Port Kembla went down 2-1 to Bulli at Wetheral Park in a tight affair. This was the first home game since the tragic passing of Colin Heapy, a promising young goalkeeper coming through the ranks at Port Kembla. There was a minute’s silence before the commencement of the game.

Bulli took the lead ten minutes in when Brendan Pattman floated a ball to the edge of the box for Kyle Hazebroek-Southgate who volleyed a strike into the back of the net. Just before halftime, Port Kembla found the equaliser courtesy of a powerful side-footed effort from Luke Boersma. Mitchell Delturco scored the winner early into the second half with a well-taken penalty.

Bulli started the game positively holding the ball well in good areas. This early spell of dominant play paid off in the tenth minute when a Brendan Pattman ball across the top of the box found Kyle Hazebroek-Southgate. He was able to make a solid connection the ball and saw his effort fly over Chris Fuentez and nestle in the net. Four minutes later, Bulli had another opportunity as Ryan Emerton played a pass to Mitchell Delturco who was able to turn in the box, but his strike was blocked.

Bulli’s pressure on the Port Kembla goal continued and in the 24th minute, the away side had another opportunity to double their advantage. Ben McDonald showed great skill to beat several players sending himself through on goal. However, he attempted to delicately clip the ball over the onrushing Chris Fuentez but he clipped it over the crossbar. In the 31st minute, Bulli carved another chance as Delturco went one-on-one with Fuentez. The latter stood strong and denied Bulli’s number 10. Four minutes later, Bulli won a freekick in a good position on the right-hand side. The ball was clipped into a dangerous position and it fell to Ben McDonald who played a simple pass to Rui Kamada whose shot was tipped round the far post.

Port Kembla created their first dangerous chance of the game when Mitchell Di Pietro sliced a volley towards the bottom corner. It beat Yuya Kuwada but also beat the post, the ball going behind for a goal-kick. This was followed by an equaliser against the run of play. Luke Boersma powering strike into the side netting from the edge of the box just before the halftime whistle.

Bulli had dominated the opening 45 minutes in terms of chances, but Port had always looked a threat when going forward. They had just failed to find the killer ball to open up the Bulli defence on many occasions. The sucker-punch before halftime meant Port Kembla had the momentum heading into the second period.

Despite the confidence boost with the late equaliser, Bulli continued to dominate chances. Within the first 30 seconds of the game, Ryan Emerton fired a shot wide from 25 meters. Five minutes later, Bulli were awarded a penalty. Mitchell Delturco confidently stepped forward and sent the keeper the wrong way - passing the ball into the side netting.

Port Kembla started to dominate possession but were holding it in very safe areas. They struggled to find weaknesses in Bulli’s structure. Bulli were able to win the ball back in midfield and sprung forward in the 77th minute. Ben McDonald and Mitchell Delturco combing well down the right-hand side. It finished with a shot from the latter being held by Chris Fuentez.

With a few minutes to play, Port Kembla finally created a meaningful effort as a freekick from the right-hand side found Sandy Lowcock who was unable to put his free header on target. Port Kembla were being forced back by the Bulli press and this prompted a mistake in the 89th minute. A miss-hit back-pass left Fuentez short and Brendan Pattman went through one-on-one. Fuentez stood tall for the second time and then calmy played out from the back - superb keeping from Port Kembla’s number one.

The game ended with Bulli claiming all three points after dominating for the majority of the game. Port Kembla were unable to create a steady flow of chances throughout the game rarely testing the glove-work of Yuya Kuwada. Port Kembla will be left disappointed that they weren't able to create more with the possession they had in the second half.

This result puts Bulli on 13 points after seven games - five points less than this time last season. The most telling comparison is in the goal-scoring department. Bulli have scored 16 fewer goals than this time last season highlighting the losses the club suffered in the offseason. Matt Bailey spoke positively after this away victory speaking of the confidence a result like this could provide for his side’s upcoming away fixtures which are against Wollongong United and Wollongong Olympic respectively. ‘In patches, we’ve proved that we’ve got the ability in some way of last year’s side and I think consistency is the key…. I’m really confident we’re heading into the next three or four weeks in good form…. I’m really confident we really start to press up the table’.

Port Kembla face an away trip to Cringila Lions who are yet to pick up a victory this season. This will start a run of four of the next five games being away fixtures.

Audio: Matt Bailey interview

 

Saturday 4 May 2019 at Wetherall Park, Primbee

Port Kembla - 1 (Boersma 45+1’)

Bulli - 2 (Hazebroek-Southgate 10’, Delturco 51’)

 

Port Kembla: Cristofer FUENTEZ, Mitchell DI PIETRO, Nathan BELSITO, Karouna MICHEAL, Nobuaki MOCHIZUKI, Luke BOERSMA, Joshua CRAPIS, Antonio MUSUMECI, Bradley ACEV, Sandy LOWCOCK, Fabian IACOVELLI

Substitutes: Jason PEREZ (CRAPIS), William MOBBS (MICHEAL), Jayden SALUCCI (BELSITO), Klime SEKUTKOSKI, Daniel FARINA

 

Bulli: Yuya KUWADA, Aaron BAKER, Kenji TAKAHASHI, Trent SIERRA, Brendan PATTMAN, Ryan EMERTON, Rui KAMADA, Kyle HAZEBROEK-SOUTHGATE, Sam DAVIES, Mitchell DELTURCO, Ben MCDONALD

Substitutes: Blake HEWSON (MCDONALD), Ben MCGINNES, Luke JONES, Sam MIRANDA (PATTMAN), Brodie FOSTER,

 

Referee: Greg REID

Assistant Referees: Reece EDWARDS and Ethan LEHN

 

Report by Timothy Gibson, on Twitter @Timg123_

Photo courtesy of JC Sports Photography