Ballajura 2 – 6 Leeming Strikers

Report by Michael Hoy

Ballajura continue to stumble at the first hurdle in the cup round after going down 6-2 to an experienced Leeming Strikers side. The optimism throughout the squad before the clash quickly diminished when leeming opened the scoring early on. They doubled their advantage soon after before finishing the half with a 3 - 0 lead and an injury to keeper Ryan Moss.

The second half started as badly as the first as Ballajura went down 4-0. Sal Marrapodi and Jayden Vespescu managed to pull back a goal each to give Ballajura a glimmer of hope but by pushing more men forward, Ballajura were exposed at the back and conceded another two to sit out another season in the cup.

Ballajura Line-up:

R. Moss (A. Best 45')

B. Skinner B. Divilly M. Roussetty P. Haddock

P.Le

S. Mammoliti T. Sips T.Liam (A. Trutwein 45') J. Cosenza

S. Marrapodi

Goals:

60' S. Marrapoddi
67' J. Vespescu

Ballajura Reserves 3 – 2 Leeming Strikers

Report by Michael Hoy

Ballajura Reserves are through to the next round of the Sunday Cup after downing Leeming Strikers 3-2 and John Connell Reserve on Easter Monday. The score was not truly indicative of the dominant performance from Ballajura, who seemed to be their own worst enemy.

It was Leeming Strikers however that were on the board first in just the 5th minute after a low driven corner was deflected between two Ballajura defenders and into the back of the net. This sparked Ballajura into action and just ten minutes later, it was Ben Vincent who equalised after the impressive young talent Daniel Clarkson put him through and Vincent finished with a classy toepoke into the bottom corner. The rest of the half involved Ballajura dominating but failing to finish.

The second half again began brightly for Ballajura but with continuous failure to convert. Alex Bagini had a shot that was driven into the unfortunate placement of Michael Hoy, while Ash Vincent, after coming on for Tomas Divilly, failed to put enough power on his strike. It was in the 75th minute that the inspiring Leo Perotta put Ballajura in front when he received the ball at the top of the box from a cleared corner, nuzzled his way into the box and steered home a superb placed left foot shot into the bottom right hand corner. Yet just a few short minutes later, scores were tied when the Strikers midfielder was found unmarked and struck a 35 yard scorcher past Alex Best, who had no chance in stopping it. Ballajura sealed a memorable first win of the season when new signing Sean somehow managed to flick the ball with the outside of his foot past the keeper after a good cross from fellow new signing Jalloh Abdulai.

Ballajura Line-up:

A.Best

A. Bagini M. O'Sullivan P. Karreman M. Hoy

T. Divilly (A. Vincent 70')

B. Vincent (J. Abdulai 80') M. Etheridge (Sean 45') D.Clarkson L. Perotta

E. Mammoliti

Goals:

15' B. Vincent
75' L. Perotta
82' Sean

Ballajura Masters 3 – 2 Lynwood Masters

Report by Jason Earley

Bank Holiday Easter Monday for most is a day to relax just before you go back to work after a long weekend, but for Ballajura Masters they had to start back to work a little earlier. The prospect of facing an unknown quantity in Lynwood was a little more daunting knowing there was a lack of personnel to fill the bench should their old legs seize up.

The whistle blew and Ballajura tipped off with the bare 11 on the pitch. A steady, if not slow pace began the game as these silver foxes gauged up their opposition and Lynwood's experience of playing together with like centre started to shine through around the 10 minute mark with a few through balls prodding and probing a somewhat tentative back-line of Ballajura without any real shot, finally a telling ball reached the feet of Lynwood's big number 11 and forced a hasty tackle from the Ballajura Right-back (Richard) inside the box resulting a penalty which was dispatched like a mix between a shot and a chip to the centre of the goal. 0-1 to Lynwood. Ballajura however kept their heads up and went on the attack for the rest of the half. Even after losing 2 players to hamstring tears within 10 mins of each other around the midway point of the 1st half. Pat De Rossi took a crack from 20 yards but unfortunately it crept ever upwards the closer it got to goal. Dave and Ken forcing an outstanding triple save from the Lynwood keeper on one occasion and Dave working the keeper on at least 3 other occasions which forced even dramatic acrobatics to palm the balls away and pluck definite goals from their trajectory, that on another day would be halftime leads of 3-1.

A positive halftime attitude was observed even with 9 men and Ballajura went out with the intent to get a deserved goal and pressed a seemingly content Lynwood, this pressure forced some fine work from Lynwood's Keeper again and again, leaving Dave Sheppard to despair how can he breach the goal line. Finally the keeper had to pull the ball from the back of the net after some great work from Jonathan and Ken resulting in Dave going through a mazy run to deceive the keeper an d make it 1-1. A half chance fell to Jason on the edge of the box with a chest and audacious half volley which dipped just to late to trouble anyone. Then the weary legs of running the game, not that Lynwood didn't have any shots, but for 60 minutes Ballajura pressed and had the better chances. Lynwood received a throw from their less than accurate attempts on pushing towards goal. The resulting Rory Delap Special cleared the front defenders to be headed down passed Pat and unwittingly went in near post off the Lynwood player. Balla keeper Chris was helpless and faultless.1-2.

Lynwood sensed blood and pressed for something to kill off the game and achieved that with a lobbed shot that deceived Chris and slipped in just under the crossbar like a mongoose raiding a hen house. 1-3. Even at the late stage of the game and a lot of running Ballajura still strained in vain to get another goal as they had all through the game but the superior numbers of Lynwood (Elio having also strained his hamstring from tirelessly running the frontline on his own for 80 mins) now took their toll and stretched the back-line of Ballajura, mostly on the counterattack it has to be said.

A great deal of relief was felt through the Ballajura team when the final whistle was blown and an element of pride, tinged with disappointment, they had given a sterling account of themselves with a depleted squad for the whole of the game and knowing that had they played with eleven for the entire game may have progressed to the next round of the Cup. They now look forward to the season with a truer sense of their worth and fighting spirit.

Best Of luck Ballajura!