Coming off the back of a big win against Woonona, Bulli were looking to grab another three points ahead of a run of fixtures which will see them play all bar one of last season's finalists in a row. Away trips to Albion Park and Picton as well as hosting Kemblawarra and Wollongong United make for a huge month. Meanwhile Tarrawanna were coming off the back of a creditable draw against South Coast United and were looking for another solid performance.

The opening well and truly went to the hosts, with all proceedings down the Tarrawanna end of the pitch. A lot of possession without many shots to begin with, but Bulli found their shooting boots after 20 minutes.

It was Dylan Lewis who dished up the first, putting a low cross to the near post on a platter for Ben McDonald, bundling home after deflecting off both Adam Rodriguez in goal and Marcus Beattie within close quarters.

Bulli really took off from there, pushing very hard for a second goal - McDonald glanced a header wide off a corner, Jarryd Mortimer made a last-ditch interception to stop Beattie going through on goal, and Andy Gamble slid a far-post half volley just wide off a corner.

Bulli were agonisingly close to a second with a simply sublime team movement. McDonald dispossessed Bryce Dolinscak on halfway, played a one-two with Beattie and crossing to the top of the box, where Sam Davies' weak shot was dived on by Rodriguez moments before Beattie could get a touch on it.

The latter stages of the half was where Tarra really picked up the tempo of their own play, grabbing a few half chances which on another day could've fallen their way.

Scott Best nearly put a low Rick Goodchild cross into his own net in an attempt to clear; Jared Fish looped a header over a scrambling Yuya Kuwata from a corner, only to clear the bar too; and Goodchild was afforded enough time and space 25 yards out to smash a flat shot at Kuwata to tip over the bar at pace.

A moment of individual brilliance from ex-Bulli player Jared Fish brought the visitors back into the game - turning two defenders inside out on the left wing and dribbling cross-field, crossing back for Sangyu Park who sprayed a sliding shot wide of an open goal, but the rebound fell back to Fish on the right wing, drilling a shot in at the near post for 1-1 minutes before the break.

The halftime pep talk in the Bulli sheds must have been some impressive stuff - the hosts coming out on fire in the second half. It was almost like a highlights reel of chance after chance - Tarra doing their absolute best to cling on to the 1-1 scoreline.

McDonald put a first-time volley over from 12 yards, Lewis also skied over the bar from 18 yards, McDonald blocked a Rodriguez clearance and nearly netted the loose ball, and Knight faked a shot with his right before shooting on his left, with a deflection taking it straight to Rodriguez's grateful arms.

On the hour, Tarra needed bodies in the box as Bulli sat on the area and peppered shots on target, only for each to be cleared directly to another Bulli player - first Beattie, then McDonald, then Knight, before Emerton crossed into the overhead attempt by Beattie which bounced just wide.

The Blueys flipped the tables shortly after though, putting Bulli under the pump big time.

Goodchild intercepted a pass in the backline, drawing Kuwata and squaring for Park, who missed his second open goal of the match with a poor effort from 20 yards.

Dissent after a poor tackle from Gamble in the 64th minute earnt the midfielder a straight red card, and Tarrawanna took this and nearly ran away with the game.

Skipper Goodchild almost scored the goal of his lifetime as the crowd went crazy - a first-time, outside of the boot shot from 25 yards out on the sideline started curling from the corner flag to the junction of the posts at the far top corner, with keeper Kuwata no chance, but the curl was about 6 inches wanting, as the home side breathed a sigh of relief.

Less than a minute later, Goodchild was left with space in the central corridor, shooting from 20 yards and striking the base of the upright, Kuwata again beaten and relying on the woodwork to save his blushes.

Fish also had a go at goal from distance, 25 yards his distance of choice and beating Kuwata again, only to drift marginally wide.

Tarrawanna were particularly capitalising on the gap in defensive midfield where Gamble held it down tightly, and Goodchild in the #10 role was thriving when unchecked.

Bulli found their release after enduring what seemed like an eternity of pressure - repeatedly sending Beattie down the left wing as a solo outlet, and whilst the youngster often found himself in a 4-on-1 situation, his pace and dribbling skills paired with McDonald's hold up play allowed the hosts to escape their own half.

Davies put a ball over the top to Beattie with 10 minutes to play, and even with a 5 yard disadvantage, he outpaced his marker to grab possession, cutting inside and chipping Rodriguez from 20 yards to restore the lead for Bulli.

McDonald attracted two players from a long ball and set B5 in on goal shortly after, but his low shot was cleared by the leg of on-rushing keeper Rodriguez as Bulli probed for a third to give them a buffer.

However play continued to be parked at the Bulli end of the pitch as Tarrawanna tried desperately to salvage a point from the match.

The first touch after his introduction nearly gifted Jacob Fryday a goal as a skewed cross was misread by Kuwata and bundled clear of the near post unconvincingly, with Fish pushing the rebound well wide.

Again Kuwata was tentative at the back, nearly making a mess of a straight-forward shot from Matthew Mazavski to palm over the bar for a corner.

However Bulli managed to play out the rest of injury time and hold on for a huge three points. Battling with 10 men for 25 minutes and managing to grab a winner whilst under immense pressure the whole time is credit to the hosts and the kind of performance premiership challengers are built of.

Tarrawanna can look at their performance and hold their heads high at pushing a quality side all the way and would consider themselves unlucky not to have walked away with a point if not more.

 

Saturday 8th April - Balls Paddock

Referee - B. Herbert

Assistants - B. Kemp, W. Whitehay

 

Bulli FC - 2 (McDonald 22', Beattie 80')

                Assists - Lewis, Davies

Tarrawanna Blueys - 1 (Fish 41')

 

Bulli FC - Kuwata, Alali (Jackson 80'), Best, Beattie, Davies, Knight, McDonald (Clements 90'), Emerton, D. Lewis (Miceski 80'), Horner, Gamble

Subs - Jackson, Miceski, Clements, Careno, J. Lewis

Tarrawanna Blueys - Rodriguez, Naylor, Dolinscak (Fryday 82'), Mortimer, Morlando, Chapman (Carrigan 60'), Oh, S. Chapple (Mazevski 87'), Park, Goodchild, Fish

Subs - Fryday, Carrigan, J. Chapple, Mazevski, Richards

 

Report by David Atherton @daveatho5

(File Photo)