Corrimal hosted Oak Flats, as the Rangers looked to extend their lead at the top of the table, whilst Oak Flats were seeking to rise higher in the mid-table chasing pack after their 3-2 loss to Berkeley last round.

The first half ebbed and flowed with end-to-end football seeing many chances for both sides. The scoreboard could have easily been troubled twice inside 5 minutes, with Joshua De Gouveia rounding Corrimal keeper Mitchell Blowes and Mark Picciolini heading just wide down the opposite end, however both were from offside positions.

Oak Flats were producing the better quality chances, taking advantage of the pace advantage De Gouveia continually showed over the Corrimal defence. Dominic Giustiniani made an early run to the by-line and forced a strong advancing save down low from Blowes, and shortly after, Chris Murdzevski hesitated on a shot and was promptly surrounded by 4 red jerseys and couldn't effect a meaningful pass out of traffic. Christian Cappetta intercepted a pass out of Corrimal defence and played in De Gouveia, however his shot across the face of goal was tipped just wide and out to safety by Blowes.

It took 27 minutes for Corrimal to have their second chance on goal, however Save Treneski's use of his body to tee up Dominic Magill went awry with the shot well over. Corrimal got into the game then, with all the chances coming down their end. Christian Plakias volleyed over from the edge of the box after a corner, and Lorry Mandredi cannoned consecutive volleys into traffic and wide respectively.

It took until three minutes from time to open the scoring, with a short corner from Corrimal reaching the far post, the last touch coming from the head of Mark Picciolini to give Corrimal a slender lead at the interval.

 

It was the second half where the action arrived, with Corrimal running rampant. From the off, M. Picciolini was nearly picked out with a low cross and Treneski hit over the bar on the turn from 18 yards.

In a frantic ten minute period for Luke Picciolini, he nearly started and finished his hat-trick. Stephen Jovanovski brought down Plakias inside the arc on 50', for the Corrimal #10 to hit the free kick powerfully through the hands of Falcons keeper Chris Jarman and into the top corner.

Six minutes later, he cut in from the right wing and curled a left footed shot in off the far post from 20 yards, with nothing Jarman could do to stop it.

The hour mark saw Picciolini given a third chance, however a dipping free kick from the left wing cannoned onto the crossbar with Jarman beaten.

In a period where the Picciolini's could seemingly do no wrong, Luke played in a corner to find Mark's head at the far post to bring the score to 4-0, each bagging two.

Corrimal were relentless in their periods of sustained pressure, and even with a four goal buffer, they were chasing more. M. Picciolini had a 50/50 penalty shout turned down and another headed opportunity adjudged offside, L. Picciolini shot wide from the left wing, and substitute Chris Stevanovski tried to curl in from the right but it was saved easily.

Both teams appeared content with the result as the final whistle approached, however with only minutes to go, Corrimal went for it again. Stevanovski beat two defenders down the right wing in a fast break, and squared for Magill to turn unchallenged in the box and slot home a simple chance for their fifth.

The last minute of play saw M. Picciolini complete his hat-trick, with Stevanovski crossing in a short corner and again picking out his uncontested head on the far post to loop over Jarman for 6-0.

 

Sunday 15th May, Memorial Park

Corrimal Rangers 6 - M. Picciolini 42' 66' 89', L. Picciolini 51' 56', Magill 87'

Oak Flats Falcons 0

 

Referee - J. Ruscica

Assistants - G. Jenkins, T. Arnold

 

Corrimal Rangers - Blowes, Mitkovski, Bescos, Belsito, O'Brien, Plakias (Miller 58'), Mandredi (Stevanovski 65'), Magill, M. Picciolini, L. Picciolini, Treneski (Balmforth 71')

Subs - Stevanovski, Miller, Cuda, Balmforth, Stojanoski

Oak Flats Falcons - Jarman, Burke (Gallo 68'), Newall, Jovanovski (Martin 79'), Pisani, C. Murdzevski, Giustiniani, Stevenson, De Gouveia, Cappetta, Bosowiec

Subs - Martin, Eagleton, Gallo, J. Murdzevski

 

Report by David Atherton

Photo: Pedro Garcia (library archive)