In brilliant football conditions at Crehan Park, Wollongong Olympic demonstrated their class with an early Ueda goal all that was required to progress through in the Illawarra Mercury Premier League finals series.

The Bampton Cup champions took the lead early and defended with strength, with the gritty Picton Rangers struggling to strike near the goals despite their constant fight to win.

Olympic coach Rob Birkin was ecstatic with the finals victory.

“We probably made it harder work than we should have,”he said.

“We really grinded it out, and we have had a pretty strong defensive unit all year and that maintained today.”

It was a golden start for the Olympians with a 4th minute free kick from their own half sailing past all 10 Picton players for Olympic’s leading goalscorer Yusuke Ueda to pounce on the ball, and power it low past the goalkeeper for a crucial opening goal.

Picton Rangers have been a team unaccustomed to trailing early, with a high percentage of 2016 victories built on lengths of time defending their goals before a counter attack.

In the 7th minute a short corner ended at the feet of Andrej Gacesa who sent a dangerous ball floating across the face of goals before being cleared by Picton’s Ben Realph.

Only a minute later Yusuke Ueda dreamed about doubling the early lead darting towards the left post before Picton goalkeeper Brad Jones parried it out for a corner.

At the midway point of the opening half, Kyle Hazebroek leapt onto an attacking ball and chipped the volley over the last Rangers defender but could not hold enough control before Picton goalkeeper charged and ended the attack.

Frustration was growing throughout the entire Rangers squad with coach Brett Morley cautioned in the 35th minute for some unappreciated feedback.

Olympic’s right back Haydyn Lloyd received the ball at the top of the penalty area and attempted to bounce the volley into the goals as the ball trickled safely wide in the 38th minute.

Moments before the halftime whistle Olympic’s aspirations were dealt a savage blow as Harvey Rodriguez was stretchered off with what appears a serious knee injury.

Halftime threatened the potential final 45 minutes of each teams season, with Picton needing to improve their direction with the ball to charge into week 2 of the finals.

A whole new intensity came into the Rangers from the onset of the second half, with an attach down the right sideline on the 52nd minute with striker Mitchell Hall sending the ball wide.

Minutes later a golden opportunity for Olympic to sign off the game with Harrison Brown striking the ball into the penalty area, with the ball rolling in a tangle of boots before rocketing towards Picton goalkeeper Brad Jones.

The Rangers continued to push forward with an intercept from Aidan Matthews invigorating a counter-attack on the 65th minute, with captain Daniel Goodhew finishing the movement with a strike straight at Olympic goalkeeper Hayden Durose.

Tensions began to heat up at the 75th minute, with Picton’s Goodhew angered by a loose challenge and throwing the ball at the opposition player with the Rangers awarded with a yellow card for their ill-discipline.

In the 80th minute, a ball that deflected high landed at the feet of Jarred Morley who could not control the volley as it flew high over the crossbar.

The final equalising opportunity came with a free kick for Picton’s Aidan Matthews, as the ball swirled into the head of the soaring Bradley Durrant who was unable to keep the ball low as it floated over the crossbar.

The full-time whistle blew as a narrow 1-0 victory to Wollongong Olympic, with the late Picton flurry of intensity not enough to change the final result.

Picton Rangers coach Brett Morley was a disappointed man following the result, but proud of the year regardless.

“We never gave up on the fight, we fought all the way to the end, ”he said.

“We have had a really good year, the boys can be proud of what they have achieved in our first year back up. We have really enjoyed ourselves.”

Wollongong Olympic will now take on Bulli F.C next week in an elimination match, after Bulli fell to Albion Park White Eagles in extra time.

In the Youth Grade Elimination Semi Final, Woonona overcame a slow start to out-muscle Kemblawarra Fury 4-1 with Caleb Russell bagging a hat-trick for the Sharks.

In the U18 Division 1 Semi Final, Helensburgh edged out Port Kembla 2-1 to keep their Grand Final hopes alive.

 

Sunday 4th of September, 2016

Crehan Park

 

Referee:S. Bozic

Assistant Referees: B. Herbert & G. Reid

 

Wollongong Olympic 1 (Ueda 4’)

Picton Rangers 0

 

Wollongong Olympic:

Hayden Durose, Haydyn Lloyd, Jack Keating, Jake Duczynski, Sam Gordon, Harvey Rodriguez (Graeme Smith 45’), Brendan Fordham, Harrison Brown, Yusuke Ueda, Andrej Gacesa (Chris Jackson 84’), Kyle Hazebroek.

 

Picton Rangers:

Bradley Jones, Ben Realph (Connor Dymond 73’), Dale Nicol, Bradley Durrant, Daniel Goodhew, Mitchell Hall (Jesse Howard 84’), Aidan Matthews, Jarred Morley, Matt Tesoriero, Dayne Morley, Scott Miranda.

 

Report by Daniel McGookin

Twitter: @mcgoookin93

Photo courtesy of Pedro Garcia (Libarary Image)