First Grade
Balgownie Rangers 5 (3) – (3) 3 Shellharbour City at Keith Bond Oval
Goals: Joshua Faulks 4 and Matthew Clark
1.Chris Todd
4.Aaron Davis
2.Matthew Clark 3.Dale Masters
7.Blake Riordan 5.Glen Smede 6.Jeremy Winner 11.Jeff North
8.Rick Metcalf
9.Joshua Faulks 10.Glen Dorrian
Substitute(s):
12.Travis Faulks (for Blake Riordan)
13.Daniel Simpson
14.Jake Morgan
15.Josh Buckley
16.Chris Dunning
Cards: No Cards
Bally were away in round 15 at Shell City and made hard work of things to eventually win 5-3.
Going against the pattern of most games this season which have been tight and crying out for a goal, The Rangers were fast out of the blocks and a depleted Shellharbour side looked in for a tough day. Josh got a first half hattrick in typical fashion, the first 2 from pin-point balls in from Northy and Rick. The 3rd was from a lovely ball from Azza, which Faulksy spun on and buried into the top corner. But each time he scored Shellharbour managed to equalize, a combination of slack marking and individual brilliance from Colin Walker. The normally water tight defence was struggling to contain Walker, who when he wants to, can cause any defence massive problems. The game was somehow still in the balance at the break at 3-3, but Bally were unfortunate not to be ahead, with City’s keeper pulling off 2 wonderful saves from Rick and Doz.
In the second half Bally turned up the heat and it seemed only a matter of time before The Rangers took the lead. Josh, Rick, Doz, Northy, Smedey, Jezza all had chances which were either saved or missed and Shellharbour were happy to sit back and basically hang on. On the rare occasion they broke forward Toddy did well with a good reaction save and not long after Big Bird Clarkey popped up from a delightful floated ball from Rick for 4-3. The contest was over soon after Doz drilled a free kick from distance which the keeper couldnt handle and you guessed it, Josh was there to finish the scraps to take his tally to a remarkable 18 goals for the year, and to keep The Rangers 4 points clear at the top.
The Rangers welcome a dangerous Burgh side this week, and with the sides sharing the points earlier in the season it provides the boys with another tough test. Go The Rangers!!!!
Youth Grade
Balgownie Rangers 1 (0) – (1) 1 Shellharbour City at Keith Bond Oval
Goal: Jed Waters
1.Chris Dunning
4.Ryan Trevor
3.Cristian Apolloni 2.Damian Massi
8.Luke Buckley 7.Daniel Simpson 5.Jed Waters 11.Kevin McDonald
6.Josh Buckley
9.Jordan Everson 10.Jake Morgan
Substitute(s):
12.Jordan Townsend (for Jordan Everson)
13.Luke McDonald (for Luke Buckley)
Card:Ryan Trevor (Y)
On Saturday, it 2nd vs 3rd in the battle to gain ground on leaders Kiama. Balgownie were fielding only 13 players with Andrew Milne and Daniel Vardareff still out and Reece Musumeci having announced his retirement from soccer on Thursday. Despite that, Bally started strong getting stuck in with the physical Shell City side. 25 minutes through the first half Bally was dealt a blow when there only fit recognized striker, Jordan Everson went off with what was later diagnosed as ligament damage in his knee. Jordan Townsend came on but Bally conceded almost immediately when a looping half volley somehow chipped giant ‘keeper Chris Dunning to give the home side a 1-0 lead at half time. Luke Buckley, Jake Morgan and Jordan Townsend kept pressuring the defence until Jed Waters beat the onrushing City keeper with a placed volley. That’s how the scores stayed and Bally remain 3 points ahead of 3rd placed Shell City. Unfortunately for the boys, a Kiama win puts them 4 points off the pace with 2 tough games in the next fortnight
Division One (Reserve Grade)
Balgownie Rangers 1 (1) – (2) 2 Fernhill at Ray Robinson Field
Goal:Travis Faulks
1.Brent Wilson
5.Alan Appleby
2.Johnathon McCreary 4.Daniel Vlietstra
6.Pablo Neira
7.Travis Faulks 8.Paolo Cicero 11.Jason Zakara 3.Marty Luskan
9.Dale Schmid 10.Richard Astone
Substitute(s):
12.Ben Zentrich (for Marty Luskan)
13.Ben Christiansen
14.Anthony Oliver (for Paolo Cicero)
15.Sam Bell (for Alan Appleby)
16.Daniel Lewis (for Jason Zakara)
Cards: No Cards
Top of the table clash between first and third, all the goals came in the first half with Fernhill scoring 2 while Bally got 1 goal. The Fernhill goals came in the 15th and 45th minutes and really were soft goals but again that is why they are 5 points ahead of us on the table as they took their chances. Balgownie’s goal came in the 35th minute when Travis Faulks closed down the keeper and he held onto he ball too long and his clearance hit Travis’s left leg and the ball rebounded back into the Fernhill onion bag.
The second half (apart from the last 15 minutes when Balgownie were caught on the counter attack) was dominated by the Rangers with a couple of clear cut chances being spurned by the black and whites. a disappointing result and it now means we are long odds at regaining the title we won last year, but I know the boys will persevere and try and get the three points against Woonona today, but that will be very hard task as they are coming second.
Womens 1st Division
Balgownie Rangers 2 (1) – (1) 4 Dandaloo at Judy Masters Oval
1. L Ferrie 2. K Chandler 3. M Lea 4. E Edkins 5. C Lear 6. A oliver
7. D Martin 8. A Werakso 9. J Belsito 10. L Rengger 11. M Russell
12. C Lenane
This was the top of the table clash with both teams sitting on the same points and both teams fighting for that edge in the championship title. It was a 90 minute battle which produced 6 goals. Maybe a fair result would have been a 3 all draw but it wasnt to be. The lead went back and forth a couple times but in the end Dandaloo had the extra goals.
All the girls put in a tremendous effort. We were unlucky at times not to score a couple more goals when a Dayna cross went flashing past the goal mouth and Josephine also hitting the bar. Even with 5 minutes to go and the score at 4 – 2 we continued to push for goals. Our intensity was great and we matched them all over the park.
When we meet Dandaloo again come finals time it is going to be a game not to miss let me tell you!!! We have some unfinished business dont we ladies!!!
Thanks for a top effort.
Coach Umberto
