Major goal reached as Blacktown City eliminate White Eagles
In an entertaining end-to-end battle from the opening whistle, Bonnyrigg seemed destined to setup a showdown with Sutherland Sharks next weekend following Brad Boardman?s 49? minute header.
The well taken goal seemed to create only frustration amongst the Blacktown City players, though the Luke Roodenburg led reigning champions battled away to draw level on 82? minutes via Ray Miller before Travis Major blasted the winner home in the 90? minute.
An enjoyable opening to the match was brought to life on 6? minutes as the home side created a neat counterattack as Luke Roodenburg showed his strength and experience to release Mitchell Duke. The striker cut back onto his right foot to beat the challenge of David Vrankovic, though his shot on goal failed to force Andrew Bazi into a save.
2? minutes later, Duke returned the favour to Roodenburg with a neat short pass into the penalty-area. From a tight angle, Roodenburg drove his diagonal effort into the waiting arms of Bazi.
At the other end, Brad Boardman got a look-in on goal following a poorly dealt with ball by the Blacktown City defence. The burly striker blasted a powerful effort on goal, though some desperate defending by the home side managed to thwart any danger
Bonnyrigg carved out another opening via a Chris Tadrosse set-piece on 11? minutes. The White Eagles? captain delivered a vicious curling free-kick from the right-flank, causing Symon Jaegar to back track, though the shot-stopper did rise highest to claim the ball despite the close attentions of the Bonnyrigg strikers.
Tadrosse again tested Jaeger in the 15? minute with a well-driven diagonal effort from the edge of the penalty-area. Despite the sea of legs blocking Jaegar?s view, the goalkeeper got down well to his left to parry.
At the other end, Travis Major lined up one of his free-kick specialties from a decentralised position. The attacking midfielder hit his effort nicely, though a slight touch by the Bonnyrigg wall diverted the ball behind for the corner.
Major was denied again in the 21? minute, this time by the referee, after finding the back of the net with a powerful header. The Blacktown City number 4 netted with aplomb, though the referee was quick to cancel out the home supporters? celebrations after spotting a foul off the ball by Zac Cairncross.
Blacktown City went close again on the half-hour mark as Major?s delivery from the right picked out Roodenburg at the back post. The captain?s first-time header into the path of Mitch Long provided the midfielder with a half-chance, though his snapshot lacked any real power to bother Bazi.
Blacktown City captain Roodenburg was forced from the field for the second time shortly after, requiring some attention to a cut to his forehead following a head clash with Ben Spruce earlier in the half.
The experienced campaigner was not deterred though as he continued to throw his body around in the front-third for his side.
Boardman was presented with his second opening of the afternoon in the 39? minute as he latched onto Tadrosse?s corner from the right, at the back post. Boardman?s first-time volley packed a huge punch, though the attempt flew over the crossbar, much to the relief of the Blacktown City defenders who were scrambling back to cover.
Bonnyrigg continued to pepper the Blacktown City defence in a positive attacking spell at the end of the half. Jamie McMaster and Boardman combined nicely to send the latter in behind the defence, though Boardman?s cross failed to pick out Brendan Gan inside the penalty-area.
Alexander Canak then had time to pull the trigger on Boardman?s centre, though once more Blacktown City got bodies behind the ball to clear any danger.
Jaeger initiated another swift counterattack for Blacktown City following a Bonnyrigg corner in the last piece of action for the opening half. The goalkeeper picked out Duke with a precise throw, though the striker?s first time through ball into the path of the oncoming Long carried too much power as Bazi claimed with ease.
Following the re-start, Jamie McMaster tried to get the White Eagles on the front foot with a perfectly drifted delivery from the right-flank. The ball finished behind the Blacktown City defensive line, though no attacking White Eagles player was in sight.
McMaster did find Brad Boardman in the 49? minute as the burly striker headed home past Jaegar, much to the disappointment of the Blacktown City supporters. Boardman timed his run to perfection to nod home, assisted by a slight deflection off a defender to beat Bazi.
Blacktown City?s response arrived via consecutive free-kicks from the right-flank though on both occasions, Matt Lewis? delivery failed to pick out a teammate as both chances went begging.
The home side did go slightly closer in the 55? minute via a set-piece, this time delivered by Luke Austin, however once again, Roodenburg and Major failed to get a final touch to divert the ball on target.
Lewis forced Bazi into a save on 58? minutes, again from a free-kick, as Blacktown City continued to press for an equaliser against a White Eagles outfit that marshalled the defensive line to perfection.
On the hour, and almost against the run of play, Boardman went close to adding a second for Bonnyrigg. Blacktown City failed to deal with a corner from the right-flank as Boardman picked up the scraps on the edge of the penalty-area, before driving a powerful diagonal effort inches wide of the mark.
Frustration set in for the reigning champions on the hour as the side picked up three yellow cards in the space of 3? minutes. Bonnyrigg created another opening, this time via Brendan Gan following a neat short free-kick by Tadrosse, though the former Sydney FC midfielder blasted his effort over the crossbar from the edge of the penalty-area.
On 73? minutes, Long squandered a good opening following a corner from the left. The midfielder needed the ball to fall for him to unleash on goal, though the Bonnyrigg defenders were quick to clear their line and thwart the attempt.
Blacktown City?s patience paid dividends in the 82? minute as Roodenburg orchestrated substitutes Ray Miller?s equaliser. Roodenburg beat the offside trap with an exceptional run behind the Bonnyrigg defensive line before squaring the ball into the path of Miller who toe-poked his effort inside the right-hand post.
With all momentum in favour of the 2010 grand-final winners, Travis Major found the match-winner in the 90? minute following a mammoth scramble inside the penalty-area. The White Eagles defence failed to clear a loose ball inside the penalty-area leaving Major with the easiest of tasks to blast the ball into the roof of the net.
The jubilation, and relief, was evident on Blacktown City FC coach Mark Crittenden?s face following the final whistle:
?I said from day one that this game was going to be a difficult one, and it really was,? commented Crittenden.
?I respect this side (Bonnyrigg) very highly, and having two quick sides today I knew it would be a quick match with end to end action.
?I?m extremely happy with the result, obviously. Even at 1-0 down, I knew we were still in with a chance because this team has so much character, and character does play a big part in these matches, and that got us through today.
Crittenden?s timing with the substitutions was perfect – The coach was extremely happy for one of his younger players, Ray Miller, who finally found his first goal of the season.
?The boys had given Ray a hard time this week at training because he hadn?t scored a goal so far, so it was great for him to get one today.?
Blacktown City?s next rival is Sutherland Sharks in another elimination match next Saturday at Seymour Shaw:
?Sutherland will be a tough match for us, it won?t be any easier than today, though we will prepare well this week and keep doing what we do.
?Fingers crossed we?ll get another result next weekend,? concluded Crittenden.
Out of the opposite dressing shed, the disappointment on White Eagles coach Brian Brown?s face was evident:
?I thought when we went ahead that we would grind out the result and go on to win.
?We even created a few more chances after the goal, though we didn?t manage to close the match off.
?Full credit to Blacktown City, they beat us three times this season and that is simply because they showed more desire and passion than we did; simply we fell apart.
?We tried to play, as always today, though did struggle also with the playing surface a little as it makes our passing game through the middle of the park impossible.
?At the start of the season, we thought we were in a position to go one step further than last season, though it obviously hasn?t happened.
?We?ll start planning now for next season,? Brown ended.
In the Grade-20 division, Blacktown City FC put an end to Parramatta FC?s season with a very hard fought 2-1 win.
Match Stats
Blacktown City FC 2 (Ray Miller 82?, Travis Major 90?)
Bonnyrigg White Eagles 1 (Brad Boardman 49?)
Sunday 11th September, 2011
Lily Homes Stadium, Seven Hills
Referee: Kris Griffiths-Jones
Assistant Referees: Lance Greenshields and Craig Fisher
Fourth Official: Thomas Klein
Blacktown City FC: 1.Symon Jaegar; 5.Patrick Gatt, 4.Travis Major, 11.Milorad Simonovic, 9.Kain Rastall (8.David Cain 81?), 3.Mitchell Duke (17.Adam Jenner 75?), 7.Luke Roodenburg (C), 10.Mitch Long, 13.Matt Lewis, 16.Luke Austin (15.Ray Miller 60?), 19.Zac Cairncross
Substitutes Not Used: 40.David Bradesevic, 18.Bruno Pivato
Yellow Cards: Kain Rastall 63?, Luke Roodenburg 64?, Mitch Long 65?
Red Cards: Nil
Bonnyrigg White Eagles: 1.Andrew Bazi; 17.Michael Robinson, 6.Ben Spruce, 5.Chris Tadrosse (C), 10.Brendan Gan, 11.Shane Webb, 8.Alexander Canak (7.Nathan Elasi 81?), 3.Nikola Zonjic (22.Jared Lum 75?), 16.David Vrankovic, 14.Blake Powell, 19.Jamie McMaster
Substitutes Not Used: 99.Ben McNamara, 2.Nikola Stanojevic, 14.Blake Powell
Yellow Cards: Shane Webb 58?, Jamie McMaster 63?
Red Cards: Nil
-By Joseph Carlucci
