Ruthless Bulls smash Sharks for five

Northbridge Bulls earned their third win of the season with a comprehensive 5-1 victory over Sutherland Sharks at Seymour Shaw on Saturday afternoon.

A Patrick O’Shea own goal and Milislav Popovic strike saw the visitors go into the break two goals in front, before they wrapped up the win with a free-scoring performance in the second half.

Popovic scored his second just after halftime before his replacement Bul Juach netted a brace of his own to complete the rout despite Jonathan Grozdanovski’s consolation goal for the Sharks.

It was an end-to-end start to the match with both sides creating several openings within the first half-an-hour.

However, two goals in the space of four minutes put the visitors in the driving seat.

Twenty-eight minutes in, a ball lofted forwards into the box was inadvertently looped into the back of his own net by Patrick O’Shea.

Four minutes later, the Bulls added a second when an incisive ball played in behind the left-hand channel by Rory Jordan found Milislav Popovic who slid a cool finish under Anthony Bouzanis.

In the 38th minute, the side nearly added a third as Jack Mcloughlin saw his well-struck effort cannon off the crossbar.

Northbridge went into the break with a 2-0 lead.

Despite Sutherland coach Nick Dimovski electing to make four changes at halftime, just 11 minutes into the second half, the Bulls made it three.

Walter Scott finding space on the left-hand side driving into the box, and after a couple of attempts finding Popovic at the back post who slammed his shot into the goal.

Eight minutes after the away side’s third, Jonathan Gozdanovski pulled one back for Sutherland.

The half-time substitute squeezing a shot under Nick Suman with the ball spiralling over the line.

Northbridge added two more goals in the final 20 minutes through substitute Bul Juach.

The first of these coming in the 72nd minute with Juach finding space inside the box on the right-hand-side powering a finish across the keeper and into the far corner.

Juach had his second three minutes later rolling an inventive backheel into the net.

The Bulls went on to secure their third win of the season running out 5-1 winners.

Sutherland Sharks coach Nick Dimovski felt his side struggled to match the intensity set by Northbridge from the outset.

“I think we were off the pace today, I think once we scored the own goal the kids dropped their heads and they didn’t fully recover, he said.

“I don’t think we were at the races today.

“Full credit to Northbridge, they were better than us today.”

Northbridge Bulls coach Mile Sterjovski was pleased with the side’s performance in a result that snapped a five-game winless run.

“I thought we were good, we took our chances, he said.

“I felt like we controlled the game throughout.”

Sterjovski also praised the display of Bul Juach who came off the bench to net a brace.

“We always want our players coming off the bench to affect the game, he said.

“He [Juach] was very positive today and could’ve had a couple more so very pleased with the boys who came off the bench and changed the game for us.”

Match Stats 

Sutherland Sharks 1 (Jonathan Gozdanovski 64’)

Northbridge Bulls 5 (Patrick O’Shea O.G. 28’, Milislav Popovic 32’ 56’, Bul Juach 72’ 75’)

Saturday 15 May 2021

Seymour Shaw, Miranda

Referee: Kattie Patterson Patterson

Assistant Referees: Liam Webb and Rebecca Mackie

Fourth Official: Anastasia Filacouridis

Sutherland Sharks: 1.Anthony Bouzanis (16.Gerard Roehkick 46’), 4.Brendan Hooper, 6.Patrick O’Shea (10.Lachlan Everett 46’), 7.Peter Simonoski, 8.Oliver Green (Gabriel Contigiani 62’), 9.Jeremy Cox, 12.Harry Sutherland (Nic Petrillo 46’), 14.Chris Lindsay, 17.James Andrew, 22.Patrick Scibilio (99.Jonathan Grozdanovski 46’), 88.Christopher McStay

Substitutes Not Used: 13.Charlie Jones

Yellow Cards: Nil

Red Cards: Nil

Northbridge Bulls: 22.Nick Suman, 2.Jack Mcloughlin, 6.Lachlan Sepping (27.Oliver Jones 85’), 7.Jake Hollman (21.Anthony Krilic 76’) 10.Rory Jordan (11.Stephan De robillard 66’), 12.Brodie Clarkson, 13.Walter Scott, 15.Edward Caspers, 17.Yianni Niccalou, 23.Milislav Popovic (9.Bul Juach 66’), 24.Moudi Najjar (18.Diego Bonilla 76’)

Substitutes Not Used: 1.Ryan Wood

Yellow Cards: Nil

Red Cards: Nil

Player Ratings

3 – Milislav Popovic (NB)

2 – Bul Juach (NB)

1 – Rory Jordan (NB)

– By National Premier Leagues NSW Reporter Timothy Gibson