1996/1997 Season Round 23 Results written by Thomas Esamie
Played (29/3/1997) Marconi Stadium Referee : S Micallef, Crowd : 5670
Marconi-Fairfield Leslie Pogliacomi, Robert Stanton (sent off 86), Paul Souris, Aaron Holst, Mark Robertson, Craig Foster, Bradley Maloney, Vlado Zoric, Luke Casserly (Sean Babic 46), Francis Awaritefe, Andrew Harper (Eric Hristodoulou 74)	0	-	1	Melbourne Knights Joe Didulica, Dragi Nastevski, Ante Kovacevic, Zoran Markovski, Ransford Banini, Tom Pondeljak, Lubomir Lapsansky, Andrew Marth, Marjan Tasevski, Adrian Cervinski, Ice Kutlesovski (Mijo Trupkovic 84) Goal : Cervinski 14
The Knights scored early with Kutlesovski getting reward for chasing a ball which looked headed for a goal kick. His cross was headed down and into goal by Cervinski who had managed to get on the ball side of his marker. The Knights continued some good work while at the other end Marconi appeals for a Markovski handball from a Harper cross was their best hope for a goal. In the second half Marconi picked up, Awaritefe looking much better but all in vain and the sting in the tail being Stantons send off for clipping Pondeljaks heels when those two players were virtually the only ones in the Marconi half after the Knights broke quickly.
Played (29/3/1997) Falcons Park Referee : J Markovski, Crowd : 4167
Gippsland Falcons Jim Kourtis, Claudio Canosa, Marcus Stergiopoulos, Mark Foy (Levent Osman 86), Esala Masi (Eddie Krncevic 80), Clayton Bell, Archie Thompson (Bill Mitroulas 72), Tony Sekulic, Manny Gotis, Willie Hastie, Joe Tricarico Goals : Sekulic 5, 14, 61	3	-	0	Newcastle Breakers Liam Baker, Glen Sprod, Shane Pryce, Peter Ritchie, Robert Ironside, David Lowe, Trot Halpin, Todd McManus, Andy Roberts (Gary Wilson 60), Craig Sharpley (Mark Wilson 77), Harry James (Clayton Zane 60)
A Gippsland corner gave Sekulic the chance to put in the boot, which he did, and soon after a free kick near the corner flag led to another Sekulic goal, this time with the head. You'd never have guessed it but the third goal came from another corner.
Played (29/3/1997) Bruce Stadium Referee : G Leverton, Crowd : 1000
Canberra Cosmos Tony Giannasca (David Milin 75), Lindsay Wilson, Peter Mazis, John Koch, Paul Wade, Michael Garcia, Vincent Grella (Peter Buljan 83), George Sorras, Norman Kelly, Tony Lemezina, John Markovski	0	-	1	Adelaide City Jason Petkovic, Bradley Armour, Mark Yates, Milan Ivanovic, Alex Tobin, Dino Mennillo, John Gibson, Michael Brooks (Joe Barbaro 69), Kosta Salapasidis, Travis Dodd, Nick Sabljak (Mark Brazzale 46) Goal : Mennillo 81
Giannasca had a great hand in keeping Adelaide scoreless though for a change his defenders were quite helpful. When he left with a groin strain it was Milin who failed to keep out a long range effort after a rare Ivanovic shot rebounded outside the penalty area and Dino Mennillo pulled the trigger.
Played (30/3/1997) Perth Oval Referee : W Dade, Crowd : 12858
Perth Glory Robert Zabica (Tom Maras 46), Gavin Wilkinson, Vinko Buljubasic, Gareth Naven, Scott Miller, Paul McVittie, Slobodan Despotovski, Vasili Kalogeracos, Dale Wingell (Vladimir Beretovac 72), Anthony Carbone, Peter Vukmirovic (Alan MacKenzie 75)	0	-	2	Brisbane Strikers Clint Bolton, Glen Gwynne, Gary Phillips, Frank Farina, Sean Cranney (Kasey Wehrman 62), Rod Brown (Matt Bell 72), Danny Wright, Troy Cranney, Wayne Knipe, Craig Williams, Nick Meredith (Chay Hews 62) Goals : T Cranney 13, Wehrman 89
A Brisbane corner was apparently well defended but Troy Cranney lurking a good 10 metres, almost certainly more, outside the penalty area launched an absolute missile through a crowded area which possible left Zabica unsighted until it was too late to stop the ball which, if it hadn't landed in the net, probably would have hurt a spectator. After that Brisbane were taking long shots all day, Perth had a couple of opportunities but none were fully exploited and eventually Brisbane sealed it late on when a Bell cross from a throw in found Wehrman with enough room in the penalty area that he needed binoculars to see the nearest defender. Funny how Perth defenders gravitate to the ball....
Played (30/3/1997) Belmore Oval Referee : B Hugo, Crowd : 10133
UTS Olympic Tony Franken, David Barrett, Adam Ciantar, Scott Baillie, Elias Augerinos (Steve Refenes 83), Brett Emerton, Peter Tsekenis, Walter Ardone, Kris Trajanovski, Norman Tome (David Mitchell 74), Derek Poimer Goal : Baillie 44	1	-	2	South Melbourne Michael Petkovic, Steve Iosifidis, Con Blatsis, Fausto DeAmicis, Nick Orlic, Steve Panopoulos, Jason Polak, David Clarkson, Vaughan Coveny, Paul Trimboli, Michael Curcija (Ivan Kelic 62) Goals : Panopoulos 71pk, Coveny 80
UTS were all over South Melbourne in the first half and could have had 2 or 3 goals before they actually did score from a Trajanovski cross which Orlic just couldn't get his head to, though happily his efforts attracted the attention of Souths defenders leaving Baillie with a clear header after Orlic had missed. It must have been a good side to attack because after the break South Melbourne had the balance of play and earnt a penalty after the player following up on Coveny's parried shot was bowled over. Coveny won the game having been put through by a well weighted pass Coveny rounded the keeper and tapped in.
Played (30/3/1997) Hindmarsh Stadium Referee : E Lennie, Crowd : 3524
West Adelaide Michael Harkness, Hamilton Thorp (Nathan Day 76), Robert Hooker, Richie Alagich (Alex Castro 45), Ross Aloisi, Pablo Cardozo, Branko Milosevic, Con Kokkinoplitis, Frank Tibaldi, Andrew Borghetto (Jim Tsekinis 61), Paul Pezos Goals : Cardozo 14, Thorp 27, Tsekinis 67	3	-	1	Wollongong City Adam Brodbeck, Alvin Ceccoli, Matthew Horsley, Sonny Sevin, Sasho Dimoski, Michael Reda, Neil Harlock, Michael Kariamis (Nick Joseski 76), Anthony Surjan (Richard Lloyd 16), Jason Connelly, Colin Luff (Scott Chipperfield 45) Goal : Surjan 9pk
The early penalty wasn't enough to beat West Adelaide, infact the lead lasted barely 5 minutes before Cardozo tapped in when Brodbeck could only parry a long shot. Thorp then latched onto a cross into the box and headed it into goal despite some close marking and Tsekinis slid in for the final goal after good work by Cardozo on the left.
Played (31/3/1997) Olympic Park Referee : G Connolly, Crowd : 1700
Collingwood Warriors Frank Juric, Joe Vrkic, Paul Della Rocca, Frank Catalano, Enrico Cerracchio, Andrew Vlahos, Con Boutsianis, Ernie Tapai, Goran Lozanovski, Mark Silic, Peter Di Iorio (Brian MacNichol 86) Goals : Di Iorio 15, Vlahos 56	2	-	3	Sydney United Zeljko Kalac, Robert Trajkovski, Velimir Kupresak, Mark Babic, Robert Enes, Kresimir Marusic, Robert Markovac (Dean Culina 64), Ante Milicic, Aytek Genc, David Zdrilic, Paul Bilokapic (Damir Cvetko 71) Goals : Enes 25, Milicic 69, Zdrilic 88