Round 10 IPL action had some fascinating fixtures - none moreso than leaders Bulli hosting second placed Albion Park at Balls Paddock. Both sides were coming off a draw and a resounding win in the last two rounds, however Albion Park - the only remaining undefeated team in the top flight - had the prospect of cracking a defence unbreached at home thus far.

First half goals for Bulli courtesy of Mitch Del Turco and Harry Callahan either side of a Hikaru Kawasakiya equaliser proved enough to give the hosts the edge at the interval, and they saw out the second period relatively worry free at the back. Nathan Ralph had the chance to grab a draw midway through the half, but his dink over Yuya Kuwata glided just over the crossbar.

The match itself was played at a level which would have been expected by the two teams heading up the ladder; fierce tempo and plenty of vigorous challenges from either side. One got the impression from the opening exchanges that this was to be an outstanding battle of two reasonably evenly-matched sides.

Early on, Chris Gomez had both a volley and a header sail wide from consecutive free kicks, as both sides began to settle into their play.

From there, the first half was all about Bulli's dominance. Albeit, they did go long periods without looking like creating chances, however they were snuffing out any Albion Park possession quickly with purposeful pressing all across the pitch.

Tobin Zoomers set up the opener for Bulli on 21 minutes, a beautiful return ball to Mitch Del Turco down the right channel, the striker slotting home an inside-out right footed shot at the near post having deceived Albion Park keeper Chris Fuentes.

Shortly after, very much against the run of play, Albion Park had a very simple equaliser. A goal kick from Fuentes headed on by Gomez; Kody Maude nodding the rebound into the path of Kawasakiya with a free run at goal from 30 yards. Taking his time, he calmly rolled the ball past Kuwata at the right upright to restore parity.

Guy Knight almost turned around an uncharacteristically-quiet half in an instant, as a chipped through-ball from midfield for the unmarked Zoomers who was agonisingly too far ahead of the run.

Shortly after, Bulli once more created some magic, as many have become accustomed to from the club. Having dribbled through three players and being fouled, Marcus Beattie took a quick free kick, recycling possession with Callahan, dribbling past another two, and poking the ball through for Callahan to dink over the onrushing Fuentes as Bulli got their second of the afternoon.

As the second half resumed, if action was to be as eventful as the opening stanza, the match would have been quite a memorable fixture. Minutes after kickoff, Albion Park almost threw the game away; centre-half Shannon Fielding losing possession 25 yards out from his goal, however a frantic scramble saw the visitors shut down the counter.

On the hour mark, it was again Fielding who lost possession on halfway, Callahan picking up the ball and immediately shooting. His shot bounced a few feet wide of the upright, but had it been on target, he would've caught Fuentes off his line in spectacular fashion.

Albion Park began to really take over the chances as the half continued, Knight was forced into a slide tackle in the box to shut down Maude in a dangerous area, as raucous penalty shouts were waved away.

With 20 minutes to play, Gomez picked out the deep run of Ralph, who elegantly chipped Bulli goalkeeper Kuwata, only to watch the ball glide just over the crossbar.

David Abel was lucky to get away without gifting the White Eagles with a penalty with 15 minutes remaining; having been beaten all-ends-up by substitute Ferres Aoun, the winger took a tumble over the Bulli man, but no spot-kick was awarded.

The closing minutes were all Bulli, as they looked to stamp out the rest of the game in the Albion Park half. First, Dylan Lewis forced an outstanding acrobatic save from Fuentes to tip his shot over from a narrow angle; Beattie headed wide a far post McDonald cross, Kane Wright smothered a Beattie shot from 6 yards, and Fuentes advanced to smother another tight dribble from Beattie.

With the final whistle, Bulli had emerged from a pulsating tie with their slim half-time lead intact. Albion Park had enough chances to take the game to Bulli, however their failure to deliver the killer blow daw them taste defeat for the first time this season.

Bulli remain on top of the table two points clear after an emphatic win for Wollongong Olympic skips them ahead of Albion Park into second. Bulli will face off against Corrimal in Round 11 next week, with the 2:30pm kickoff at Memorial Park on Sunday 3rd June finishing their opening round of fixtures for the league campaign.

As for Albion Park, this loss will drop them down to fourth, below both Wollongong Olympic and United. They will host Wollongong United at Terry Reserve on Saturday 2nd June at 3pm in what looks to be the match of the round.

 

Saturday 26th May 2018 - Balls Paddock

Bulli FC 2 - Del Turco 21', Callahan 41'

Albion Park White Eagles 1 - Kawasakiya 28'

 

Bulli FC - Yuya KUWATA, Kyle JACKSON, David ABEL, Scott BEST, Sam DAVIES, Tobin ZOOMERS, Guy KNIGHT, Marcus BEATTIE, Mitch DEL TURCO, Harry CALLAHAN, Dylan LEWIS

Subs - Ryan EMERTON (on for CALLAHAN 73'), Ben MCDONALD (on for DEL TURCO 71'), Nik MICESKI (on for Beattie 90'), Havato TAKAHASHI, Jayden LEWIS

Albion Park White Eagles - Chris FUENTES, Blake MCGINN, Kane WRIGHT, Shannon FIELDING, Chris NATHANIEL, Nathan RALPH, Robert DELBANCO, Kody MAUDE, Chris GOMEZ, Shayne ARDLE, Hikaru KAWASAKIYA

Subs - Luke DEBROT (on for GOMEZ 75'), Ferres AOUN (on for ARDLE 62'), Jesse CASEY, Joel TINKER

 

Referee - Peter ILCESKI

Assistants - Mick AGUM, Bryce DREGHORN

 

Report by David ATHERTON - Twitter @daveatho5
Photos by Kiah Hufton