Report by Chris Andrawes

Balcatta comfortably saw off Sorrento 5-0 at Grindleford Reserve, in a game where both sides completely reversed last week’s performances.

Balcatta, who were poor against Floreat, took a surprise lead inside the first minute through a simple tap-in from Carlo Coelho, following a nice little cut back from Carlo Alex Caniglia. The Gulls were coming off a massive win against the previously undefeated Bayswater City, but were up against it from kick-off.

Pictured: Balcatta and Sorrento in action. Photo: Chris Andrawes.

Balcatta coach Ramon Falzon felt the early goal was a result of his team’s hard work during the week.

“Last week we were horrible against Floreat, we were very regretful that we gave three points away,” he said.

“We spoke this week about reacting appropriately and scoring in the first minute was an enormous boost.

“I’m happy that we’ve kept a clean sheet, it’s the fifth one, so five out of twelve games are pretty good numbers.

“But it’s also good to see that attitude when you’re in front, you don’t show mercy to the opponent, because the opponent won’t show mercy to you.”

After the first goal went in, the first half was largely uneventful, until injury time, when Luke Randazzo was taken down by Sorrento’s Danny Cain. The defender received his second yellow card, leaving the Gulls with 10 men.

The second half started much like the first, with Balcatta scoring early through the impressive Lawrence Shuruma, who was put in by Randazzo, before dummying his defender and firing the ball past Curtis Aspden.

New signing Shuruma later doubled his lead with a thunderbolt from the edge of the box which left his coach very pleased with his performance.

“I don’t like mentioning individuals, but I think with Lawrence’s first game starting with the firsts, he’s fit in immediately,” Calzon said.

“Our normal goal scorers are Gustavo (Catarcione) and Benny (Kouakou), both of them are missing today, so to give the opportunity to others who are normally waiting behind and seeing them take it is a good thing to see.”

Another Coelho shot on goal was then turned in by team mate Keiron Stallard, who wrong-footed Aspden with his effort.

Coelho rounded out the scoring with a nice bit of control from a Shuruma ball in, before firing it past Aspden who had previously denied him, to make it 5-0.

Sorrento co-coach Jamie Harnwell was left scratching his head at his team’s inconsistency.

“We drew with Armadale, beat Bayswater and now we get thumped by Balcatta…we’re a good team on our day, there’s just not enough of those days at the moment,” he said.

“Too many players didn’t perform, so no arguments with the result, and there were no real positives to come out of it at all, so we’ve just got to pick ourselves up and worry about next week now.”

Balcatta 5 (Coelho 1’, 78', Shuruma 52’, 87’, Stallard 74’)
Sorrento 0
Saturday 8th June 2014
Grindleford Reserve
Kick -off: 3:00pm
Referee: David Bruce
Assistant referees: TIm Mihevic, Taz Parskas
Crowd: 100 approx.

Balcatta: 1. Damien STANOEVSKI, 3. Kieron STALLARD, 5. Adam TONG, 6. Luke RANDAZZO, 8. David CYRUS, 9. Carlo COELHO, 13. Patrick SARA, 14. Lawrence SHURUMA, 16. Alex CANIGLIA (12. Ben MEREDITH 80’),17. Kieron COLWELL (4. Alex SULESKI 85’), 18. Marc DE FRANCESCH (10. Matt IZZO 75’)

Substitutes not used: 21. Daniel PASSAERELLI, 9. Stefan VALENTINI
Yellow cards: Sara 9’, De Francesch 65’, Colwell 83’
Red cards: Nil

Sorrento: 1. Curtis ASPDEN, 2. Danny CAIN, 6. Daryl PLATTEN, 7. James MORGAN, 8. Brodie MARTIN, 9. Todd HARNWELL, 10. Jason MIRCO (15. Razak GELOO 60’), 13. Steve McDONALD, 14. Chris REID, 17. Reece VITTIGLIA, 22. Ryan PEARSON

Substitutes not used: 60. James MORGAN, 4. Shaun KILKENNY, 21. Mike McGINLEY, 18. Sean CANHAM
Yellow cards: Cain 38’, 45’, Pearson 53’
Red cards: Cain 45’