Bazzano voted best

September 15 2008

Shepparton News

Cobram Victory play-maker Frank Bazzano has won a North Eastern Soccer League best and fairest award two years in the making after taking out the men's division one vote count on Saturday.

Bazzano, 28, finished with the highest vote tally in the league for the second year running, but missed out on the award last year due to ineligibility.

League top scorer Stuart Vance led Bazzano by a vote with two rounds remaining, but did not poll again as Bazzano picked up consecutive best-on-grounds to win, 22 votes to 17.

Vance and fellow ineligible player Connor Campbell finished in the top vote getters, but the placings among the eligible players went to United's Bruce Hogg on 14 votes and Jimmy Avram on 11.

While Bazzano is making next week's league grand final his primary focus, the attacking midfielder said it was pleasing to win the competition's top individual honour.

``Last year was probably a better individual season for me, but this year it was about making sacrifices for the team,'' Bazzano said.

``The best moment for me this season was the win against Tatura when we were down to 10 men and came back to win from 2-0 behind.

``This year we've had a great coach, and adding (defender) Nathan Thomas to the team has helped us move up the ladder.''

Bazzano played his junior soccer at Essendon in Melbourne, before signing a professional deal with Austrian club Bregenz in 2000.

Returning to Australia to play with Essendon again, Bazzano had a stint with Pascoe Vale on his way to ending up at Cobram Victory.

``After not becoming a professional footballer I was in an industry where I had to work on Saturdays,'' Bazzano said.

``If this competition wasn't a Sunday league I wouldn't be here.

``I love being a part of the community at Cobram Victory; the club has a great feel.''