The Central Coast Premier League competition has its third different leader in as many weeks with Wyoming tigers taking over top spot for the first time this season following the Round 11 matches played over the weekend of June 21 and 22.
The competition now looks to be permanently split into two halves, with just five points separating the top five teams and with a 14-point gap leaving the bottom five within six points of each other and fighting to avoid the two relegation places. The gulf between the two groups is such that the top five have won 36 of their total of 55 matches compared with just five by the bottom five. Following their big win over Killarney District the previous week, Wyoming weren’t expected to be troubled in their match against last-placed Kincumber Roos at Pluim Park.
While the final scoreline of 3-0 to Wyoming suggests a comfortable win, the match was far closer than that, with an understrength Kincumber Roos team putting in a committed 90-minute effort. Graham Toope celebrated his return from injury with goals midway through each half with Marc Falzon scoring the Tigers’ third in the last seconds of the match. With both Ourimbah and Gosford City in the bottom three places, both teams went into their match at Ourimbah Oval desperate for maximum points but came away disappointed following a 2-2 draw that left their positions unchanged. In a fl uctuating match, Gosford led through Marc Tarring, then trailed 2-1 early in the second half after Ourimbah goals by Ryan Powers and Daniel Dean.
With 15 minutes to play, a second-yellow send-off reduced Ourimbah to 10 men. A late penalty to City then ensured the points were shared with Ian McAndrew maintaining his perfect record from the spot (five from five). Killarney District bounced back from their loss to Wyoming with a 3-1 win over East Gosford at Hylton Moore Park. Rob Walton’s sixth goal of the season gave the Rams an early lead although it lasted just four minutes with Ryan Moore equalising.
Although Tim Knight gave the visitors the lead shortly before the break, the match remained in the balance until Blake Hormann sealed the win for Killarney in the last minute of the match. It continued East’s frustrating run of narrow losses to top-five teams and at the same time ended any hope of reaching the 2014 playoffs.
Media release, 23 Jun 2014
Alistair Kennedy,
Central Coast Football