Bellambi left it late to secure their sixth win of the 2018 WCG Cranes District League season, netting three goals in the final 20 minutes to secure all three points over Oak Flats Falcons in a tense affair at Keith Bond Oval, with Tim O’Brien and a brace from Andy Keep keeping Bellambi at the top of the ladder.

Oak Flats entered the match off the back of a 3-1 loss to Shell Cove and while the Falcons had history on their side – winning three of their four matches against Bellambi since their opponents were relegated to the District League in 2016 – it was the visitors who made the brighter start, with Bellambi spending most of the opening exchanges trying to split open the Falcons defence via long balls to Ilija Prenzoski, however a spirited Falcons defence would ensure that not much would come of this early match strategy.

It would take until the 23^rd minute for the first real chance of the match to fall the way of Bellambi, when a clever ball played to Matt Richardson would allow him to chip the ball over the Falcons defenders and find the head of a rushing Boden Allport, but Allport’s shot was met with a strong rush from Oak Flats gloveman Jake Webster, who cleaned the ball up well and silenced the attack.

Bellambi would get another solid chance in the 34^th minute after a corner would force Webster into making a save, but the save would only go as far as Grant Zanni, who pushed the ball out to Tim O’Brien, but before O’Brien could finish, the chance was snuffed out by Webster, who scrambled back into position to force a save and keep the Falcons running.

Oak Flats would have their first real chance of the match in the 41^st minute after a fantastic run from Daniel Munilla sent him into the Bellambi box, but his center pass was cleaned up by a Bellambi defence that has only conceded one goal this season in the league. But the clearance went straight into the path of Falcons defender Lee Gilroy, who fired off a powerful shot from distance which may have gone in had it not been for a great block by Nathan Thompson to ensure that neither side would enter the half-time break in the lead.

With both sides still trying to find a breakthough goal, it was Oak Flats who had the first chance of the second half in the 54^th minute when a free-kick from the right side of the field found the head of Daniel Munilla in the box, but Munilla’s shot flew just to the right of the Bellambi goal. Bellambi would respond with a great chance of their own five minutes later when a loose ball rolled into the box and into the path of Ilija Prenzoski, who tapped it past Falcons keeper Jake Webster, but unfortunately for Bellambi, the aim was slightly off and just went to the right of the Falcons goal.

With both sides putting on a strong defensive display, it appeared that this match could peter out to a goal-less draw but that was finally dissipated in the 73^rd minute as Bellambi finally got on the scoresheet. A well-placed corner from Andy Keep forced the Falcons to scramble in order to clear the ball, but despite the scrambling the ball found the feet of Tim O’Brien, who tapped home the loose ball in the box to finally give Bellambi the lead.

Oak Flats would have a chance to level the scores six minutes later when Lee Gilroy was again given the ball outside of the box and his powerful shot managed to make it’s way through the crowd but not past Bellambi keeper Jack Dugan, who cleaned up the shot and made sure Oak Flats would not equalize the match.

Bellambi would pick up their second goal in the 82^nd minute in rather surprising circumstances. After the ball went out for a Bellambi corner, Andy Keep would step up and curl the ball into the Oak Flats net from the corner post, the ball managing to work it’s way into the net after Falcons keeper Jake Webster was unable to clean up the cross, giving the visitors a 2-0 lead with not a lot of time left for Oak Flats to bring the match back.

Bellambi would pick up a final goal in the 89^th minute, with Andy Keep picking up his second of the match after the side was awarded a penalty when Scott Martin was brought down in the box by Brenton Lloyd. Keep would step up and fire the shot into the right-hand corner, with Webster diving the other way to secure all three points for Bellambi, the 3-0 win ensuring the side maintain their perfect start to the league season.

The win for Bellambi sees the side continue to sit atop the District League ladder, with six wins from six matches and ahead of Coniston on goal difference. Bellambi will next take on Berkeley Sports at Elizabeth Park, with the side hoping their strong start can continue against a Berkeley side who went down 1-0 to Shell Cove in a narrow match last round. For the Falcons, the side continues to languish in the lower half of the table after the loss, sitting in 9^th with just three points to their name. Their next match will be a challenge as they travel to Rex Jackson Park to face a Helensburgh Thistle side who labored to a 1-1 draw against Kiama Quarriers last round and will be looking to break back into the winners circle.

Saturday 28 April 2018 at Keith Bond Oval.

Oak Flats Falcons – 0

Bellambi – 3 (O’ Brien 73’, Keep 82’, 89’)

Oak Flats Falcons: Jake WEBSTER, Lee GILROY, Brenton LLOYD, Dominic GIUSTINIANI, Jamie STEVENSON, Christian CAPPETTA, Jarryd VINTON, Justin BEREGSHASY, Michael WILSON, Matthew THORNTON, Daniel MUNILLA

Subs: Ross GRAHAM (BEREGSHASY 75’), Lance CONDELLO (WILSON 45’), Chad FERNANDEZ, Chris JARMAN, Matt VANDENBERG (STEVENSON 89’)

Bellambi: Jack DUGAN, Sean POULTON, Grant ZANNI, Nathan THOMPSON, Mattias PASSLUCK, Nick MORGAN, Tim O’BRIEN, Boden ALLPORT, Andy KEEP, Ilija PRENZOSKI, Matt RICHARDSON

Subs: Christian CEVENINI (PRENZOSKI 65’), Scott MARTIN (RICHARDSON 65’), Ryu AMINAKA (O’BRIEN 85’), Brett KEAR

Referee – Greg REID

Assistant Referees – Rob SINDEVSKI and Marcus RADICE-JONES

Report by Cal Behrendt, on Twitter @CalBehrendt

File Photo: Noel Wynn