Bankstown and Berries settle for draw at Jensen

For the meagre smattering of fans at Jensen Park it was money well spent on an entertaining match, though for the coaches and players it was a case of two points dropped as Bankstown City Lions and West Sydney Berries marched off the pitch with a 2-2 draw and a share of the points.

The visitors started brightly enough but flattered to deceive in the 2’ minute when John Tsironis robbed the Lions defence of the ball and played it out to Dimitri Zakilas. A poor cross though was swallowed up by Lions goalkeeper Andrew Bazi and the danger was averted with the defence caught flat at the back.

During the first quarter hour it was a series of missed opportunities for both sides as Berries shot-stopper, Hamish McLean finally held on to the ball with Bankstown pressing hard and setting up a breakaway when Kosta Lagoudakis swept the ball on for Tsironis who crossed only to see Aheleas Kotsopoulos totally miss-hit the shot before the Lions responded with a fully 25-yard effort from Shane Webb narrowly going wide.

Bankstown finally took the lead after 16’ minutes when Tallan Martin rose majestically in a crowded area to head home from a terrific Shannon Burgin cross for the locals whilst Michael Cunico, who had been receiving treatment, was still off the field.

The visitors were galvanised into action and returned parity with a beautifully floated free-kick by Kotsopoulos was met with force by the head of Tsironis in the 24’ minutes but were almost behind again shortly after when Adam Wither was robbed of the ball by Hussein Salameh. Salameh’s effort was weakly struck straight at McLean who was probably thankful, although it provoked some vocal action from the sparse crowd who, although small in number, cheered the team on with gusto.

The Berries almost stole the lead right on the stroke of half-time when a long cross from the left was met by Zakilas who volleyed first time only to see Bazi pull off a masterful save.

Cunico didn’t appear for the second-half and was replaced by Ryan Jones and it wasn’t long before he was in the thick of the action as the game ebbed and flowed with such regularity the spectator could have been mistaken for thinking they were at the Queens Club watching the Wimbledon tennis Final.

Ian King made way for Robert Mileski after 63’ minutes and it spurred the Lions on with Salameh setting off on a jinky run and shot that went narrowly over the bar from 20-yards.

In keeping with the match it was the Berries who then set about taking the lead for the first time when Lagoudakis fired in a powerful shot that Bazi did well to parry but it fell to Kotsopoulos who left the prostrate goalkeeper no chance as the ball almost ripped the back of the net in the 70’ minute.

To the Lions credit they never gave up nor took a backward step and nearly levelled 5’ minutes later when substitute James Monie struck a thunderbolt of a shot that had McLean beaten only to see it ricochet off the post with almost his first touch of the match.

It was left until the 83^rd minute for the contest to be all square once more.

A quick break by the Lions saw a beautifully weighted through ball for Mileski to run on to and his left footed effort curled beyond McLean at the right post before a mad minute in stoppage time had everyone on their feet as both sides conspired not to take all three points through skill, fortune and terrible finishing.

Deep into stoppage time Bankstown thought they had sealed the win but McLean had other ideas and managed to stop a looping header and in turn send the visitors off on the break. Kotsopoulos was clean through and bearing down on goal but hit his shot straight at the ‘keeper who parried, gathered and sent the Lions off again.

Neat passing saw the opportunity of a cross from the right that evaded the defence and McLean with Salameh staring at the open goal, and whether he started to celebrate before ensuring he hit the ball or Johnny Fotiadis did enough to put him off is a matter of conjecture as the shot went 10-yards wide from no more than 5-yards out as referee Peter Vrtkovski, who had an outstanding match, blew the full-time whistle.

West Sydney Berries coach John Calleja was happy about collecting a point away from home especially at such a tricky venue such as the 'Lions Den' at Jensen Park.

“It was an entertaining game for the fans but a match that is difficult for the coach to take. 

“We let in a soft goal early on but did extremely well to come back into it and take the lead as we kept fighting and battling away out there. 

“At the end I think both sides were fortunate to hang on to a point and I admit to having mixed feelings about the result but an away point is always good, we just need to take more at home!”

In the U/20 game the Bankstown City Lions defeated the West Sydney Berries 2-1 in the earlier match.

Match Stats

Bankstown City Lions 2 (Tallan Martin 16’, Robert Mileski 83’)

West Sydney Berries 2 (John Tsironis 24’, Aheleas Kotsopoulos 70’)

Sunday, 29^th March, 2009

Jensen Park, Sefton

Referee: Peter Vrtkovski

Assistant Referees: Steven Nguyen and Paul Faithful

Fourth Official: Nick Tragoustis

Bankstown City Lions: 20.Andrew Bazi; 2.Ibrahim Haydar, 3.Shane Webb, 4.Brett Studman, 5.Richard Luksic, 6.Peter Tsekenis, 23.Tallan Martin (9.James Monie 74’), 14.Suad Ameti, 15.Hussein Salameh, 18.Ian King (10.Robert Mileski 63’), 32.Shannon Burgin

Substitutes Not Used: 1.Zlatko Joseski, 13.Matt Pressello, 27.William Angel

Yellow Cards: Shannon Burgin 55’

Red Cards: Nil

West Sydney Berries: 1.Hamish McLean; 4.Adam Wither, 5.Michael Cunico (15.Ryan Jones 46’), 6.Jack Sobcyzk, 7.Peter Peralta, 8.Johnny Fotiadis, 10.John Tsironis (18.Lorenzo Muchuca 90’), 11.Aheleas Kotsopoulos, 16.Kosta Lagoudakis, 17.Chris Gaitazis (14.Liam Austin 86’), 19.Dimitri Zakilas

Substitutes Not Used: 40.Matthew Sneesby, 31. Shayne Morrisey

Yellow Cards: Kosta Lagoudakis 90’+2’

Red Cards: Nil

 Player Ratings:

3 – Hamish McLean (WSB)

2 – Jack Sobcyzk (WSB)

1 – Peter Tsekenis (BCL)

-By Micky Brock

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