Demons tame Lions in dramatic comeback

Bankstown City went into the match knowing that a win would sustain second position on the ladder, and that elusive second bite of the cherry come finals series time.
The Demons on the other hand were out to spoil the visitors? intentions, and were keen to end the season on a positive note with a victory in front of their home fans.
Chris Bedzo had the opening chance of the match in the 6? minute, heading wide from right in front of goal following a pinpoint cross from Ray Miller.
60?? seconds later and the skilful Blacktown striker, Nick Sama, seized on a loose ball in the Bankstown half, threading a pass behind the Lions? defence for Ante Deur to run onto. Deur reached the goal line and hesitated before cutting the ball back, but Steven Liavas was on hand for the visitors to clear the danger.
Bankstown responded when Daniel Severino set up Hussein Salameh on 9? minutes, the pint-sized striker hitting a low shot from the corner of the box that Blacktown goalkeeper Brody Crane eagerly swallowed up.
Sama was at it again in the 11? minute, dissecting the retrieving Lions? defence with yet another well weighted through ball for Ante Deur to run onto.
Once again Deur delayed his execution, and his eventual shot from near the penalty spot was well blocked by Bankstown?s Brett Studman.
Both sides were frantically trying to prize open the other?s defence, and the action continued to go from end to end on the flat and dusty playing surface.
Bankstown?s set piece expert, Daniel Severino, was fouled in the 17? minute right on the edge of the Demons? penalty box, and he dusted himself off before curling a super free-kick over the wall and agonizingly inches wide of Brody Crane?s left upright.
Then, on 21? minutes, Blacktown City spurned a great opportunity to take the lead.
Sama dispossessed the Lions, beating a defender easily before sending Ray Miller away down the right flank with a perfect through pass.
Miller hit a cross shot from the corner of the penalty-area, the ball reaching Ante Deur near the back stick, but Deur was having no luck in front of goal, skying his shot from a few yards.
Hussein Salameh then should?ve done better for Bankstown in the 26? minute, the little man heading over unchallenged from a Severino corner with the goal at his mercy.
The travelling Lions supporters were up in arms in the 39? minute, the bustling Philip Makrys bundled over in the penalty-area, but referee, Kris Griffiths-Jones, waived the requests away.
Both teams had one final opportunity before the break, with Ante Deur going close for Blacktown on 45 minutes with a rasping free kick from just outside the box that flew past Zlatko Joseski?s goal post.
Bankstown?s opportunity came one minute into injury time, and they weren?t as wasteful, opening the scoring with a clinical piece of finishing.
With most players between the halfway line and the middle of Blacktown?s half, a half-clearance was headed back by the ever alert Phil Makrys, and as the Demons? defence moved forward, Robert Mileski flicked a second header over the top for Hussein Salameh to run onto.
One of the competition?s best finishers, Salameh controlled the ball on the run, racing directly in on goal before slipping the leather past an onrushing Brody Crane to give the Lions the lead going into the break.
A couple of minutes into the second-half and Ray Miller sent over a floated cross towards the back post, where Nick Sama somehow managed to shoot mid air with the outside of his right boot. Alas, Bankstown?s experienced Zlatko Joseski was equal to the task, blocking the shot and diverting the ball for a corner.
An awkward clearance by the Demons in the 53? minute went straight to George Nohra in the middle of the Blacktown half, and he promptly squeezed a through ball to send Hussein Salameh away on goal, yet again, behind a flat Demons defence.
Salameh, as he did when he scored the first goal, drew Brody Crane before trying to slip the ball past him, this time however Crane managed to get his hand to the ball to parry it across goal.
Robert Mileski was following up for Bankstown as all good predatory strikers should, and he stabbed the ball home from a couple of yards to give Bankstown a 2-0 lead.
Now they say that 2-0 can be a dangerous scoreline, and Bankstown looked to be cruising to a comfortable three points and second spot on the ladder.
But Blacktown had other ideas, and on 68? minutes pulled a goal back which changed the whole complexion of the game.
Blacktown?s defender, Daniel Wilkinson, chipped a free-kick towards the far post, where substitute, Gavin Forbes, rose high to head back across the face of goal.
Under pressure from a Bankstown defender, Luka Dukic lunged at the ball to crack it over the line and pull a goal back for the Demons.
Within 2? minutes and the Demons were level, with Bankstown turning over possession, and Chris Bedzo sending a superb through ball behind the Lions? defensive line for Ray Miller to run onto.
Miller seized onto the ball, shrugging off the challenge of Shane Webb before delightfully chipping Bankstown?s keeper, Zlatko Joseski, from 20-yards to restore parity.
The Demons were on a roll, and sensationally took the lead with goal number three within 5? minutes.
Ray Miller was the provider this time, slipping a fantastic through ball for Chris Bedzo to run onto, and the striker held off a couple of challenges to shoot low past Joseski into the bottom corner of the net.
Bankstown were absolutely stunned with that quick turnaround, and desperately searched for answers as their second place on the ladder started to slip away.
They had a great chance in the 78? minute, Richard Luksic?s header from Severino?s free kick being well read by Brody Crane in the Demons goal.
The Demons responded by almost grabbing their fourth goal of the afternoon, with substitute Gavin Forbes slipping with only Joseski to beat after Ray Miller had again found him with a great pass into the box.
The final whistle blew, much to the delight of the Blacktown bench, as the Demons grabbed an unlikely victory to finish their season on the highest possible note.
For the home side, Ray Miller was the pick of the bunch, working tirelessly down the right flank, energetic with his runs, effective with the ball, scoring a goal and setting up another as reward for his efforts.
Sama had a great first-half with his technical prowess, often being the architect of many of Blacktown?s attacks, and with better service in the second half, could?ve caused the Lions defence more problems.
Additionally, the towers of strength at the back were tough and uncompromising, with Tyler Simpson, Luka Dukic and Daniel Wilkinson all having fine games for the home side.
For the visitors, Hussein Salameh was a constant thorn in attack, sharp in and around the box and with a real eye for goal. No surprises to see that both goals came from Salameh, as he scored one and assisted in the other.
Skipper Richard Luksic had his usual solid game in defence, winning everything aerially, and Phil Makrys was strong in the middle of the park, often winning possession and many a time getting the Bankstown attack under way.
In the Grade-20 match, Blacktown City confirmed their premiership pedigree with a 3-0 victory over Bankstown City Lions, granting them a nine point advantage over Sutherland to claim first place.
Match Stats
Blacktown City Demons 3 (Luka Dukic 68?, Ray Miller 70?, Chris Bedzo 73?)
Bankstown City Lions 2 (Hussein Salameh 45?, Robert Mileski 53?)
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Fairfax Community Stadium, Seven Hills
Referee: Kris Griffith-Jones
Assistant Referees: Matthew Colquhoun & Sarah Ho
Fourth Official: Thomas Klein
Blacktown City Demons: 40.Brody Crane; 2. Tyler Simspon, 4.Luka Dukic, 5.Daniel Wilkinson, 8.Chris Bedzo, 9.Kain Rastall (c)(14.Gavin Forbes 67?), 10.Luke Austin, 11.Nicolo Sama, 12.Brendan Maroney, 15.Ray Miller, 16. Ante Deur.
Substitutes Not Used: 13.Ben Ellis, 18.Agyei Akwabi, 20.Matt Lewis, 6.Luke Casserley.
Yellow Cards: 5.Daniel Wilkinson 16?, 15.Ray Miller 70?, 4.Luka Dukic 83?, 14.Gavin Forbes 86?.
Red Cards: Nil
Bankstown City Lions: 1.Zlatko Joseski; 3.Shane Webb, 4.Brett Studman, 8.George Nohra (32.Shannon Burgin 72?), 82.Daniel Severino (23.Tallan Martin 78?), 12.Matthew Pressello, 10.Robert Mileski (29.Hussein Akil 58?), 15.Hussein Salameh, 5.Richard Luksic (c), 7.Steven Liavas, 11.Phil Makrys.
Substitutes Not Used: 14.Suad Ameti, RGK.Sam Emmanoul.
Yellow Cards: 10.Robert Mileski 56?.
Red Cards: Nil
-By Frank Speranza