Comets Snatch Top Spot | RAA NPLSA Wrap | Round 21

By Thomas Perrotta

Last weekend’s NPL action saw a massive shake-up at the top of the table, with every position from first through to eighth changing hands.

Going into Round 21, MetroStars held a slender lead at the top despite their indifferent post-restart form and faced off against a Croydon Kings side struggling to string wins together.

It was the eighth-placed Kings who claimed all three points at Jack Smith Park, however, as a second half brace by Domenic Costanzo helped overhaul Nahuel Bonada’s opener and deny MetroStars victory, propelling his side up to fourth on the ladder.

This left the door open for another club to snatch their spot, with second-placed Raiders and third-placed Adelaide Comets waiting in the wings for the opportunity to seize first place.

Two first half goals by Comets were enough to earn a hard-fought win over Raiders and send them straight to the top of the ladder, pushing their opponents down to fifth in the process.

Campbelltown City were also well placed to take advantage of any slip up at the top and did so with a 3-1 victory over cellar dwellers Para Hills Knights, leapfrogging MetroStars into second place.

Adelaide Olympic and Cumberland United were unable to break their deadlock in a 0-0 draw, which saw them slide to sixth and seventh respectively.

Modbury Jets and Adelaide City also played out a scoreless draw, while Adelaide Blue Eagles maintained their unbeaten run since the season restart but were held to a draw by the lowly Adelaide United.

The weekend’s carnage ultimately saw MetroStars finish the round in third, relinquishing top spot for the first time since the resumption of the season.