 71), Vinko Buljubasic, Gareth Naven, Scott Miller, Slobodan Despotovski, Paul McVittie (Peter Vukmirovic 83), Vasili Kalogeracos (Vladimir Beretovac 66), Dale Wingell Goals : Wilkinson 14, Despotovski 51, 68, Kalogeracos 53, Strudwick 56
Brisbane had not been defeated at home since the opening game of the *previous* season. After the Glory scored from a corner (much as Sydney United did against Perth..so they're learning) and Despotovski slotted home from a tight angle it was all over. The rest was icing. Brisbane, if they were unenthusiastic before, were outright lazy afterwards. Kalogeracos was all alone at the far post as he brought down a nodded on corner and slotted it home and the marking was similarly poor for Despotovski's 2nd goal where he had far too much time inside the penalty area and scored accordingly. Bolton parried Strudwicks stinging shot, but it trickled in regardless the only consolation on the rainy night was a tremendous free kick from Battistin.
Played (8/12/1996) Lakeside Stadium Referee : E Lennie, Crowd : 8896
South Melbourne Michael Petkovic, Nick Orlic, Alex Kuzmanovic, Con Blatsis, Steve Panopoulos, Paul Trimboli, Vaughan Coveny (Michael Curcija 79), Bill Damianos (Jason Polak 71), David Clarkson, Ivan Kelic (Warren Spink 77), Fausto De Amicis Goals : Trimboli 11, Orlic 32, Panopoulos 38, Spink 78	4	-	1	UTS Olympic George Bouhoutsos, David Barrett (Nick Meredith 46), Adam Ciantar, Scott Baillie, Peter Tsekenis, Norman Tome, Brett Emerton, Kris Trajanovski, Elias Augerinos (Walter Ardone 46), Milan Blagojevic, Abbas Saad (Ralph Bove 38) Goal : Trajanovski 36
Peter Tsekenis took the ball away from one attacker AND his goalkeeper and barely got the ball 10m where Trimboli was only too happy to disturb the unguarded net. Orlic, Panopoulos and Trajanovski exchanged a flurry of goals before Spink scored by lobbing the keeper on the volley (thus avoiding any need for hands)
Played (8/12/1996) Edensor Park Referee : B Hugo, Crowd : 5451
Sydney United Zeljko Kalac, Mark Rudan, Velimir Kupresak, Robert Trajkovski (Jacob Burns 73), Mark Babic, Damir Cvetko, Kresimir Marusic, Paul Bilokapic (Robert Markovac 67), Ante Moric (Richard Plesa 79), Ante Milicic, David Zdrilic Goals : Zdrilic 13, 16, 38, 80, Rudan 42, Moric 56, Milicic 89	7	-	0	Collingwood Warriors Frank Juric, Dean Fak, Dejan Kaplanovic, Aleksandr Pryhodko, George Jolevski (Enrico Cerrachio 75), Mark Silic, Carlo Talladira, Goran Lozanovski (Brian MacNicol 71), Ernie Tapai, Andrew Vlahos, Kimon Taliadoros
It's a hell of a way for Ukranian import Pryhodko to start his career in Australia. United was rampant and could have scored more but settled for 7 in a game where Collingwood was defending as badly as Brisbane did earlier this round the 3rd goal for example was a complete joke as a poor cross was first missed by a defender who, in turn, put off the keeper and Zdrilic was gifted the goal as the ball ran to his feet, he could hardly help scoring. The United defence, even without the injured Popovic, was rarely troubled.
Played (8/12/1996) Somers Street Stadium Referee : E Brazzale, Crowd : 3933
Melbourne Knights Joe Didulica, David Cervinski, Zoran Markovski, Andrew Marth, Judas Simunic, Lubomir Lapsansky (Josip Biskic 70), Ice Kutlesovski, Mijo Trupkovic (John Markovski 78), Tom Pondeljak, Ante Kovacevic (Damian Vojtek 88), Ransford Banini Goal : Judas Simunic 36pk	1	-	2	Marconi-Fairfield Bob Catlin, Matthew Bingley, Andrew Harper, Craig Foster (Andrew Ravanello 58), Bradley Maloney, Dominic Longo, Sean Babic (Robert Stanton 86), Francis Awaritefe (Luke Casserly 46), George Souris, Brendan Renaud, Vlado Zoric Goals : Sean Babic 70, Vlado Zoric 80
A Longo foul gave the Knights the chance to take an early lead and the "Croatian National Team wannabe" converted the spotkick. A Harper pass was gratefully slotted home by Babic before Zoric volleyed the ball into goal and the Stallions leave Melbourne 3 points richer than they came.
Played (8/12/1996) Hindmarsh Stadium Referee : B Panella, Crowd : 3323
Adelaide City Jason Petkovic, Milan Ivanovic, Bradley Armour, Alex Tobin, Angelo Costanzo, Bradley Hassell, Dino Mennillo, John Gibson, Michael Musitano (Michael Brooks 67), Mark Brazzale, Kosta Salapasidis (Joe Barbaro 76) Goal : Tobin 62	1	-	0	Canberra Cosmos Danny Milosevic, Paul Dee, David Milin, Richard Watson, Michael Garcia, Norman Kelly, Lachlan Armstrong, Peter Buljan, James Baxter, John Koch, George Sorras
A curling free kick from Brazzale was met by Tobin for the only goal of the game. Not much else of note happened but from Adelaide's view little else needed to happen.