Balls Paddock hosted match of the round this weekend as Bulli hosted in-form Wollongong United. With both sides are performing well in the Premier League and flying the flag for FSC in the FFA Cup, it was all lining up to be a great contest for the neutral.

Opening exchanges of the game were played out at an incredibly fast pace, the tempo exceptional and every player being relentlessly pressed . Big challenges were aplenty, yet the speed of the game allowed these to flow and add to the quality of the well-fought contest.

This feeling-out of the opposition lasted the entire first quarter, with neither side registering a clear cut chance until the 20th minute. Wollongong were clearly sticking to an established plan and utilising their width, however Bulli had the same idea, which made for some intriguing play.

Wollongong just appeared to be gaining the ascendency when Brendan Reilly was forced off after half an hour with an injury to his left ankle, and whilst substitute Milan Zoric performed well, the lack of Reilly's presence was exactly what Bulli talisman Ben McDonald needed to finally begin to get into the game.

And get into the game Bulli did, having the lion's share of chances once the shots began flowing in the second quarter. One-touch passing saw a slick play move diagonally across the entire pitch, however with the first unlocking of Wollongong's defence an offside Dylan Lewis was unable to get his shot on target anyway.

Bulli was enjoying a lot of success down the flanks and cutting back in early, such that Lewis Clements was able to play in Guy Knight for a shot low at the far post to be saved by Sam Nastic, again with Harry Callahan passing to McDonald to spoon well over, and McDonald into Callahan to shoot across the face.

It was with minutes until the interval when the scoreboard got a workout; a goal apiece to show for a very even half of football. A short corner from Marcus Beattie went to Guy Knight, who blasted a flat shot directly in at the near top corner with everyone expecting a cross.

However in stoppage time, Wollongong could've been in the lead with two great chances - firstly Kai Miyakawa having a lovely curled free kick punched out by Yuya Kawada, however Ben Brooks marked his return by poking home a loose ball in the box after Bulli failed to clear another free kick, evening scores with the last kick of the half.

Shortly after the return, Bulli grabbed the lead again, as Beattie tracked down a long ball, crossing low for McDonald to convert from close range and restore the lead.

Only three minutes later, it was a similar story - United shooting themself in the foot in defence - this time Callahan blocking a clearance, passing to set McDonald through on goal and shoots on the turn for 3-1.

It could've been a fourth for the hosts shortly after, as Callahan faked a cross and passed to Beattie within 6 yards of goal, who in turn faked a shot to put off Nastic and rolled a shot at the open goal, but a desperate lunge from Maty Brennan blocked the ball on the line to save the Wollongong defence's blushes. In what could have been, it was yet another period of scintillating football from the hosts as they make a habit of scoring multiple goals in a short burst of time, however it would only be two today.

Oddly, Bulli appeared to take this buffer and feel content with it, as Wollongong very much took the ascendency for the remainder of the game. Bulli, to their credit, endured the storm for 25 minutes and only conceded once.

Miyakawa tried to draw the visitors back into the game with a 5-minute shooting gallery of his own; spraying well over from 25 yards, hitting into traffic from 20 yards for Daisuke Yuzawa to put the rebound over from close range, and finally, aiming at the near post from 30 yards with a wicked deflection from Corey Horner sending it in at the far post with Kawada left stranded at his near post.

With only one goal in it, Wollongong began to play with a new sense of purpose - a single moment of magic could yield a point from a game they were well and truly out of 15 minutes prior.

Miyakawa again tried his luck at producing this, attempting to chip Kawada from a narrow angle only for the crossbar to deny him, with the keeper beaten all ends up.

Yuzawa brought out the flair, juggling and chipping Scott Best in the box, only for his volley from 18 yards to sail into the grandstands.

When substitute Ricky Zucco entered the game, there was an air of expectancy from both crowds that something notable would happen from his boots. A cross found the head of Billy Tsovolos, but a deflection fell to Zucco inside the 6 yard box unmarked, but he side-footed the bouncing ball straight into the chest of Kawada in what would be a huge moment for the visitors.

Meanwhile, the immediate counter-attack saw Lewis gain possession in the 18 yard box of United and beat Nastic with a shot to the near post, however it cannoned into the base of the upright and out.

Bulli desperately held on in the closing minutes as even Nastic began advancing for corners and free kicks, but the hosts clung onto their one goal lead until the full time whistle and got their well-earned three points to boot.

 

Saturday 22nd April - Balls Paddock

Referee - P. Ilcevski

Assistants - A. Naylor, A. Phipps

 

Bulli FC - 3 (Knight 41', McDonald 52', 55')

Wollongong United - 2 (Brooks 45', Horner OG 77')

 

Bulli FC - Kawada, Clements, Best, Horner, Takashi, Callahan (Davies 82'), Emerton, Knight, D. Lewis (Jackson 90'), Beattie, McDonald

Subs - J. Lewis, Alali, Jackson, Davies, Hewson

Wollongong United - Nastic, Brennan, Brooks, Reilly (Zoric 29'), Hajittofi (Sekutkoski 62'), Tsovolos, Michael, Awad, Yuzawa, Noji, Miyakawa (Zucco 62')

Subs - Ristevski, Zoric, McLaren, Sekutkoski, Zucco

 

Report by David Atherton - @daveatho5

Photo by Noel Wynn