Bulleen back on winners' list with win over St Albans

By Matt McNamara

FC Bulleen has jumped back on the winners' list with a 2-0 victory over St. Albans Saints on Sunday afternoon.

A curling free kick from Dean Lorenzi gave the Lions a 43rd minute lead before substitute Edison Ponari sealed the points deep into stoppage time.

The Lions came into the game on the back of a 4-1 drubbing at the hands of Kingston City the week prior, and looked to attempt to make amends early. 

Gianni De Nettis got onto the end of a lofted ball into the area, only for Stuart Webster to make a stunning save in just the third minute of the match.

Both sides were struggling to create chances in the first period, with neither keeper being called into action after the opening stages.

That was until Lorenzi stepped up and beat Webster with a bending right footed stike, although the keeper will be disappointed not to have done better.

Daniel Sweeney, playing in a left back role after Ben Shaper went off injured during the first period, almost had the hosts back on level terms when his cross-cum-shot almost caught Luke Gallo off his line.

The home side did think they were level just before the hour mark when Yusuf Yusuf’s sublime delivery found Trent Waterson free at the back post.  Waterson powered his header down and beat Gallo but a desperate last ditch clearance by Lewis Waddell kept the Lions a goal to the good.

St Albans' best chance fell at the death when in the 90th minute captain Ryan McGuffie had a glorious chance to seal the points as he was the first to react to Barry Devlin’s knock down, but the Scotsman scuffed his strike and Gallo easily claimed the ball.

With the Saints committing numbers forward they were left vulnerable at the back. 

Anthony Boras was left in one-on-one situation and his mistimed tackle earnt him a second yellow card and subsequent red in the 91st minute.

Bulleen rounded off the result late in stoppage time when Reza Hussaini played in Ponari who rounded Webster to score.

Match Details:

St Albans Saints 0 lost to Bulleen Lions 2 (Lorenzi 43’, Ponari 90+4’) at Churchill Reserve, St Albans

St. Albans: 1. Stuart Webster, 2. Ryan McGuffie, 4. Nicholas Sarbin, 5. Tedros Yabio (12. Damien Peters 80’), 7. Trent Waterson, 8. Ross Harvey, 9. Barry Devlin, 20. Ante Kozul (15. Konrad Dobraszkewicz 66’), 13. Anthony Boras, 18. Ben Shaper (10. Yusuf Yusuf 37’), 23. Daniel Sweeney

Unused Subs: 6. Matko Budimir, 23. Johnny Scollo

Yellow Cards: Boras 33’, 88’, Sarbin 39’, Dobraszkewicz 82’

Red Card: Boras 88’

 

Bulleen Lions: 1. Luke Gallo, 4. Samuel Borghesi, 5. Lewis Waddell, 6. Bardhi Hysoli, 8. Mateo Ballan, 9. Sayeed Reza Hussaini, 10. Takanori Nishimoto, 11. Gianni De Nittis (15. Billy Romas 81’), 12. Eli Luttmer, 13. Dean Lorenzi (23. Edison Ponari 67’), 20. Andrew Mullett

Unused Subs: 1. Matt Banovic, 18. Felix Rosman, 29. Zachary De Bortoli

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