Top of the table Bulli came into the tie looking to extend their unbeaten start to the season. This round ten fixture comes four days before what some at the club are labelling as, “the biggest game in the club’s history,” when they host Blacktown City in the FFA Cup seventh round. Corrimal came into this match at Balls Paddock on the back of a 1-1 draw with South Coast United but they have struggled to adapt to the rigours of top-flight football.

Corrimal was sprightly in the opening minutes and had an excellent chance to open the scoring after five minutes. Bulli goalkeeper, Yuya Kuwata misread a cross from former Bulli youth grader, James Carli with the ball finding Tim Wylie who failed to get his volley on target.

This miss proved crucial when the home side pulled ahead in the 9th minute. Marcus Beattie cut the ball back to Sam Davies on the edge of the 18-yard box. The midfielder played a looping cross into the area for Guy Knight to head back across Alex Baird and into the right of the net.

In the 20th minute, Corrimal striker, Save Treneski turned Kenji Takahashi 20 metres from goal opening up a one on one chance with Kuwata. The hulking Treneski lashed a shot for the bottom right corner but Kuwata met the challenge, beating the shot away for a corner.

Both sides continued to toil with the Rangers playing above their 10th placed ranking. In the dying embers of the half, their hard work came undone when Ben McDonald scrambled the ball into the back of the net off a Knight corner. A savage blow for Corrimal who were adamant the corner should have been goal kick.

The game was put out of Corrimal’s reach two minutes into the second half when Dylan Lewis scored Bulli’s third. Guy Knight played in a low cross from the left wing for the onrushing Lewis to blast into the back of the net. The goal being Lewis’s fourth in three games after a six-match dry spell.

Treneski and Robert Brown continued to push for the Rangers but lacked a lethal final touch. This was typified in the 65th minute when Carli cut a ball back for Treneski who flicked his shot onto the bar with Kuwata beaten.

Bulli coach, Matt Bailey began to look towards the Blacktown City match by bringing off Scott Best, followed by Dylan Lewis, and Ben McDonald. This led the match to coast towards its conclusion with Bulli winning 3-0.

The 3-0 win maintains Bulli’s unbeaten start to the season whilst moving them six points clear of Kemblawarra Fury and Wollongong Olympic, who both have a game in hand. Bulli has an immense week ahead of them with their Wednesday night FFA Cup match coming before their top of the table clash away to Olympic on Saturday.

The defeat leaves Corrimal in 10th, a point above the bottom two. The newly-promoted Rangers host Cringila next Sunday and their coach, Gavin O'Brien admits his side needs to find confidence if they are to get a result against the Lions, “We’re a decent side… and we just have to get that confidence for people to be open to playing football.”

 

Click this link to listen to post match interviews with Bulli coach, Matt Bailey and Corrimal coach, Gavin O’Brian - https://soundcloud.com/dylanarvela/post-match-interviews-after-bulli-beat-corrimal-3-0

 

Bulli - 3 (Knight 9’, McDonald 45’, Lewis 47’)

Corrimal Rangers - 0

 

Saturday the 27th of May at Balls Paddock, Woonona

 

Bulli - Yuya Kuwata, Kenji Takahashi, Corey Horner, Scott Best, Lewis Clements, Ryan Emerton, Sam Davies, Guy Knight, Dylan Lewis, Marcus Beattie and Ben McDonald

Subs - Khalid Alali (on for Best), Harry Callahan (on for Lewis), Nik Miceski, Kyle Jackson (on for McDonald) and Jayden Lewis

Coach - Matt Bailey

 

Corrimal Rangers - Alex Baird, Tyren Maclou, Tim Wylie, Dominic Magill, Robert Brown, Paul Guido, Oliver Carrasco, James Carli, Nathan Belsito, Christian Plakias and Save Treneski

Subs - Kazuya Yamamoto (on for Carrasco), Jason Bleakley, Christian Saffioti (on for Plakias), Branislav Radmanovic (on for Mcgill) and Casey Graham

Coach - Gavin O’Brien

 

Report and photo by Dylan Arvela on Twitter @dylanarvela