Match Report: Round 20 vs West Coast Rangers
Northern League Round 20 Match Report: East Coast Bays vs West Coast Rangers, Bay City Park, Saturday 17th August 2024.
Cruel deflection denies Bays a crucial point, leading to a heart-breaking loss, in the Battle of the Coasts
Bays returned home after the battle under the lights at Seddon Fields the previous Saturday night to take on West Coast Rangers, who were just behind them on the table. Logan partnered James in the middle of defence in place of the suspended Billy and with sickness taking its toll during the week Callum & Malcolm were on the bench and Ryusei & Hwi were in the starting line-up. Its was a welcome back to Bay City Park for former Bays captain Nick Forrester and former Bays players Josh Jones and Chase Taylor. A big game ahead in the bid to stay up in the Northern Premier League.
In very wet & windy conditions a smattering of supporters braved the conditions but a number of us watched the game from the comforts of the clubrooms. An early break down the left wing saw a cross in by Will that was taken by Coast keeper, Hirst. A few minutes later Hirst almost gifted Bays the early lead when he slipped when playing the ball out of defence. Guy seized on this and his cross with the outside of his foot was cleared for a corner. Nick’s corner was punched away before Moses saw his shot blocked. Guy made another break down the left wing and had another cross blocked, for another corner. Nick’s corner to the back post was met by a foul by James on the keeper & a free kick.
Hwi made a break down the right wing, and he found Nick who crossed to the back post, but a bit too far over Liam’s head. Logan then had a clash of heads with Chase Taylor, so we got to see the weird scenario of the physio being worked on by another physio!!! Coast had a break down the left wing and Pearce had a shot that went wide of the post. Nick crossed to the back post where Liam chested the ball down, but Guy’s shot was a bit tame as it rolled along the ground to the keeper. Another cross into the middle saw Nick have a shot blocked before he was closed down by multiple Coast defenders.
Mikey K then made a break down the right wing and Hwi’s cross sailed way over Liam again at the back post. Coast then had a corner that James headed away before the next shot at goal went wide. A move down the Bays right saw Buckingham cross into the middle for Pearce to shoot straight at Mikey Williams. A foul by O’Malley on Hwi saw another free kick wasted and Coast were guilty of the same thing shortly after. A Coast corner saw a free header by Jones go over and after Liam’s foul on the right, Burfoot sent a free kick into the box that O’Malley shot over the goal.
Guy played a ball over the top of the Coast defence and Jones put in a great sliding clearance to clear the danger. Just before half time Nick sent a corner to the back post that was punched away by Hirst. Logan brought the ball down very well but the least said about the sliced left foot shot wide the better. A ball right down the middle saw Guy away but he fouled Forrester in the play to give away a free kick. The half time whistle went, and the game was evenly poised with the score reading EC Bays 0 WC Rangers 0.
The teams would have enjoyed getting away from the wet & cold for 15 minutes and after an entertaining first half there was still all to play for. The second half started off with Will being fouled on the left wing. Nick played the free kick in, but it was comfortably cleared away. Guy set Liam away down the left wing and his cross skidded right across the face of the Coast goal. Good link up play down the left wing saw Will link up with Liam who in turn played in Nick. A return ball to Liam who then dragged his left foot shot wide of goal.
The crowd were then entertained by some of the worst play acting seen this season as Burfoot went down after a minimal amount of contact. But, he went down as if he had been hit by a bus. Will made another break down the left and was clobbered by a late tackle. The ball found it’s way to Guy who had a left foot shot saved. Nick played the corner into the middle and Moses attempted a bicycle kick. To the surprise of everyone, but especially Moses himself, he was shown a yellow card for dangerous play. Mikey K was booked shortly afterwards for deliberate hand ball as he let a ball bounce over him. Coasts free kick in was mishit by one of their attackers and O’Malley slipped as he attempted a shot.
Bays made two changes in the 65th minute with Bailey coming on for Mikey K and Malcolm replacing Hwi, who had been injured in an earlier tackle. A minute later Coast made 4 changes with Kay, Dwamena, Alama & Gallagher all coming on for Jones, Forrester, Denth & Dymond. A botched clearance by Bailey saw a Coast corner reach the back post where Gallagher let fly with a right foot rocket that Mikey W did brilliantly to push over the crossbar. An excellent save. At the other end a long ball down the right wing saw Malcolm away. He turned inside one defender and had a left foot shot go into the side netting. Coast took the lead in the 73rd minute when a long throw in from the right side saw a flicked header by Turner go over Mikey and into the far corner of the net. The score now read EC Bays 0 WC Rangers 1.
Pearce was then booked for a crude pull back on Nick that stopped a fast break. Bays then made a third change with Callum coming on for Ryusei. Bays equalised in the 82nd minute with a good team goal. The ball made its way down the right wing that saw Guy play the ball down to Liam by the by-line. Liam laid the ball back to Malcolm who was on the charge, and he powered a right foot drive past Hirst into the far corner. With eight minutes to play the score was now EC Bays 1 WC Rangers 1.
Now it was everything to play for. James gave away a foul that meant Burfoot was able to send a free kick in. James headed away the first cross and Logan cleared the second effort. Down the other end a ball over the top was frantically put behind for a corner by Kay. The corner to the back post saw Liam’s tackle result in a second corner. The next corner was headed forward before being cleared. Coast turned up the ante as they chased the winner. They made their last substitution in the 90th minute with Gaughan coming on for an injured Pearce.
Another long throw in saw a flick on by Dwamena that was deflected behind for a corner. A shot from the corner was brilliantly blocked by Logan, before being cleared. The game had reached the 5th minute of injury time when it looked like it was heading for a draw. But there was one last twist in the tale. A cross in was cleared to just outside the box. O’Malley took aim with drive from range that Mikey had lined up. But Will unfortunately stuck out his foot and instead of it being deflected away the light touch took the ball past Mikey and into the far corner. Coast had stolen the points with virtually the last kick of the game, and it was a very cruel & disappointing finish to the game for the home side.
The final whistle went, and the score read EC Bays 1 WC Rangers 2. The crucial game had ended in a disappointing defeat, and it sent Coast above Bays on the table as Bays dropped a place. Moses was awarded the Bays player of the day, but Logan would have been a close second for his very good performance. This Saturday sees Bays head down to Hamilton for the last away game of the season (and the penultimate game of the season) against Melville at Gower Park. The game will mark Mikey Williams 50th game for the Bays first team so head down and celebrate Mikey’s milestone game with him. Heads up lads as we go again. See you down there.
Final Score: East Coast Bays 1 vs West Coast Rangers 2
East Coast Bays: M Williams, J Edgeler, R Ishibashi (C Simmonds 78), M Akimana, N Gaze, M Kolston (B Stevenson 65), HS Chang (M Young 65), W Stephen, L Andersen, L Archer, GFE Penda
West Coast Rangers: D Hirst, C O’Malley, J Jones (J Kay 66), S Burfoot, A Denth (K Dwamena 66), A Pearce (B Gaughan 90), C Taylor, N Forrester (J Alama 66), D Buckingham, J Turner, R Dymond (B Gallagher 66)
Goals: East Coast Bays: M Young 82
West Coast Rangers: J Turner 73, C O’Malley 95
