Helensburgh Thistle got back to winning ways and picked up nine points across all three grades on a chilly afternoon at King Mickey Park. First grade got their win in style, with their game plan allowed them to pounce over Warilla. The visitors took the lead late in the first half with a neat finish from playmaker Bradley Watts. Two late goals from winger Luke Van Zyl was enough for the three points, despite Warilla halving the deficit through Adam White at one point in the second half.

It was a particularly cagey start to the match. Warilla seemingly were happy with a low intensity press and Helensburgh were happy to take their time at the back.

The first chance of the match came through Bradley Watts a quarter of an hour into the match. The ball dropped kindly onto Watts’ foot, only for him to mistime the strike and the ball subsequently hitting his hand.

It was a sign of the potential in attack that the visitors posed. Thistle left-back Junya Okamoto started a high press on the Warilla defence, where he won the ball. From here, he blazed a right-footed shot a fair way over the bar. Despite this, his high work rate rendered united applause from his teammates.

On the 29^th minute, player-coach Bradley Boardman attempted something too audacious for the supporters to believe. An in-swinging corner was whipped in by Van Zyl where the ball fell just behind Boardman. The forward stuck out his right leg an attempted a “scorpion” kick. The ball was placed over the bar unfortunately for him.

The first real chance for the home side came from a dead-ball scenario. Wanderers captain Martin Castelli stepped up to drive a right-footed shot just wide to the right of the goal. Thistle keeper Matt Wardle may have been beaten with the pace of the ball if the shot had been on target.

Shortly after, on the 40^th minute mark, an audacious attempt was occurred by Warilla midfielder Javier Orlando from quite a distance after he noticed Wardle off his line. The shot travelled over the bar.

Just as it looked as though it would be an even affair at the break, disaster struck for the home side. In the 43^rd minute, Watts capitalised with a precise right-footed finish inside the six-yard box following a swift counter attack from Helensburgh. It was a moment which buoyed the visitors and if anything opened the game up in the second half.

This was proven early on in the second period as Helensburgh doubled their advantage. A nippy run from winger Ben Watts enabled him to put in a cross which bypassed Boardman, only to find the left foot of Van Zyl, who blasted the ball home from close range.

On the 52^nd minute, the crowd barely had time to breath as there was another goal, this time for Warilla. A scrappy situation led to an easy tap-in for Wanderers striker Adam White. It the space of two minutes, there had been two goals, and attacking football was prominent from both sides.

Warilla perhaps should have equalised on the 59^th minute mark. A corner was lofted in and the knockdown fell to central defender Jordan Nolan. He was unable to get a full connection onto the ball, and the shot fell straight into Wardle’s hands.

After a period of little pragmatism in front of goal, Wanderers outlet Ben Ellul had his low right-footed shot saved by Wardle down to his left with 15 minutes left in the match.

Despite positive play up front, Warilla failed once more to keep out Helensburgh at the other end. On the 76^th minute, another counter attack started from a long ball from Kei Mitani over to Bradley Watts, to Ben Watts for him to cut the ball across goal to Van Zyl to beat the defender and finish the ball off in the net. The game seemed all but over for the home side after this.

Jesse French almost netted a consolation for the Wanderers on the 89^th minute. His free-kick thundered the crossbar, almost bouncing over the line, before being hooked clear by the Thistle defenders.

The match finished 3-1 to Helensburgh as they continue their impressive run. The loss for Warilla now leaves them winless in two, and Barney King’s side will have to start picking up points to prevent a late season drop from 5^th spot.

In next week’s fixtures, Warilla will head down the coast to play Kiama net Saturday in what is very much a must win for them.

Helensburgh will dust off any niggles and head back home to face Shell Cove next Saturday afternoon in what will be a season-defining clash for the away side, which should make for some thoroughly entertaining football.

 

Saturday 16 June 2018 @ King Mickey Park

Warilla Wanderers – 1 (WHITE 52’)

Helensburgh Thistle – 3 (WATTS 43’, VAN ZYL 50’, 76’)

 

Warilla Wanderers – Adam ARNOTT, Toni ANASTOVSKI, Martin CASTELLI, Jordan NOLAN, Jason GOLDSMITH, Brenton GERIBO, Ben ELLUL, Aden WADE, Adam WHITE, Javier ORLANDO, Jesse FRENCH

Subs – Jeremy LOPEZ (on for ELLUL), Drew SHAW, Stewart ROBERTSON, Adam INSKIP, Blake PUSSELL

 

Helensburgh Thistle – Matt WARDLE, Jarrod BENHAM, Jaydn FALKINER, Ryan HOPE, Junya OKAMOTO, Eamon VAN ZYL, Luke VAN ZYL, Kei MITANI, Bradley BOARDMAN, Bradley WATTS, Ben WATTS

Subs – Ryan GRIMA, Blake CHARMAN (on for BOARDMAN), Luke MILLER, Andy GARCIA, Josh WILLIAMS

 

Referee – Reece EDWARDS

Assistant Referees – Liam WEBB, Matt HARDY

 

Report by Jordan Warren, on Twitter @jwarren0817

File Photo : Pedro Garcia