The 2018 WGC Cranes District League Youth Grade Grand Final kicked off in cloudy conditions as title-holders Helensburgh played second placed Coniston at WIN Stadium. The fixture was set to be a big one with the two best teams set to verse each other on the big stage.

Helensburgh would be favourites going into the match after accounting for Coniston two weeks prior, 2-1. But a win a piece in the regular season would ensure the game could go either way. Coniston were able to get the better of their league rivals when they edged past the Thistle, 1-0 in round 11. But an eager finish to the season saw Helensburgh finish their campaign with a 4-2 win over the black and gold.

It was a fiery start for the Thistle as the intensity was evident inside the first minute. A neat threaded through ball from Luke Miller found the run of Reggae Rowley into the box. The midfielders first touch was good to bring it back on his right and cut it back to Miller again. Although Miller couldn’t adjust his feet as Coniston cleared.

After a poor start, Coniston started to find their feet. In the 10th minute, a long ball out from the backline opened up space for Jack Donnelly to run on to. Bringing it down nicely, his low shot looked destined for the bottom corner, but a retreating Flynn Rodgers stopped it off the line.

Although Coniston would be disappointed with the missed opportunity, they grabbed the first goal of the game. After a foul being called 30 yards from goal, Brane Radmanovic would step up to try and the spectacular. Radmanovic would then deliver a peach of a left-footed shot that dipped and curled into the top corner sending the Coniston fans into a frenzy.

The game then turned into a see-saw battle for the rest of the half. Thistle would come close to scoring in this period as Ryan Grima blasted a shot into the crossbar. An accurate pass from Rowley again picked out Grima on the edge of the box. The strikers first time finish almost curling into the net but was denied by the woodwork.

Grima again was almost celebrating as he almost grabbed Thistle's equaliser in the 36th minute. A free-kick close to the halfway line from Helensburgh captain Brady Tipping was sent into a crowded box. Grima getting away from his man, got a headed touch on to send it goal-wards. But it was Coniston shot-stopper, Deniz Celik who forced it wide.

A quiet finish to the half didn’t see many chances for either side as the teams went into the sheds with Coniston holding a tight 1-0 lead.

It seemed to be an inspirational half-time team talk from Coniston as they came out firing led by Matthew Poposki. The Coniston captain created several chances within the opening two minutes that almost put Coniston two ahead. Firstly, a run down the sideline by Nick Peros was met with an early cross that found Poposki in the box. His first touch got around his defender before his shot aiming for the bottom left to be deflected wide. Only one minute later, Peros dispossessed Dale Edmunds after a Thistle goal-kick and found Poposki again. The midfielder’s shot on the turn was saved by the shoulder of Lachlan Ahling before Helensburgh were able to clear.

The opening quarter of the half saw Helensburgh continue to be on the back foot. After a corner from Joel Perry curled into the crossbar, it was just three minutes later that Radmanovic would score a brace, again off a curled free-kick. Peros won the foul towards the right-hand side-line, just outside the 18-yard box. It was to the everyone’s surprise that the midfielder would try the spectacular and curled it into the roof of the net. Coniston doubling their lead having kept control of the contest.

It started to be desperation football for Thistle as they looked to get back into the game. In the 61st minute, a surging run in field from Miller was me with a low shot looking to sneak in at the near post. But a diving save from Celik denied Miller a goal.

It wasn’t until the 73rd minute where Thistle would grab that elusive goal was looking for. Firstly, with the ball falling to Alex Lee outside the box, his attempt was saved by the foot of Celik. Then just a minute later, the ball found another Helensburgh foot but this time it was Tipping firing an effort on goal only to be tipped over.

Coniston were happy to sit back and counter for the rest of the game, defending on their two-goal lead. With the clock running down into the final 10 minutes, Thistle continued to attack. Tipping's corner into the mix, fell nicely for Rowley to place it, only for a stray Coniston foot forced it wide. Off the following corner, Ben Watts would get a touch onto the ball at the near post, only for it to go wide.

As the game went into stoppages, Helensburgh grabbed a goal back. A shot off a free-kick by Tipping required a low save from Celik. The goalkeeper could only palm it away straight into the path of Watts who tapped it home from six yards.

Although only a late consolation goal for Helensburgh as Coniston held on to be 2-1 winners and claim the 2018 WGC Cranes District League Youth Grade Grand Final.

Saturday 22^nd September 2018 at WIN Stadium.

 

Helensburgh Thistle FC: 1 (WATTS 90+2’)

 

Coniston FC: 2 (RADMANOVIC 11’ 59’)

 

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Brane RADMANOVIC

 

Line-ups:

Helensburgh Thistle FC: Lachlan AHLING, Nicholas CRAWFORD, Dylan CROKER, Fynn RODGERS, Jake MARSHALL, Alex LEE, Ben WATTS, Brady TIPPING, Ryan GRIMA, Reggae ROWLEY, Luke MILLER

Subs: Jack DIPPLE, Dale EDMUNDS, Zac GUEST, Joshua WILLIAMS

 

Coniston FC: Deniz Celik, Lachlan TOOLE, Adam KARAYIANNIS, Jack EVANS-GILDEA, Zach JONES, Alexander BAULCH, Nick PEROS, Joel PERRY, Pete JOWANIE, Brane RADMANOVIC, Jack DONNELLY

Subs: Matthew POPOSKI, Neo MUSSO, Brandon OLIVERIA, Luca SALVADOR, FILIP ANGELOVSKI

 

*Interchange Rule Applied

 

Referee: Lottie CABASSI-POWER

Assistant Referees: Demi GOODARD & Casey FLEMMING

Sideline Referee: Anna PHIPPS

 

Report by Nathan Turner, on Twitter as @nathanturner23_

Photo by Pedro Garcia