In-form Tarrawanna side headed to Port Kembla today, with the home side looking to move away from the bottom end of the table and Tarrawanna hoping to continue their run to the top.

In a frantic opening period, the scorers were kept busy. Justin Potter nearly grabbed a first having rounded two players in the box, but for a great double save from Tarrawanna keeper David Hamilton, recovering to clear the rebound from before an onrushing Michele Ganz.

After ten minutes, Port Kembla opened their account, with Sandy Lowcock heading in a deep cross from the far-post off Peter Richardson.

Only four minutes later, and against the run of play, Tarrawanna broke through to equalise, with Rick Goodchild being put through on goal down the left with a precise ball from Matthew Mazevski to power home through the legs of Port Kembla keeper Daniel Farina.

Port Kembla continued to threaten the Tarrawanna goal, with Mitchell Scazzariello forcing a diving save from Hamilton off another cross, before they regained the lead. Potter was afforded time and took aim from 30 yards, emphatically bulging the net.

Tarrawanna seemed to revel in chasing the game, and begun playing their usual game once more. Darren Stone was unlucky to not immediately respond to Potter's effort, putting a low cross over the line but for the offside flag to call play back.

Samuel Isabella pulled a cross back for Stone to slice a golden opportunity over from 10 yards with space and time to measure his effort. Sam Isabella curled wide from the edge of the box, Matthew Mazevski had a deflected effort tipped wide and Mitchell Young was unable to place home after Farina fumbled a corner.

Just before the interval, Port Kembla nearly took the game from Tarrawanna, with Hamilton blocking a Takao Teramoto effort into the near post and Scazzariello unable to beat an onrushing Hamilton.

Exchanges in the second period fluctuated heavily, neither side content with a draw and chances ebbing and flowing for both.

Port Kembla nearly opened the half with a third after picking off a clearance from Tarrawanna, but the scrambling defence shut down the threat just in time. Shortly after, Lowcock played in a cross begging for a finish, but it was tantalisingly ahead of all the runners.

Stone poked home a bouncing ball from central in the box for 2-2 just before the hour, however again it was Port who took the initiative after the goal.

Teramoto failed to wrap his foot around a shot, Richardson hit an overhead shot just over the bar, and Ganz rose above the pack to head just wide. Their reward came on 75 minutes, Hamilton bringing down Ganz inside the box and Joseph Lavalle converting the spot kick to his left for 3-2.

Again momentum shifted to Tarrawanna for the equaliser, with Goodchild having a volley blocked after a rebounded corner, and Goodchild again coming close curling a free kick around the wall but not enough to be on target.

Samuel Chapple drove low and hard to draw a save from Farina, before Goodchild provided a cross for Isabella at the far-post, heading down and over the line before Farina could clear, bringing scores to 3-3 into injury time. Chapple had the chance to steal all three points at the death with a half volley inside the box, but his shot went astray and time was called on a pulsating fixture.

In what was an enthralling 90 minutes of football, the way both sides pushed for goals made for a quality afternoon of action. The goals were not in short supply, but the sharing of points today seemed a fair result.

 

Sunday 8th May, Wetherall Park

Referee - Tony Boseski

Assistants -Nicholas Ryan, Mitchell Thorpe

 

Port Kembla 3 - Lowcock 7', Potter 19', Lavalle 75'

Tarrawanna Blueys 3 - Goodchild 11', Stone 55, Isabella 90'

 

Port Kembla - Farina, Richardson, Mobbs, Woodiwiss, Stella, Potter, Scazzariello, Teramoto, Ganz (Nikolovski 84'), Lavalle, Lowcock

Subs - Franks, Nikolovski, Vinton, Volcanovski

Tarrawanna Blueys - Hamilton, Chapman, Dolinscak, Young, Morlando, S. Chapple, Isabella, Mazevski (J. Chapple 72'), Onana Awono (Mushaba 85'), Goodchild, Stone

Subs - Pretto, Garrigan, J. Chapple, Fryday, Mushaba

 

Report by David Atherton

Photo: Pedro Garcia (photo library)