A.P.I.A. Slip on Banana Skin
02.03.08 23:03
Bankstown City's James Monie scored the equalising goal for his
side in the dying stages of the match against the
A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt Tigers
The sun was shining brightly at Lambert Park for A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt’s
first home match of the season after having lost to Sutherland
Sharks in the season opening round a week earlier.
Bankstown having also been soundly beaten last week at the hands of
Manly United, were out to gain their first points of the season in
the TeleChoice Premier League.
In the end the spoils were evenly divided, but both sides had
reasons to be upset.
Lack of discipline by the visitors can at least be partially to
blame for their disappointment - two players sent off is never going
to help any side as it chases the three-points.
For A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt it was the lack of killer instinct in front
of goal and a lack of discipline in defence that allowed James Monie,
a former Tigers’ player himself, to snatch the equaliser.
Afterwards coach John Romeo summed up the mood in the dressing room
when he mentioned that the game turned in 30 seconds.
“It all came down to 30 seconds in the end; a turn in play in 30
seconds, that’s all it was,” a clearly disappointed Romeo stated.
“We’re disappointed and it’s very hard to play against nine men, but
in saying that with a 1-0 lead complacency set in and we expect
better from our players.”
Meanwhile, his counterpart Peter Tsekenis at Bankstown City was
happy with the points under the circumstances:
“We’ll take the draw because it was very hard to get it, but the
boys showed a lot of character which is one thing you need to win a
Championship,” he said.
“I know I have that in full as seen today when all the boys pulled
together and played as a team, so we can build from there starting
with Sydney United next week.
“We’ve just got to re-group and see what we’ve got in terms of
injury and suspension.”
A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt started off like a house on fire and Franco
Parisi almost scored in the 8’ when a David D’Apuzzo cross was
powerfully met by the striker, but Zlatko Josevski in goal was able
to save well for the visitors.
However, A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt didn’t have wait long because a minute
later it was Parisi who had his reward when a Robert Younis ball
bobbed up favourably for him and his shot, which was partially
deviated by a defender, finished in the back of the net.
A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt went close again in the 14’ when Peter Peralta
met a corner, but his header was narrowly wide of the mark.
Bankstown’s best chance of the first half was in the 17’ when Stefce
Soleski’s shot was destined for the back of the net until Stephen
Kayes cleared the danger.
A minute later Richard Luksic headed in from a James Monie cross,
but the assistant referee ruled the tall defender to be offside.
At the 26’ minute mark a powerful shot from distance by Kayes sailed
wide, but after that very few chances were available to either side
until Robert Younis cleverly won the ball in the 44’ minute from a
defender and shot at an out-coming Josevksi who did well to save.
The second-half started off somewhat controversially because Danny
Slaveski was sent off by the referee after a report by the assistant
referee regarding some colourful language towards the end of the
first-half.
A man down, Bankstown was determined not to let that disadvantage
them.
In the 54’ Peralta’s dangerous shot finished wide in what should
really have been A.P.I.A.’s sealer.
In the 60’ Tsekenis received his second yellow card for a challenge
on half way. Bankstown City now was forced to play with only nine
players.
Monie came close in the 67’ when he latched onto a Phillip Makrys
free kick but his header sailed narrowly wide.
In the end, the visitors equalised and in reality it was no more
than they deserved.
A.P.I.A’s complacency in defence - and lack of killer of instinct in
front of goal - were detrimental.
Monie’s header from a Tayfum Devrimol corner proved to be
unstoppable and a game that the Tigers’ seemed to have under control
ended in a draw much to the excitement of the Bankstown
City players.
Match Stats
A.P.I.A. Leichhardt 1 (Franco Parisi 9’)
Bankstown City 1 (James Monie 90’+2’)
A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt:
Matthew Nash, John Kelso, Michael Galluzzo, Buddy Farah, Stephen
Kayes (74’ Will Thom), Ian King, Robert Younis, Franco Parisi, David
D’Apuzzo (86’ Simon Ryan), Peter Peralta, Christian Care (47’ Daniel
Clifford).
Coach: John Romeo
Assistant: Mark Brady
Bankstown City:
Zlatko Josevski, Ibrahim Haydar, Shane Webb, Richard Luksic, Peter
Tsekenis, George Nohra, James Monie, Robert Mileski (15’ Danny
Slaveski), Phillip Makrys, Stefce Soleski (69’ Paul Harries), Tayfun
Devrimol.
Coach: Peter Tsekenis
Assistant: Peter Papoythis
Red Cards: Danny Slaveski in 46’ (during halftime break abuse of
linesman), Peter Tsekenis in 60’ (second yellow)
Yellow Cards: D’Apuzzo, Nash, Galluzzo, Devrimol, Slaveski, Soleski,
Josevski, Makrys and Tsekenis
Referee: Dom Filipovic
Player Ratings:
3 - James Monie (BC)
2 - Peter Peralta (ALT)
1 - Stephen Kayes (ALT)
-By Joe Russo
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