By James Manton

Bendigo City FC has defeated Brunswick City 3-0 in a much tighter match than the scoreline suggested on Saturday afternoon at Dunstan Deserve.

While the first half was an exceedingly scrappy affair, the play opened up in the second with a number of good opportunities sprouting throughout.

Bendigo City FC’s Riley Dillon didn't take long to threaten the Brunswick goal, just shooting wide following a quick counter-attack, a few minutes after kick-off.

Papua New Guinean international George Slefendorfas also came close to opening the scoring early on, but Brunswick keeper Jack Dovey was up to the task, making an impressive save one-on-one with the Bendigo City FC captain.

Brunswick had a chance to open the scoring from a free-kick, but Juan Portillo's blasted shot comfortably flew above the crossbar.

Bendigo finally managed to take the ascendancy thanks to a Daniel Rees ball into the box, which managed to avoid the attackers, defenders, and even the goalkeeper, to nestle into the net and give the visitors the lead just minutes before half-time.

Both sides came out in the second half with much more energy and composure than the first, with Slefendorfas' spectacular bicycle shot just missing the goals in what would have been one of the goals of the season.

Soon after, Bendigo goalkeeper Giovanne D'oria made a save that could have changed the game.

With a deflected ball from a corner seemingly destined to even up the scores, D’Oria intervened and stopped it from crossing the goal line.

Godwill Basha doubled the Bendigo lead in the 61st minute as he found himself free in the box, sliding the ball past Dovey to make the scoreline 2-0.

With time running out, Brunswick had a glimmer of hope after winning a penalty in the dying minutes.

Portillo stepped up, but his shot was spectacularly saved by D'oria.

Basha put the result beyond all doubt with just two minutes of regular time remaining, as he tapped in his second of the match, Bendigo's third, and sealed the points for the viistors.

 

MATCH DETAILS

Brunswick City 0 defeated by Bendigo City Football Club 3 (Rees 41', Basha 61', 88')

Brunswick City: 34. Jack DOVEY, 39. James NEIGHBOUR, 29. Lucas AOUN, 17. James DURCEVSKI, 63. Damir Marusic (00. Dimitri VILTHOULKAS 78'), 18. Matthew MURPHY (9. Ahmet TURER 46'), 10. Juan Portillo, 52, Reha KURUL, 23. Cameron WILLIAMS, 30. Yach BOL, 28. Fasile ADEN

Unused substitutes: 15. Luke GAVALAS, 36. Amara KROMAH, 6. Matthew Digiovine

Yellow card(s): Nil

Red card(s): Nil

Bendigo City: 1. Giovanne D'oria, 6. Jason SHADE, 8. Karl SLEVIN, 11. Corey SLEVIN, 9. George Slefendorfas, 5. Rylan SADLER, 4. Daniel REES (10. Greg THOMAS 80'), 20. Finn HUZZEY, 15. Godwill BASHA (17. Alex CALDOW 90'), 2. Riley DILLON, 3. Jordan SEETO (18. Daniel PURDY 68')

Unused substitutes: 14. Keegan SMYTH, 21. Isaac WEST

Yellow card(s): Sadler (35'), Seeto (67')

Red card(s): Nil