1996/1997 Season Round 15 Results written by Thomas Esamie
Played (1/2/1997) Suncorp Stadium Referee : D. Crawford, Crowd : 4169
Brisbane Strikers Graham Ross, Glen Gwynne, Gary Phillips (Andrew Brayshaw 45), Danny Wright, Mark Battistin, Kasey Wehrman, Jeromy Harris (Chay Hews 75), Rodney Brown, Reece Tollenaere, Chris Slater (Wayne Knipe 65), Troy Cranney Goal : Battistin 71pk	1	-	3	Adelaide City Jason Petkovic, Bradley Armour, Mark Yates, Milan Ivanovic, Alex Tobin, Angelo Costanzo, Bradley Hassell (Kosta Salapasidis 87), Dino Mennillo (Nick Sabljak 89), John Gibson, Michael Musitano (Sergei Vaskin 77), Michael Brooks Goals : Hassell 17, Brooks 78, Wright 81og
With Alan Hunter and Frank Farina out the Strikers were pale imitations of themselves and it took only 17 minutes before a Hassell run resulted in a shot on goal blocked by the keeper but the rebound fell back to Hassell's feet and he duly scored. Slater, Brown and Battistin all went close, as did the hardworking Wehrman but eventually a needless tackle by Costanzo on Knipe who was following up on a Brown shot resulted in a penalty which gave the Strikers a brief glimpse of parity. Soon after a shocking pass across goal gifted Brooks the first of two quick goals and a Mennillo pass opened up a path to goal for Brooks whose shot from a very tight angle was turned into his own net by a fast backpedalling Danny Wright. It rained on Brisbane in more ways than one.
Played (1/2/1997) Marconi Stadium Referee : C Diomis, Crowd : 4279
Marconi-Fairfield Bob Catlin, Robert Stanton, Matthew Bingley, Luke Casserly, Andrew Harper, Craig Foster (Andrew Ravanello 86), Brad Maloney, Dominic Longo, Sean Babic, Francis Awaritefe, Vlado Zoric (Aaron Holst 86) Goal : Maloney 79	1	-	0	Canberra Cosmos Anthony Giannasca, Paul Dee, Paul Wade, Michael Garcia, Marko Perinovic, James Baxter (Tony Lemezina 78), John Koch, Peter Mazis, George Sorras, Ante Juric, Rodrigo Moreno
Andy Harper and Marko Perinovic both tickled the uprights in trying to get their respective sides ahead but eventually Awaritefe put the ball back to Maloney who was all alone(y) in the penalty box and struck the ball past two advancing defenders and the helpless keeper. Still the Cosmos were a tough nut to crack and while a bigger scoreline might have been expected Marconi can be happy just to have won.
Played (2/2/1997) Brandon Park Referee : M Shields, Crowd : 10158
Wollongong City Brett Hughes, Alvin Ceccoli, Gary van Egmond, Matthew Horsley, Sonny Sevin (Tony Perinich 29), Sasho Dimoski, Neil Harlock, Nick Joseski, Richard Lloyd, Anthony Surjan, Scott Chipperfield (Manis Lamond 52) Goal : Surjan 83	1	-	4	Sydney United Zeljko Kalac, Robert Trajkovski, Velimir Kupresak, Mark Babic, Robert Enes, Kresimir Marusic (Jason Culina 76), Ante Moric, Ante Milicic, David Zdrilic, Paul Bilokapic (Robert Markovac 80), Mark Rudan Goals : Milicic 17, 24, 88, van Egmond 68og
For all the form Wollongong showed prior to the mid-season break the table topping United just played better. The initial goal from Milicic came during a period when Dimoski appeared to be seriously injured but play continued and the distraction allowed Milicic an oppertunist strike into the roof of the net. Enes and Trajkovski contrived to give Milicic a header which he placed inside the far post for his second goal, the United passing superb and giving the hardworking Wolves little chance to defend effectively. Infact the passing was so crisp and accurate when such a move resulted in a ball across the goal mouth van Egmond believed it morally wrong not to have a goal come from it and therefore did the honours himself. Surjans weaving shot found the top corner of the United net to give the Wolves a consolation, but Milicic, determined for his hat-trick got it by jinking past Harlock and driving past Hughes.
Played (2/2/1997) Lakeside Stadium Referee : E Brazzale, Crowd : 5239
South Melbourne Michael Petkovic, Nick Orlic, Alex Kuzmanovic, Con Blatsis, Jason Polak (Steve Panopoulos 59), Vaughan Coveny, Paul Trimboli, Steve Iosifidis, David Clarkson, Ivan Kelic (Warren Spink 70), Fausto DeAmicis Goals : Kelic 44, Coveny 89	2	-	0	Gippsland Falcons Jim Kourtis, Steve Mangos, Doug Marcina, Nick Palamaras, Mark Foy (Hugo Giminez 59), Eddie Krncevic, Alex Duric, Clayton Bell, Manny Gotis (Billy Wright 71), Willie Hastie, Manoa Masi (Joe Tricarico 45)
Trimboli gave Kelic the chance to open the scoring, which he did, and Trimboli's shot rebounded off the post and Coveny finished the scoring. In between a great deal of spite and ill-feeling made the match a poor example of Australian football. Billy Wrights family jewels got a severe jangling from Kuzmanovic who decided this is the best way of dealing with forwards who challenge the goalkeeper for a high ball and on the other end a goal mouth scramble resulted in a kickfest more at home in a game of U-6's where you expect to see 20 players milling about the ball. It was all too heated and the referee seemed unwilling to send anyone off.
Played (2/2/1997) Somers St Stadium Referee : G Connolly, Crowd : 7917
Melbourne Knights Joe Didulica, David Cervinski, Andrew Marth, Joe Simunic, Lubomir Lapsansky, Ice Kutlesovski, Tom Pondeljak, Joe Caleta, Ivan Duzel (Ante Deak 77), Ransford Banini (Dragi Nastevski 46), Adrian Cervinski	0	-	1	Collingwood Warriors Frank Juric, Joe Vrkic, Paul Della Rocca, Alan Davidson, Alan Scott, Carlo Talladira, Andrew Vlahos, Kimon Taliadoros, Ernie Tapai, Goran Lozanovski (Brian MacNicol 84), Mark Silic (Con Boutsianis 20) Goal : Boutsianis 44
Both goalkeepers were kept busy in this game and in the end a halfvolley from a cross by the rapidly recovering Goran Lozanovski gave the Warriors their first win since the early rounds of the season. The Knights almost found an equaliser on several occasions but the Warriors defence is showing unfamiliar resilience, mainly thanks to Davidson and Della Rocca being included.
Played (2/2/1997) Belmore Oval Referee : B Hugo, Crowd : 7124
UTS Olympic Tony Franken, David Barrett, Adam Ciantar, Scott Ballie, Norman Tome (Walter Ardone 62), Brett Emerton, Kris Trajanovski, Elias Augerinos (Ivan Zelic 75), Derek Poimer (Carlos Gonzales 75), Milan Blagojevic, David Mitchell	0	-	2	Perth Glory Vincent Matassa, Craig Naven, Gavin Wilkinson, Vinko Buljabasic, Gareth Naven, Scott Miller, Paul McVittie, Paul Strudwick, Slobodan Despotovski, Vasili Kalogeracos (Alan McKenzie 69), Dale Wingell Goals : Barrett 11og, Despotovski 41
David Mitchell returned home but the Glory had all the glory. Perth were on all out attack and a Wingell shot from just inside the area was neatly deflected into his own goal by Dave Barrett, UTS seem to be wanting to compile a series of own goals, but for the deflection the keeper was well positioned. Fortune favours the brave. A remarkable and vociferous away support pushed Perth to greater heights and from a Kalogeracos corner Despotovski headed home at the near post and still it wasn't enough. Tony Franken was the busiest man on the field but no more legal goals came for Perth.
Played (2/2/1997) Hindmarsh Stadium Referee : A Gorton , Crowd : 5044
West Adelaide Michael Harkness, Robert Hooker, Richie Alagich, Ross Aloisi, Pablo Cardozo, Nathan Day (Jamie Perin 86), Frank Tibaldi, Jim Tsekinis, Corey Artone (Branko Milosevic 77), Hamilton Thorp (Andrew Borghetto 68), Paul Pezos Goals : Hooker 59pk, Tsekinis 68	2	-	1	Newcastle Breakers Liam Baker, Shane Pryce, Glen Sprod, Clayton Zane, Troy Halpin (Peter Ritchie 74), Todd McManus, Andy Roberts (Scott Thomas 74), Jason Bennett, Mark Wilson, Matt Austin, Liam McGuire Goal : Tibaldi 4og
The own-goal-fest in round 15 continued here at Hindmarsh when Clayton Zane's shot was turned into his own net by Tibaldi much the surprise of the goalkeeper who is no doubt feeling somewhat aggrieved at having his own good work undone by teammates with feet faster than their brains. Pablo 'Elvis' Cardozo capitalised on another such player in the Newcastle side when he was upended in the penalty area and Hooker took the penalty. Nathan Day had his cross headed away but only as far as Tsekinis who volleyed a golazo into the net for the Sharks win.