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Cracking goals, controversy, incompetent refereeing, fist fights, a last gasp winner - Saturday's 2-1 victory over Gazy Lansvale had it all. With an injury list longer than one of Dave Grill's agonising training warm-ups, several players had to double up as starters after the reserve grade game (thanks Andre, Marcus and Luigi). You wouldn't have known they were tired though as Andre's back heel teed up Marcus whose cracking a half volley into the top corner from just outside the box left the keeper spitting chips. Lansvale hit back midway through the half as a ball headed across the goal line was bundled into the back of the net along with keeper Harry who was holding it at the time. The second half saw Balmain bomb chance after chance and it looked like the game was heading towards another frustrating draw until all hell broke loose.

A Lansvale player objected to Dave Hardwick's late challenge on another player and came in swinging punches like a windmill. As Hardwick protected himself he was knocked off his feet by a blind-side punch from another "Lansvale player" that ran 20 metres to get involved. All this happened right in front of the referee and you can forgive yourself for being totally gobsmacked to learn that all he could come up with was a yellow card for the second man in, and nothing for the first. The referee was last seen heading for the airport, eager to catch the first plane back to Italy, mumbling something about "if this happened in Italy they would have both got reds". Hello? And by the way Lansvale can we see the ID card of the guy who ran in second and knocked our player out? Oh you can't find it?

Anyway this all fired up Balmain like nothing else could, and with five minutes to go Hassan Reda finally broke Lansvale's back with a low shot that the keeper could only parry into his own net. Rarely is the taste of victory so sweet.

New reserve grade coach Leo Cirillo enjoyed a much less controversial game as his team outclassed Lansvale 5-0. Balmain played some excellent football in the first half to all but end the game with a 3-0 lead - Andre scoring two and Max bagging one. The second half saw more of the same and Paolo Gravina, back from his mid season vacation, popped up to score two. This game was the last played by Max Civili for Balmain, who has headed back to Italy with his family. Ciao Max and thanks for all your goals over the last few seasons.

The fans were left tearing up their tickets in frustration after witnessing 180 minutes of goalless "action" at Kellyville on Saturday night. The first grade match was a tightly contested affair, with both teams unable to capitalise on golden opportunites to win the match. Balmain had two one-on-ones in the second half saved by the Kellyville keeper, the name "Kahn Catch" on the back of his shirt somewhat understating his powers. For Balmain, keeper Harry pulled off a man of the match performance, parrying shot after shot as well as doing his best impersonation of a salmon to pluck countless dangerous incoming crosses out of the air. The result sees the team's faint sniff of a chance of making the finals almost evaporated.

The reserve team were left with the bare minimum of 11 players after the late withdrawal of a couple of players. Despite this they gave a good account of themselves and dominated the match in the second half. A couple of last ditch saves, goal line clearances, and a shot that hit the post were all that stood between Balmain and victory. Sadly though it was enough and the game ended scoreless.

If ever a match was much tighter than the scoreline suggested, then Balmain's 5-1 loss to Inter Lions was it. A rugged first half saw the Tigers' challenges flying in thick and hard and fast, and a few of the Lions looked like they thought they had turned up to the wrong game. Sadly a couple of near misses, typified by a thunderous Brendan Dobbie header that flew millimetres wide with the keeper well beaten, and a solitary freakish deflection from a monstrous 70 metre goal kick that was clinically punished saw the Lions take a 1-0 lead to the break. The second half was just as hard fought as the first, but Inter finally broke Balmain down with about 20 minutes to go, scoring a couple of quality volleyed goals in quick succession. The Tigers were then caught on the break for the fourth as they pushed forward in search of goals. Dave Hardwick did manage to calmly slot home an end to end Tigers move to make it 4-1 but by then the game was gone, and to rub insult into injury Inter added another in injury time. Despite the scoreline the Tigers could be proud of their effort against a side that had that little extra class about it.

A diabolical opening ten minutes robbed the reserve team of any chance they might have had in the earlier fixture, the 3-0 loss severely denting Balmain's finals aspirations. A sloppy start from the Tigers enabled Inter to grab two quick goals, and from there they never looked like giving the game away. The third came seconds before half time, and although Balmain played well in the second half they were unable to break through the stiff Inter defence.

Balmain rewarded their travelling supporters in fine style on Sunday, producing a second half avalanche of goals to demolish Colo Colo 6-0. Peter Stamatis was the hero of the day, somehow managing to pop up inside the six yard box to nab four goals after being switched from centre forward to right midfield by coach Arthur Stamatis last week. The first half ended with Balmain enjoying a one goal lead after Stamatis knocked in the rebound from a Hassan Reda free kick. Running very much downhill in the second half, Balmain produced some excellent attacking football against their disspirited opponents, and more often than not Stamatis was on the end of things. Perhaps the highlight of the match was the Colo Colo player's diving one-handed punched clearance of a cross swung in from the right. Unfortunately no-one told him that he wasn't goalkeeper for the day, and Hassan Reda duly converted the penalty. Jem Richardson rounded things off with a surging run in from the left wing to get on the end of a through ball, and finished with a first touch that left the keeper stranded as the ball slashed past him into the bottom corner.

Reserve grade reversed their recent bad form with a nail biting 1-0 win in the earlier fixture. Coach Dave Grill threw the youth policy out the window, positioning Leo Cirillo and Max Civilli up front as the pacy strike duo. Marcus McMillan's diving header gave the Tigers the winning lead early in the first half and despite coming under some severe pressure in the second, the boys hung on for a hard fought victory.

So with the Tigers having finally strung two wins together, Saturday's home clash against the undefeated Inter Lions looks like it should be a rip-snorter. Don't be the only kid at school who didn't see the football on the weekend!

Yes that's right - we've been promising this for a long time and we've finally delivered. Head on over to our photo gallery to see some of the thrills, spills and dills from this season. We'll be adding collections from more games over the next couple of weeks so stay tuned.

Stung by the hammering they received at the hands of UTS in the previous round, Balmain bounced back impressively, demolishing local rivals Gladesville 5-1 on the weekend. The Tigers got off to the worst possible start, conceding a soft goal in the first ten minutes, but from then on it was one way traffic. Vinny Leonard levelled the scores with a stunning 30 yard volley, and Dave Hardwick made it two before half time. Hardwick completed his hat trick in the second half and Hassan Reda scored his first goal in regular play for the season.

The reserve grade team continued their form rut with a 3-1 loss. Max Civili's goal was the bright point for the reserves, who are starting to slip away from the crucial top four spots.

This Sunday sees the Tigers travelling to south western Sydney for the clash with Colo Colo. A win would see the erratic Tigers achieve two wins in a row for the first time this season. Stranger things have happened.