Port Kembla entered their Round 12 fixture at home to Corrimal in the middle of a battle for 5th position, whilst Corrimal remained in the bottom three despite a morale-boosting win over Cringila last round.

As the weather closed in all around the Illawarra, Wetherall Park went ahead despite the continual drizzle, and an enthralling match was played out. The visitors seemed eager to take the game to Port, pressing in the middle third and largely dominating the midfield battles through the energy of James Carli and the finesse of Dominic Magill.

It was the Rangers who enjoyed the best of the chances off the back of this - Mark Picciolini barely over-running a Save Treneski cut-back before Treneski had a penalty shout waved away in a physical battle with Matt Werakso.

It was not to be for Corrimal though; Carli beat his man in midfield with a lovely turn, chipping into the run of Picciolini who - at full stretch - volleyed past Brad Jardine only to strike the upright and the rebound fall just out of reach of Treneski.

Just before the break, Picciolini was again unlucky not to break the deadlock - Kazuya Yamamoto lobbing a perfect cross to the uncontested head of Picciolini, only for the header to strike the outstretched foot of Jardine.

After a long spell of Corrimal dominance, Port broke down the other end and opened the scoring with Sandy Lowcock dinking the ball over Alex Baird who had unconvincingly advanced to clear the ball. Port a goal up in the shadows of halftime

After a fairly dominant first half, Corrimal would have been excused for expecting to be up by a couple of goals. Port came out in the second period and really stuck it to the visitors.

Corrimal again saw the ball not fall their way - Nathan Belsito cannoning a low drive back into the box after a corner, taking three deflections like a pinball, and a relieved Jardine watched it trail wide.

But just as for the opener, less than a minute later it was Port celebrating. A quick counter saw Joey Lavalle find Lowcock on the 18-yard box, a simple turn-and-shoot found the left side of the goal and Lowcock had a brace.

This was the first of four goals in 20 minutes to really kill the tie and claim the three points long before full time.

A delightful Ben Zucco free kick from 30 yards out found Chris Smith at the far post for a side-foot shot to beat Baird across the face of goal for the third, before Lavalle claimed a loose ball in the box, his first shot hitting Baird but calmly slotting away the rebound for Port's fourth.

A deep cross from Kyle Hazebroek-Southgate saw some neat control by Smith at the far post, turning and netting on the left side of the goal for his second of the afternoon.

They rout was capped off when Lowcock laid the ball for William Mobbs to lash home with the outside of his left boot from 20 yards - leaving Baird rooted to the spot.

It could have been worse for Corrimal - as Port started to put on a show for the home fans with one-touch passing and sweeping moves across the pitch.

Cameron Morgan managed to beat the offside trap and was through on Baird in a 3-on-1, but the Port man opted to shoot himself - Baird doing well to palm it away for a corner. The selfless play was to square for an easy tap-in, but leading 6-0, one can understand the winger wanting to get his name on the scoresheet.

The last play of the game was cruel for the visitors - all their hard work up front had been to no avail, and yet finally Yamamoto crossed to the far post for the head of Yasuto Onishi to beat Jardine, but the offside flag on the crosser rubbed salt into the wounds of a Rangers side continuing to battle on their return to the Premier League.

Saturday 10th June - Wetherall Park

Referee - B. Herbert

Assistants - C. Blanch, T. Arnold

 

Port Kembla 6 - Lowcock 40' 52', Smith 64' 72', Lavalle 66', Mobbs 86'

Corrimal Rangers 0

 

Port Kembla - Jardine - Frkovic, Mobbs, Werakso, Cario, Hazebroek-Southgate, Morcan, Zucco (Musomeci 76'), Smith (Salucci 75'), Lavalle (Flemming 87'), Lowcock

Subs - Bussani, Musomeci, Salucci, Flemming, Krejnovic

Corrimal Rangers - Baird, Maclou, Wylie  (Plakias 55'), Magill (Onishi 76'), Brown, Guido, Yamamoto, Carli, Picciolini, Belsito, Treneski (Stevanoski 68')

Subs - Plakias, Stevanoski, Onishi, Cappetta, Bleakley

 

Report by David Atherton, on Twitter @daveatho5