A Marcus Beattie strike ten minutes from time was enough to hand Bulli FC its first silverware for three years and its first cup final win for a lot longer. With the Fraternity Club Bert Bampton Cup now safely placed into the club’s trophy cabinet, Bulli can switch their attention back to the league, where they have a good chance to add to their honours for 2017.

Reigning Grand Final Champions Albion Park White Eagles certainly had their chances in this tightly-fought final, though Hikaru Kawasakiya’s second half strike against the crossbar was as close as they would come to scoring, and Yuya Kuwata’s fingertip save from a Shohei Okuno free kick kept the sides level in the first half.

For Bulli coach Matt Bailey, the cup victory capped off a special weekend, after his wife gave birth to a baby boy on Saturday. He gave credit to Albion Park, who “worked us hard in the first 45 and it was a fairly even first half, but we discussed what we needed to do at half time, and things went better for us after the break and we managed to close down the game”.

There were early chances at either end as the game kicked off in warm sunshine in front of a packed stand at Crehan Park. Okuno had the first effort for the White Eagles, though he sent his shot from the edge of the area well over the bar. And Bulli centre forward Ben McDonald forced an early save out of Bryce Daenell as he spun well on the penalty spot and sent a left foot shot goalwards.

But as the game settled, there was only one player posing a consistent threat, and that was White Eagles left winger Kawasakiya. Twice he drilled the ball in from the left, Hayden Waples getting a foot to it the first time but the ball flew over, and the second time there was no boot near to provide that final touch as the ball zipped across the face of the goal.

It was Kawasakiya’s pace that earned a free kick 25 metres out in the 20^th minute. Okuno stepped up to take and curled the ball over the wall towards the top corner, forcing Kuwata at full stretch to tip the ball over. It was the best chance of the half but the game remained scoreless.

Bulli are often slow starters but there is a beast in the I’ that can suddenly awaken. In the 31^st minute, the boys in blue began to kick start their game.

First Sam Davies laid the ball off to Dylan Lewis, who took one touch before sending his shot inches wide. Then it was Beattie, already the liveliest of the Bulli eleven, who burst forward but was stopped in his tracks by Shannon Fielding. Just before the break, Bulli put together the best move of the half, with some quickfire football that left Albion Park standing.

Again it was Davies who started things, finding Lewis down the left. He sent a first time ball into the path of Beattie, who couldn’t quite compose himself to get a decent shot in. But it was an early warning of just what Bulli are capable of.

Half time 0-0.

The second stanza began in the same vein as the first, with a chance at either end, but neither side breaking the deadlock.

Lewis set up Davies shortly after the restart, but the midfielder’s curling shot flew just beyond the angle of post and crossbar. At the other end, the ever-lively Kawasakiya had a go himself, cutting inside after yet another run down the left. His shot thundered against the bar, but that was as close as the White Eagles would get.

And as the game progressed, it was Bulli who looked more and more likely to score. Lewis put Beattie through in the 70^th minute, with Lee Gilroy getting back to take the ball off Beattie’s toes before he could shoot.

In the 80^th minute Lewis raced clear inside the box and slotted the ball into the back of the net before the offside flag put a stop to the celebrations.

But the killer blow was not long in coming and it was a solo piece of brilliance that sealed the tie and won the cup for Bulli.

Beattie picked the ball up down the left and beat his marker for pace. The angle was tight, but with no other attacking options, he went for goal, squeezing the ball home at the near post. The goal proved decisive and Bulli comfortably held on for the last ten minutes.

Speaking after the game White Eagles coach George Antoniou said: “We dominated for large chunks of the game and we had some good chances, but if you don’t punish a quality side like Bulli, they come back and punish you”.

With six players missing today, Bailey was pleased with the depth of his Bulli squad, which could prove vital as the season nears its conclusion. He’s hoping for good results in the next three games before the final round decider against Wollongong Olympic. “It’s a good thing for the league to have two teams who have been fighting tooth and nail all season. To win on the last day would be fantastic”.

Click this link to listen to the post match interviews - https://soundcloud.com/dylanarvela/post-match-interviews-after-bulli-claim-the-bert-bampton-cup

Albion Park White Eagles – 0

Bulli FC – 1 (Beattie 83’)

Sunday, 30 July 2017 – Crehan Park

Referee: Blake Herbert - Assistant referees: Nicholas Ryan, Greg Reid - Fourth Official: Nathan Wotton

Albion Park White Eagles: Bryce Daenell, Lee Gilroy, Steve Hristovski, Shannon Fielding, Chris Nathaniel, Robbie Delbanco (Luke Debrot 87’), Hayden Waples (Dylan Wray 60’), Vaughan Patterson, Mitch Del Turco, Shohei Okuno, Hikaru Kawsakiya (subs not used: Peter Prandalos, Jacob Hufton, Rene Vesco)

 

Bulli FC: Yuya Kuwata, Scott Best, Kenji Takahashi, Kyle Jackson, Ryan Emerton, Sam Davies, Guy Knight, Marcus Beattie, Ben McDonald, Harry Callahan (Khalid Alali 74’), Dylan Lewis (subs not used: Jayden Lewis, Blake Hewson, Robbie Gaudiosi, Jordan Lozenkovski)

Report by Simon Duffin

Photos by Pedro Garcia