Match of the Week

Cringila Lions 3 – 2 Bellambi

Cringila Lions have defeated Bellambi with a rush of late goals to put some breathing room between them and potential relegation.Both Bellambi and Cringila entered their round 9 matchup looking to put some distance between themselves and last placed Fernhill.

Marco Micevski bagged the first of his brace in the 24^th minute to give Cringila a first half lead; the score would remain 1-0 heading into half time.

Bellambi came out after the break a reinvigorated side and in the 53^rd minute striker Ben Moerman found an equaliser for the Rosellas. The two teams remained locked at 1-1 for much of the second half until the game exploded to life in the final 10 minutes.

Micevski finally broke the deadlock in the 82^nd minute when he grabbed his second and five minutes later Chris Cevenini sealed the win for the Lions when he poked the ball home. Bellambi forced a few frantic final moments of the match when Lee White scored to make it 3-2 but in the end it wasn’t enough. White and Cevenini put an unfortunate dent in their goal-scoring performances by both picking up second yellows and seeing red in the dying moments of the game.

 

Rest of the Round

Bulli FC 4 – 0 Tarrawanna Blueys

Bulli FC cruised to their third straight win with a 4-0 mauling of 6^th placed Tarrawanna at Balls Paddock on Saturday. Bulli now sit two points clear at the top of the table while they await the result of Dapto-Dandaloo’s two extra games.

It took majority of the first half for Bulli to break down the Blueys but when striker Ben McDonald stroked the ball home in the 42^nd minute the rush was on. The home side came out firing after the break, exploding for three goals in eight minutes.

First Sam Davies got lucky off a deflected shot in the 54^th minute and then four minutes later Hayden Mowbray sent an audacious chip over Blueys’ keeper Aaron Tambakis. Matt Naylor completed the rout from the penalty spot in the 61^st minute.

 

Albion Park White Eagles 1 – 4 Wollongong United

Robbie Shields scored a terrific hat-trick as Wollongong United pummelled Albion Park at Terry Reserve on Saturday. United picked up a vital win, their first in four games, as they look to hold themselves in the top half of the table.

Shields sparked a three goal spurt from Wollongong in the 17^th minute when he bagged the first of his hat-trick. Nathan Jagelman popped up six minutes later to make it 2-0 and in the 29^th minute Shields stroked the ball home for his second and United’s third.

After the break Albion Park did their best to work themselves back into the match and appeared to have something going when Chris Smith put them on the scoresheet in the 57^th minute. The White Eagles weren’t able to push on from their goal, however, and Shields eventually wrapped up his man of the match performance and the three points to boot for United in the 79^th minute.

 

Woonona 3 – 1 Fernhill

Woonona have consolidated their 3^rd place on the table with a convincing 3-1 win against last placed Fernhill at Ocean Park on Saturday. The loss leaves Fernhill struggling in last place as they continue to search for their first win of the season.

Woonona came out firing and just two minutes into the game Valentino Merxushi pounced to give the home side a 1-0 lead. Joel Mucci doubled the lead 15 minutes later to give Woonona a two goal cushion 17 minutes in. Fernhill managed to pull a goal back in the 27^th minute through Daniel Swinton but it wasn’t enough to inspire a comeback.

Despite some nervy minutes in the second half, Woonona were able to put the game to bed in the 78^th minute when Adam Di Pietro found the back of the net to make it 3-1.

 

South Coast United 3 – 0 Wollongong Olympic

Wollongong Olympic suffered their second straight thumping of the season as they were put to the sword by a clinical South Coast United. Olympic have now slipped out of the top four as the win bumped South Coast above the inconsistent Wollongong side.

Andrew Paine found the net from a swinging free kick just outside the area in the 7^th minute to give United an ideal start to the game. Olympic never managed to get themselves involved as South Coast all but confirmed the win with two goals late in the first half.

Paine grabbed his second off a corner in the 40^th minute and Anton Batur made it three for United just five minutes later with a header from a well-placed free kick. Any hope of an unlikely comeback for Wollongong was lost when Gavin O’Brien saw red after picking up his second yellow card midway through the second half.

 

Port Kembla 1 – 2 Dapto-Dandaloo Fury

Dapto-Dandaloo made it five straight wins as they defeated last year’s premiers Port Kembla at Wetherall Park on Sunday. You can see the full match report here.