By Lucas Pavlidis (@LucasPavlidis)

FC Bulleen Lions have regained top spot on the NPL 1 West Conference table as they defeated Sunshine George Cross 1-0 at David Barro Stadium on Monday night.

Sami Nour’s solitary goal in the opening fifteen minutes was enough for the home side to see off a plucky Georgies outfit, as Tony Ciantar’s men look to distance themselves from the bottom of the table heading into the latter stages of the season.

Bulleen kept Sunshine busy early on.

Their goalscorer, Nour, would trouble from the off, and nearly had a spectacular goal on four minutes.

As the ball came into him, a deft touch with his head bought the ball down, and with the two juggles of the ball that followed, his eventual effort on goal lacked the conviction that his earlier skill had shown.

Immediately after, Sunshine would break on their own and with purpose could have found themselves in the lead.

Ayodeji Omoboye broke clear of the Bulleen defenders, his eventual shot flying over the bar from close range as he waltzed into the area unchallenged.

Ciantar’s side would rue that missed opportunity, as Sami Nour found himself one-on-one with the oncoming Robert Santilli in the Sunshine goal.

Nour rounded Santilli, sliding the ball into an unguarded net for the opener, and eventual match-winner.

Minutes after the re-start, Gianni De Nittis found himself in an identical opportunity to that of Nour’s, his shot flying wide when a deft lob could have seen Bulleen with a two goal advantage within twenty minutes.

Bulleen continued to create with Takanori Nishimoto and Matteo Ballan causing havoc in the final third, as the Lions looked to be back to full-strength amidst a mid-season slump due to accumulating injuries.

A big second half was needed from Sunshine, but Bulleen continued to defend well, knowing three points would be vital at home.

The brace beckoned for Nour as he continued to be dangerous, only a stunning save from Santilli separating him and his second, as the keeper got down low to his left in the 75th minute to deny the goalscorer.

Sunshine had one final chance of the game via the right foot of Chris Oghanna.

A free-kick was called on the edge of the box, and with Bulleen’s Stefan Sardelic some-what unsighted by the wall, the crossbar would feel the full force of the incoming Oghanna effort.

Sardelic could only look on and hope, as the ball crashed against the frame of the goal and out for a goal kick.

Bulleen would hold on in the remaining two minutes of injury time to take all three points in cold conditions at David Barro Stadium.

Match Details:

FC Bulleen Lions 1 (Nour 12’) def. Sunshine George Cross 0 [HT 1-0] at David Barro Stadium - Veneto Club, Bulleen

BL: 21. Stefan SARDELIC, 3. Will ABBOTT, 5. Lewis WADDELL, 6. Bardhi HYSOLI, 8. Matteo BALLAN, 10. Takanori NISHIMOTO (9. Sayeed Reza HUSSAINI 71’), 11. Gianni DE NITTIS, 12. Eli LUTTMER, 13. Dean LORENZI, 16. Matt DIMECH, 14. Sami NOUR (15. Billy ROMAS 88’)

Unused Substitues: 4. Samual BORGHESI, 23. Edison PONARI, 1. Stefan RANKOVIC

Yellow Cards: None

Red Cards: None

SGC: 1. Robert SANTILLI, 3. Martin MASON, 4. Brandon SCERRI, 5. Christopher DIB, 13. Liam O’CONNELL, 18. Denis DASOUL, 10. Adrian LOGOZZO (15. Amara KROMAH 89’), 12. Chris OGHANNA, 11. Anthony CASSAR, 8. Daniel HUTCHINSON (9. Bozidar LOJANICA 55’), 19. Ayodeji OMOBOYE

Unused Substitutes: 21. James KAPURANOVSKI, 2. Eddie CETKIN, 7. Brandon ZAFFINA

Yellow Cards: None

Red Cards: None