White Eagles show Stallions no mercy in Bonnyrigg
The White Eagles were flawless on the night, taking control with some fine possessional dominance throughout the 90? minutes. The goal scoring commenced just shy of the hour as Robbie Younis netted a penalty, before Ken Chun stole the show with a tremendous strike and assist for Aleksander Canak on a tremendous night for the White Eagles players and supporters.
The home side created the first chance of the evening in the 1? minute via a set-piece from the left. Captain Chris Tadrosse whipped in a curling effort that only just missed Younis? head before Adrian Ucchino headed a glancing header wide of the mark.
Marconi responded with some swift ball movement out of midfield as Nathan Elasi showed pace and finesse with some great movement in behind the front pairing of Joey Gibbs and Keith Shevlin. The latter was given a look-in following Elasi?s initiative though the White Eagles defenders were mighty quick in thwarting the danger.
On 7? minutes, Elasi did get an attempt away on goal from the edge of the penalty-area. The attacking midfielder used his body well to create the space to shoot, however his low-driven effort failed to force Nikodin Matic ? the shot-stopper given the start ahead of Andrew Bazi ? into a save.
The home side created a massive chance to open the scoring 1? minute later as Mitchell Long broke free down the right-flank. The playmaker delivered a pin-point cross into the path of an unmarked Younis who, somewhat uncharacteristically, dragged his first-time attempt wide of goal.
Bonnyrigg went close again on 12? minutes, once more via a set-piece by Tadrosse. From a promising position on the edge of the penalty-area, Tadrosse delivered a dipping attempt that only just failed to fall underneath James Chronopoulos? goal.
Bonnyrigg should have taken the lead in the 19? minute via the head of Canak. Ken Chun?s free-kick delivery picked out the head of the attacking midfielder at the back post, though Canak failed to hit the target with his headed attempt.
The White Eagles players? kept their feet on the accelerator as they continued pressing for the opening goal. No less than 30?? seconds later, Ucchino?s attempt from distance took a wicked deflection off a teammate as Stallions? shot-stopper Chronopoulos pulled off a tremendous save to deny the attempt.
Lively midfielder Ucchino tried his luck again in the 26? minute with a first-time half-volley from distance. A loosely dealt with corner by the Stallions saw the ball fall to the young White Eagles midfielder however his attempt failed to hit the target.
Marconi responded with former White Eagles midfielder Shane Webb trying his luck. The Stallions? number 6 pulled the ball onto his left boot in the 27? minute before firing wide of goal from the edge of the penalty-area.
The Stallions? positive spell continued with some good possession after the half-hour mark. Webb and Elasi combined well out on the right before Shevlin received a square ball to force Matic into a routine save on 32? minutes.
The trio exchanged passes again moments later with Daniel Severino in the attacking third, though some stout defending by the home side denied the Stallions any real look-in on goal.
In the final chance of the half for the visitors, Gibbs and Webb combined as the former released the latter on goal, denied only by the fabulous anticipation skills of Nikola Zonjic.
Following the resumption of play, Webb released Elasi on goal on 48? minutes with a delightful chipped pass over the defence. The intention was brilliant though Matic was alert to clear his line and claim the ball.
At the other end, Canak saw his powerful drive deflect wide of the mark for a corner. The resulting delivery had the Stallions on the back foot as the visitors managed to survive the onslaught.
On 54? minutes the home side was awarded a penalty after Ali Haydar was adjudged to have fouled Ucchino inside the penalty-area. The young midfielder chased down a ball that seemed a lost cause, though managed to win his side a penalty with his persistence.
Despite the protests of the Stallions? players, led vocally by Chronopoulos, Younis kept his nerve on the penalty-spot as he coolly slotted the ball past the Marconi goalkeeper for the lead.
Bonnyrigg kept pressing with Ken Chun coming alive in midfield with an energetic second-half showing. Chun used his skill and pace to create room for Harris Gaitatzis in the front-third, just after the hour, though Wade Oostendrop was well aware with some expert defending.
Gaitatzis brought the home supporters onto their feet in in the 69? minute following his well worked move down the right. The striker showed his pace and strength on the ball as he wiggled past his marker to blast his diagonal effort inches wide of Chronopoulos? right-hand post.
Despite Bonnyrigg?s second-half dominance, Marconi reminded the League leader that they were still in with a fighting chance when Gibbs breached the White Eagles? defence in the 73? minute. A quickly taken free-kick by Webb allowed Gibbs a shot on target ? Matic did exceptionally well to get down quickly and make the save.
On 78? minutes, Bonnyrigg got its second goal via Chun. The attacking midfielder showed an exceptional first touch and poise as he brought down a long searching ball before turning his marker and powerfully driving home for the 2-0 lead.
Bonnyrigg very nearly added a third when Chronopoulos? spilt attempt gave Gaitatzis a look-in. The striker was quick to react though saw his shot from point-blank range saved by the shot-stopper who did a tremendous job to get back into position following the initial fumble.
The third did arrive in the 88? minute via Canak. Once more, Chun was the orchestrator with a tantalising short ball to release Canak through on goal. The Bonnyrigg number 8 had the easiest of tasks to slot home past an exposed Chronopoulos.
Following the referee?s final whistle, White Eagles coach Brian Brown expressed his delight with his side?s showing:
?I am very very happy with the boys tonight,? commented Brown.
?Not only with the result, but the intensity and effort from all the players throughout the match was top class, and the boys thoroughly deserved the result.
?The players were all up for it, Ken Chun and Adrian Ucchino were great though really across the park I could not fault anyone, we have really put together some great performances over the past few weeks and we are looking to continue this over the coming weeks,? ended Brown.
Marconi Stallions coach Luke Casserly was somewhat of a dejected figure as he exited the Marconi dressing room:
?I think that up until the penalty we were just hanging on and then to go behind was always going to be tough ? to come here, it is tough at 0-0, so 0-1 was going to be extremely difficult.
?To be brutally honest, we struggled to get going, we struggled to pressure them and they are the top team on the ladder.
?Our performances in recent weeks have been really good, even though we have been unlucky in-terms of results. Tonight, we didn?t show up to be honest.
?We?ll look to finish the season strongly, our objective has always been to finish in the top-five, we now risk falling out of the top-five should Rockdale City win tomorrow, we?ll see how it goes, though we will be looking to get the results in the final three weeks,? concluded Casserly.
Match Stats
Bonnyrigg White Eagles 3 (Robbie Younis 54? (pen), Ken Chun 78?, Aleksander Canak 88? )
Marconi Stallions 0
Saturday 11th August, 2012
Bonnyrigg Sports Club, Bonnyrigg
Referee: Strebre Delovski
Bench: J. Woods, Z. Elrich, W. Angel, V. Rigoli, I. JohnsBonnyrigg White Eagles: 44.Nikodin Matic; 6.Nikola Zonjic, 5.Chris Tadrosse, 11.Ben Spruce, 18.Adrian Ucchino (15.Chris Payne 89?), 19.Harris Gaitatzis (17.Jordan Crighton 90?+1?), 23.Mitchell Long, 8.Aleksander Canak (10.Jordan Simpson 90?+1?), 21.Ken Chun, 2.Alex Mansueto, 9.Robbie Younis
Substitutes Not Used: 20.Andrew Bazi, 27.Nikola Todorovski
Yellow Cards: Ben Spruce 90?+4?
Red Cards: Nil
Marconi Stallions: 22.James Chronopoulos; 2.Andrew Mailer, 3.Ali Haydar, 6.Shane Webb, 9.Keith Shevlin (42.Brendan Cholakian 81?), 10.Joey Gibbs (19.Damien Travis 81?), 11.Nathan Elasi, 15.Wade Oostendorp, 16.Daniel Severino (7.Sean O?Connell 46?), 23.Christopher Nunes, 26.Nahuel Arrarte
Substitutes Not Used: 50.Hamish McLean, 8.Trent Barton
Yellow Cards: Ali Haydar 52?, James Chronopoulos 52?, Andrew Mailer 57?, Christopher Nunes 90?
Red Cards: Nil
-By Joseph Carlucci
