1996/1997 Season Round 04 Results written by Thomas Esamie
Played (2/11/1996) Marconi Stadium Referee : E Lennie, Crowd : 8952
Marconi-Fairfield Bob Catlin, Matthew Bingley (Sean Babic 54), Paul Souris, Dominic Longo, JohnPaul DeMarigny, Aaron Holst (Vlado Zoric 65), Bradley Maloney, Craig Foster, Andrew Ravanello, Andrew Harper, Francis Awaritefe	0	-	3	Sydney United Zeljko Kalac, Robert Trajkovski, Velimir Kupresak, Mark Babic, Tony Popovic, Robert Enes (Jason Culina 87), Ante Moric, Paul Bilokapic (Mark Rudan 89), David Zdrilic, Kresimir Marusic (Damir Cvetko 72), Ante Milicic Goals : Zdrilic 48, Moric 50, Cvetko 81
I can't figure United out. They used to struggle to get goals and now they've scored 9 in 3 games. Certainly their imports Kresimir Marusic (who also had a stint with the Knights) and Cvetko have made an impact in this regard but still, I wonder whether they have changed matchday breakfast menus.
Played (3/11/1996) Lakeside Stadium Referee : B Hugo, Crowd : 5452
South Melbourne Michael Petkovic, Nick Orlic, Alex Kuzmanovic, Con Blatsis, Jason Polak (David Clarkson 71), Vaughan Coveny, Paul Trimboli, Warren Spink (Bill Damianos 71), Steve Iosifidis, Michael Curcija (Daniel Allsopp 57), Fausto DeAmicis Goal : Orlic 24	1	-	2	Brisbane Strikers Clint Bolton, Glen Gwynne, Alan Hunter, Gary Phillips (Danny Wright 59), Frank Farina (Wayne Knipe 78), Sean Cranney, Rod Brown, Troy Cranney, Mark Battistin, Andrew Brayshaw, Kasey Wehrman Goals : Hunter 5pk, Wehrman 67
In the wading pool that was, funnily enough, Lakeside Stadium the Lakers conceded an early penalty when Con Blatsis was ruled to have held back Frank Farina when a cross came in and despite a scrambled goal from a corner the Strikers won the day with another goal to Wehrman who ran onto a Troy Cranney pass.
Played (3/11/1996) Brandon Park Referee : J Markovski, Crowd : 3484
Wollongong City Brett Hughes, Alvin Ceccoli, Gary van Egmond, Matthew Horsley, Sonny Sevin, Michael Reda (Lujpco Naumovski 73), Tony Perinich, Neil Harlock, Richard Lloyd, Nick Joseski (Jason Connelly 75), Anthony Surjan	0	-	0	Newcastle Breakers Liam Baker, Shane Pryce, Glen Sprod, Robert Ironside, Scott Thomas, Clayton Zane (David Lowe 77), Troy Halpin, Todd McManus, Jason Bennett, Matt Austin, Craig Sharpley
Newcastle were backing up from their Friday night trip to Canberra and might have been excused for losing. To their credit they left with an away draw. They might have had a win had the linesman not pulled back an apparent goal for handball.
Played (3/11/1996) Knights Park Referee : E Brazzale, Crowd : 3455
Melbourne Knights Vilson Knezevic, David Cervinski, Zoran Markovski, Andrew Marth, Joe Simunic, Lubomir Lapsansky, John Markovski (Mijo Trupkovic 70), Damian Vojtek, Ton Pondeljak (Ante Deak 83), Ransford Banini, Ice Kutlesovski	0	-	0	Adelaide City Jason Petkovic, Bradley Armour, Mark Yates, Milan Ivanovic, Alex Tobin (Joe Barbaro 42), Angelo Costanzo, Bradley Hassell, Dino Mennillo, John Gibson, Michael Brooks, Ross Vershoor (Kosta Salapasidis 28)
Adelaide City have lost all their attacking players in the past couple of seasons and it showed in a game where their defenders and particularly Jason Petkovic in goal kept the Knights at bay. Adelaide are yet to score a goal this season.
Played (3/11/1996) Perth Oval Referee : B Panella, Crowd : 8053
Perth Glory Tom Maras, Vladimir Beretovac (sent off 77), Craig Naven, Vinko Buljubasic, Gareth Naven, Scott Miller, Paul McVittie, Paul Strudwick (Vasili Kalageracos 68),Slobodan Despotovski, Doug Ithier, Dale Wingell (Gavin Wilkinson 81) Goals : McVittie 19, Despotovski 31, 87, Wingell 32, Naven 67, Miller 80	6	-	0	Canberra Cosmos Tony Giannasca, Paul Dee, Richard Watson, Paul Wade, Michael Garcia (David Milin 71), Norman Kelly (Mladen Rogic 56), Lachlan Armstrong (Peter Buljan 11), Lindsay Wilson, James Baxter, John Koch, Peter Mazis
Well Perth lived up to their name this afternoon with a thumping victory at home against the hapless Cosmos. Beretovac had the job of marking Paul Wade but managed to accrue two yellow cards inside 80 minutes and had to leave. However by then the Glory had all the running and the match had been won.
Played (3/11/1996) Belmore Oval Referee : M Breeze, Crowd : 7128
UTS Olympic George Bouhoutsos, Ralph Bove, David Barrett, Adam Ciantar, Ivan Zelic (Carlos Gonzales 82), Brett Emerton (Elias Augerinos 76), Milan Blagojevic, Alistair Edwards, Norman Tome, Abbas Saad (Nick Meredith 32), Kris Trajanovski Goals : Trajanovski 47, Tome 54, 56	3	-	0	Gippsland Falcons Jim Kourtis, Doug Marcina (Manoa Masi 46), Claudio Canosa, Steve Mangos (sent off 93), Nick Palamaras, Carlo Villani, Clayton Bell, Hugo Giminez, Marcus Stergiopoulos (Manny Gotis 81), Billy Wright, Mark Foy (Billy Mitroulas 71)
Gippsland did far better than the score would indicate but UTS were the better side nonetheless. Trajanovski, after scoring 7 goals in 2 matches for Australia against Tahiti, followed up with a goal laid on by Emerton. In the end Steve Mangos was yellow carded for kicking a ball away in frustration and with his earlier booking for a late tackle added to the mood of the day by being sent off. This match also marked the return of Abbas Saad to the NSL after the worldwide ban for his alleged involvement in a Malaysian match fixing betting scam was lifted by FIFA. He soon had to leave again with an injury.
Played (3/11/1996) Hindmarsh Stadium Referee : G Connelly, Crowd : 5611
West Adelaide Michael Harkness, Hamilton Thorp, Jamie Perin, Robert Slager, Robert Hooker, Richie Alagich, Alex Castro, Pablo Cardozo, Nathan Day, Jim Tsekinis (Andrew Borghetto 77), Corey Artone (John Cutillo 66) Goal : Slager 22	1	-	2	Collingwood Warriors Frank Juric, Dean Fak, George Jolevski, John Waddell, Alan Scott, Enrico Cerracchio, Con Boutsianis (Brian MacNicol 66), Ernest Tapai, Carlo Talladira, Andrew Vlahos, Kimon Taliadoros Goals : Cerracchio 24, 68
West Adelaide probably deserved a draw but you can't always get what you want. Collingwood certainly look the goods but the injury to Goran Lozanovski will test their ability to maintain their early season form.