The Albion Park White Eagles kicked off their season with a 3-1 win at home to Cringila in what was coach Paul Carter's first league match in charge of the Terry Reserve based club. Albion Park came into the match on the back of a 4-0 win against Brookvale FC in the FFA Cup last weekend while Cringila perhaps came into the match lacking match sharpness after the cancellation of a couple of their recent trial matches.

Cringila, who had the league’s second-worst defence in 2017, conceded their first goal 90 seconds into the new season. The scorer was Robbie Delbanco whose shot from just inside the area took a deflection and looped over Alex Boullosa in the Cringila goal.

Cringila were able to work themselves into the match with Nuno Pires having a couple of half chances to draw his side level. In the 25th minute, Pires scored the equaliser after former Macarthur Ram Mitchell Di Pietro played him through on goal, Pires seemed to scuff his shot but the ball still managed to dribble into the bottom left corner.

With ten minutes left in the half, Albion Park nearly capitalised on a poor Cringila clearance. Boullosa scrambled out of his box to collect the ball, he played it back to his centre-back who hoofed the ball forward but it landed at Hikaru Kawasakiya, he played the ball to Chris Gomez who attempted to curl the ball over the stranded keeper but the effort sailed just over the bar.

As the half was drawing to an end, the White Eagles pushed ahead once more. Ferras Aoun swung in a pinpoint cross from the right wing for Kawasakiya who lost his marker before heading the ball into the bottom right corner. Brilliant cross, brilliant header yet questions need to be asked of the negligent marking that enabled the home side to take a 2-1 lead into the break.

Albion Park nearly had their third three minutes into the second half when Kawasakiya lined a free kick up from just outside the centre of the area. The Japanese midfielder’s strike was destined for the inside of the right upright but Boullosa was able to push it wide.

The third goal would eventually come for the home side in the 63rd minute. The goal was a cocktail of horrific defending and the determination of Kawasakiya. A long ball was played over the top of the Cringila backline and a lack of communication saw the two defenders and the goalkeeper get in each other's way allowing Kawasakiya to muscle his way through and pass the ball into an empty net.

Cringila came close to pulling one back from a set piece in the 77th minute. Mitchell Arcosa lobbed in a free kick from the left wing for the rising Mitchell Hall who made decent contact but failed to direct the header on target. Apart from this chance, Albion Park restricted the Lions to a couple of efforts from distance that didn’t trouble Chris Fuentes Ramirez in the White Eagles' goal. As the rain began to fall at Terry Reserve, the match came to its conclusion with the three points staying with the White Eagles.

After the match, Carter heaped praise on his matchwinner Kawasakiya, “He’s 100 percent class. If you want to see someone with beautiful technique and that knows how to play football, he’s the guy you want to come watch.”

Albion Park welcome reigning Premiers Port Kembla on Good Friday where another three points is sure to make rival opponents sit up and take note. As for Cringila, they travel to Memorial Park to take on Corrimal on Good Friday, a team the Lions beat 2-1 in their first Preseason Cup match.

 

Click here to hear the post-match interviews

  

Saturday 24 March 2018 @ Terry Reserve

 

Albion Park White Eagles - 3 (DELBANCO 2’, KAWASAKIYA 44’ 63’)

 

Cringila Lions - 1 (PIRES 26’)

 

Albion Park White Eagles - Chris FUENTES RAMIREZ, Blake MCGINN, Shayne ARDLE, Kane WRIGHT, Chris NATHANIEL, Robbie DELBANCO, Nathan RALPH, Ferres AOUN, Kody MAUDE, Hikaru KAWASAKIYA, Chrish GOMEZ

 

Subs - Sean KENNEDY (on for AOUN), Luke DEBROT (on for MAUDE), Rene VESCO (on for WRIGHT), Jacob HUFTON

 

Coach - Paul CARTER

 

Cringila Lions - Alex BOULLOSA, Mitchell DI PIETRO, Alex BRBEVSKI, Nuno PIRES, Aleks PRENTOSKI, James RALSTON, Anthony ROMEO, Jordan SEIB, Josiah SHERWEN, Todd SPARKS, Tyron MACLOU

 

Subs - Mitchell ARCOSA (on for DIPIETRO), Mitchell HALL (on for A.PRENTOSKI), Ibrahim SESAY (on for PIRES), Takao TERAMOTO, Jordan PRENTOSKI

 

Coach - Wally SAVOR

 

Referee - Peter ILCEVSKI

 

Assistant Referees - Josh SPAIN and Dean MOREIRA

 

Report by Dylan Arvela, on Twitter @dylanarvela

 

Photo by Kiah Hufton (Soccer Shots Illawarra)