Bellambi was seeking to remain in top spot when they hosted fellow high flying Helensburgh Thistle for a round 15 WCG Cranes District League clash at Elizabeth Park on Saturday. While a goal at both ends in the opening five minutes would ensure a quick start to the match, neither side was able to break down the other until the second half, where Bellambi would push past Helensburgh and pick up three goals in the process, running out 4-1 winners and extending their stay at the top of the ladder for at least another week.

When Helensburgh last faced Bellambi back in round four at Rex Jackson Park, the side only just lost out to a Rosellas side just finding their stride, the Thistle going 2-1 down and after the opening minute, it appeared that things could go the same way again as the hosts would fire themselves into the lead within the opening sixty seconds.

A bursting run from Scott Martin down the right-hand side of the field allowed him to draw out the Thistle defence and place a perfect pass to a wide-open Andy Keep in the Helensburgh box. The Bellambi player would need no motivation to score, firing a simple shot past Thistle shot-stopper Josh Williams to put Bellambi a goal up within the first minute of play.

But Helensburgh were quick to strike back, and the Thistle would find themselves levelling the scores with their first offensive effort only three minutes later. The visitors were awarded a free-kick just on the edge of the Bellambi box and Luke van Zyl would step up to fire off a fantastic effort that flew past Bellambi keeper Nathan Campbell and into the net to level the match at 1-1.

Not content to remain level for long, Bellambi would come very close to picking up their second goal of the match in the 7^th minute, when another bursting Scott Martin run saw him layoff a great pass to Ilija Prenzoski, who fired a well-placed effort that was only denied by a fantastic diving stop from Thistle keeper Josh Williams.

However, despite the bright start from both sides, neither was able to break down the other side in the remained of the first half, with some stellar defensive performances in particular from Bellambi’s Nathan Thompson and Helensburgh’s Jarrod Benham ensuring that both sides would enter the half-time break level.

But both sides came out for the second half with a desire to take all three points and it was the Thistle who would have the first strong chance of the second period of play in the 52^nd minute, when a stellar solo run from Brad Watts allowed Luke van Zyl to pick the ball up on the left hand side of the Bellambi goal and fire off an effort towards Bellambi keeper Nathan Campbell, which Campbell denied at the post to ensure Helensburgh would not push into the lead.

However, it was Bellambi who would take the first strike of the second half just two minutes later when Boden Allport was given the ball just outside the Helensburgh box. Allport would fire off an effort that was deflected off a Helensburgh foot, sending a diving Josh Williams the wrong way and into the back of the net, giving Bellambi the lead.

The Rosellas would pick up a two-goal lead just five minutes later after a prolonged period of attacking play from the hosts. The goal would come through Bellambi’s opening scorer in Andy Keep, who managed to recover the ball after his cross just missed an incoming Scott Martin seconds earlier. Keep, who was situated on the edge of the box fired off an effort that dug its way into the bottom left corner, pushing the Rosellas two goals up and leaving Helensburgh with a lot of work to do.

While the visitors were not determined to call the match over, the Thistle struggled to get the ball into the box and produce any meaningful chances despite the best efforts of the Helensburgh midfield, with the Bellambi backline soaking up any attacks and quickly turning the ball back to the Rosellas offence.

The hosts would wrap up the match with their fourth goal of the afternoon just two minutes from full time when a perfectly timed run from substitute Christian Cevenini allowed him to move into a one-on-one situation with Thistle gloveman Josh Williams. In the end, Cevenini would win the battle between the two, his effort firing past Williams and rocketing off the right goal-post and into the net to secure a good win for Bellambi, the Rosellas ending the match as 4-1 victors.

Bellambi’s win means that the side remains at the top of the District League ladder, even with their fellow title rivals Coniston picking up three points of their own in a 1-0 win over Unanderra. Bellambi will next make the trip to Kiama Sporting Complex to take on a Kiama Quarriers side that was not in action this weekend, their clash against Shell Cove postponed due to the weather.

For Helensburgh, the loss sees the race for third place burst wide open once more, with Thirroul potentially moving into third with a win over Berkeley on Saturday afternoon. The Thistle will travel to take on University next round as they attempt to reclaim third spot on the ladder from Thirroul, who will be taking on a solid looking Unanderra squad at Unanderra Oval.

Saturday 30 June 2018 at Elizabeth Park.

Bellambi – 4 (Keep 1’, 59’, Allport 54’, Cevenini 88’)

Helensburgh Thistle FC – 1 (L. van Zyl 4’)

Bellambi: Nathan CAMPBELL, Sean POULTON, Grant ZANNI, Nathan THOMPSON, Tor PREECE, Ilija PRENZOSKI, Tim O’BRIEN, Boden ALLPORT, Mattias PASSLACK, Scott MARTIN, Andy KEEP

Subs: Nicholas MORGAN (O’BRIEN 79’), Matt RICHARDSON (ZANNI 65’), Christian CEVENINI (PRENZOSKI 69’), Jack DUGAN

Helensburgh Thistle FC: Josh WILLIAMS, Jarrod BENHAM, Jaydn FALKINER, Ryan HOPE, Junya OKAMOTO, Eamon VAN ZYL, Luke VAN ZYL, Kei MITANI, Brad BOARDMAN, Brad WATTS, Ben WATTS

Subs: Blake CHARMAN (BOARDMAN 69’), Ryan GRIMA (HOPE 29’), Brady TIPPING, Reggae ROWLEY (GRIMA 79’), Ryan KENDRIGAN

Referee – Liam WEBB

Assistant Referees – Warwick DAVIDSON and Gareth JENKINS

Report by Cal Behrendt, on Twitter @CalBehrendt

Phoro by Pedro Garcia