Bayswater City’s Luka Ninkovic.
Camera IconBayswater City’s Luka Ninkovic. Credit: Supplied/Jonny Warrington Photography

Soccer: Bayswater City welcomes back key quartet for Stirling Lions clash

Kristie LimStirling Times

TOP-placed Bayswater City is set to welcome back four experienced stars ahead of this weekend’s match up with Stirling Lions.

Midfielder Jason Mirco, defender Brent Griffiths and recruits Moses Kalou and Ryan Pearson are among the inclusions in the squad.

City plays the seventh-placed Lions at Frank Drago Reserve on Saturday and coach Chris Coyne said his players had prepared well for a very important month ahead.

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“We are playing some very tough teams over the next few weeks so preparing properly is so important if we are to have success in the long term,” he said.

“We have been very focused on our approach play through midfield.

“We know that Stirling like to play long balls behind so we have made sure our start positions are good so we can transition quickly from those long balls.”

Coyne said Stirling has very good players who could “turn the match on its head”.

“We are aware of their strengths and weaknesses after (assistant coach) Alun (Vernals) and I went and watched them last week and will ensure that the players know how to negate their quality and expose them were we see them vulnerable,” he said.

Coyne said the club had a long-term plan to develop its under-20s players by giving them minutes with the first team.

“(Luke) Salmon and (Jordan) Pokler were excellent in Friday’s game and Tristan and Giordarno Colli were very good when they came on,” he said.

“Add that to the continued growth of (David) Stokoe and (Luka) Ninkovic, our younger players are really going well and we are very pleased for them.”

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