Report by Jayden Lihou

Photo courtesy Kate Jackson

Armadale withstood a barrage of pressure in the second-half to defeat Bayswater 1-0 at Alfred Skeet Reserve on Saturday.

An early strike from Michael Domfeh was the difference between the sides as Armadale snapped a run of five consecutive defeats.

Armadale coach Paul Price was delighted with both his injury-stricken team’s performance and the final result.

“Today we had three players in the back four playing out of position and they put on a fantastic display of defence,” he said.

“It was always going to be a battle to defend in the second-half as we were against the wind but the boys played fantastically well.

“The fact was that Bayswater needed to win so they were going to come out like a house on fire because they are aspiring to win the league.

“But on the other hand we needed the win because we don’t want to be relegated so today we were just as motivated as them.”

The home side took the lead in just the fourth minute of the match after Anthony Skorich cut the ball back to Domfeh from the goal area.

Domfeh had the time and space to calmly slot the ball past Bayswater keeper Devon Spence, much to the elation of the Armadale faithful.

Bayswater had the chance to level the score 10 minutes later when Jamie Coyne delivered a cross to David Heagney, whose header struck the crossbar.

Coyne was the architect again in the 20th minute when he laid the ball off to former Armadale front man Alex Salmon, whose attempt from distance was just wide of the goal.

Armadale had an opportunity to score from distance themselves just six minutes later when a defensive pass from Bayswater went astray.

Spence was forced to leave his box to meet the ball before a sprinting Domfeh but his clearance fell to Ismael Bangura, whose effort dribbled just wide of the post.

Jason Micro could have put his side level before the break when he made a run inside the box but his near-post shot was denied by Armadale keeper Alec Radonich.

The away side fashioned another scoring opportunity midway through the second period when Paul McCarthy played a diagonal ball to Heagney whose outside of the foot shot was saved.

Heagney turned provider in the 84th minute when he crossed the ball to Salmon whose header was cleared off the line by an Armadale defender.

Despite a late flurry of set-pieces from Bayswater, Armadale managed to survive which had the home fans singing with joy.

Bayswater coach Chris Coyne said he was disappointed that his side couldn’t score but gave credit to his opponents.

“I thought Armadale were tremendous today, they worked hard and as a group I thought they were fantastic,” he said.

“I believe we are structurally fine as a team but we just need to show a bit more desire and endeavour.

“To win leagues you have to be ruthless, you have to be hard and you have to do the one-percenters. And at the moment we have too many players not doing the one-percenters which is why we only have two points now from five games.”

Armadale 1 (Domfeh 4mins)
Bayswater City 0
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Alfred Skeet Reserve
Referee: Nico Hoyle
Assistants: Peter Kaiser, Troy Malatesta

Armadale: GK. Alec RADONICH, 2. Alex CASTIELLO, 3. Jake SARDELIC, 4. Jesse FULLER (C), 6. Michael DOMFEH, 8. Ismael BANGURA, 9. Darren FRANCIS, 11. Anthony SKORICH, 12. Dannie RICHMAN (13. Jackson BEALEY 80’), 14. Dylan WHITE, 17. Ellis HEALING (7. Danny HODGSON 84’)
Substitutes not used: 1. Micheal CRAGGS, 5. Kade MCNAMARA,
Yellow cards: Nil
Red cards: Nil

Bayswater City: GK. Devon SPENCE, 5. Andrew REALE (23. Andrija JUKIC 68’), 6. Todd HOWARTH (14. Lawrence SHURAMA 63’), 8. Paul MCCARTHY, 10. Jason MICRO, 13. Trent KAY (C), 16. Jamie COYNE, 19. Alex SALMON, 20. Samuel MITCHINSON, 21. David HEAGNEY, 24. David STOKOE
Substitutes not used: 2. Jack JONES, 22. Nathan COSTELLO, 25. Fraser GREENWOOD
Yellow cards: Coyne 82’
Red cards: Nil