Bankstown City Lions roar into top two contention after downing White Eagles

Bankstown City has moved three points, two goals and one step closer to semi-final football after the Lions secured a 2-0 victory against Bonnyrigg White Eagles on Saturday night.

Both teams were desperate to give their semi-final aspirations a boost with three points in the round 18 fixture at Bonnyrigg Sports Club, and it showed in the early stages of the match.

Ryan Baldacchino was gifted with the first opportunity of the match, finding himself in space down the left-flank, but his shot was directed straight into the waiting arms of Bankstown’s Zlatko Joseski.

Shane Webb tried his best to set up Robert Mileski with Bankstown’s opener, but some scrambling Bonnyrigg defenders stood in the way of the visitors’ first.

Bonnyrigg looked a much improved side from the one that took the field against Manly United FC in the quarter final of the Tiger Turf Cup on Wednesday night, continually threatening their opponents goal in the early passages.

But against the run of play the White Eagles defenders were caught napping, allowing Hussein Salameh to weave his way past three men and drill his shot past Nenad Vekic into the bottom left-hand corner for a 1-0 lead in the 22’ minute.

A highly entertaining first-half took a turn for the worse with 5’ minutes until the half time whistle.

A physical sliding challenge from Paul Cotte collected Hussein Salameh, angering the Bankstown players and coaching staff who were convinced the tackle should have ended Cotte’s night.

But when Salameh limped back on the field 2’ minutes later, he was quick to seek revenge, bringing down Cotte with a tackle that earned the goal scorer a yellow card of his own.

In the early stages of the second-half, it was Bankstown who was dominating the possession and territory, but failed to turn opportunity into points.

Bonnyrigg’s first shot on target in the second period came from a Paul Cotte free-kick, but Almir Dizdaric’s header lacked the direction to penetrate goal, finding Joseski between the posts.

Mileski had the chance to extend his side’s lead when he managed to beat his opponent, but his powerful shot from outside the penalty-area was narrowly off target.

Moments later the Lions were at it again, but young goalkeeper Nenad Vekic put his body on the line to save his side from a two goal deficit.

Hussein Salameh went close to scoring his second goal of the night, making his way past two defenders, only to hit the woodwork from a tight angle.

Steven Bosinovski hadn’t been on the field long before making an impact, taking a shot which was deflected off a Lions defender and away for a corner.

From the ensuing play the White Eagles flooded forward in numbers, but despite the efforts of Graeme Forbes in the air, they were unable to break through a solid defence.

All hopes of snatching a point ended in the 87’ minute for the White Eagles, when a long-range shot from Phillip Makrys bounced awkwardly in-front of a lunging Nenad Vekic, taking a nasty bounce over the shot-stopper and into the back of the net.

Despite the loss, Bonnyrigg coach Brian Brown hasn’t given up hope of a semi-final berth:

“We are still a chance because a lot can happen in five games,” Brown said.

“There are 15 points up for grabs and we need at least 10.

“To make the semis would be a real bonus for us because the aim was to avoid relegation and hopefully we have done that.”

In the opposing dressing room the mood was a little different, with the Lions staring down the barrel of a return to the finals:

“I think the three points in regards to the way the table sits looks to have cemented a spot,” player/coach Peter Tsekenis said.

“But we are looking higher than that, we are looking at a top-three spot.”

Match Stats

Bonnyrigg White Eagles 0

Bankstown City Lions 2 (Hussein Salameh 22’, Phillip Makrys 87’)

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Bonnyrigg Sports Club, Bonnyrigg.

Referee: Strebre Delovski

Assistant Referees: Steven Nguyen and Adam Coombes

Fourth Official: Matt Samson

Bonnyrigg White Eagles: 1.Nenad Vekic; 2.Paul Cotte, 3.Graeme Forbes, 4.Kojiro Kaimoto, 5.Mark D’Alessandro, 8.Daniel Willoughby (15.Steven Bosinovski 68’), 9.Jay Lucas, 11.Almir Dizdaric, 12.Andre Gumprecht, 13.Ryan Baldacchino (14.Domenic Cutri 76’), 17.Milorad Simonovic

Substitutes Not Used: 23.Ali Akbal; 7.Alex Tomic, 19.Nemanja Tomic

Yellow Cards: Paul Cotte 40’, Kojiro Kaimoto 68’

Red Cards: Nil

Bankstown City Lions: 1.Zlatko Joseski; 10.Robert Mileski, 82.D.Sevarino (14. Suad Ameti 78’), 4.Brett Studman, 15.Hussein Salameh (29.Hussein Akil 85’), 3.Shane Webb, 7.Stefanos Liavas, 8.George Nohra, 5.Richard Luksic, 6.Peter Tsekenis, 11.Phillip Makrys

Substitutes Not Used: 23.Tallan Martin, 18.Greg Owens, 20.Sam Emmanoiul

Yellow Cards: Hussein Salameh 42’, George Nohra 67’

Red Cards: Nil

-By Michael Chammas

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