A Jonathan Grozdanovski brace has helped Rockdale City sneak into the NPL 1 finals with a 2-2 draw against Sydney FC.
The Suns went into the final round level on points with fifth-placed Marconi. Rockdale needed to better the Stallions’ result against Wollongong due to Marconi’s superior for and against.
The Wolves did Rockdale a favour, securing a 3-0 win to leave Rockdale only needing a draw to advance to the finals.
The Suns led twice through Grozdanovski and took a 2-1 lead to half-time. But Rockdale failed to take a number of chances in the second half allowing the young Sky Blues to find an injury time equaliser through Jeremy Cox.
Rockdale will now meet Blacktown City in an elimination final at Lily Homes Stadium, Blacktown on Saturday night. The Suns beat City in the first week of the finals last year, with the sides playing out a 1-1 draw three weeks ago.
Rockdale player-coach Paul Reid said his side should have killed off Sydney FC before their late leveler but was thankful to have reached the finals for the third year in a row.
“At half-time we saw Marconi were struggling in their game but I was stressing to the players that we need to do everything to win our game so we control our own fate,” he said.
“It’s obviously disappointing to concede late on. We had numerous chances to go 3-1 ahead but at the end of the day our aim was to get into the finals.
“[Blacktown] are always tight encounters. We played them in the finals series last year so we know what each other are all about and it’s going to be a really good game.”
Rockdale will also take on Blacktown in the under-18s semi-final.
Blacktown will head into the first grade finals short on confidence after being beaten 2-0 by Sutherland thanks to goals from Adrian Vranic and Nick Littler.
Sutherland will be left wondering what might have been after their season tailed off dramatically after an impressive start which saw them occupying a finals place mid-way through the campaign.
The Sharks have not reached the finals for the last five seasons. Sutherland’s final round win helped them climb to 10th above Sydney FC’s youth team and relegated Bonnyrigg.
Sutherland’s under-20s side finished third and face Sydney FC in their semi-final at Blacktown on Saturday.
NSW NPL 1 2018 finals week one
First grade elimination final – Blacktown City (4th) vs Rockdale City (5th) 7pm
Under-20s semi-final – Sydney FC (2nd) vs Sutherland (3rd) 4.30pm
Under-18s semi-final – Blacktown City (2nd) vs Rockdale City (3rd) 2pm
All matches at Lily Homes Stadium, Blacktown on Saturday
