Manly’s kids weren’t supposed to be here. Now they’re playing finals

Manly United have defied the odds to book their place in the NPL NSW finals, completing an impressive regular season built around one of the competition’s youngest squads.

With everything riding on the final round, Manly produced arguably their biggest performance of the year, dismantling fellow finals hopefuls Wollongong Wolves 4-0 at Macedonia Park to finish fifth.

Ayumu Kimura opened the scoring before Aaron O’Driscoll and Benjamin Koop had Manly three goals clear by half-time. Substitute Monty Peppel completed the statement victory late, ending Wollongong’s finals hopes and sending Manly into the Championship Series with momentum where Sutherland Sharks await midweek.

Elsewhere, Premiers APIA Leichhardt celebrated at Lambert Park with a 4-2 win over St George City.

Presley Ortiz scored twice to reach 20 goals and finish level at the top of the Golden Boot race alongside Western Sydney Wanderers’ Awan Lual, while Themba Muata-Marlow and Cristian Lombardo also struck.

Sydney United clinched second place and a passage directly into week two of the finals after demolishing St George FC 6-0. Michael Krslovic produced a first-half hat-trick and Carlos De Oliveira added two, with St George now facing Northern Tigers in the Promotion/Relegation Playoff.

The final spot in the six went to NWS Spirit, whose 1-1 draw with third-placed Marconi proved enough after Sydney FC were held 1-1 by relegated Sydney Olympic. In a quirk of the finals draw, Marconi and Spirit will now meet again in a midweek Elimination Final.

SD Raiders finished their impressive maiden NPL NSW campaign with a dramatic 2-1 win at finals-bound Sutherland Sharks, Justin Chan Frias striking in stoppage time, but the newcomers missed the six on goal difference.

Western Sydney Wanderers beat Blacktown City 3-1, highlighted by Tristan Arrarte’s spectacular lob from beyond halfway, while Rockdale Ilinden farewelled departing coach Paul Dee with a 2-0 win over UNSW.