InBrief

Wellbeing

On Saturday, 8 September 2018 Bar FC headed south to Melbourne to compete in the annual Tri State Championship against the best of the Victorian and Queensland Bars.

The weather was not kind to us. Massive electrical storms on Friday night led to numerous flights being cancelled out of Mascot. Four of our players were at the airport that night and had their flights cancelled and were unable to get rescheduled early flights the following day. So, before we had even left Sydney, we had lost Patch, Coutinho, Younan and Anais D’Arville. Not a very promising start.

However, by match time on Saturday afternoon, we were able to field a team of 13 at the picturesque South Yarra FC grounds. The first game between Victoria and Queensland Bar saw an upset Queensland victory of 2 goals to nil (our goalkeeper Harris volunteered to be GK for Queensland). Lo Surdo SC was referee for that match.

The next game saw NSW take the field to play Queensland. In an impressive attacking display in the first minutes, Condylis (on his NSW Bar FC interstate debut) passes to Di Michiel who passes to Morrison, then back to Condylis who scores the first NSW goal. Not to be outdone, Di Michiel scores at the 15-minute mark. Queensland respond with a spirited attack and Harris makes a great save to leave the score at 2 nil in favour of NSW. At the 25-minute mark, Di Michiel scores again. Just before half time, Morrison has a kick at goals and narrowly misses. At half time NSW are leading 3-0.

In the second half, Morrison heads a ball into the goals from a great corner kick from Condylis. The NSW defence line is tested, but with our sweeper Philips keeping the backs in a formidable defensive line, and Harris working hard in goals, NSW keeps the Queenslanders scoreless with a fulltime score of 4 goals to nil.

After a ten-minute break, NSW again takes the field, this time against the Victorians. Victoria commenced with a strong attack against NSW. Thanks to spirited performances from the likes of de Meyrick, Griscti, Bedrossian, Liu, Maghami and (Asher) D’Arville, and with Harris in goals, saw the Victorian attack repulsed. Di Michiel scores the first NSW goal at the 12-minute mark, and a minute later Morrison is unlucky to just miss with his shot at goals. Under pressure from di Michiel, Victoria score an own goal at the 14-minute mark, putting NSW up 3-0. Just before half time, Victoria score their first goal, making the half time score 3-1 in NSW’s favour.

In the second half, considerable press by the Victorians resulted in a headed goal off a corner and it was game on with NSW under the pump and only ahead 3-2. But, just when it was needed most, the goal of the day was scored by Condylis, who got the ball in the mid field, and then ran half the length of the field, weaving through several determined Victorian mid fielders and defenders, to score NSW’s 4th goal. Philips then moved Morrison back up to the forwards, with Morrison scoring straight away to take NSW’s tally to five goals. Victoria pressed hard in the last 10 minutes but couldn’t breached the valiant NSW defence, and at full time the final score was 5-2 in NSW’s favour.

Two great wins for NSW Bar FC which saw NSW retain the silverware.

The touring squad (that actually made it to Melbourne) was as follows:

• Faraz Maghami
• Geoff O’Shea
• Simon Philips (C)
• Nick Condylis
• Hugh Morrison
• John Harris (GK)
• Vahan Bedrossian
• Rohan de Meyrick
• Richard di Michiel
• Thomas Liu
• Ivan Griscti
• Lo Surdo SC
• Gillian Mahony

Special thanks must go to Geoff O’Shea for managing the squad and to Asher D’Arville for filling in at very short notice.