Mid-table Picton faced off against Cringila, with both sides looking to regroup after tasting defeat to Bulli 2-1 and Shell Cove 5-2 respectively last round. Initial proceedings favoured the visitors, with the greater quality possession in the Cringila half with Picton applying pressure. Cringila were being forced into counter-attacks and shooting from range.

Cringila nearly nabbed an early lead, if not for Scott Miranda effecting a last-ditch sliding challenge to block a Christian Cevenini shot from a quick counter.

From there, Picton began making their pressure into chances. Connor Dymond shot low across the face of goal from the right wing and Mitchell Hall shot straight at Cringila keeper Joel Tinker.

Cringila were unlucky not to have the opener, with outstanding scrambled defence from Picton denying Cringila throughout a 2-minute period in and around their box, peppering shots into traffic and passing about dangerously.

The chances continued to flow for Picton though, with the opener coming on 38', Hall arriving at the near post to loop a header over Tinker and in for 1-0 to Picton.

Only 4 minutes after the first, Picton had a second, with Dymond making a run across the top of the box and slotting under Tinker at the near post for 2-0 just before the interval.

The second half saw the scoring continue from the off, with Picton needing only 2 minutes for Jarred Morley to grab a third, heading in from a powerful cross to make it 3-0.

If it were not for the offside flag, Picton would've had a fourth on 50', with a free kick headed in and bulging the net, but celebrations were cut short.

Picton continued their relentless offensive on Cringila's goal, as Hall again shot across the face of goal from the right wing, and Dymond beat two defenders only for Hall to blaze the lay-off over, however Cringila were beginning to create something for themselves.

Mikal Awad beat his man only to shoot directly at Picton keeper Brad Jones, but on 55' Cringila clawed one back, with Awad turning on the edge of the box and half-volleying in off the upright to bring scores back to 3-1. Daniel Atkins had a chance to reduce the margin again, however shot at Jones with a 3-on-1 in Cringila's favour wasted with the last kick.

Shortly after, Cevenini had a real chance to trouble the scoreboard, but sliced his shot over the crossbar from 12 yards with plenty of time to pick his target.

On 72', Cringila's task was made harder following Joel Craig's second booking, down to ten men but still trailing by two clear goals. His impact at the back was noticeably lost, being the main deep playmaker starting each attack, and the difference in Cringila's play was apparent.

Seven minutes later, Picton took advantage of the hole in defence, with Dymond picking off a pass out from the back, and squaring for Sheerin to calmly send Tinker the wrong way for 4-1.

From there, both sides seemed content with the scoreline, and few real chances were created, condemning Cringila to their second heavy defeat in a row. The 10 minute period surrounding half-time where Picton grabbed three goals really seemed to blow Cringila away, and there was few meaningful chances created to overturn the deficit.

The sending off of Joel Craig certainly didn't help things, as he was looking assured at the back, and from there any result was unlikely for Cringila.

 

Sunday 1st May, WIN Stadium

Referee - Bobby Mazevski

Assistants - Blake Herbert, Emma Hayes

 

Cringila Lions 1 - Awad 55'

Picton Rangers 4 - Hall 38', Dymond 42', Morley 47', Sheerin 79'

 

Cringila Lions - Tinker, King, Craig, Taddeo (Ramirez 83'), Don, Sparks, Atkins (Vasilevski 67'), Awad, Ali (Eldred 74'), Kobayashi, Cevenini

Subs - Richards, Ramirez, Vasilevski, Eldred, Murashita

Picton Rangers - Jones, Nicol, Goodbew, Durrent, Mugridge, Hall (Sheerin 74'), Matthews, J. Morley (Realph 84'), Dymond (Howard 86'), D. Morley, Miranda

Subs - Ackov, Realph, Sheerin, Howard

 

Report by David Atherton

Photo by Pedro Garcia