Heagney Seals Baysie Quartet

 

Report by Peter Simcox

A second-half strike from David Heagney earned Bayswater City a 1-0 win over Perth SC in the inaugural National Premier Leagues WA Grand Final in front of 2000 supporters at Dorrien Gardens.

The former Huddersfield Town and St Johnstone striker’s long-range effort clinched Bayswater’s fourth trophy of the season to go with the Night Series, Cool Ridge Cup and league on a historic day in WA football.

Heagney received the Gary Marocchi Medal as the player of the match.

“It’s an amazing feeling today,” Heagney said. “We played well and I thought we deserved the win. We’ve been the best team all season and today we showed that, we all stood up when it was required it was a great team effort.”

The win was built on a good defensive display from Chris Coyne’s side, who had been beaten by Perth 5-0 in a semi-final two weeks ago.

Bayswater skipper Trent Kay, who shrugged off an injury to play, was delighted to get one over his former club.

“We performed brilliantly today,” he said. “The lads put their bodies on the line and it’s always nice to win a Grand Final. But against your former club makes it a little extra special.”

The defender said the win had capped off a great season.

“I had to pass a fitness test and it was touch and go for a while but it’s great to be a part of it,” he said. “To captain this team to four trophies this season has been fantastic and we’ll enjoy this one tonight but be back on track next week as we prepare for the National NPL Finals Series against South Australian side MetroStars on Saturday.”

Bayswater assistant coach Stewart Moses said the team delivered their game plan to perfection.

“We had a game plan today and the lads stuck to it,” he said. “They showed great character, especially after the 5-0 defeat last time we played Perth.

“In saying that, that defeat did us a favour, it brought us back to reality and we worked on things on the training track.

“They got in behind us last time but we worked hard to deny them space and to the lads credit they did it superbly today.”

Perth began the game positively and had a number of good early chances that they failed to convert.

Coach Taki Nicolaidis said they were made to pay for their wastefulness.

“At the end of the day the lads gave me everything but we couldn’t find the target, especially in the first half when we created a number of good chances but didn’t take them,” he said.

“We knew it would be a tough game today and a superb strike from Heagney won it. But it’s all about ifs and buts. We’ve come a long way from last season and things are looking up for our club and we have to take positives from the season.”

It was a great day for football with a big crowd still entering the ground as the game got under way. Perth dominated the early exchanges. Mark Doninger and Ashley Rosindale both testing Devon Spence but the Bayswater custodian was up to the challenge.

But on 12 minutes Perth should have taken the lead. Tim Robertson was sent down the right, and he outpaced Adam Bachiller and cut the ball back form the by-line to the unmarked Aden da Luz, who blazed over from 6m.

Then on 18 minutes Spence almost handed the lead to Perth. Mark Pritchard’s corner was spilled by the keeper, the ball heading towards goal, but Spence reacted well to save the ball on the line. Perth weres celebrating the goal but assistant Mathew Cheeseman was well placed to rule the ball had not crossed the line.

Bayswater awoke from their slumber and Chris Saldaris’ header was straight at Francis Soale. On the half hour, Gustavo Giron Marulanda’s back heel sent Heagney in on goal but Soale was out bravely to block his shot.

It was Bayswater who ended the half the stronger. Paul McCarthy’s long-range strike was deflected wide before Soale had to be alert on the stroke half-time to save Marulanda’s low shot from the edge of the penalty area.

After the break, Bayswater had a strong penalty claim turned down by referee Adam Fielding after only five minutes. Marulanda appeared to have been brought down in the box by Clark Keltie. Four minutes later they hit the front.

Heagney picked the ball up in the middle of the park and was given far too much room before rifling home from 25m.

Perth were still in the game and on the hour midfielder Andreas Theodosiades sent a perfect ball over the top to Rosindale, whose shot beat Spence but Kay got back to clear the ball off the line.

Bayswater sat back and let Perth come at them, but with Kay and the rest of the Perth backline outstanding, they struggled to create any clear cut chances, while Bayswater were hitting on the counter attack with Brian Farrell and Heagney going close.

Still Perth pressed and on 84 minutes they went close to the equaliser. Prichard’s corner was headed goalwards by second half substitute Harley Orr but Declan Hargreaves was alert to clear the ball off the line.

Bayswater wrote a new chapter in the history book becoming the first WA side to win four major trophies in a season.

National Premier Leagues WA Grand Final

Perth SC 0
Bayswater City 1 (Heagney 54’)
Saturday 13th September 2014
Venue: Dorrien Gardens, West Perth
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Adam Fielding
Assistants: Mathew Cheeseman and Josh Mannella
Fourth Official: David Bruce

Perth SC: GK Francis SOALE, 2 Josh WILKINS, 4 Craig SIMPSON, 6 Clark KELTIE, 8 Aden DA LUZ, 10 Ashley ROSINDALE, 12 Tim ROBERTSON (13 Alex CASTIELLO 67’), 14 Mark PRITCHARD, 15 Mark DONINGER, 19 Andreas THEODOSIADES (22 Harley ORR 78’), 20 James MAROCCHI (9 Friday ZICO 89’)
Subs not used: RGK Alex DUNN, 5 Laurence GAUGHAN
Yellow Cards: Nil

Bayswater City: GK Devon SPENCE, 2 Declan HARGREAVES, 3 Adam BACHILLER, 6 Todd HOWARTH, 8 Paul MCCARTHY, 9 Gustavo GIRON MARALUNDA (16 Jamie COYNE 69’), 13 Trent KAY, 15 Brian FARRELL (10 Damien CATALANO 90’), 20 Sam MITCHINSON, 21 David HEAGNEY (18 James ISAIA 78’), 23 Chris SALDARIS
Subs not used: RGK Joel DRISCOLL, 5 Andy REALE
Yellow Cards: Nil