Last-ditch goal gives Bonnyrigg a first-leg advantage over Prospect

A stoppage-time winner from Bonnyrigg put them in the ascendancy in the first leg of the 2025 Football NSW League One Men’s/League Two Men’s Promotion/Relegation Playoff at Blacktown Football Park on Saturday, with more drama in store for the second leg.

Bonnyrigg had the first chance of the match in the 4^th minute when Sebastian Cerecedo found Mabior Garang inside the box with a floated ball, but Garang was unable to get enough contact on the ball to send it goalwards for the League One Men’s side.

Prospect’s first chance of the night had a different outcome in the 8^th minute when a one-two played between Richard Stewart and Anthony Idehen on the counter saw the latter line up a shot from just outside the box, where he sent the ball into the bottom-right corner with a strong right-footed finish to give the League Two Men’s side a 1-0 lead.

Bonnyrigg struck back in spectacular style in the 15^th minute when a free kick taken by Fumuto Kamada from 25 yards curled into the top-left corner of the goal off the crossbar, the precision strike from range by Kamada levelling the match for the visitors at 1-1 with plenty of passion on display early.

Prospect were dealt a huge blow in the 21^st minute when the man who opened the scoring on the night, Idehen, was substituted with a leg injury, bringing an end to his night and putting Marcus Loukadounos into the match.

The visitors, meanwhile, continued to look dangerous from set pieces and in the 33^rd minute had a header go over the bar following a free kick delivered into the box.

The two teams continued to trade shots, with Prospect’s Dimos Vlachos firing over the goal from range in the 35^th minute.

Bonnyrigg almost took the lead for the first time in the match in the 44^th minute when a throw-in into the box was not dealt with by the Prospect defence and was headed onto the crossbar by Bonnyrigg’s Tristian Vidic, who had his head in his hands as he saw the ball go over the goal.

Following a first half where both teams had and took a big chance each, the two sides fighting for their respective spots for 2026 went into half-time level at 1-1.

Prospect had the first chance of the second half in the 50^th minute when a corner delivered into the box was met by the head of Shaan Birring, who had his headed effort on target evade bodies before it was saved well down low by Bonnyrigg goalkeeper Luke Turnbull, before the ball was cleared away.

At the other end, in the same minute, Garang set up Bonnyrigg’s top goal scorer for the season, Daniel Bittar, down the left, but Bittar was unable to get his low-driven shot on target, with the ball just missing the goal, whizzing past the right post.

Garang was involved once again for the White Eagles when he took a shot on from just outside the box in the 59^th minute which stung the palms of Allen.

On the hour mark, Bonnyrigg had another opportunity when Garang got in behind, but had his effort saved by Allen before the ball was cleared from in front of goal by the Prospect defence.

Garang continued to be the main threat for Bonnyrigg and had another shot on goal in the 65^th minute when he got in behind and launched a shot towards the near post which hit the side-netting.

Prospect were forced into a goalkeeper change in the 82^nd minute when Allen was injured attempting to claim a ball ahead of Garang, with 20-year-old substitute goalkeeper Zac Northey called upon to replace him.

There were big shouts from the Bonnyrigg players and fans alike for a goal in the 84^th minute when a corner delivered into the box by Kamada was saved by Northey into one of his own players, before the ball was cleared off the line by Reo Hirose.

With time running down, the match turned on its head when Bonnyrigg were awarded a penalty in the fourth minute of stoppage time following a foul by Prospect’s Jamie Dib on Garang, with the trend of late drama in Bonnyrigg matches continuing.

Garang stepped up to take the penalty, sent Northey the wrong way and slotted the ball into the back of the net down the left side to the elation of the away fans and the away team as Bonnyrigg took the late lead.

Prospect had one final chance from a free kick in the ninth minute of stoppage time, but Praneet Singh sent the ball wide right of the target as Bonnyrigg secured a first-leg victory and took a one-goal lead into the second leg following a 2-1 win.

Bonnyrigg will hope to hold onto their lead in the second leg of the playoff on Saturday, 13^th September at 5pm at Bonnyrigg Sports Club, while Prospect will hope to stage a comeback in the second leg.

Prospect United SC 1 (Anthony Idehen 8’)

Bonnyrigg White Eagles FC 2 (Fumuto Kamada 15’; Mabior Garang 90+5’ pen)

By Football NSW League Two Men’s Reporter, Dylan Costa