By Josip Zilic
A bending Michael Boyar shot in the dying minutes has helped North Geelong Warriors to an important 2-1 victory over Bulleen Lions in National Premier League Victoria football.
Both sides started strongly at Elcho Park, with Bulleen’s Joseph Katebian scoring the first goal at the 22-minute mark after a 15-metre run.
Warriors playmaker Vito Cichello levelled the scores at 27 minutes with a long-range shot into the top left corner.
North Geelong then turned up the pressure, with Lions captain Matteo Ballan given marching orders for bringing down Mark Paleka at the 40-minutre mark as he was on his way to goal.
The Lions lost intensity after half-time as the Warriors built further momentum, hitting the cross bar twice and having a goal cancelled out when Reha Kurul was called for a dubious offside.
The Warriors broke through again as full-time approached when Boyar bent a shot through.
North Geelong coach Ante Skoko was happy with the win.
“It worked out in the end. We stuck to the shape and didn’t rush it,” he said.
North Geelong next faces Kingston City on 26 April.
Also last Saturday, the Warriors’ NPL juniors were presented with home jerseys ahead of their first home match, while Skoko and club president Ivi Deak expressed their delight with the club’s progress this year.
Both reinforced the need to understand the club’s entry into NPL was a three-year venture of building the Warriors brand.
The following day the Warriors junior sides took on Whittlesea Ranges, with the under-12s winning 2-1, the under-13s 2-0, under-14s 3-1; under-15s losing 1-2, under-16s drawing 2-2 and the under-18s winning 6-0.
The next junior matches are against Moreland Zebras at home on 27 April.
