NPLNSW: White Eagles Dine On Shark Bait
A few days removed from their narrow loss to Sydney FC, Round 21 saw Bonnyrigg White Eagles travel to Seymour Shaw Park to take on the Sutherland Sharks. The game had huge bearings so late in the season; a win for Bonnyrigg would see their Minor Premiership hopes stay alive while a win for Sutherland would see their hopes of making the Top 5 remain intact. A loss for either side would have devastating consequences.
The White Eagles were missing a handful of players, David Vrankovic was unavailable, Matthew Nash pulled out in the warm-up with a minor strain and Nikola Zonjic was out with illness. Sutherland however had Nick Olsen and Matthew Gordon back in the starting line-up after overseas trips.
The game started cagily, with both sides testing each other out until the match settled into a nice rhythm. As early as the fifth minute, the White Eagles were threatening to open the score through Robbie Younis. However it was a harmless shot with the Sharks’ Nathan Denham saving easily.
Tristan Prendergast, in goal for Bonnyrigg, showed his worth a short time later, deflecting a Sharks’ shot for a corner as Sutherland began to hit their straps on the counter.
Nathan Elasi was next to test the White Eagles defence but he was pulled up for offside. Elasi, Damir Prodanovic and Matthew Gordon were causing trouble on the flank. They were a great combination and were providing Sutherland with the most likely avenue for a goal.
Midway through the first half, the White Eagles’ Dylan Fox headed over after being unmarked from a Ken Chun free kick. The match continued in a see-saw fashion; Sutherland’s best opportunities were on the counter while Bonnyrigg were carving out good opportunities without being overly threatening on goal.
The game continued to half time with neither side being able to carve out a golden opportunity. Younis and Peterson both missed chances for the visiting side, with Sutherland’s Jacob Tratt being denied twice by Prendergast.
Sutherland started more brightly in the second half. Panny Nikas took a free kick from distance which bounced awkwardly but Prendergast was able to adjust and smother the kick.
It was only a few minutes later that the match was turned on its head. Nikas took another free kick which didn’t prove dangerous. Bonyyrigg went down the other end just a minute later where Younis was free at the edge of the box, controlled the ball and slipped it passed Denham to open his account for the night.
With their season now on the line, the Sharks needed to respond quickly. But they were caught again. A through ball from the Bonnyrigg midfield found that man Younis free again and he made no mistake, securing Bonnyrigg’s second and his brace for the night.
The Sharks’ night was summed up when Elasi struck a wicked shot that struck the crossbar. You just knew with that shot, it wasn’t going to be their night.
From that point, it just became a routine match for Bonnyrigg. They dictated the game from here to finish with Sutherland seemingly out of gas. It got worse for the Sharks as a glorious passing move from the White Eagles saw substitute Howard Fondyke hammer home for the White Eagles’ third of the night.
The Sharks got on the score sheet however in usual circumstances. Prendergast was about to launch the ball forward when Jordan Figon cheekily took the ball away from him and walked it into an empty net.
The match finished with that, a deserved result for a Bonnyrigg side now hitting its straps at the business end of the season.
Sutherland coach Robbie Stanton wasn’t happy. “Once again we made some schoolboy errors because we have a young back line at the moment. We simply have to learn some hard lessons and quickly.”
Stanton’s counterpart Brian Brown was happy but had his eye on next week. “I felt the first half was really open, perhaps too open from our view point. We changed our shape at the break and that was what changed the game for us. We are now in 44 points and if we win against Sydney Olympic next week, it will give us 47 points. If you don’t win the Premiership with that it has taken a very special team effort to keep you out.”
Match Stats
Sutherland Sharks 1 (Jordan Figon 90+3’)
Bonnyrigg White Eagles 3 (Robbie Younis 54’ 58’, Howard Fondyke 88’)
Sutherland Sharks: 1. Nathan Denham, 2. Jacob Tratt, 4. James McKenzie, 6. Matthew Gordon (28. Jacob Bandur 90’), 9. Nathan Elasi, 14. Nick Stavroulakis ©, 17. Jordan Roberts (37. Daniel Loe 81’), 19. Nick Olsen, 23. Panni Nikas, 24. Damir Prodanovic (12. Jordan Figon 59’), 29. Mitchell Farmer.
Subs not used: 8. Nicolas Stergiou, 22. Andrew Depta (GK).
Yellow Cards: 6. Gordon 68’.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles: 20. Tristian Prendergast, 2. Alexander Mansueto, 5. Chris Tadrosse ©, 8. Alexander Canak, 9. Robbie Younis (16. Howard Fondyke 81’), 11. Ben Spruce, 12. Dylan Fox, 18. Adrian Ucchino, 19. Aaron Peterson (14. Jordan Crighton 72’), 21. Ken Chun (10. Tynan Diaz 62’), 35. Terry McFlynn.
Subs not used: 22. Liam Gobbo (GK), 34. Tarik Ercan.
Match Stats and Coach’s Comments via Football NSW.
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