Report by Paul J. Laverty

Balcatta and Perth SC produced a feisty scoreless-draw on a warm Saturday afternoon at Grindleford Reserve.

During a tepid first-half Francis Soales impressed most in the Perth goal, first by turning a Paddy Quinn close-range effort around the post and then moments later using his knees to block a near-post shot from Calum O’Connell.

The away side’s live-wire striker Gustavo Catarcione was keeping the Balcatta defence busy with a quick turn and shot which scraped the paint off the crossbar, and then shortly after he crashed a shot just wide into the side-netting.

In the 56th minute Quinn had a fantastic opportunity to break the deadlock when a loose ball fell to him with only the keeper to beat but shot straight at Soales as Balcatta cleared to safety.

Minutes later Quinn again found room on the left only for his shot to be blocked by a sea of Perth legs before Jonathan Corness had a low-drive effort from the edge of the area drift the wrong side of the post.

Balcatta’s game-plan was thrown into disarray in the 71st minute when forward Lucas Mello was given a straight red card for an off-the-ball incident.

Perth upped the tempo with Rocco Pizzata unleashing a thunderbolt from long-range that Balcatta goal keeper Domenico Savoldelli did well to spontaneously tip over the bar.

Perth defender Alex Silla couldn’t keep his shot down five minutes from time when well placed inside the box just before Pizzata flashed a speculative drive wide.

Perth lacked the quality they showed last season as Quinn could’ve snatched it at the death for the home-side but he directed his back-post header straight at Soales to ensure the points were shared.

Both bosses were unhappy to see their winless runs continue and believed they should have gotten more from the game.

“It’s two points lost for sure, we lacked composure and it’s an opportunity lost,” said Balcatta’s Salv Todaro.

“The first-half half we could have went in two, three (up), and at the end we had a header straight at the keeper,” he said.

While Perth coach Ramon Falzon rued his side’s inability to score goals.

“It’s very disappointing being superior in possession and not scoring especially against ten-men in the last 20 minutes.

“We need to translate the possession we’ve been having very frequently into goals, we are side who make it hard to concede but to win games you need to score goals,” Falzon said.

Balcatta 0
Perth SC 0
Saturday, April 15, 2017
Grindleford Reserve
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Referee: Matthew Southern
Assistant Referees: John Taran, Adrien Liechti

Balcatta: 1. Domenico SAVOLDELLI, 4. Calum O’CONNELL, 5. Kieron STALLARD, 6. Jonathan CORNESS, 8. Patrick SARA, 9. Luccas MELLO, 11. Feisal ZAW (23. Ismael BANGURA 75, 19. Jaedon EWEN 87), 13. Daniel HEPWORTH, 15. Cameron GIUFFRE, 18. Ben MEREDITH (12. Kurt KOUAKOU 60), 20. Paddy QUINN (C)
Substitutes not used: 16. Nathan SCULLY, 21. Luke HUTCHINSON (RGK)
Yellow Cards: O’Connell, Stallard
Red Cards: Mello

Perth SC: 1. Francis SOALE, 2. Alex SILLA, 3. Andreas THEODOSIADES, 4. Adrian MADASCHI (C), 8. Tom KING, 9. Gustavo CATARCIONE, 10. Nicholas AMBROGIO (21. Paul ZIMARINO 81), 12. Jordan DE LEO (5. Niccolo SABATINI 62), 13. Rocco PIZZATA, 15. Harley ORR (11. Matthew MILENKOVIC 74), 16. Kieran COLWELL
Substitutes not used: 14. Cameron Teece, 23. Daniel PASSARELLI (RGK)
Yellow cards: Madaschi, Silla
Red cards: nil