An entertaining game took place at Elizabeth Park Bellambi on Saturday with Wests Illawarra recording just their second win of the season defeating Bellambi 3 – 1 in the Round 8 fixture of the WGC Cranes District League.

Scrappy play was a feature of both teams at the start of the match as they tried to settle. Bellambi had two attempts at goal in the first ten minutes but they were both easily handled by the Wests custodian Jordan Timpano.

Wests Illawarra had a good chance of scoring in the 15^th minute after a Nathan Puljic pass to Dylan Mana allowed him to take a powerful shot from just outside of the box. The shot however was well saved by Jsson Petty.

Bellambi attempted to hit back straight away but failed to hit the target with the goal beckoning.

Another chance came Wests Illawarra’s way in the 21^st minute after a pass from Oscar Moriera to Ben Sallabank was deflected towards the net but the ball was successfully headed away by Bellambi’s Aaron Piercy off the goal line.

More frustration for Wests Illawarra in the 27^th minute after a bad tackle by Bellambi gave Wests Illawarra a free kick. Daniele Marsalla stepped up to take it and his shot cleared the heads of all players but unfortunately found the post.

Wests Illawarra were finally hit the lead in the 34^th minute. Oscar Moriera's corner was headed in by Nick Tortorella who found the bottom corner of the goals from 6 yards out. Wests Illawarra 1- Bellambi 0.

Wests Illawarra had one more opportunity to score just before half time but the shot from the left hit the side netting. So the score at half time remained unchanged. Half time score Wests Illawarra 1- Bellambi 0.

The opening minutes of the second half saw opportunities for both teams to score from free kicks but in each case there was no success.

Bellambi were given some hope when Wests found themselves one man down in the 55^th minute after Ben Sallabank received a red card for bringing down a Bellambi player just outside the box in order to prevent his opponent from scoring.

Again, both sides wasted chances to score from free kicks until in the 68^th minute Bellambi’s Wladimir Illanes took a free kick from outside the box which curved beautifully into the top left corner of the goal giving Bellambi their first goal of the match. Wests Illawarra 1- Bellambi 1.

West Illawarra hit back just five minutes later.A hand ball in the box by Bellambi led to a penalty kick to Wests Illawarra which was coolly converted by Oscar Moriera. Wests Illawarra 2 – Bellambi 1.

It went from bad to worse for Bellambi as they were reduced to 10 men also after Aaron Piercy was sent off for an off the ball incident.

Oscar Moriera then sealed the points for Wests late in the game with a well taken goal. Wests Illawarra 3 – Bellambi 1.

Bellambi had their chances in this match and they bombed a sitter in the dying minutes but overall, Wests were too strong and perhaps deserved their victory. Full time score- West Illawarra 3- Bellambi 1.

 

Wests Illawarra – 3 (Tortorella, Moriera x2)

Bellambi – 1 (Illanes)

 

Saturday 14^th May 2016

Elizabeth Park, Bellambi

 

Referee: Greg Reid

Assistant Referee: Michael Bell and Club Official

 

Wests Illawarra: Jordan Timpano, Dylan Mena, Ben Sallabank, Cesur Cicekdag, Daniele Marsalla, Oscar Moriera, Jake Bailey, Nathan Puljic, Nick Tortorella, Joseph Youssif, Paul Burleigh

Replacements: Daniel Saverino, Daniel Jorge, Dean Zugic, Michael Potter

 

Bellambi: Jason Petty, Nick Dunstan, Aaron Piercy, Mitch Ramsay, Mattias Passlack, Mathew Wallace, Yuki Kanino, Connor Pontarolo, James Young, Wladimir Illanes, Daniel Pivovarski

Replacements: Zachery Noel-Strang, Mahiro Hasegawa, Ben Thompson, Steve Guest

 

Report and photo by Emma Gilly