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Last Saturday Balmain came up against the form team of the Northern Conference in Prospect United and, still smarting after 3 quick defeats in a week, the Tigers were in no mood to start feeling sorry for themselves.

As most games do, this one started at a frantic pace with both teams flexing their muscles, it was no place for the faint hearted and initially midfield king pins Parelli and Jaffrey were finding it hard to compete with Prospect’s hard working midfield. Nonetheless it was Balmain who began to carve out some chances and just as it looked like Balmain were taking control, a ball into the box, 8 Stationary Balmain players and 1 Prospect forward with enough time to bring the ball down and smash it into the roof of the net from 10 meters and it's 1 - 0 Prospect. Now I’m No Frenchman but the term "deja vu" comes to light for as this game progressed we saw more and more Balmain possession and attacks but no end result. Not even a Daniel Totaro goal that was dubiously ruled for offside! This was not any French metaphor, this was bloody Groundhog Day!!!

The Prospect defence seem to grow in confidence as they repelled attack after attack and in that it turned out to be their undoing. Playing like the Kaiser himself Billy McSmugalug was teasing the Balmain forwards with possession play on his own halfway line, something I warn you now you don't do when the little man is around. One stray pass later saw Johnny B rob the centre half of the ball, with still 2 men to beat he drew them to the right side then playing the sweetest of slide rule passes played in the advancing Parelli on the left. Taking one touch with his right around the keeper then finishing with his left across goal to end a sweet move. It was the break Balmain needed just before half time.

It was now Balmain in the ascendancy though the chances were not as frequent as the first half as both teams were more interested in not conceding than scoring and it was going to take someone to step up to the plate to bag the three points for The Tigers. Step forward Dan Ault, (Mugsy), (Mugster), (General Mugmeister). The burly centre half was enjoying his role of being pushed up into the midfield, but it was his bread and butter play in a thumping header form a free kick that saw the ball nestling in the Prospect net and before you could say "Ow my Ribs" it was 2-1 Balmain. Balmain now began to battle as if the game had just started and it was a lead they were not going to give up without a fight, with Lozza and Shannon coming on the door was well and truly locked in midfield and Balmain should have sealed it when Johnny B was put clean through only to see his lob just beat the crossbar.

Not to worry though as Balmain’s defence held firm and a welcome victory was greeted by the final whistle. "Not the prettiest of games but it's 3 points" , mumbled a somewhat relieved Coach Kaltenegger, and rightly so for as much as his team wants to play football sometimes other teams wont let you! The Exchange Man of the Match went to (who else) but Mr Ault for his cameo in midfield and winning goal.

Sunday saw the Tigers rack up their third defeat inside a week, this time going down 1-0 to bottom of the league White City. Despite dominating possession, Balmain could not crack a resolute White City defence that was fortunate to get away the win after two disallowed goals and a penalty save. This was one of those days when nothing went right for the Tigers.

The game began at a pedestrian pace, with the home team content to sit back and watch Balmain pass the ball around. Unable to fashion a decent chance, Balmain were punished when White City lumped one down the middle and found their striker in the clear and able to thump the ball into the corner for the simplest of goals. Soon after, a free kick found Matt Jaffrey at the back post, who headed back and across goal for Ilias Hatzidavid to head into an unguarded net, only to turn and see the linesman's flag up in a most puzzling offside call.

The miserable luck continued when Hatzidavid deflected a shot from Lorenzo Merlino into the net midway through the second half, again to be denied by the linesman. John Buonavoglia earned Balmain a fighting chance when he beat his marker and was agriculturally hacked down in the box for a penalty. Buonavoglia stepped up to take it but found the White City keeper up to the task, flinging himself to his left and producing an astonishing save to deny a penalty that looked headed for the corner. Despite throwing everything forward towards the end, a frustrated Balmain could not find a way through and came away with what can only be described as an embarrassing defeat.

Looking rusty, and perhaps a little complacent after their 7-1 demolition of Greenisland last week, the reserves played poorly but still managed to scrape a 1-0 win against the league cellar dwellers. In a game of few chances, Owen Nalhony, playing his final game for the Tigers before leaving to run for Prime Minister in the upcoming election, had a first half penalty saved and could only nod the rebound back to the keeper. Balmain received another penalty in the second half and this time Admir Smajovic stepped up, tucking the ball nicely into the corner to seal the win.

Who said the magic of the FA Cup couldn't be created in a NSW competition? Well, I did actually! But last night Balmain let a few people know outside the Conference what the Spirit and Commitment that embodies that famous Cup is all about. A full 37 places above Balmain, the Marconi Stallions might have been forgiven for taking this one lightly, but it would appear not as they played a majority of their first team players at Lambert Park.

The Tigers were always going to be up for this one but coming off their first defeat of the season it made them even more determined to upset the spaghetti cart. And we were barely 2 minutes into the game when a great knock-down from Hardwick put Bracewell in on goal. Not finished with saying "I am sharp and alert" in his head the wiley striker shot with the outside of his right foot forcing a good save, though a left footed shot across goal (in hindsight) would have been a better option. Startled into action Marconi began to take the game to Balmain with relentless pressure but as the game wore on and Balmain repelled wave after wave of attack it was apparent that the Premiership boys were becoming increasingly frustrated.

Half time came and went with the score 0-0 and there was an anticipation around the ground as Balmain began to put a few attacks together. A great run and cross from Hardwick was taken off the foot of Bracewell by the keeper to see his parried effort fall in the middle of the box, but alas the effect of tiring legs was now too great for anyone to be there for the simple tap in. It was now looking good for the Tigers but, as is football, Marconi were handed a soft penalty as the referee looked to make amends for a penalty he felt he should have given earlier, and in the 58th minute it was 1-0 Marconi. It was now time for another hero to step forward in keeper Delaney who parried, scooped, tipped over and blocked anything the Stallions could throw at him. Eventually it took something special in a 25 yard free kick to beat him in his top corner to make it 2-0.

You would think 20 to go, game over? Not Balmain! As players went down with cramp and fatigue the men in gold still battled on and were rewarded when the mostly unused Marconi keeper handed Balmain a lifeline via a simple back pass which he completely air kicked only to turn and see the ball trickle into his goal! The goal gave the crowd the biggest cheer of the night and a last 5 minutes Marconi did not need. As they pushed, Balmain were caught at the back but the incomparable Delaney refused to be breached and in the dying seconds Hatzidavid turned his man on the edge of the box to shoot on goal! You could have heard a pin drop as the ball flew through the air only to see the keeper redeem himself with a finely caught save.

And that was it, 2-1 to Marconi, but I feel the victory was Balmain's in the fact that, in the clubs 20 year history no game has been bigger, and every man who took part in the game took his opportunity to perform to his best and left this writer a very, very proud man.

A top of the table clash between two teams likely to be slugging it out at the end of the season didn't quite produce the football we now come to expect at Birchgrove. With a mission to close down play, get 11 men behind the ball and send in long balls Greenisland could have been mistaken for taking a leaf out of the Old Wimbledon FC's book!

The game started (as it did finish) with one almighty arm wrestle, both defences snuffing out any chances created, with Greenisland the busier of the two. With the influential left winger Deasey sidelined, most of Balmain's wing play was left (or should that be right?) to Modena and the winger tried to get himself into the game but was endlessly upended for his trouble. A sickening clash where Gavin Croall took it upon himself to attack the elbow of a Greenisland player with his nose saw the former receive a nasty gash that needed stitches, but the gutsy Scot battled on regardless of the referee's gutless handling of the matter.

As the second half began it seemed the game would die to a dull 0-0 but in the 47th minute a hopeful punt into the box, a ricochet here, a bobble there, and the ball presented itself to a Greenisland striker who took no time in dispatching the ball to the far corner. Balmain now began to press but for all their approach play that final ball seemed to elude them. It seemed it was not The Gold Men's day when Johnny Bunoavoglia went down under a clumsy challenge to see the whole of Birchgrove's penalty appeal turned away. With the game becoming ever more frustrating that frustration was compounded when an opportunist shot that was miss hit from 25 yards, somehow eluded Delaney and as if by magic Greenisland were 2-0 up. That was pretty much it and as much ball as Balmain had they could not break down a resilient Greenisland defense.

The final whistle went and you'd think Greenisland had won the final but that's what it means to teams to beat Balmain these days and good luck to teams that do. As for celebrating? We prefer to do it at the end of the season.

The earlier fixture saw the Reserves play some quality football in a 7-1 demolition of their opponents. Daniel Totaro led the scorers with a hat trick, while Jem Richardson grabbed a double including the goal of the day with a peach of a volley. Four wins from four now and the reserve team continues to apply relentless pressure for positions in the first grade squad.