For a late-season round, this match had the expected weight on it for both sides - Corrimal looking to extend their 16-game winning streak and maintain their lead at the head of the table, whilst Helensburgh had to continue collecting points in their increasingly faint finals chances. However, one would be forgiven for forgetting such big stakes with the tentative nature about which both sides played out the fixture.

It was a rather lacklustre performance on the whole from Helensburgh, drawing a total of 5 saves from Rangers keeper Mitchell Blowes from the 90 minutes, and whilst it was the first time Corrimal's attack have been held to less than 3 goals in 8 rounds, and only the 4th time all season, the distinct lack of offensive threats didn't really do their solid defensive effort justice.

In the absence of a handful of regular first-teamers, a starting berth for winger Christopher Stevanovski was grasped with two hands. Immediately from the kickoff, he was played in behind the 'Burgh defence only to blaze over the crossbar from 18 yards with Braiden Gilbert in goals left clutching at air.

Similarly, down the other end only minutes later, Luke McCann beat the offside trap and drew a fine save from Blowes against a narrow angle on the right. Helensburgh lost Blake Charman after ten minutes to a fairly serious looking injury, and as he was stretchered off and play resumed from the break, Damien Warwick sliced under a lay-off from 20 yards harmlessly over Blowes' goal.

Stevanovski was tearing up the Thistles backline faster than the rapidly deteriorating pitch, frequently popping up all over the attacking third and regularly interchanging positions with Luke Picciolini in a fluid attacking quartet. A gorgeous display of passing in the forward third between Dominic Magill, both Picciolini brothers and Stevanovski resulted in the latter dipping a shot just over the crossbar from the right edge of the box.

Again it was the winger who threatened the scoreboard for the third time in the opening half hour of play, with his third and best chance of the match miraculously not finding the net. Receiving an aerial ball on the left wing, a half volley beating Gilbert at his near post before clattering into both uprights and out for Mitch Buchan to clear.

Buchan was again on frantic defensive duties three minutes later, with Treneski intercepting an under-hit backpass, passing to Mark Picciolini having drawn Gilbert off his line, and a spectacular goal-line save with his body on the line. Buchan had bought enough time for Gilbert to recover, however he frantically fumbled the difficult bounce over the line for the opener.

First half action concluded with Magill denied a solo effort, dribbling through 3 defenders only for a left foot curler to be palmed away by Gilbert at full stretch.

Considering the free-flowing goal scoring of Corrimal's season, there was a strange feeling going around Memorial Park with the Rangers unable to unlock the Helensburgh defence.

It took a second moment of fortune and defensive lapse on the hour mark to net the second and decisive goal. Magill gave Treneski a through ball to chase down the middle corridor, but the pitch threw up an unexpected bobble for the advancing Gilbert, skewing his clearance horribly and allowing Magill to recover possession and Treneski to bulge the top left corner after a quick scramble.

Helensburgh had their chances to grab one back, but for the slip of Luke Van Zyl in his shooting stride, a header wide from Luke Falkiner and crosses too high for Buchan and L. Falkiner again. The defence of Corrimal were not afraid of the key challenges in the box, with slide tackles from both David Bescos and Paul Guido shutting down threatening moves.

Mark Picciolini could have had a brace and stretched the lead to three, first-time volleying a perfectly weighted cross from Treneski, only for the trailing leg of Gilbert to turn his effort wide. Shortly after, Stevanovski was on the receiving end of the exact same play, this time from Guido, only to see his shot sail marginally wide.

A sketchy pass-back to Blowes nearly gifted the Thistles a goal with 20 minutes to play, with the Rangers gloveman managing to clear his lines just in time.

Luke Picciolini found the head of Bescos from a free kick only for the story of the afternoon, Gilbert, to again tip wide from close range. The Thistles keeper was also on hand diving away to his right to save a curling Treneski shot from the right wing, and claiming a snap shot from Bescos. Mark Picciolini again came close shortly after Treneski, heading onto the crossbar, however Gilbert claimed the rebound safely.

Helensburgh had a few decent chances late on, however they weren't enough to get the Thistles over the line. Captain Luke Wyatt drove powerfully from 25 yards with Blowes only able to parry, McCann blazing over from 12 yards and again Wyatt hitting a flat free kick straight into the arms of Blowes.

A tangible sigh of relief with the buffer was heard around Memorial Park, and the tale of the afternoon would be of defensive slips rather than the usual overpowering attack. In the all too familiar scoresheet for the Rangers, Mark Picciolini and Sale Treneski each netted, and the combination have now outscored every team except Warilla and the top 3 in the Premier League.

 

Sunday July 24th - Memorial Park

Referee - B. Herbert

Assistants - M. Bell, D. Zuzic

 

Corrimal Rangers 2 - M. Picciolini 29', Treneski 54'

Helensburgh Thistle 0

 

Corrimal Rangers - Blowes, Mitkovski, Bescos, Stevanovski (Cappetta 66'), Nanos, Guido (Cuda 90+4'), Hmda, Magill, M. Picciolini (Yilmaz 79'), L. Picciolini, Treneski

Subs - Purdevski, Plakias, Cappetta, Cuda, Yilmaz

Helensburgh Thistle - Gilbert, Charman (Mucci 9'), Buchan, J. Falkiner, McAlpine, Wyatt, Van Zyl, Warwick, McCann, L. Falkiner (Wellings 66') , Watts (Rowley 79')

Subs - Rowley, Wellings, Mucci, Groom, Paine

 

Report by David Atherton (@daveatho5)

Photos by Pedro Garcia