Report by Aidan Shaw

Photo by Aidan Shaw

Bayswater City have closed in on the PS4 NPLWA top four with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Sorrento at Finance 365 Stadium on Saturday.

A moment of individual brilliance by Sam Mitchinson midway through the first half was enough to earn three points for the hosts, who are now only one win behind fourth-placed Sorrento with a game in hand.

Bayswater coach Chris Coyne was delighted with the overall performance of his side, and praised the quality shown by Mitchinson.

“I thought the first 25 minutes was probably as good as we have been in years,” Coyne said.

“That is the intent I am looking for. If they show that intent and endeavour every week we are going to be up there by the end of the year, because we’ve got the ability to do it.”

“Sammy is the best left back in the league. His desire, energy, and endeavour are second to none. I said to him at half-time, I didn’t realise he had that in his locker because usually he shanks them out of play.”

Mitchinson nearly opened the scoring in the second minute when he cut in from the left and fired a low shot that was saved well by James Morgan.

At the other end, Scott Witschge stung the gloves of Devon Spence in the seventh minute after being released down the right.

It was a well-constructed piece of counterattacking football from the hosts that opened the scoring, starting from left back where Mitchinson intercepted a pass from Sam Byles.

The former Melbourne City defender surged forward at pace and combined well with David Heagney, whose well-weighted return ball allowed Mitchinson to drive into the box and finish coolly past Morgan.

Sorrento had several chances to equalise, but found themselves trailing at the break.

The second half was the Bor Bor Sam show, with the Bayswater winger leaving a flock of defenders in his wake and creating multiple chances on goal but couldn’t capitalise.

Both sides’ squandered their opportunities in the second half as the score remained 1-0.

Sorrento coach Jamie Harnwell felt his side should have taken more from the match.

“I think in the first half we had better chances. It’s disappointing, we didn’t deserve to lose today at all,” Harnwell said.

“We’ve got a bit of a limited squad at the moment, but we will just keep working hard at training. We’ll move on, we always do as a club and we’ll just go again next week in our game against Perth Glory.”

Bayswater City 1 (Mitchinson 25min)
Sorrento 0
Saturday, June 24, 2017
Finance 365 Stadium
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Referee: Tom Glavovic
Assistant Referees: Amar Tomour, Mitch Barrington

Bayswater City: GK Devon SPENCE, 2. Declan HARGREAVES, 6. Todd HOWARTH, 8. Paul MCCARTHY, 10. Jason MIRCO, 13. Trent KAY (c) (15. Jamie MURPHY 90), 17. Bor Bor SAM, 19. Luka NINKOVIC, 20. Sam MITCHINSON, 21. David HEAGNEY (9. Gustavo GIRON MARULANDA 88), 23. Andrija JUKIC (18. Brent GRIFFITHS 76)
Substitutes not used: RGK Michael COHEN, 16. Hifzhan HAYAZI
Yellow cards: Kay 33, Ninkovic 39, Sam 58
Red cards: nil

Sorrento: GK James MORGAN, 7. Alex MORGAN (2. Jacob SHORE 71), 8. Ryan PEARSON, 9. Sean CANHAM, 11. Timothy HILL (15. Brodie MARTIN 71), 13. Steve MCDONALD (c), 14. Scott WITSCHGE, 17. Reece VITTIGLIA, 18. Jordan BROWN, 20. Brad MCDONALD, 21. Sam BYLES
Substitutes not used: RGK Anthony SALPIETRO, 5. Joshua TUCKER, 6. Daryl PLATTEN
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards: nil