BOUTSIANIS TREBLE INSPIRES BURLEIGH

Burleigh Heads 4 (Boutsianis 3, Longstaff)

Palm Beach 1 (Hulme)

HT 2:0

A STUNNING hat-trick by former NSL star, Con Boutsianis, propelled Burleigh Heads to a resounding 4-1 home win over premiership rivals Palm Beach in a fiery match at Pizzey Park.

It was a vintage Boutsianis performance and one that showed his keen eye for goal is still in full working order as his first half opener and second half brace became the difference between the two sides.

Before the game Burleigh Coach Col Phelan demanded his players “give 300%” in the early exchanges and although the commitment was there, it was Palm Beach who looked the more dangerous side in the first quarter hour.

The tense match was shaping as one in which the first goal would be critical and it was Burleigh Heads who secured it thanks to the laser-like accuracy of Boutsianis.

Palm Beach goalkeeper Tim Warren charged down a promising Burleigh break on 25 minutes, but his bravery left him stranded on the edge of his box. The ball then quickly found its way to Boutsianis who, from all of 35 metres, lofted a glorious strike into the unguarded net.

Before Palm Beach could even regroup Ben Longstaff doubled the Burleigh lead just two minutes later, leaving Adem Poric’s men shell-shocked and with a real mountain to climb.

A goal before the break might have changed the eventual outcome for Palm Beach but the closest they came was Anthony Hagan’s strike into the side netting just before the half-time whistle.

The second half continued at the same frenetic pace and the match threatened to boil over as the tackles flew in during Palm Beach’s push to get back into the contest. The home side needed a third goal to breathe easier and Boutsianis soon provided it with another pin-point effort.

Handed the ball for a 65^th minute free-kick some 25 metres from goal, Boutsianis sent a dipping shot towards the near post that left Palm Beach ‘keeper Tim Warren scratching his head as it zipped past him.

Five minutes later Nick Hulme gave Palm Beach a lifeline when his far post cross looped over Burleigh Heads custodian Kane Smith for 3-1, but Boutsianis restored the three goal advantage soon after when he slid home a square ball from Matt Heanan.

After slipping to their first defeat of the season last week the win was a welcome return to form for Col Phelan’s troops, with the colourful coach admitting it was vital his players stood up against their classy opponents.

“It was a good tonic after last week to be honest. We gave ourselves a kick up the backside during the week and to be fair the boys responded,” Phelan said.

“We had a few missing and knew it would be ‘backs-to-the-wall’ for us, but the lads who came in for us did superbly well. I was thrilled today because we couldn’t afford to let a quality side like Palm Beach to get a few points ahead of us,” he added.

Phelan saved a few words of praise for the inspirational Boutsianis, as well as hailing the performance of his defence who managed to nullify one of the league’s most potent attacks.

“Goals change games and Con’s first goal was brilliant. Then we got the second and it meant that Palmy had to change things. We said at half time that we had to stop them scoring when we were 2-0 because that would give them a lift. We did that and I don’t really remember them having a clear-cut chance,” he beamed.