Welcome to Wonderkid Watch: A weekly piece that keeps you up to date with the players and stories emerging from A-Leagues clubs playing at NPL level in Australia.
* There was no NPL football played in Queensland, Victoria or South Australia over the weekend due to Easter.
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Despotovski scores four goals in 53 minutes as Perth Glory run riot
Perth Glory moved up to second in NPL Western Australia over the weekend care of a 5-0 rout of Perth RedStar inspired by a masterclass from 19-year-old Sebastian Despotovski.
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The son of Glory great Bobby, who scored over 100 goals for the club between 1996 and 2007, Despotovski scored four goals in the space of just 53 minutes in a performance that will do his hopes of an A-Leagues debut no harm.
“I’m just trying to improve every day at training and showcase it in the games,” the teenager said recently.
“Hopefully at the end of the season, I can get that call-up to the A-League.”
Nathanael Blair, who has featured 14 times for David Zdrilic’s side in the Isuzu UTE A-League this season, also found the back of the net as Despotovski ran riot with a string of cool finishes.
The pick of the bunch was a stunning curler into the top corner to complete his hat-trick after 37 minutes.
The Glory sit two points behind league leaders Bayswater City after five rounds in NPL WA.
Goals galore in Sydney as young guns go off in U20 NPL
Over in NSW, it was a frustrating weekend for A-Leagues academies in the senior NPL.
Sydney FC looked like sealing a win over Wollongong Wolves thanks to a sensational free-kick from Alen Harbas and a goal from Marin France, before a 91st minute equaliser saw them settle for a 2-2 draw.
21-year-old Harbas, back with the Sky Blues after 18 months on loan in Finland with FC KTP, is captaining the club’s NPL outfit and has started every match so far this term.
Western Sydney Wanderers were humbled 8-1 by Rockdale Ilinden as former Macarthur Bulls forward Ali Auglah netted a 12-minute hat-trick, while Aidan Simmons scored the lone goal for the A-Leagues outfit.
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The Wanderers were already in trouble when defender Nathan Barrie, who made his A-Leagues debut at age 17 under Marko Rudan last March, was sent off for a second yellow in the 49th minute.
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Meanwhile, Central Coast Mariners were beaten 3-0 by league-leading Marconi Stallions.
It was a different story in the Under-20s though, where Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers both enjoyed big wins headlined by hat-trick heroes.
Teen sensation Zac Fowler scored his second hat-trick of the season as the Sky Blues Under-20 outfit smashed Wollongong Wolves 6-1. Signed this season from Brisbane Roar where he scored for fun last term, Fowler has seven goals this season and has deputised for the senior NPL outfit.
Wanderers beat Rockdale Ilinden 7-3 thanks to a starring performance from Oscar Morrison, who scored his first three goals of the season in the rout.
The resounding victory leaves the Wanderers flying high, five points clear at the top of the NPL Men’s NSW U20 table, where they’ve won nine, drawn one and lost one of their opening 11 matches. Sydney FC sit ninth.
Mariners went down 4-1 to Marconi Stallions as Ahmad Elhelou scored a consolation goal.
In women’s football action, the Wanderers triumphed 3-2 over Macarthur Rams, with goals to Miriam Zumaya, Nikita Fazzari and Amelia Cassar, while Bulls FC Academy rescued a 3-3 draw against Illawarra Stingrays thanks to late goals from Isabella Coco-Di Sipio, who netted a double, and Elizabeth Grey.
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On Easter Monday, Newcastle Jets were involved in a cracker of a match, drawing 3-3 with APIA Leichhardt before lightning and thunder cut the match short.
The Jets opened the scoring after just 30 seconds through Claire Adam as Alexis Collins and India Breier also found the back of the net.
The match will be resumed at a later date to be confirmed by Football NSW and the participating clubs.
After seven rounds in the NPL Women’s NSW, Wanderers sit fifth, Bulls are in 10th and Newcastle Jets sit 13th, albeit with a game in hand.
Wellington Reserves march on at the top of the table
Wellington Phoenix’s men’s reserves side sit top of the Dettol Central League after a 1-0 win over Miramar Rangers AFC.
New Zealand Under-17 international Luke Flowerdew scored the lone goal to make it four wins from four games for the Nix, who have scored 12 goals and conceded just once.
Flowerdew, who turns 19 in June, has been with the club’s academy since 2022.
Meanwhile, the Phoenix’s U18 side went down 3-2 to Miramar in the Capital Premier Division, with goals from Riley Allison and Mac Munro not enough to avoid defeat.
