A determined Bonnyrigg take all points against APIA

The thirteenth round of the NSW Premier League was lucky for the Bonnyrigg White Eagles who won a tough game against A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers.

In the end there wasn’t much separating the two teams. The deciding goal was by Alex Canak who was helped by a deflection.

It was no more than what Bonnyrigg deserved because as a team they are truly formidable.

Every ball is contested and played at as if it’s their last chance. They are definitely one of the more disciplined and focussed teams in the NSW Premier League.

A.P.I.A. Leichhardt played well too, especially in the first half, but seemed to run out of energy in the second half of play.

After the game, Bonnyrigg’s astute coach Brian Brown was rightly proud of his team’s efforts.

“I think this is probably as good a three points that we will get this season,” he said.
“Coming here – and you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to work it out – you know you have to scrap and battle for every ball.

“I am ecstatic to get the win because I have come here so many times over years and I know that this is one place where you to battle.”

In the 12th minute Bonnyrigg White Eagles should have taken the lead when Alex Canak found himself with a loose ball, but somehow for the visitors he couldn’t force the ball in from close range.

A.P.I.A. Leichhardt’s best chance of the first half arrived on the 23rd minute when a Chris James corner reached Anthony Hartshorn, who flicked on a delightful header that ended up just wide for a corner thanks to a slight deflection from the Bonnyrigg White Eagles defence.

Late in the first half Bello-Amigo made two wonderful reflex saves to deny both Alex Canak and Blake Powell from close range. Bonnyrigg White Eagles must have felt terribly disappointed not to have found the back of the net because they clearly deserved a gaol there.

The very competitive first half, where both sides fought for every ball, ended scoreless as expected.

In the 51st minute Sam Messam, from reasonably close range for the Tigers, fired his diagonal shot over the crossbar.

Bonnyrigg White Eagles took the lead and scored the only goal of the encounter in the 56’ minute when a Chris Tadrosse corner reached Canak who seemed to out-jump all his opponents to head home thanks to a deflection from Messam himself.

In the 63rd minute the creative Franco Parisi wonderfully played a ball across from right to left for Nick Rizzo, but somehow the former Liverpool FC player couldn’t blast his shot through the legs of the alert opposition goalkeeper.

In the 78th minute Chris James should have been more forceful with his finishing when presented with a glorious chance, but unfortunately for the home side from close range he weakly hit his shot.

Late in the game Rizzo fired in another shot for the Tigers, but this time a deflection denied him the equaliser.

After the game A.P.I.A. Leichhardt’s football manager Tony Raciti was left to rue his team’s missed chances.

“I thought that the team as a whole was very, very committed to win but, unfortunately, Bonnyrigg’s goal came from a set piece and we missed two one-on-ones,” he said.

“I thought that A.P.I.A. had slightly more chances than Bonnyrigg to win.”


A.P.I.A. LEICHHARDT 0
BONNYRIGG WHITE EAGLES 1
(Canak 56’)


A.P.I.A. LEICHHARDT TIGERS: 1. Jose Bello-Amigo, 2. Mark Byrnes, 3. John Kelso, 5. Michael West, 6. Marton Vass (20. Tomislav Herceg 85’), 7. Stephen Kayes, 8. Anthony Hartshorn (12. Andrew Vitucci 83’), 11. Nicola Rizzo, 23. Chris James, 14. Sam Messam, 10. Franco Parisi (17. Wandi Jajaw 74’).


BONNYRIGG WHITE EAGLES: 1. Andrew Bazi, 14. Blake Powell (23. Tynan Diaz 86’), 3. Nikola Zonjic, 5. Chris Tadrosse, 7. Nathan Elasi (4. Wade Oostendorp 91’), 8. Alex Canak, 9. Brad Boardman, 12. Takuya Murayama, 16. David Vrankovic, 17. Michael Robinson, 19. Jamie McMaster.