Coniston continued their great start to the season by defeating Oak Flats 3-1 away from home. Having failed to beat Oak Flats in the WGC Crane District League last season, Coniston were certainly out for revenge.

After a slow start to the game, it all came to life in the 13^th minute with Dinko Terzic for Coniston capitalising on a mix-up in the Oak Flats defence but having rounded the goalkeeper Jake Webster, he failed to get his shot on target. A minute later, the Oak Flats defence were caught playing out from the back. On this occasion, Coniston’s Ryan Vandenberg got a shot off but Webster was equal to it and managed to hold on to the shot.

In the 16^th minute, Coniston again put pressure on the seemingly poor communication in the Oak Flats defence with Terzic putting Webster under pressure after a back pass and heavy first touch. The 50-50 with Terzic resulted in a deflection narrowly missing the crossbar.

In 17^th minute, Oak Flats found their first real opportunity of the match. Coniston’s Takayuki Kamano found himself in a duel with Brenton Bourke and if it wasn’t for a desperate last-ditch block on the shot from the latter, the ball may not have spun into the grateful hands of Ben McGinnes. An immediate counter attack at the other end found Franc Pierro in a threatening space outside the box. He unleashed a powerful strike that would have been a comfortable save for Webster but for a cruel deflection from Jamie Stevenson that went past the stranded keeper to open the scoring and put Coniston into an away lead.

Two minutes later, Oak Flats responded winning a free-kick on the left hand-side. The ball was swung in and after an incredible goal mouth scramble, Christian Capetta showed great composure to guide the ball into the bottom right hand corner to level the scores.

After this frantic spell, the game calmed down until the 32^nd minute when Daniel Munillo delivered an inviting cross into the corridor of uncertainty which found the right boot of Brenton Bourke but the shot went straight at the goalkeeper. A minute later, Terzic, who had been a thorn for Oak Flats all afternoon, mistimed a challenge on Webster and this resulted in a yellow card for the forward. But the consequences were worse for the Oak Flats goal keeper, who was helped from the field and replaced by Chris Jarman.

In added time, there was a final chance in the half for Oak Flats when Stevenson stepped up for a free-kick around 25 yards out. His shot looked destined for the net but ended going just wide of the goal. So, the teams went in at half time all square at one a piece.

It was a sign of things to come when within four minutes of the second half, Coniston had the first shot, with Vandenberg finding an angle to fire the ball on the left hand-side but his powerful shot went well over. Just one minute later, Coniston were in the lead again when Hiroaki Kohinoki cut inside on his right foot and drilled a low strike goal-wards. It took several deflections and eventually trickled into the net. Three minutes later, Vandenberg had a chance to double Coniston’s lead when he took aim just outside the box but his effort flew straight into the keeper’s hands.

In the 58^th minute, Jarryd Vinton tried valiantly to get Oak Flats back in the game after finding space on the left hand-side, directing the ball with finesse towards the top corner but the angle was slightly off and the ball sailed just wide of the goal.

There was more pressure from Oak Flats in the 64^th minute. A free-kick was won around 25 yards from goal and in the centre. The shot was taken by Stevenson whose powerful shot cannoned off the crossbar and denied Oak Flats a route back into the game. With 15 minutes left, Coniston might have sealed the game when Michael Cimino was played in one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Pressure from the Oak Flats defence meant that the shot went wide of the mark.

With Oak Flats pushing for an equaliser, space was left in behind for Coniston to counter-attack and Cameron Solevski took advantage of this, finding himself one-on-one from a tight angle. He hit the shot but a last ditch save at his feet from Jarman prevented Coniston from adding to their advantage.

Right at the death, Oak Flats were finally put to bed when Kohinoki’s shot from just inside the box on the right hand-side bounced back off the post and into the unaware Stevenson’s path who doubled his own goal tally for the game and sealed the game for Coniston.

Overall a sound attacking performance from Coniston, leaving the crowd wondering just how far this entertaining side can go and Oak Flats showing some good counters but having some work to do in their defensive ranks. Coniston are off to a strong start as favourites for the premiership. Oak Flats though find themselves zero from two and they face another tough opponent in Thirroul next week.

 

Friday 30 March 2018 at Keith Bond Oval

Oak Flats Falcons – 1 (Capetta 20’)

Coniston FC – 3 (Stevenson OG 19’,91’, Kohinoki 50’)

 

Oak Flats Falcons: Jake WEBSTER, Alan WERBURTA, Brenton LlOYD, Fabian CAPETTA, Jamie STEVENSON, Christian CAPETTA, Jarryd VINTOR, Daniel MONILLO, Brenton BOURKE, Ross GRAHAM, Lee GILROY

Subs: Lance CONDELLO (BOURKE), David KISS, Chris JORMAN (WEBSTER), Dominic GIVSTIANI (GRAHAM)

 

Coniston FC: Ben MCGINNES, Juan CESTIA, Kohci ENOKIDU, Takayuki KAMANO, Matthew CUDA, Ryan VANDENBERG, Bradley MOREIRA, Christian PLAKIAS, Franc PIERRO, Hiroaki KOHINOKI, Dinko TERZIC

Subs: Christoper STEVANOVSKI (SOLEVSKI), Bouten SIMPSON, Michael CIMINO (VANDENBERG), Cameron SOLEVSKI(TERZIC), Matthew TSCHENTSATEK

 

Referee - Peter ILCEVSKI

Assistant Referees: - Michael THOMPSON and Matthew THEOBALD

 

Report by Tim Gibson

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Photo: Dana Guthrie (photo library)