Corrimal claimed a hard-fought victory over Helensburgh on Saturday, after scoring the decisive goal with only a few minutes remaining.

The game was anyone’s at halftime, with the score sitting at nil-all, and both teams could’ve made a decisive blow at various points throughout the second half, were it not for the tenacity of both teams’ defence.

It was a back-and-forth affair from the outset, with Helensburgh firing out of the gates and placing pressure on the Corrimal backs, only to have Corrimal push back with some fantastic passing and forward shape.

Corrimal managed to force some hesitation into Helensburgh’s attack, as they struggled, after a strong opening ten, to build forward momentum. Corrimal began to generate opportunities in Helensburgh’s half, but were held off by the capable Helensburgh defence, particularly Luke Wyatt, who read their plays admirably.

The afternoon seemed to follow similar patterns; where both teams were able to generate pressure and momentum in the back and mid-field, but unable to execute an effective scoring strategy.

With the teams trying so desperately to generate points, tension spilled over in the final ten minutes of the half, and the remainder was an emotionally charged affair, where Helensburgh in particular allowed themselves to be distracted away from the game at hand.

The second half followed the same pattern as the first. Corrimal would generate pressure in their own half, and find some of their dangerous players up front with good ball, at which point the Helensburgh defence would step up and force an error, find their danger players on the wing and move it right back into the Corrimal half.

Whichever team scored at this point, would do so on the back of tiring defence, of which both seemed to be suffering from.

Just when Helensburgh’s attack looked like giving out, Andrew Keep finally found the net off a deflection from Corrimal’s goal defence.

Having a goal in hand gave Helensburgh a noticeable lift in confidence, while giving Corrimal even more determination to level the score.

Only minutes later, when Helensburgh looked to be dominating and Corrimal tiring, Save Treneski came through to score for Corrimal, and yet again place the teams on even footing.

With ten minutes remaining, every player on the pitch threw everything at his opposing number, generating plenty of opportunities at both ends, including an absolute sitter that Treneski missed from point blank.

Something had to give, and with five minutes remaining, it was Corrimal who pulled something out of the bag, when Mark Picciolini finally put it through to put the visitors up 2-1.

Helensburgh mounted a series of desperate attacking runs with the clock ticking down, but weren’t able to level the score when the final whistle was blown.

With Helensburgh and Corrimal participating in such a competitively fought and entertaining match-up, both teams and their fans, should look forward to meeting again later in the season.    

 

Corrimal – 2 (Treneski, Picciolini)

Helensburgh – 1 (Keep)

 

Round 7, 7/4/16

Rex Jackson Oval

 

Helensburgh – Iopollo, Charman, Buchan, Warwick, N. Mucci, Paine, Wyatt, J. Mucci, Keep, Russell, Wellings, (Garraro, McCann, Rowley, Kemp)

 

Corrimal – Blowes, Mitkovski, Nanos, Belsito, O’Brien, Plakias, Mandredi, Magill, Picciolini, Treneski, (Stevanovski, Bescos, Cuda, Guido, Purdevski)

 

By Oliver Chaseling
Photo: Pedro Garcia (Archive image)