The final round of the Premier League saw Port Kembla hosting Albion Park White Eagles, with huge repercussions for finals - Port would be through with a win, anything else would mean they relied on a Tarrawanna win over Wollongong United. Meanwhile, Albion Park's late push for finals would require a win and Tarrawanna to win to scrape through into fifth spot. The tension was clear pre-game, and Wetherall Park was packed with eager supporters keen for a high-stakes game.

As if to reward the turn-out, Albion Park hit the lead within three minutes. Shohei Okuno's deep corner finding Hikaru Kawasakwa at the far post, an acrobatic overhead kick crashing into the goals after deflections off both Mitch Del Turco and Port's Brooklan Frkovic, with the Port defender awarded the own goal. The mood at the ground was only more tense now, Albion Park were pushing rather hard for a second goal early as Port failed to settle into the game.

Okuno again linked up with Kawasakwa after a tidy dribble through traffic and an excellent dinked through ball, the winger then rounding Port keeper Brad Jardine, only for his shot to drift wide and see the offside flag raised. Shortly after, Del Turco curled just wide from the left side of the box, finding a yard of space to get his effort off.

Sandy Lowcock was finding space on the break, squaring for Chris Smith 10 yards out, however the rushed shot was unable to clear the near post and flew out harmlessly.

Approaching the halftime break, Port Kembla got back level, again through a deep corner, and Frkovic was on hand at the far post to bundle home and register a goal for the hosts, deservedly restoring parity.

Both sides had a late chance to go into the break ahead - first Lowcock being released from halfway and rounding Park keeper Bryce Daenell, only for the offside flag to be raised, before Okuno side-footed a 25 yard free kick and drew a fine diving save from Jardine.

The second half was dramatic, end-to-end football with both sides aware of the changing tide over at Macedonia Park constantly changing the required results at Wetherall Park. The icy winds were joined by sleet as the freezing conditions worsened, players slipping and the ball skidding around uncontrollably.

Port Kembla were very much in the ascendency in the early stages, however still seemed to give up some quality chances to the visitors. Ben Zucco drew another fine save from Daenell off a 25 yard free kick, before Frkovic went agonisingly close to connecting to yet another deep corner, with a decent opening to put the ball away into, but he was unable to get head to ball.

Lowcock almost had the game's third goal, contesting a backpass and chipping Daenell, only to watch it bounce inches wide of the base of the upright.

Down the other end, Albion Park were finding ways to sneak into the Port box, first Chris Nathaniel forcing Jardine to advance and smother possession, then the same story shortly after for Hayden Waples.

The White Eagles couldn't buy a goal in a frantic period of play; Nathaniel again sneaking into the box, poking a shot through traffic only for Carlo Stella to clear off the line, before possession was recycled out to the right wing, Okuno's cross just over the heads of Del Turco and Waples, the ball not cleared and Peter Prandalos hitting a shot from 18 yards into the body of an unsighted Jardine.

Port, however, raced up the other end through Smith and Lowcock, with a low cross finding the near post run of substitute Cameron Morgan, and having been on the pitch for a mere two minutes, the energetic midfielder's shot struck Daenell but bounced over the line and in to give Port Kembla the lead - an inspired substitution if ever there was a time for one.

Albion Park were enduring a torrid time up front, Jardine smothering every threat than managed to get through the traffic jam of Port Kembla defenders behind the ball, however the Port defence had a shaky last five minutes.

First, Hayden Soper raced down the left wing, cutting into the box and drawing Jardine, getting his pass off to Del Turco, only for Matt Werakso to pressure him enough that his first-time shot from 12 yards went wide of the open goal.

Minutes from time, Albion Park finally had their equaliser; Lee Gilroy's corner finding the unmarked head of Vaughan Patterson, and from 10 yards the midfielder thundered home. Eagles hearts were broken as the assistant referee adjudged the corner to have curled out of play and back in, forcing the goal to be disallowed.

With that, the full time whistle sounded, and Port were through to the finals, dumping out reigning Premiers Albion Park and resigning them to seventh place. A miraculous second half turnaround by the Blueys saw them come in fourth, with Port Kembla having to settle for fifth.

Port Kembla took a while to grow into the game, and could have had two or three more goals had the ball bounced their way, however they rode their luck at the back and an outstanding game by Jardine in goals kept them in the contest as they snuffed out each and every Albion Park attack.

Albion Park, on the other hand, had periods where they looked dangerous, however in a game where their season was on the line, they simply weren't at their best and couldn't come up with the goals to get them over the line.

 

Sunday 27th August - Wetherall Park

Referee - P. Ilcevski

Assistants - G. Jenkins, J. Walpole

 

Port Kembla 2 - Frkovic 39', Morgan 70'

Albion Park White Eagles 1 - Frkovic OG 3'

 

Port Kembla - Jardine, Frkovic, Hazebroek, Werakso, Stella, Mori, Zucco, Floro, Smith (Mobbs 83'), Lavalle (Morgan 69'), Lowcock

Subs - Movvs, Morgan, Cario, Bussuni, Farina

Albion Park White Eagles - Daenell, Gilroy (Smith 88'), Debrot, Fielding, Prandalos, Nathaniel, Delbanco, Patterson, Del Turco, Okuno, Kawasakwa (Waples 31', Soper 79')

Subs - Waples, Soper, Smith, Hufton

 

Report by David Atherton - Twitter @daveatho5

Photo courtesy of Kiah Hufton