Balcatta score late to defeat Armadale
Report by Jayden Lihou; Image by John Warrington
Balcatta won their first match of the Playstation4 NPLWA season as they defeated Armadale 1-0 at Alfred Skeet Reserve on Saturday night.
The scores were tied until the 90th minute when Luccas Mello found the back of the net to secure all three points for his side.
Despite being under pressure from Armadale for most of the match, Balcatta coach Salv Todaro thought the final result was a fair one.
“On the balance of play overall I thought we deserved the win,” he said. “Especially since we were away from home.
“The boys were fantastic tonight; they have worked very hard over the last couple of weeks and put in a good shift during the game.
“Our shape was very good, and as a team we defended very well so I am very pleased with everybody tonight.”
Armadale came the closest to scoring in the first-half when substitute Joshua Tumeo beat several players to make his way into the box in the 45th minute.
Tumoe’s goal-bound shot was blocked by a Balcatta defender and the ball looped its way to Armadale’s Kyle King.
King headed the ball with power towards the goal but was denied by a quick reflex save from keeper Domenico Savoldelli.
Tumeo was at it again in the second-half when a through ball sent him one-on-one with the keeper in the 62nd minute.
His first attempt was parried by Savoldelli but back towards Tumeo who missed an open net with a shot that went just wide of the post.
The away side had a chance of their own in the 76th minute when Kurt Kouakou’s first time shot from outside the box spurred a diving save from Armadale’s Michael Craggs.
The Red Army could have made Balcatta rue their missed opportunity just a minute later when they found themselves with yet another one-on-one opportunity.
A long ball found Jake Sardelic whose effort was denied by Savoldelli but only as far as King who missed the target with a shot over the bar.
Balcatta broke the deadlock in the 90th minute in a counter attacking move that culminated in a low cross from substitute Nathan Scully which found Mello who found the bottom corner.
Armadale manager John O’Rielly said he was disappointed with the result because he felt his side were the better team.
“We had so many opportunities to finish that game off,” he said. “I’m not taking any credit away from their keeper though, because he dealt with the shots that we gave him, but the quality of our shots just wasn’t there tonight.
“I felt we were strong enough to get a goal, but when a team is sitting defensively with fast players, there is always the possibility that they will catch you on the counter.
“There are still 23 games left in the season, and I think my boys are strong enough mentally to bounce back after this result.”
Armadale 0
Balcatta 1 (Mello 90min)
Saturday, March 4, 2017
Venue: Alfred Skeet Reserve
Kick-off: 8.00pm
Referee: Stuart Muldoon
Assistants: Joshua Nixon, Roland Hunt
Armadale: GK. Michael CRAGGS, 3. Jake SARDELIC, 4. Nathan COSTELLO (C), 5. Sam LOVELESS, 8. Jordan PAVETT, 9. Kyle KING (2. Dylan WHITE 77’), 10. Jackson BEALEY (12. Josh TUMOE 6’), 11. Dannie RICHMAN, 14. David ANNALL (6. Faustin MACHOCI 83’), 16. Tristan TAYLOR, 17. James ATKINS
Substitutes not used: 18. Milan OGNJENOVIC, 23. Alec RADONICH
Yellow Cards: Annall 52’, Pavett 87’, Atkins 92’ and 92’
Red Cards: Atkins 92’
Balcatta FC: GK. Domenico SAVOLDELLI, 2. Hanafi GHAZALI (16. Nathan SCULLY 71’), 3. Justin ONEK, 4. Calum O’CONNELL, 5. Keiron STALLARD, 6. Jonathan CORNESS, 9. Luccas MELLO, 11. Feisal ZAW (14. Jaedon EWEN 84’), 12. Kurt KOUAKOU, 20. Paddy QUINN (C), 23. Ismael BANGURA
Substitutes not used: 10. Dino TOPCAGIC, 17. David KAI
Yellow cards: Onek 48’, O’Connell 48’, Ghazali 57’, Corness 89’
Red cards: nil
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