The Northern derby between Thirroul and Helensburgh saw the Thunder come into the match on a 2 game winning streak and still pushing Warilla for second place on the ladder, whilst Helensburgh had 3 wins in a row under their belt and a result here would have the Thistles looking pretty for a finals berth, widening the gap to sixth place.

As it panned out though, it was an evenly-matched fixture with neither side relenting. Both defences were proving solid, forcing each offence to have to go around them and whip in crosses, or shoot from range.

The teams could only muster two quality chances apiece in the entire first half, but had the ball bounced differently each time, it could've been a goal-fest.

Ten minutes in, Joshua Bond whipped a dangerous free kick in from the right touchline, the near post run of Oscar Pruks heading behind Helensburgh goalkeeper Braiden Gilbert, only for a trailing hand to push it off the line. Todd Davidson was following through for the scraps but put his shot into Luke Wyatt on the line from 6 yards to miss an early chance for the hosts.

On 21 minutes, a defensive slip allowed Brad Watts a free run down the left wing, and bearing down on goal, a sliding challenge from Daniel Bond saw referee Ryan O'Sullivan award the visitors a penalty. Naruyuki Kato stepped up, but placed it on the chest of Thunder goalkeeper Joshua Williams in the bottom left corner.

Just after the half hour, a customary cut-in off the left touchline from Luke Van Zyl saw the winger drive a low and hard shot across goal from 20 yards, forcing a fine diving save from Williams to just turn it around the far post.

It was to be the hosts who opened the scoring in the shadow of halftime, Corey Haines-Grose lining up a free kick from 30 yards before switching angle and taking it with the left boot, curling up and over the wall into the absolute top right corner - truly a top shelf effort by the Thirroul leading goal-scorer.

After the break, Helensburgh had a lot more purpose to their play, however Thirroul were in the ever-familiar position of holding on to a 1-0 lead.

Early in the second half there were major cries for a penalty at either end. First, Thirroul's Davidson was brought down in a tough challenge from Kato, however play-on was called. Two minutes later, down the other end, Daniel Bond conceded his second penalty for the day - this time bringing down Kato with a trailing leg. The marksman didn't miss his second spot-kick, placing it down the middle as Williams dived away to his right.

With scores back level, Thirroul seemed a bit flustered, and lost their composure on the ball. Two minutes after the equaliser, Helensburgh were unlucky not to be leading. Watts rounded two on the right touchline, squaring the ball to the penalty spot for Luke Van Zyl to mis-kick a free shot, however the rebound fell to Wyatt 12 yards out, only to beat Williams and cannon into the upright, with Van Zyl putting the second rebound over the bar.

Van Zyl was troubling Thirroul, unable to predict the cut-in and shoot or cross from the by-line, as the latter nearly saw Davidson turn a clearance into his own net.

Thirroul were not giving up though, and the game turned into a very end-to-end tie. Haines-Grose nearly replicated his earlier free kick from 30 yards centrally, Pruks nearly chipped Gilbert from 20 yards, and Pruks again found space behind the 'Burgh defence only to shoot wide across goal.

The rest of play petered out into a midfield scuffle for possession as neither side really tested the goalkeepers in the final 15 minutes. The point each brings Thirroul level with Warilla for 2nd place, still with a game in hand, whilst Helensburgh had their 8-point gap to sixth placed Oak Flats reduced to 6.

Next week in Round 19 action, Thirroul travel to Oak Flats on Saturday in what may prove to be a season-defining game for the Falcons, whilst Helensburgh have a week off, playing next at home against Bellambi on August 5th.

 

Saturday July 22nd - Thomas Gibson Park

Referee - R. O'Sullivan

Assistants - M. Vercoe, A. Muirhead

 

Thirroul Thunder 1 - Haines-Grose 41'

Helensburgh Thistle 1 - Kato 63'pen

 

Thirroul Thunder - Williams, D. Bond, Haines-Grose, Snelgrove, Mulholland (Maddock), J. Bond, Townson (Buzinski), Davidson, Pruks, Woods, Mucci

Subs - Buzinski, Walter, Maddock, Agalewatte, Brindle

Helensburgh Thistle - Gilbert, L. Falkiner, J. Falkiner (E. Van Zyl), Charman, Okomoto, Wyatt (Rowley), L. Van Zyl, Mitani, Watts, Kato, Cuthbertson

Subs - E. Van Zyl, Rowley, Oste, Wardle, Matiuscenko

 

Report by David Atherton - Twitter @daveatho5

File Photo – Pedro Garcia