Coniston claimed the District League Championship and promotion back into the Illawarra Premier League with a captivating 3-2 win over Helensburgh in front of a raucous crowd at JJ Kelly Park. A majority of spectators were there to see the home side claim the League title, however, Helensburgh striker Blake Charman silenced them after three minutes with a cool finish. Coniston would fight into the lead with 12 minutes remaining but Helensburgh wouldn’t surrender with Brad Watts levelling the match in the 84th minute but it was Coniston’s day with Lachlan Martin coming off the bench to belt home a late winner.

 

Coniston had the first opportunity a tick over a minute into the match with Kohei Enokido breaking into the right of the area before striking the ball for the bottom far corner only for Josh Williams to tip the ball wide for a corner.

 

A few cycles of play later, the Thistle would break up the right of the field through Brad Watts who cut the ball in for Charman with the Helensburgh number 9 keeping his balance before slotting the ball to the left of Ben McGinnes.

 

Coniston took around 10 minutes to regain composure before pilling on the pressure for an equaliser. In the 18th minute, Franc Pierro had a golden chance when Enokido had a header saved only for the ball to fall to the Coniston skipper just outside the six-yard box but he scooped his shot over the bar. Pierro had another opportunity five minutes later when he latched onto the bouncing ball in the middle of a crowded box but once again he couldn’t direct it on target.

 

The home side would strike back in the 25th minute with the front pairing of Dinko Teric and Mark Picciolini combining for an impressive goal. Terzic charged down the left wing, managing to outmuscle Eamon Van Zyl before his pinpoint cross found the head of Picciolini who nodded the ball low and into the back of the net.

 

Terzic would prove to be the main threat for Coniston in the final 20 minutes of the half with the League’s top marksman having three decent chances on goal. The best would come in the 41st minute when Hiroaki Kohinoki picked him out, unmarked in the box and it was as if Terzic had too much time and despite a touch, he couldn’t curl his strike on target which left the sides level going into the break.

 

Coniston had a couple of chances within the opening three minutes of the second half. The first was through Mark Picciolini who turned into the box before shooting just over the bar the next came from Brad Moreira who drove the ball from distance and forced Williams to touch it over for a corner.

 

An hour in Kohinoki had a swerving effort from 25 metres out which Williams caught on the second attempt and he was aided by his post four minutes later when Mark Picciolini held the ball up just inside the area before trying to sneak it into the bottom right corner only for it to kiss the outside of the upright.

 

Helensburgh remained stoic with captain Jaydn Falkiner making a heroic block in the 77th minute off another Pierro shot from inside the box. It would be in vain, however, with Coniston getting back into the area less than a minute later with Terzic holding the ball up before turning his defender and placing the ball into the bottom right corner from close range - the goal being his 32nd for the season.

 

Not wanting to sit back and defend their slender lead, Coniston pushed for their third. In the 81st minute, Williams rushed out of his box to clear a long ball over the top but it bounced to Terzic just inside the attacking half, he headed the ball off to Mark Picciolini whose half-volley landed on the roof of the net. Picciolini had a less audacious chance to find the back of the net a minute later when he went one on one with Williams but the Helensburgh custodian made a strong save.

 

The ball was thumped up field and a calamitous mix up saw Brad Watts get in between three Coniston defenders and the goalkeeper to tumble the ball into the goal. The goal typified Helensburgh’s ability to pounce on less than half chances while it left Coniston players with their heads in the hands.

 

With three minutes of normal time remaining, Coniston were able to scrape together one more chance on goal with the ball teeing up for Martin 20 metres from the target and the substitute was able to pump the ball into the top left corner.

 

Helensburgh were heartbroken and couldn’t cause another bit of drama with the home side holding out for a historic win with the Coniston faithful flooding onto the field on the full-time whistle.

 

A late goal at Thomas Gibson Park saw Thirroul beat Bellambi 1-0 which ultimately meant any result would have seen Coniston claim the League Championship. Nevertheless, the dramatic 3-2 victory put the title beyond any doubt and Coniston coach Rod Williams was lost for words after the match.

 

“Words can’t even begin to describe this... What a great bunch of boys. I’m stoked to be back in the Illawarra and doing what I love which coaching football,” Williams said.

 

Pierro - who joined Coniston when they were competing in Community League - admitted leading the club back into the top flight was one of the highlights of his career.

 

“It’s an incredible feeling,” Pierro said.

 

“It’s just been one hell of a journey and I can’t wait to get back in the Premier League.”

 

Coniston have now earned a week off before facing the winner of Bellambi and Warilla in the second week of the finals with the winner progressing to the Grand Final at Win Stadium.

 

As for Helensburgh, the defeat sees them finish the regular season in fourth place with a sudden death match up with Thirroul looming in the first week of the finals. Player-coach Brad Boardman believed the contest was the perfect primer for finals football and revealed the side should be strengthened by the return of Cody Cuthbertson and Jarrod Benham for the Thunder clash.

 

“It was about our boys turning up today and showing the other teams in the final we’re not just going to roll over,” Boardman said.

 

“We’re going to give everything we have got [in the finals series] and that’s why I was so proud of my boys today because we gave everything.”

 

Saturday 25 August 2018 @ JJ Kelly Park

 

Coniston - 3 (Mark PICCIOLINI 25’, TERZIC 78’, MARTIN 87’)

 

Helensburgh - 2 (CHARMAN 3’, Brad WATTS 84’)

 

Coniston - Ben MCGINNES, Kohei ENOKIDO, Christian PLAKIAS, Hiroaki KOHINOKI, Franc PIERRO, Dinko TERZIC, Mark PICCIOLINI, Luke PICCIOLINI, Brad MOREIRA, Matt CUDA

 

Subs - Ryan VANDENBERG (on for MOREIRA), Chris STEVENOVSKI (on for Luke PICCIOLINI), Lachlan MARTIN (on for PLAKIAS), Julian CESTA-INCANI, Frank GAUDIOSI

 

Coach - Rod WILLIAMS

 

Helensburgh - Josh WILLIAMS, Eamon VAN ZYL, Ryan HOPE, Jaydn FALKINER, Junya OKAMOTO, Reggae ROWLEY, Luke VAN ZYL, Kei MITANI, Blake CHARMAN, Brad WATTS, Ben WATTS

 

Subs - Ryan GRIMA, Brad BOARDMAN (on for CHARMAN), Jack DIPPLE, Andy GARCIA, Matt WARDLE

 

Coach - Brad BOARDMAN

 

Referee - Nick RYAN

 

Assistant Referees - Garth JENKINS, Jarrod MCDEAN

 

Report by Dylan Arvela, on Twitter @dylanarvela

 

Photo by Pedro Garcia