Tigers winless as Bonnyrigg collects points

APIA is still searching for its first win of the PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s season after a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Bonnyrigg White Eagles at Lambert Park on Friday.
An injury hit APIA outfit were unlucky to take advantage of its chances as Bonnyrigg’s  Aaron Peterson snatched the result in the 81st minute.

It was a disastrous start to the match for APIA who were forced into a double substitution only seven minutes into the match.

Injuries to Brett Studman and Sean O’Connell required a drastic reshuffle of the home side’s line up as APIA coach John Carnevale introduced Franco Parisi and Matthew Fsdani to the contest.

Parisi made almost an instant impact to the match when his perfect delivery created a clear opportunity for Tasuku Sekiya in the 14th minute.

However, Sekiya failed to take advantage scuffing his shot straight into the hands of Bonnyrigg shot stopper James Chronopoulous.

The injury bug was passed onto Bonnyrigg in the 20th minute when Greg Kondek went down with a hamstring injury and was replaced by Aaron Peterson.

The addition of Peterson lifted Bonnyrigg and the visitors pushed forward in attack.

APIA paid the price for poor communication in defence in the 27th minute when a marauding run from Sam Galloway opened the scoring for Bonnyrigg.

Galloway wrong footed defender Nathan Millgate and made a 25 metre run unchallenged before he dispatched a powerful shot past APIA keeper Ryan Norval.

APIA immediately mounted a fight back and were unlucky to not to score in the 31st minute.

A double save from Bonnyrigg’s Chronopoulos diffused shots from Corey Bizco and Sekiya.

The home side had one last chance in the final minute of the half but Themba Muata-Marlow’s header was cleared off the line by White Eagles defender Adam Jenner.

Attack, attack, attack must have been Carnevale’s halftime message for his APIA team as the Tigers gunned for an equaliser from the opening whistle.

The high intensity paid off almost instantly when Sekiya hit the back of the net in the 49th minute.

The Japanese import volleyed into the back of the net to make it 1-1 after pin point assist from Franco Parisi.

Orchestrated by Parisi, APIA continued its attacking raid as Bonnyrigg battled to keep in the game.

However, it was the heroics of Muata-Marlow in defence which had fans talking as the APIA centre back cleared a dangerous Robbie Younis header off the line after a Bonnyrigg counter attack.

The counter attack sparked a revival from Bonnyrigg and they began to fight their way back into the match.

It wasn’t long before the  PlayStation 4 NPL NSW Men’s Champions were back in front when Peterson hammered home from close range to give Bonnyrigg a 2-1 lead in the 80th minute.

Desperate to take at least a point away from the match, APIA sent everything forward in hope of finding a goal.

Chronopoulos was called into action for the visitors in the 86th minute when his diving saved denied a well hit Nathan Millgate shot.

Ray Miller’s second yellow card in the 87th minute had the visitors down to 10 men for the final stages of the game.

APIA threw everything but the kitchen sink forward to snatch a late equaliser. However, it wasn’t to be for Carnevale’s outfit.

“Despite the loss that would have to be our best performance as a side this season,” Carnevale said.
“The way all the boys maintained their composure after losing two senior players to serious injury in the opening minutes was very impressive.

“While it hurts to come away from that match without any points, I know if we continue to play the way we did today then win’s are just around the corner.”

Winning coach Brian Brown praised former Newcastle Jets and Western Sydney Wanderers defender Galloway for his performance.

“Sam was outstanding today and deserves recognition for the way he played.

“Defensively he was very impressive and he will be delighted to have scored.

“All round it was a great game from the boys especially the defence who did very well to hang on when APIA were desperate for an equaliser.”

Match Stats
APIA Leichhardt Tigers 1 (Sekiya 52’)

Bonnyrigg White Eagles 2 (Galloway 28’, Peterson 81’)
Friday, March 25 2016
Lambert Park, Leichhardt.
Referee: Koder Yagi
Assistant Referees: Matt Reidy and Thomas Lee
Fourth Official: Tristan Harris
APIA Leichhardt Tigers FC: 92. NORVAL Ryan, 2.MILLGATE Nathan, 7. O’CONNELL Sean (10. PARISI Franco 8’), 8. BIZCO Corey, 14. ELASI Nathan (11. MURRAY Jordan 65’),15. STUDMAN Brett (3.FSADNI Matthew 8’), 16.SYMONS Sean, 18. UCCHINIO Adrian, 20.SEKIYA Tasuka, 21.MUATA-MARLOW Themba, 23. OLSEN Nicholas.   

Substitutes not used: 19. HASEGAWA Kenta, 1. LIBAND Tonu,    
Yellow Cards: N/A
Red Cards: N/A
Bonnyrigg White Eagles: 1. CHRONOPOULOS James, 3. VRANKOVIC David, 4. ROBINSON Michael, 5. JENNER Adam (2. MANSUETO Alexander 73’), 7. KONDEK Greg (19. PETERSON Aaron 20’), 9. YOUNIS Robbie (6. ZONJIC Nikola, 90’), 10. KOKADO Yuta, 15. MILLER Ray, 16. GALLOWAY Sam  17. GIL, Mun-Soo, 21. CHUN Ken
Substitutes not used: 14. MCDONALD Taylor,, 20. SAVICIC Stevan. 
Yellow cards: 5. JENNER Adam 15’, 21. CHUN Ken 58’,15.MILLER Ray 84’ 90’
Red cards: 15. MILLER Ray 90’
Player Ratings

3- Sam Galloway (BWE)
2- Aaron Peterson (BWE)
1- Tasuka Sekiya (APIA)