1996/1997 Season Round 13 Results written by Thomas Esamie
Played (3/1/1997) Brandon Park Referee : G Leverton, Crowd : 5462
Wollongong City Adam Brodbeck, Alvin Ceccoli, Gary van Egmond, Matthew Horsley, Sonny Sevin, Michael Reda (Michael Kariamis 84), Neil Harlock (Scott Chipperfield 70), Nick Joseski, Richard Lloyd, Anthony Surjan (Martin Bourke 77), Sasho Dimoski Goals : Ceccoli 3, Lloyd 15, Joseski 18, 60, Dimoski 84	5	-	2	Gippsland Falcons Jim Kourtis, Doug Marcina, Mark Foy, Marcus Stergiopoulos, Nick Palamaras, Hugo Giminez (Bill Mitroulas 74), Alex Duric, Eddie Krncevic (Billy Wright 13), Clayton Bell (Tony Sekulic 62), Levent Osman, Joe Tricarico Goals : Krncevic 2, Foy 62
The Falcons upset the script when Krncevic scored very early before leaving the field with hamstring problems. The somewhat depleted Wolves lineup then redoubled their efforts and overcame their stubborn opponents, in the process revealing a serious gulf of talent between the sides. At least on this day.
Played (4/1/1997) Suncorp Stadium Referee : G Connolly, Crowd : 13121
Brisbane Strikers Graham Ross, Alan Hunter, Glen Gwynne, Gary Phillips, Frank Farina, Danny Wright, Troy Cranney, Andrew Brayshaw (Mark Battistin 78), Sean Cranney (Reece Tollenaere 64), Rod Brown, Jeromy Harris (Chris Slater 64) Goals : Brown 5, Farina 33, Battistin 90	3	-	0	Sydney United Zeljko Kalac, Robert Trajkovski, Velimir Kupresak, Mark Babic, Kresimir Marusic, Ante Moric (Jason Culina 46), Ante Milicic (Robert Markovac 46), Aytek Genc (Chad Gibson 79), David Zdrilic, Paul Bilokapic, Mark Rudan
A defence splitting pass on a counter attack gave Rod Brown and the record crowd much to celebrate. A crowd which included new Socceroo coach Terry Venables and again the side which supplied no players to the squad picked for him outplayed a side which did. Sydney had a goal disallowed for offside before Farina clumsily worked the ball over the line, late in the game Battistin scored the crowd pleaser. United get their chance for revenge next week when Round 13 matches are replayed for the start of the second half of the season.
Played (4/1/1997) Marconi Stadium Referee : S Micallef, Crowd : 5419
Marconi-Fairfield Bob Catlin, Robert Stanton (Mark Robertson 78), Matthew Bingley, Luke Casserly, Andrew Harper, Craig Foster (Eric Hristodoulou 72), Bradley Maloney, Dominic Longo, Sean Babic, Francis Awaritefe, Vlado Zoric Goal : Harper 44	1	-	2	Perth Glory Vincent Matassa, Vinko Buljubasic, Craig Naven, Gavin Wilkinson, Vladimir Beretovac (Doug Ithier 46), Gareth Naven, Scott Miller, Paul McVittie, Paul Strudwick, Slobodan Despotovski, Vasili Kalogeracos Goals : Kalogeracos 9, 66
Glory with travelling support? I mean Perth is a couple of thousand kilometres from Sydney, you'd as soon get to South Africa. Oh..again Terry Venables was present (poor bastard must be sick of seeing these games) to see the Marconi showboats get done over by an attacking, uncomplicated and effective Perth side. Having seen Collingwood win the Cup in their first season it would be apt to have the other new team, Perth, take out the League this season. Perth for the championship!
Played (5/1/1997) Hindmarsh Stadium Referee : W Dade, Crowd : 3365
Adelaide City Jason Petkovic, Bradley Armour, Mark Yates, Alex Tobin, Angelo Costanzo, Dino Mennillo, John Gibson, Michael Musitano (Joe Barbaro 81), Michael Brooks, Milan Ivanovic, Mark Brazzale (Travis Dodd 77) Goals : Gibson 20, Brooks 52	2	-	2	Newcastle Breakers Liam Baker, Shane Pryce, Glen Sprod, Robert Ironside, Scott Thomas, Troy Halpin, Todd McManus, Andy Roberts, Jason Bennett, Matt Austin, Liam McGuire Goals : McGuire 37, Halpin 60
The draw specialists are at it again and after Gibson's headed goal the leapfrog celebration was unveiled. Milan Ivanovic was surprisingly disposessed of the ball and the resulting cross found McGuire who took advantage of the time he had to ensure the goal. Musitano then sent the ball in to Brooks who volleyed the low drive across goal into the far top corner. Then it was Newcastle's turn to score and a deflected shot from the edge of the area looped over Petkovic's head and into goal. Rather like Andy Brehme's free kick off Paul Parker's shin and over Peter Shilton's head. God that was funny.
Played (5/1/1997) Lakers Stadium Referee : M Shield, Crowd : 12652
South Melbourne Michael Petkovic, Nick Orlic, Alex Kuzmanovic, Jason Polak, Steve Panopoulos, Vaughan Coveny (Warren Spink 7 (Daniel Allsopp 76)), Paul Trimboli (Mickey Petersen 75), Steve Iosifidis, David Clarkson, Ivan Kelic, Fausto DeAmicis Goals : Spink 28, 75, Trimboli 54, Allsopp 85	4	-	0	Collingwood Warriors Frank Juric, Carlo Talladira, Dean Fak, Joe Vrkic, Alan Scott, Mark Silic (Con Boutsianis 64), Brian MacNicol, Ernie Tapai, Goran Lozanovski, Kimon Taliadoros, Andrew Vlahos
After winning the preseason Cup and continuing that form into the early rounds of the league Collingwood are in desperate trouble and a through pasting from Souths underlined it. The action was all at Juric's end of the park and despite being only 1-0 down at halftime the industrious Trimboli, oppertunistic Spink and lucky Allsopp all scored in the second half for a well deserved win. Credit to Kelic who didn't score one but should have.
Played (5/1/1997) Somers St Stadium Referee : E Lennie, Crowd : 2980
Melbourne Knights Joe Didulica, David Cervinski, Zoran Markovski (Damian Vojtek 61), Andrew Marth, Lubomir Lapsansky, Ice Kutlesovski, Ante Kovacevic, Tom Pondeljak (Dragi Nastevski 60), Ivan Duzel (Mijo Trupkovic 85), Adrian Cervinski, Ransford Banini Goal : A Cervinski 45	1	-	1	Canberra Cosmos Anthony Giannasca (sent off 47), Paul Dee, Norman Kelly (to GK 47), Marko Perinovic, Lachlan Armstrong (James Baxter 86), John Koch, Peter Mazis, George Sorras, Ante Juric, Rodrigo Moreno (David Milin 47), Vincent Grella Goal : Perinovic 83
*Another* late equaliser from the Cosmos earn them another point, but more importantly rob Melbourne of 2. It was a hot and blustery day in Melbourne (I'm told) and Ice Kutlesovski passed to Cervinski to slot home from wide out. Then Giannasca was sent off for handling the ball outside his area when trying to beat a Knights attacker to the ball. Feeling that attack is the best from of defence Canberra were duly rewarded when a long cross from Vincent Grella found Perinovic whose header looped over the flapping figure of Joe Didulica.
Played (5/1/1997) Belmore Oval Referee : M Breeze, Crowd : 5249
UTS Olympic Tony Franken, Ralph Bove (Nick Meredith 46), David Barrett, Scott Baillie, Milan Blagojevic, Adam Ciantar, Norman Tome (Elias Augerinos 77), Peter Tsekenis, Carlos Gonzales (John Angelovski 80), Alistair Edwards, Kris Trajanovski Goal : Tome 36	1	-	4	West Adelaide Michael Harkness, Robert Slager, Con Kokkinoplitis, Robert Hooker, Alex Castro, Ross Aloisi, Corey Artone, Nathan Day (Paul Pezos 87), Jamie Perin (Pablo Cardozo 71), Hamilton Thorp (John Cutillo 80), Jim Tsekinis Goals : Thorp 22, Castro 37, Hooker 52pk, Tsekinis 53
Terry 'Oz Tel' Venables was in attendance again to look at his squad members and saw them thoroughly beaten by a more enthusiastic side in West Adelaide. Thorp sliding home a cross from Nathan Day opened the scoring but Tome running onto a pass into the penalty area and finishing neatly levelled the score. A quickly taken free kick left UTS in disarray to leave Ross Aloisi and Castro to combine for goal 2. Scott Baillie fouled Thorp to give Hooker the shot from the penalty spot and from a throw in Tsekinis took advantage of some poor defence.