Oak Flats Falcons were hoping to revive their faltering finals push when they hosted high-flying Thirroul Thunder at Keith Bond Oval for a round 14 WCG Cranes District League clash on Saturday. However, the hosts would go down 4-2, with Thirroul’s Matthew Kellond, Corey Haines-Grose and a brace from Lewis Clements doing the damage. While the Falcons netted twice in the second half through Justin Beregshasy and substitute Lance Condello, it was a case of too little too late as Thirroul snared all three points.

When these two sides last faced back in round three, it was Thirroul who managed a slim 1-0 win at Thomas Gibson and it appeared in the early stages that things could go the same way again, with the Thunder taking an early lead in the 16^th minute through Lewis Clements. After picking up a ball lobbed in from the Thunder midfield, Clements found himself on the edge of the six-yard box with the ball and despite an attempt from Oak Flats’ Brenton Lloyd to dispossess him, Clements managed to chip over a diving Chris Jarman to find the back of the net and give the visitors an early lead.

Thirroul would double their advantage four minutes later when Corey-Haines Grose managed to break free on the counter and burst down the pitch, drawing out the defence and allowing him to pass the ball back into a waiting Clements. Clements would take a small step before firing past a rushing Jarman to give Thirroul a 2-0 lead.

But the Falcons were refusing to give up despite the early setback, and the side almost clawed a goal back in the 38^th minute when a free-kick from Jamie Stevenson managed to beat the wall and force a great save from Thirroul shot-stopper Mitchell Cooper to keep the ball out, ensuring that the Falcons would enter the half-time break two goals behind.

The second-half saw play open up more and with Oak Flats chasing the game, the side begun to push up more and this tactic almost paid dividends in the 51^st minute when a shot from Justin Beregshasy forced a great stop from Thunder’s Mitchell Cooper, but his save only went as far as Oak Flats Jake Waterman, who fired off an effort that flew over the bar, keeping Thirroul in control of the lead.

But it was Thirroul who would strike next in the match, with yet another fantastic counterattack through Corey Haines-Grose, the Thirroul player managing to burst down the left-hand side of the field and waiting to draw out Falcons gloveman Chris Jarman before slotting a ball into the box where a waiting Matthew Kellond would manage to tap an effort past a retreating Brenton Lloyd to put the Thunder 3-0 up.

However, Oak Flats would finally break back into the match just six minutes later when a wonderfully placed free-kick from Jamie Stevenson on the right-hand side of the field would find the head of Justin Beregshasy in the box, the Falcons midfielder rising above the Thirroul defence and firing an effort that sailed into the net and gave the Falcons an opening into the game.

The Falcons would have another golden chance to pull a goal back in the 74^th minute when a fantastic through ball from Brenton Lloyd found Christian Cappetta, who managed to run into a one-on-one chance with Thirroul keeper Mitchell Cooper. But Cappetta’s effort left much to be desired, the ball flying over the bar and failing to trouble a rushing Cooper.

However, just four minutes later Thirroul would pick up their fourth goal of the afternoon, with another counter-attack from Corey Haines-Grose doing the damage. The Thirroul player managed to recover the ball off Falcons defender Dominic Guistiniani before getting past a pushing Chris Jarman, allowing Haines-Grose to fire off at an empty net, Oak Flats’ Jamie Stevenson unable to get back in time to stop the ball rolling into the net and giving Thirroul a 4-1 lead.

But the Falcons would strike back quickly, netting in the 80^th minute through substitute Lance Condello, who made an instant impact by firing an effort that bounced off the post and into the back of the net to give the Falcons some late hope of a comeback. However, despite a late push from Oak Flats to attempt to pull back another goal, Thirroul managed to soak up the attacking pressure and hold onto the result, running out 4-2 winners.

The win sees the Thunder continue to apply pressure to Helensburgh in the race for third place in the District League ladder. With the Thistle also grabbing three points in a 5-2 win over Shell Cove, Thirroul remain two points behind Helensburgh in 4^th, but they will be hoping the side can make the leap into third when they take on Berkeley next week at Thomas Gibson Park.

For Oak Flats, the result sees them drop down to eighth, being overtaken by a Kiama Quarriers side that downed Warilla Wanderers 2-0 on Saturday. Oak Flats now sit seven points off the finals places and with just eight games remaining in the season, the side needs to pick up points fast and their next match, against fifth placed Warilla at King Mickey Park, will be a huge challenge for the Falcons as they seek to pull themselves back into finals contention.

Saturday 23 June 2018 at Keith Bond Oval.

Oak Flats Falcons FC – 2 (Beregshasy 64’, Condello 80’)

Thirroul Thunder FC – 4 (Clements 16’, 20’, Kellond 58’, Haines-Grose 78’)

Oak Flats Falcons FC: Chris JARMAN, Brenton LLOYD, Alan WARBURTON, Jamie STEVENSON, Dominic GIUSTINIANI, Christian CAPPETTA, Justin BEREGSHASY, Chad KEATING, Jake WATERMAN, Lee GILROY, Daniel MUNILLA

Subs: Mathew GRASA (WARBURTON 79’), Lance CONDELLO (BEREGSHASY 79’), Ryan FRANKS, John TILDEN

Thirroul Thunder FC: Mitchell COOPER, Daniel BOND, Cooper BRINDLE, Tom GOODIER, Adam WARD, Joel MUCCI, Ryan LATINI, Todd DAVIDSON, Lewis CLEMENTS, Matthew KELLOND, Corey HAINES-GROSE

Subs: Jarrod WALTER (LATINI 85’), Joshua BOND, Jonathon DE LYALL, Simon WARD (KELLOND 78’), Alan MADDOCK (A.WARD 90’)

Referee – Blake HERBERT

Assistant Referees – Jay WARPOLE and Jackson COCKS

Report by Cal Behrendt, on Twitter @CalBehrendt