Red hot White Eagles bounce Stallions

MARCONI Stallions travelled a short distance to face Bonnyrigg White Eagles in Round 2 and received a touch up in the local derby.
After a fairly even first stanza of play, the home side dished out a footballing lesson in the second half like only they can, running out 4-0 winners on the night.
Brian Brown’s team was merciless in the second half and once again have announced themselves as a yardstick of the competition. If any team is going to claim the title, then they will have to better the diligent and competent White Eagles who, on their day, are without peer.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles put pressure on Marconi right from the start and it was a powerful shot from close range by Tynan Diaz that forced goalkeeper Sam Nastic to turn the ball away for a corner.
The played continued near the visitors’ goal area until a swooping cross from the left reached Robbie Younis who, with a powerful drive from short distance, made no mistake. It was only the 2nd minute mark and the home side had already stamped their authority on the game with this early goal.
A free kick from Jared Lum in the 16th minute from distance brought out the best in Bonnyrigg’s goalkeeper James Chronopoulos playing against his former club. The ever reliable custodian delightfully turned the ball over the crossbar for a corner.
In the 21st minute a cross from the right by Robbie Shields reached Liam Austin on the brink of the area but his volley was over the crossbar by some distance. A short while later from close range, after receiving a floating cross from the left, Lum headed just wide of the mark.
After early dominance by Bonnyrigg it was now Marconi’s turn to try to make their mark on the game. Both teams settled into a gripping contest where not an inch was conceded in a tight midfield battle.
In the 39th minute Lum found himself in good position just inside the penalty box after receiving a nice ball from the right, but the tenacious Bonnyrigg defending saw three players close him down and block his shot.
At the other end it was much the same story; in the 42nd minute, after a midfield free-kick, Younis was forced to deviate wide with his run towards goal and this time some wonderful Marconi defending closed him down.
The first half ended shortly afterwards with the home side narrowly in front thanks to that very early goal.
In the second stanza of play in the 49th minute Dylan Fox tried his luck from distance given the robust defence but the ball sailed over the crossbar. It wasn’t a bad attempt but in reality the ball was never going to trouble goalkeeper Nastic.
In the 52nd minute Bonnyrigg doubled their lead through a delightful header by Aaron Peterson across the face of goal. It was Younis who started the action with a wide pass, from right to left, which found Chris Tadrosse and the captain of the home-side unleashed a mercurial cross which found the an awaiting Peterson.
Three minutes later and Bonnyrigg had once again hit the back of the net. A ball from the left was perfectly weighted for Raymond Miller who lined up his target and sent a thunderbolt into the back of the net past an outstretched Marconi goalkeeper.
On the hour mark, Peterson should really have made it four when he rounded the goalkeeper and charged towards the by-line but some brilliant scrambling by goalkeeper Nastic saw the Marconi custodian somehow be there to smother his attempt.
In the 73rd minute a brilliant diagonal shot by Adam Jenner from near the by-line forced goalkeeper Nastic to turn the ball over the crossbar. It was one-way traffic.
In the 80th minute Alex Mansueto, who hadn’t been on the field too long at all, brilliantly scored Bonnyrigg’s fourth goal. As the ball drifted into his path he unleashed a thunderbolt from outside the box that was simply breathtaking in its audacity, rounding out a superb night for the White Eagles.
After the game a very satisfied coach of Bonnyrigg Brian Brown said that he was pleased but given that the season is still very new he wasn’t getting too carried away.
“Yes I am very pleased because it’s a local derby against Marconi and it’s always very hard,” he said. “The great thing for me is that we didn’t lose any goals and, yes, I am expecting a great season. The one thing in this competition is that any club can beat you on the day and there are no easy games.
“I am happy with the progress that the boys are making but there is still some improvement in us and when we get the combinations right we’ll be okay.”
Over in the Marconi dressing room disappointment was not evident and coach Paul Carter was confident that his team was on the right track.
“We had a few things go against us but I am actually 100% happier this week than last week,” he said.
“They hit a few bombs and they’ll probably never do that again and score.
“We ended up playing with no strikers because they are all injured and you have to learn to deal with adversity that comes your way. We started off not quite ready and they scored early but we were the better side in the first half and they hit a couple of screamers in the second.
“Bonnyrigg, full credit to them, because they are a top side and they will punish you if you give them a chance.”
Match Stats
Bonnyrigg White Eagles 4 (Younis 2’, Peterson 52’, Miller 55’, Mansueto 80’)
Marconi Stallions 0
Saturday 21st March, 2015
Bonnyrigg Sports Centre, Bonnyrigg
Referee: Kurt Ams
Assistant Referees: Danny Horstead and Janush Adabjou
Fourth Official: Adam Vainauskis
Bonnyrigg White Eagles: Chronopoulos, Caira (Canak 69’), Diaz, Fox, Jenner, Miller (74’ Mansueto), Peterson (Kokado 61’), Spruce, Tadrosse, Zonjic, Younis
Substitutes not used: Doyle, Gobbo
Yellow Cards: Fox 67’, Mansueto 90′
Marconi Stallions: Nastic, Austin, Lum, Mijic, Nunes, Ott, Rhodes, Shields (Boyadjian 24’, Brown 74’), Simonovic, Thompson, Travis (Appiah 56’)
Substitutes not used: Tsovolos, Sekutkoski
Yellow Cards: Mijic 66’, Nunes 91’
Player Ratings:
3 – Chris Tadrosse (BWE)
2 – Robbie Younis (BWE)
1 – James Chronopoulos (BWE)
– by Joe Russo, PS4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s 1 Reporter, at Bonnyrigg Sports Centre