The major semi-final of the Illawarra Premier League saw Bulli and Wollongong Olympic face off at Elizabeth Park. A rampant Wollongong Olympic easily dispatched of Albion Park last week, as the ladder-leaders enjoyed a week off.

Three goals in 25 minutes would give Bulli a comfortable buffer midway through the half, but a needless penalty almost proved the turning point, as Yusuke Ueda grabbed a quick-fire brace, with Olympic spending the last 20 minutes parked in Bulli's half, pummelling the box. Countless last-second challenges ended up being enough to hold-off Olympic's best efforts; Bulli emerging with a 3-2 victory.

Wollongong Olympic were on the back-foot from the off; attacker John Martinoski forced off after three minutes with an ankle injury, however the side were looking sharp after a good hit-out last week. David Hartas called Bulli keeper Yuya Kuwata into action on 10 minutes, a neat curled shot at the near post from 18 yards being tipped around the post.

Just as Olympic were looking completely on top, restricting Bulli to playing on the break, an untracked run from Marcus Beattie caught the Olympic defence napping, saved only by the winger's shot sailing over the bar.

A poor touch from Ueda on the break saw a 3-on-2 go to waste, his shot to end the movement sailing high from an awkward angle.

Against the run of play, a quick Kenji Takahashi free kick found the feet of Ben McDonald at the near post, who duly pushed it across the face of goal and found the net.

On halftime, it was again Bulli who were struggling to stay in the contest, some neat one-touch passing from Wollongong finding Ueda 20 yards out, but his shot was wild and well wide.

Into the second half and it commenced with a bang - Takahashi unleashing an effort off the outside of his boot from 30 yards, curling into the very top corner past a helpless Hayden Durose as Bulli suddenly had a two goal lead.

This goal seemed to settle Bulli, and just before the hour mark, a simple through ball between the heart of Olympic's defence hit the feet of Mitch Del Turco, who aptly rolled the ball past Durose at his near post to give Bulli a 3 goal lead.

A few minutes later though, Kuwata left his goal to contest possession with Shun Tokuno on the by-line as the fullback barely kept the ball in play, however the sliding keeper was already committed, and a needless foul was conceded, with Ueda burying the ensuing penalty for 3-1.

This was the catalyst for Olympic's fight-back out of nowhere. Momentum had shifted to fully favour the Wollongong side.

Jake Duczynski's cross moments later found the head of substitute Matt Floro, only to not get enough purchase on the ball as it sailed wide.

A quick play from a sharp free kick saw Julian Minutillo's shot sneak through a napping defence, drawing a fine save from Kuwata, however the resulting corner found the net anyway. Substitute Luke Foster headed the ball on from the near post, a diving header from Ueda powering the ball into the back of the net to suddenly bring Olympic to within a goal of Bulli.

The onslaught onto the Bulli area continued relentlessly; Foster spraying a free volley way over the bar from a good area, before having two bites from 18 yards after the first effort rebounded back to him, and a third from Ueda struck traffic and was sent clear.

It seemed it was all Bulli could muster to hoof the ball out of trouble and bank on McDonald to try and hold the ball up as tired legs laboured to join the attacks.

Olympic were happily seated 30 yards out from goal and lofting in cross after cross into the area, but Bulli were managing to clear most of the trouble. With possession on the ground, there was always a desperate Bulli leg blocking the shot or poking the ball clear.

A rare break down the other end into stoppage time, and were it not for the crucial intervention of substitute Lukas Stergiou, Nikolas Miceski would have had a shot at Durose from 6 yards after a quick run down the left wing.

Full time drew to a close what was an enthralling game of football, Bulli the eventual winners 3-2. This result puts Bulli through to the Grand Final, with Wollongong Olympic to play Wollongong United next week for the remaining spot.

 

Sunday 9th September - Elizabeth Park

Bulli FC- McDonald 35', Takahashi 47' Del Turco 59'

Wollongong Olympic - Ueda 67'pen, 75'

 

Bulli FC - Yuya KUWATA, Scott BEST, David ABEL, Kyle JACKSON, Kenji TAKAHASHI, Sam DAVIES, Harry CALLAHAN, Mitch DEL TURCO, Ben MCDONALD, Marcus BEATTIE, Guy KNIGHT

Subs - Tobin ZOOMERS (on for CALLAHAN 63'), Nikolas MICESKI (on for DEL TURCO 85'), Blake HEWSON, Ryan EMERTON (on for MCDONALD 90')

Wollongong Olympic - Hayden DUROSE, Kojiro HORI, Jake DUCZYNSKI, Jack KEATING, Shun TOKUNO, David HARTAS, Vaughan PATTERSON, Brendan FORDHAM, Julian MINUTILLIO, John MARTINOSKI, Yusuke UEDA

Subs - Lukas STERGIOU (on for FORDHAM 63'), Matthew FLORO (on for MARTINOSKI 3'), Luke FOSTER (on for DUCZYNSKI 72'), Christian PRETTO, Haydyn LLOYD

 

Referee - Andrew NAYLOR

Assistants - Greg REID, Nathan WOTTON, Blake HERBERT

 

Report by David ATHERTON, Twitter @daveatho5

Photo courtesy of Noel Wynn