Bulli have returned to the winners circle with a tight 1-0 win against cross-town rivals Woonona at Balls Paddock on a breezy Wednesday night at Balls Paddock in the Round 11 make-up fixture.

Erasing the memories devastating loss to Albion Park Eagles after a two goal lead only 3 days prior, an early goal goal to noted target-man Ben McDonald was all that was needed to secure victory against the lowly placed Woonona Sharks.

Woonona FC coach Brendan Anderson was able to find positives in the tight loss for his side.

“I wouldn't say we are happy with the result, but the application and effort from the boys is what is pleasing,”said Anderson.

“Obviously losing to your arch rivals off a single goal is never a good thing.”

In only the 3rd minute of the fixture a long floating throw-inGuy Knight caught the Woonona found Ben McDonald hulking unmarked at the near post, who took full advantage of the lack of Woonona defensive urgency and guided the ball with his head into the netting for the opening goal.

Bulli took control of the match from this point onwards, and a with a taste of goal it was clear striker Ben McDonald was in a goal-scoring mood.

On the 7th minute McDonald received a ball on the edge of the penalty area, executing a sharp left turn to beat his marker allowing a powerful strike netting, only to be cruelly denied by an offside flag waving in the wind ensuring the score remained 1-0.

Lovely work down the right sideline by Bulli’s Dylan Lewis in the 13th minute was threaded to the feet of McDonald at the 6 yard box, but a sharp save from Woonona goalkeeper Bradley Jardine getting low and to his right denied the Bulli striker yet again.

Bulli consistently found space down the wings to zip dangerous crosses in the penalty area, with the Woonona defence clueless on how to shut down the fast Bulli attack.

Woonona frustrations became evident in the 24th minute with a reckless, frustrated challenge by seasoned campaigner Cameron Banks, followed by a loose challenge from Scott Curran in the 36th.

Halftime could not come quick enough for Woonona with the score miraculously remaining at the break at only 1-0 despite 45 minutes of attacking raids on their goals.

A determined Woonona returned out of the sheds, and only had to wait two minutes until their first genuine attacking chance of the match came about being powerful strike from Caleb Russell that went just right of the posts from a counter attack.

Woonona slowly began dominating territory as the second half wore on, with the Bulli attack losing its venom as they struggled to string passes together..

In the 58th minute Woonona threatened down the right sideline beginning with a lovely ball from Brendan Pattman to Caleb Russell, who nearly found Cameron Banks in the penalty box but was beaten to the ball by the enthusiastic Bulli defence.

Only minutes later a powerful strike from Woonona’s Scott Curran threatened the Bulli goals as Woonona continued to press and press searching for an equaliser and some much needed premiership points.

The introduction of Joel Beattie in the 67th minute injected extra energy for Woonona as the diminutive forward hovered around the ball in attack, desperate to create opportunitys for the Sharks.

Bulli occasionally marched up-field on the counter attack, but struggled to shoot anywhere near target in the second half.

An 85th minute free kick from a dangerous position gave Woonona’s Caleb Russell a final chance to conjure an equalising goal, with the powerful low strike sent at the bottom right corner of goals to be well saved by Bulli goalkeeper Yuya Kawata.

It was truly a game of two halves with Woonona to be disappointed that they were not rewarded with a solitary point considering their persistence in the second half.

Bulli will return home to Balls Paddock on Saturday afternoon to battle third-placed Wollongong Olympic in a alluring 2v3 battle, whileit does not get any easier for Woonona FC as they will host 1st placed Kemblawarra Fury at Ocean Park on Saturday afternoon also.

In the earlier game, Bulli defeated Woonona 3-0 in what was a battle of two top five sides.

 

Wednesday 22 June, 2016

Balls Paddock, Bulli

 

Bulli 1 (McDonald 3’)

Woonona FC 0

 

Bulli:
Yuya Kuwata, Aaron Baker, Kensi Takahashi, Scott Best, Guy Knight, Jim Kerr (Matthew Naylor 62’), Sam Davies, Ryan Emerton, Ben McDonald, Dylan Lewis, Julian Minutillo
Yellow Cards: Julian Minutillo 52’, Ryan Emerton 57’, Aidan Breslin 76’
Red Cards: Nil

 

Woonona FC:
Bradley Jardine, Lachlan Fetterplace, Andrew Breslin, Christopher Gibson, Cameron Besgrove, Scott Curran, Brendan Pattman (Ben Ellul 76’), Hayden Nicol (Jesse Kennedy 83'), Cameron Banks (Joel Beattie 67’), Caleb Russell, Valentino Merxhushi
Yellow Cards: Cameron Banks 24’, Caleb Russell 36’
Red Cards: Nil

 

Report by Daniel McGookin

Twitter: @mcgoookin93

Photo: Pedro Garcia (Library Archive)