Albion Park showed that they could be a force to be reckoned with in this season's IPL when they stormed back from two goals down early in the second half to grab three goals of their own to win an absorbing contest against high flying Bulli at Terry Reserve on Sunday.

Played in miserable and wet conditions, the two sides combined to produce a game of high quality to keep the spectators entertained for the full 90 minutes.

Right from the get go, both sides were prepared to play an attacking brand of football with play swinging from end to end throughout the full match.

Bulli had the first opportunity to get on the scoreboard as early as the 2nd minute when they were awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area but Guy Knight's shot was hit fairly tamely and straight at Bryce Daenell in the White Eagles goal.

In the 13th minute, a Knight corner from the right was met by Julian Minutillo at the near post but his header was cleared off the line and scrambled clear.

Albion Park's first real threat on goal came on 22 minutes when diminutive import, Kotaro Higashi displayed some masterful trickery with the ball to get into space but his shot from the edge of the penalty area went just over the bar.
A short time later, a Bulli passage of play broke down on the half way line with the ball swiftly moved to WE's striker, Brian Montanari whose shot on target was saved comfortably by Bulli Keeper, Yuya Kuwata.

On 29 minutes Bulli did have the ball in the back of the net after Dylan Lewis was clean through on goal only to be denied by a good save from Daenell and in the ensuing scramble a foul was committed by Lewis who had poked the ball home with the goal being disallowed.

Seven minutes later, Albion Park's three Japanese players, who had all been very prominent in the opening 35 minutes combined beautifully with a neat interchange of passes which ended with Riku Iawuchi finding some good space but his effort on goal was again well saved by Kuwata.

Just before the interval, Bulli's Sam Davies tried his luck on goal but his strike was deflected wide for a corner from which nothing eventuated.
 

Goal less at half time after what had been an enthralling first 45 minutes.

Two minutes after the re-start, APWE went ever so close to opening the scoring, when defender Peter Prandalos headed just over from a corner kick.

However, the first goal of the game duly arrived just 60 seconds later after Bulli's Ben McDonald made a surging run down the left side and into the penalty area where Minutillo took over with a jinking run of his own before releasing a pass to Lewis who was lurking at the far side of the six yard box where he side footed home.

It was all Bulli at this point and two minutes later they almost doubled their lead when Ryan Emerton was unlucky to see his shot cleared off the lead but the visitors were in the ascendency with the next goal coming on 52 minutes.

After a terrific passage of play in which a number of passes were strung together, Davies made an incisive run into the danger zone

and his square pass across the face of the six yard box, evaded Daenell and was met by McDonald who made no mistake from close range.

Two goals to the good you thought the league leaders would have been able to close the game out from here but with the way the conditions were and APWE playing very well, one sensed that the contest might not be over just yet.

Sure enough just after the hour mark, it was 'game on' when Mitchell Del Turco, who had replaced Montanari earlier in this half, was proving to be a real handful( with his ability to hold the ball up) for Bulli's two Central Defenders, Scott Best & Kensi Takahashi, was the last piece in an interchange of passes involving the trio of APWE's visa players once again. Del Turco on receiving the ball just inside the penalty area, swivelled with the ball to create the opening and he calmly shot past Kuwata for the Home side's opening goal.

It was now time for Bulli to do some defending as APWE went searching for the equaliser. Throwing caution to the wind, Higashi who was having an influential game surged forward down the right side and with the visitors defence at sixes and sevens, his cross found the 2015 George Naylor Medal winner Vaughan Patterson, who had made a lung busting run to support the attack, in the middle of the penalty area. Patterson still had some work to do but the mid-fielder showed some great technique to produce a waist high volley which thundered home with Kuwata having no chance on 69 minutes.

With the game continuing to ebb & flow as both sides looked for a winner, it was APWE who were able to complete an amazing comeback when they conjured up the winner with 11 minutes remaining.

They were unlucky not to score a minute earlier when Shonei Okuno thundered a shot on goal from a tight angle but his effort was matched by a superb save from Kuwata. Not to be denied, on their next attack Higashi was on hand to finish off another fine move when he was put into the clear down the left side of the penalty area where he finished with aplomb to cap off a great individual display.

Given that the match was played in such slippery conditions, it was a huge credit to both sides in delivering such a terrific game of football and overall a draw would probably have been a fair result. However, you cannot deny Albion Park WE's their victory especially in overturning a two goal deficit early in the second period.

In the three new arrivals to the Illawarra, APWE have found three quality players who appear to have telekinetic powers such is their combination of plays as a collective unit. If these three guys stay fit for the rest of the season, they could be the catalyst for the White Eagles being around the top of the tree come September time.

 

Match Stats

 

Albionh Park WE 3 (Mitchell Del Turco 62', Vaughan Patterson 69', Kotaro Higashi 79')

Bulli 2 (Dylan Lewis 48', Ben McDonald 52')

 

 

Terry Reserve, Albion Park

Referee: Bobby Mazevski

Assistant Referees: John Ruscica & Joshua Spain

 

Albion Park WE: Bryce Daenell, Ryan Suttle, Mark Every, Shannon Fielding, Peter Prandalos, Vaughan Patterson, Riku Iawuchi (Chris Nathaniel 86'), Djordje Uzelac, Brian Montanari (Mitch Del Turco 49'), Shohei Okuno, Kotaro Higashi

Subs Not Used: Jack Balmforth, Justin Cario, Lachlan Ahling.

Yellow Cards: Ryan Suttle 39', Djordje Uzelac 74'

 

Bulli: Yuya Kuwata, Aaron Baker, Kensi Takahashi, Scott Best, Guy Knight, Jim Kerr, Sam Davies, Ryan Emerton (Lewis Clements 82'), Ben McDonald, Dylan Lewis, Julian Minutillo (Jared Fish 69').

Subs not Used: Matthew Naylor, Daniel Carreno, Joao Oliveira.

Yellow Card: Julian Minutillo 29', Dylan Lewis 32' Aaron Baker 76',

Report by David Naylor

Photo courtesy of Kiah Hufton