Oak Flats Falcons secured a vital three points thanks to a 1-0 win over Helensburgh Thistle at Keith Bond Oval on Saturday. In a game of few opportunities, Lee Gilroy's 55th-minute effort was the difference with the Falcons moving up to sixth and still with an outside chance of making the playoffs.

 

The sides left Rex Jackson Park with a point each in round seven after a 4-4 draw. But it appeared in the early stages of the match that the round 18 rematch was not going to fall the same way, with neither side able to break down the other's defences in the opening periods of the match.

 

The hosts had the first real chance of the match in the 18th minute when a slick pass out to the left-hand side of the field from Lee Gilroy found Daniel Munilla, who managed to fire off a shot towards the Thistle goal. But his effort was dutifully saved by Helensburgh gloveman Josh Williams with Munilla’s effort directed straight into the path of Williams.

 

Helensburgh had their first real opportunity of the match six minutes later when a Luke van Zyl corner was pushed out by the Falcons defence towards a waiting Reggae Rowley. Rowley fired off a powerful shot from distance, but his effort had just too much height on it and the ball flew over the crossbar.

 

The Thistle again came close to taking the lead in the 28th minute when another Van Zyl corner found the head of Blake Charman in the box. Charman managed to fire an effort past Falcons shot-stopper Jake Webster, but the shot was cleared off the line by Brenton Lloyd, keeping the Falcons on level terms.

 

But the Falcons had a golden chance of their own to take the lead less than sixty seconds later when Daniel Munilla fired off a powerful effort from distance that blasted past a diving Josh Williams only to be denied by the Helensburgh crossbar. Munilla’s shot rocketed off the bar and into the path of Williams, much to the relief of the travelling Helensburgh support.

 

Oak Flats had one more chance to take the lead in the opening half when a good ball from Jack Madgwick found Jake Waterman in the box, but Waterman was unable to direct his effort past Thistle keeper Josh Williams, who made a sprawling stop to ensure that neither side entered the half-time break in the lead.

 

With all three points still for the taking, the Thistle came out firing in the second half, and the side almost put a goal on the board in the 46th minute after a corner was pushed out to Jarrod Benham. But Benham’s effort just scraped wide of the right post and ensured that Helensburgh would not take an early lead in the second-half.

 

Helensburgh again had another chance to take the lead four minutes later when a Luke van Zyl corner found the head of Ben Watts in the Falcons box, but Watts’ effort was unable to be directed goalwards, flying to the left of the Oak Flats goal.

 

Despite Helensburgh creating more chances in the opening blows of the second-half, it was the Falcons who ended up finally breaking the deadlock in the 55th minute, courtesy of a Helensburgh defensive error. The Thistle managed to shut down a Falcons movement but before the ball could be played out of defence, a miskick from Jaydn Falkiner allowed Oak Flats’ Lee Gilroy to pounce on the loose ball and push himself into a one-on-one chance against Thistle keeper Josh Williams. Unfortunately for Helensburgh fans, Williams was unable to stop Gilroy’s effort, which sailed into the bottom left corner to give the hosts the lead.

 

With Helensburgh now forced to press to score a goal, Oak Flats appeared more than willing to sit back and let Helensburgh come to them, with the Falcons soaking up a lot of attacking movement and providing the occasional counter-attack that forced Helensburgh to retreat deep into their own half to retrieve the ball.

 

The Thistle had one final chance to level the scores in the 75th minute when a Luke van Zyl corner found substitute Cody Cuthbertson, who managed to flick the ball onto Kei Mitani, but Mitani was unable to make his chance count, his effort flying right of the Falcons goal.

 

Despite a significant amount of pressing from the visitors, the side was unable to get the ball into the box and create any meaningful chance in the final stages of the match, Oak Flats showing excellent defensive work to shut play down and secure a hugely important 1-0 win.

 

The win sees the Falcons move up to sixth place, with Oak Flats now level on points with Balgownie Rangers, but ahead on goal difference and with an extra game in hand. However, the Falcons still sit eight points behind fifth-placed Warilla Wanderers and with both sides only having five games left, Oak Flats need a minor miracle to book a spot in the playoffs, although the side can cut the lead down to five points when they take on Warilla at King Mickey Park next Saturday for their postponed round 15 clash.

 

For Helensburgh, the result continues a worrying trend developing for the side, with the Thistle picking up only six points in their last five matches but it has still been enough to remain in third place, with Thirroul again missing the chance to move into up after they went down 3-1 to Coniston on Saturday. The Thistle will face a big challenge next round when they play host to Berkeley Sports, who managed to grab the result of the round with a 1-1 draw against Bellambi on Saturday.

Saturday 21 July 2018 at Keith Bond Oval

Oak Flats Falcons FC – 1 (Gilroy 55’)

Helensburgh Thistle FC – 0

Oak Flats Falcons FC: Jake WEBSTER, Ross GRAHAM, Brenton LLOYD, Dominic GIUSTINIANI, Jamie STEVENSON, Lance CONDELLO, Jarryd VINTON, Daniel MUNILLA, Jake WATERMAN, Jack MADGWICK, Lee GILROY

Subs: Goran BOSKOVIC (MADGWICK 81’), Mathew GRASA, Brenton BURKE, Joshua EAGLETON, Chris JARMAN (WEBSTER 45’)

Helensburgh Thistle FC: Josh WILLIAMS, Jarrod BENHAM, Ryan HOPE, Jaydn FALKINER, Junya OKAMOTO, Reggae ROWLEY, Luke VAN ZYL, Kei MITANI, Blake CHARMAN, Brad WATTS, Ben WATTS

Subs: Cody CUTHBERTSON (Ben WATTS 62’), Ryan GRIMA, Luke MILLER (FALKINER 72’), Jack DIPPLE, Matt WARDLE

Referee – Jarrod THOMPSON

Assistant Referees – Stuart BELL and Trae ARNOLD

Report by Cal Behrendt, on Twitter @CalBehrendt

Photo by Noel Wynn