Picton Rangers have accounted for Woonona Sharks 2-0 at a blowy Ocean Park to keep their finals charge alive on Saturday afternoon.

A goal in each half to midfielder Daniel Goodhew and centre-back Bradley Durrant allowed a comfortable Rangers victory, and with other Round 18 results in their favour now meaning they are a single point away from the top 5.

Picton Rangers coach Brett Morley did not give much away when quizzed about how his team would prepare for the final rounds.

“There is no easy games is there, every week is a tough week,” Morley said.

“As long as we compete as we did today and we are in the right frame of mind, we will have a crack and we will enjoy the last 4 or 5 weeks.”

Customary coastal gusts greeted both teams as a sizeable crowd braved the unpleasant conditions for Woonona’s Sponsor and Supporters day.

An early strike over the crossbar by Shark’s Trent Worthington gave the crowd hope, but it was short-lived as Picton began to dictate the game from the outset.

In the 3rd minute, smooth passing between Picton’s Daniel Goodhew and Matthew Tesoriero created enough space for a left foot Tesoriero strike aimed straight at the goalkeeper, who bumbled allowing a second effort for the striker who toed it with Sharks sliding cover defence saving a certain goal.

A loose pass in the 10th minute between the Woonona back four allowed the tenacious Dayne Morley to jump onto the ball, beating off defenders as he took the ball towards goal along the byline, sending the ball across the face past the goalkeeper and defenders but there was no Picton guernsey around to nail the finish.

It was no surprise that the Sharks defence was finally breached in the 14th minute, with a free kick floating across the pack to Dayne Morley with space on the far left post, who thundered a low cross into a charging Daniel Goodhew who angled it into the goals for the opener giving the Woonona goalkeeper no chance.

After the opening goal chances began to dry up as the wind played havoc with passing as both teams pressing defence ensured their opponents had no space to attack.

Woonona had their best chance of the half in the 34th minute as a free kick found Caleb Russell’s head high above the pack but it was only a tame header directed at the goalkeeper.

Half-time came with a 1-0 lead to Picton Rangers, and the neutral observer would have struggled to find reasons on how a youthful Woonona outfit could come back into the game with not much to play for and battling against the wind.

They come out inspired, and lovely lead up work in the 47th minute between Brendan Pattman and Valentino Merxhushi created enough space for a threatening Pattman strike, only denied by a horizontal diving Picton goalkeeper Bradley Jones .

Rangers calmed the Sharks momentum and by the 60th minute were looking to double their lead. Daniel Goodhew in search for a brace latched onto a chipped ball forward but was rushed in the penalty area by a charging Woonona goalkeeper Bradley Jardine who saved the ball.

A period of repeated corners and free kicks blitzed Woonona, highlighted by a Jardine punch high that allowed Dayne Morley bicycle kick on target until well saved again by Jardine who demonstrated spectacular keeping in desperately keeping the Sharks in the game.

Woonona’s defence and enthusiasm was finally beaten in the 67th minute, with an Aidan Matthews free kick curling into a rushing Bradley Durrant who headed it from the penalty spot into the near post for his first League goal of the season as Picton made it 2-0.

Woonona had periods of territory dominance in the fixture’s final stages as coach Brendan Anderson made positional changes to try and spark attack, but they never bore fruit as the Sharks struggled to convert field position into goals until the final whistle.

The loss means Woonona have failed to record back-to-back wins all 2016 and that Ocean Park has only witnessed a sole League victory in Round 1 against Cringila.

In a fortnight’s time they travel to Ian McLennan Park to battle South Coast United in their Round 19 clash where both sides will be desperate for premiership points.

If Picton Rangers are to trouble Wollongong Olympic for the top 5, they will need to make a mark on premiership heavyweights Kemblawarra Fury as they host the current ladder leaders in their next fixture in Round 19.

 

Saturday 23 July, 2016

Ocean Park

 

Woonona FC 0

Picton Rangers 2 (Goodhew 14’, Durrant 67’)

 

Referee: A. Naylor

Assistant Referees: M. Thorpe & J. Moy

 

Woonona FC:

Bradley Jardine, Hayden Nicol (Aidan Breslin 74’), Daniel Loe, Christopher Gibson, Cameron Besgrove, Scott Curran, Trent Worthington, Joel Beattie, Caleb Russell, Brendan Pattman, Valentino Merxhushi

Yellow Cards: Christopher Gibson 51’, Valentino Merxhushi 64’, Aidan Breslin 75’

Red Card: Nil

 

Picton Rangers:

Bradley Jones,Dale Nicol, Daniel Goodhew, Bradley Durrant, Nicholas Mugridge, Key Mitchell, Aiden Matthews, Jarred Morley (Ben Realph 85’), Matthew Tesoriero (Jesse Howard 87’), Dayne Morley (Joshua Maiolo 87’), Scott Miranda

Yellow Cards: Jarred Morley 31’

Red Cards: Nil

 

Report by Daniel McGookin

Twitter: @mcgoookin93

Photo by Pedro Garcia (library archive)