Women’s League – Division 1
Balgownie 7 (3) – (2) 2 Thirroul at Judy Masters Oval
Lauren 2 goals, Shaye, Melissa, Amy W, Josephine and Amy O 1 goal each.

1. L Ferrie, 2. I Khan 3. M Lea 4. E Edkins 5. A Lo Surdo 6. A Oliver 7. S White 8. D Martin 9. A Padewski 10. J Belsito 11. L Rengger 12. A Werakso 13. K Chandler 14. M Russell

It was important to get the season off to a good start with a strong performance and also 3 points. The girls from last year started this season just as they finished off last season and the new players are looking comfortable with their new surroundings. It wont take too long before the whole squad gels really well as one unit. I look forward to the results of that.

It was great to see Lauren bag a double and was unlucky not to get her birthday hat trick!!! It will do wonders for her confidence.

Our defence held strong and gave little away despite conceding 2 goals in the space of 5 minutes just before halftime. Some awful referee decisions didn’t help but it was great to see the team come out and keep a clean sheet in the 2nd half. It was also pleasing to see a number of different players on the score sheet. It shows we are all able to find the net and players can play more than one position.

From a coaches point of view there is definitely still room for improvement and still able to win by that margin. We will only get better as the year progresses and I for one am very confident and looking forward to the coming weeks.

Well done girls.

Coach Umberto

Division One (Reserve Grade)
Balgownie Rangers 0 (0) – 0 (0) Thirroul Thunder

A lot of players out for this game with Danny V, Ugo Degori and Browny all required for First Grade, then Brent and Chich both out saw a somewhat new lineup for round 2.

The game was at best average for both teams with chances wasted and some sloppy defending. Thirroul had a defender sent off just after half time for a last-man-tackle but Bally could not convert the advantage into a goal. To Thirroul’s credit, they played well with 10 and could have snatched it near the end but wasted a golden chance.

Bally could look at this one as two points dropped – especially at home – with just an ounce more determination and hunger the game could have been won. Early on in the season but these sorts of games need to be won.

BRFC Team
1. Robert Appleby
2. Sam Bell
3. Brad Innes
4. Dante DeGori
5. Alan Appleby (c)
6. Daniel Lewis
7. Ben Zentrich
8. Peter Lukin
9. Dale Schmid
10. Travis Faulks
11. Jason Zakara
12. John McCreary (on for Sam)
13. Ben Christiansen (on for Dante)
14. Jed Waters

First Grade
Balgownie Rangers 2 (0) – (0) 1 Thirroul Thunder
Josh Faulks 2 goals

With Matthew Clark getting married today, both he and Dale Masters were missing with Ugo DeGori and Daniel Vlietstra coming into the side. The pitch was a little heavy from the recent rain and the weather was yet another marvellous sunny autumn afternoon.

The game started at a moderate pace with Thirroul enjoying a lot of possession in the early stages and coming close on a few occasions. Chris Todd made a few good saves to keep the scores locked at 0-0 going into the break.

The second half saw the game heat up a bit more with tackles coming in thick, fast and very hard. Josh Faulks opened the scoring for Bally tapping in from six yards after some great team plead up play. He doubled the lead shortly after with a header from less than one yard out after sniffing around the far post and finding himself totally unmarked for an easy goal. The game turned a little when Jeremy Winner was sent off for what seemed a very soft foul in the box. Thirroul converted the resulting penalty to set up an interesting final 15 minutes. 5 minutes later Thirroul were also reduced to 10 men after their goalkeeper handled 35 yards out after JRF sprang the offside trap. No more goals although Glen Dorrian came close with a good header at the far post and JRF narrowly missed his hattrick after two goalmouth scrambles in the dying minute.

BRFC Team
1. Chris Todd
2. Daniel Vlietstra
3. Ugo DeGori
4. Aaron Davis (c)
5. Glen Smede
6. Jeremy Winner
7. Allan Costabile
8. Pablo Neira
9. Joshua Faulks
10. Glen Dorrian
11. Jeff North
12. Michael Brown
13. Ben Zentrich
14. Daniel Vardareff (on for Joshua)
15. Andrew Milne
16. Robert Appleby

Youth Grade
Balgownie Rangers 1 (0) – (0) 0 Thirroul Thunder
D. Vardareff 1 goal

A very close game with both teams having a few good chances and both ‘keepers pulling off some crucial saves. Daniel Vardareff got the winner late in the game although Bally probably should have had a few more with their finishing letting them down.

The game was marred somewhat with a total of four red cards, Ryan and Simmo for Bally, and two reds for the thunder. To be fair though the Bally red cards were obvious ‘lets even this out’ from the ref – might sound bias but everyone present saw what happened. Anyway, a good win for the boys.

BRFC Team
1. Chris Dunning
2. Damian Massi
3. Andrew Milne
4. Ryan Trevor (c)
5. Daniel Simpson
6. Jed Waters
7. Luke Buckley
8. Josh Buckley
9. Daniel Vardareff
10. Jordan Everson
11. Kevin McDonald
12. Jordan Townsend (on for Jordan Everson)
13. Jake Morgan (on for Jed)
14. Luke McDonald (on for Luke Buckley)
15. Cristian Apolloni

BRFC Women’s Team – Round 13 & Elimination SF Match Reports

Round 13 (washed out game)
Thirroul 3 v Balgownie
J J Kelly Park

Balgownie 4 defeated Thirroul 0

1. L Ferrie 2. E Och 3. E Edkins 4. M Lea 5. F Birch 6. D Martin
7. A Oliver 8. C Drolc 9. E Redman 10. L Rengger 11. M Russell
12. R Mangles 13. J Sturgess 14. S Davidson 15. M Barber

This was our last game of the season, the washed out round 13 clash with Thirroul 3. It was played mid week under lights at J J Kelly Park.

Our spirits were high and confidence was building each week, especially after our 4 nil demolition of Helensburgh on the weekend. We wanted to continue our great run even though a semi final spot was assured. And we again started with a good first half. This is a must from here on in with every game we play. We now are a 90 minute team. We created chances and it looked like it was going to be one of those nights when the ball hit the post and the bar in the space of 5 seconds. Melissa was looking for her 3rd goal of the season and she thought she had it but her great shot hit the post and from the rebound Jodie hit the bar from an acute angle. We finally got the goal and also a second to have a 2 nil half time lead.

Our second half was the best I have seen us play all season. The way we knocked the ball around, finding feet and stringing together 6,7 passes and finsihing with crosses and shots on target, it was a pleasure to watch.  With this style of football there is always going to be goals and Rhea added 2 more to her first half goal to finish with a hat trick.

It was a great team effort and just what we needed heading into the finals.

Well done do all of you.

Umberto

23 August 2009
Semi final
Dapto 2 v Balgownie
Cawley Park

Balgownie 0 Dapto 0 (after 110 mins)

Lost 4 -2 on penalties.

1. L Ferrie 2. M Barber 3. M Lea 4. E Edkins 5. A Lo Surdo 6. A Oliver
7. D Martin 8. C Drolc 9. E Redman 10. L Rengger 11. J Sturgess
12. F Birch 13. R Mangles 14. E Och 15. G Cutting 16. S Davidson

We are ‘playing out of our skin’. This was the comment made by our central defender Alison Lo Surdo at the halftime break. And I couldn’t agree more. From the 1st minute to the very last minute of play which was a 110 minutes of football we did everything right. Our intensity was high, we played with aggression, we closed down well, we ran, we created chances, we ran some more, we had them worried, we played with heart and we played like a team. Unfortunately the ball would not go in the back of the net and maybe it wasn’t our day.  The match was decided by penalties and its a cruel way to bow out especially knowing we were the better team.

I couldn’t ask for anything more than what was given on the day and I thank you so very much. You make me very proud and you should be proud of yourself and your team mates for what was achieved this season.

Umberto