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Birchgrove turned it on for the season opener against Bathurst on Saturday, with the travelling side greeted with sunshine, the harbour dazzling in the sun, and a near perfect pitch. One of the worst things a team can endure is to spend 4 pre-season months training hard and not perform on their first day of the season! Well you needn't have worried dear reader, as that fear was put to rest as early as the 58th minute as Balmain scored their fourth and cruised to victory in the season opener with Bathurst.

Without this reporter sounding too smug it was a performance that promised much for the long season ahead but still, as always, left room for improvement.
Both teams started at a breakneck speed with Bathurst flexing their physical strength which, to their credit, took Balmain time to adjust to. But when they did it saw Balmain take the lead with a handball decision that to be fair, could have gone either way, but as the score-line suggests it was the Tigers day! Up stepped Johnny Buonavoglia (yes that's right) to coolly slot Balmain into a 1-0 lead.

It was now time for the men in gold to flex their superiority but in the form of fast attacking play that saw Carl Modena create a bit of magic in the box followed by a thunderous volley onto the bar. The pressure was rewarded when Buonavogolia (seriously I'm not kidding) milked a penalty and teased the keeper with the resulting kick via the post. The half time score was 2-0 to Balmain.

After many uses of the metaphor "weather the first 10 minutes as they'll be up for it" it was Balmain who came out and duly sealed the game within 13 minutes of the restart. Firstly a great move down the right resulted in cross from Modena that was passed on by Buonavoglia (for the last time!) for the rampant Jeremy Deasey to slot between the keeper's legs for 3-0. Then what was to be the goal of the game, the Raging Bull that is for ever Lozza Merlino stormed into the box, went down, appealed, got up, went down again, appealed again, then got up again and scored quite the quintessential Balmain Goal!! Blood, sweat and determination! The rent-a-crowd made up of Lozza's relatives duly acknowledged the mighty man with a hot pink banner stating "we love you Lozza".

Balmain simply shut up shop for the remaining half hour, with the impressive Dan Ault winning everything at the back and the hard working trio of Shannon, Jaffray and Merlino covering midfield. Coach Kaltenegger calmly sat back in his chair and contemplated a nice schnitzel his lovely partner Mel was cooking for him that night! The Exchange Hotel man of the match award went to Jeremy Deasey for his end to end performance although it could have gone to any of the 11 that started that day.

In the earlier action, the game started promisingly for both reserve teams, sharing equal possession and creating openings at either end. As the half progressed Balmain worked their way in to the match with some neat passing creating a string of chances but enjoyed no reward. Half time score: 0-0.

Bathurst had looked dangerous on the break in the first half, and proved so when they turned a defensive corner into attack as a lone striker worked an inch of space inside the box and rifled a shot at Matt Mulhall, who could only delay it's progress into the back of the net. The Tigers fought back and it wasn't long before Sasha Emedi, who had been a bit hot and cold in the first half, saw his stinging shot deflect off a Bathurst defender's leg and into the goal. It was now time for Balmain to turn the screws, but instead they found themselves a goal down again, courtesy of another Bathurst counter-attack from a defensive corner resulting in a mix-up at the back, leaving the keeper stranded and an easy opportunity for the Bathurst striker.

Ivan Djambazov was not going to let this one slip away in his debut performance as Reserves Coach, and his three quick substitutions had an immediate effect. Owen Nalhony, replacing Emedia up front, charged into the box before being clumsily brought down by a young Bathurst defender. Daniel Totaro stepped up to dispatch the penalty for 2-2. Then with literally the last play of the game it was Bathurst's turn to be caught on the break. Nalhony worked the ball wide to Hardwick who beat his marker to the by-line, cut the ball back straight at a Bathurst defender who obligingly stepped over the ball, leaving David Parelli 2 yards out with an open goal. The final whistle blew moments after the restart with a relieved Balmain side victorious by 3 goals to 2.