Coniston took out the 2018 WCG Cranes District League title in style as they sailed past Warilla Wanderers 3-0 in the Grand Final on Saturday afternoon at WIN Stadium. Hiroaki Kohinoki struck the first goal for the league winners in the 27^th minute before an 82^nd minute Mark Picciolini goal doubled their advantage. A goal to substitute Christopher Stevanovski in the first minute of stoppage time secured the win for Coniston, making them the first side to do the league and Grand Final double since Picton Rangers in 2015.

Despite finishing on top of the league, Coniston – who accrued 58 points during the regular season – were forced to go the long way to reach the Grand Final, after the side lost out 2-1 to Warilla – who finished 3^rd with 43 points to their name - in the Major Semi-Final. However, they were able to book their spot after they downed Bellambi 3-1 in the Preliminary Final, with a fightback sparked by a brace from Mark Picciolini sending the side into their first Grand Final since their return to the District League.

But their opponents in Warilla were seeking to claim their third successive District League title, with the Barney King-led side out to secure the trophy once more to ensure that King’s record 12^th District League Grand Final would go off without a hitch. The Wanderers entered the match with recent history and form on their side, going undefeated in ten matches and claiming wins in three of their last four matches against Coniston, including a pair of 2-1 wins towards the tail-end of the season.

Despite Warilla’s tag as favorites, it was Coniston who had the stronger start to the match of the two sides, with the side coming close to taking an early lead just four minutes in after a well placed free-kick from Luke Picciolini on the left-hand side of the field found the head of Franc Pierro in the Warilla box. Pierro was able to nod on his effort to an open Mark Picciolini at the right post, who tapped home the ball to send Coniston fans into early celebration. However, that celebration was short-lived as Picciolini was pulled up for straying into an offside position, granting Warilla an early respite.

However, Coniston managed to break the deadlock in the 27^th minute after a quick break found Luke Picciolini down the right-hand side of the field. Picciolini fired a powerful pass into the box which his brother Mark was able to reach with a sliding attempt, but his effort was denied by a inch-perfect stop from Warilla gloveman Adam Arnott. However, Arnott’s stop ricocheted out to a waiting Hiroaki Kohinoki, who needed no hesitation to fire his side into the lead, Kohinoki’s shot flying into the top of the net and sending Coniston in front.

Coniston almost doubled their advantage two minutes later after Kohinoki released Dinko Terzic down the left-hand side of the field near the Warilla box. Terzic quickly cut in towards the middle of the box before firing a powerful effort at goal which was only denied by a well-positioned Jason Goldsmith, who stopped Coniston from pushing further ahead.

However, Warilla had a golden chance to level the scores in the 38^th minute when the side was awarded a penalty after Matthew Cuda brought down Javier Ovando in the box. Ovando stepped up to take the spot-kick and fired a powerful effort that beat Coniston shot-stopper Ben McGinnes. However, Ovando’s effort was unable to avoid the crossbar, the penalty rocketing into the left-hand side of the crossbar and flying away from the Coniston goal, ensuring that the league winners entered the half-time break in the lead.

Coniston came out in the second-half looking for a second goal and the side came agonizingly close to doubling their advantage in the 51^st minute after a Luke Picciolini cross on the right-hand side of the park found the head of Mark Picciolini near the left-hand post. However, Picciolini was unable to trouble the scorers, his headed effort skimming to the left of the Warilla goal and out of play.

Having seen off a spate of Coniston attacking pressure, Warilla begun to push forward in search of a goal of their own and the side almost pulled level in the 56^th minute after substitute Aden Wade found himself in open space in front of the Coniston goal with no defenders on him. Wade however declined to fire at Coniston keeper Ben McGinnes, instead opting to link-up with Jesse French before receiving the ball back and then firing an effort goal ward. However, his shot was deflected by the palm of McGinnes, causing the ball to fly high, looping into the crossbar and away from goal, denying Warilla from equalizing.

As tensions began to rise and members of both sides were beginning to push more aggressively for a potential match-winning goal, it was Coniston who broke through and doubled their advantage in the 82^nd minute after a smart ball from Dinko Terzic released Mark Picciolini down into the right-hand side of the Warilla box. Picciolini took the ball slightly forward before firing a curling effort past Warilla gloveman Adam Arnott and into the bottom left-corner of the net, giving Coniston a crucial two goal-lead late on in the encounter.

With time now running out for the Wanderers to pull back into the match, the side almost grabbed a life-line in the 91^st minute when Jesse French burst down the left-hand side of the field before laying off a ball to Adam White. White then managed to slide the ball across to an open Aden Wade, who tapped the ball home to give Warilla a potential lifeline. However, much like Mark Picciolini’s effort at the start of the match, Wade’s goal was disallowed due to the Warilla substitute straying a little too far offside, keeping the Wanderers two goals behind with not a lot of time left to save the result.

However, Coniston wrapped up the title with the third goal of their afternoon almost instantly after Warilla’s close call, with a quick break finding substitute Christopher Stevanovski down the right-hand flank. Stevanovski carried the ball a short distance before firing an effort past Adam Arnott to secure the title, Coniston wrapping up a 3-0 victory and the league and premiership double with midfielder Hiroaki Kohinoki claiming the Matt Horsley Medal for his performance in the Grand Final.

Coniston coach Vlado Miceski – who was also celebrating a birthday alongside the Grand Final victory - stated after the match that the title is the crowning achievement on a strong season from the club.

“If there’s a birthday present you want to get today, it is a victory on Grand Final day,” he said.

“All credit to Warilla, they were a tough opponent all year, but I think we were looking for a bit of revenge today and at the end of the day, I think it was a pretty comprehensive win.

“We got the double today – the Youth Grade and First Grade – we couldn’t hope any better. If you planned it, it wouldn’t have come to fruition like this, but I’m really happy for the club.”

For defeated opponents Warilla, coach Barney King was disappointed in the final result, but noted that the Wanderers had to convert some of their chances to change the final result.

“It was one of those days. When you miss a penalty in a big game like this, you know it’s not going to be your day,” he said.

“It was 1-0 [with] fifteen to go and we start throwing men forward and get caught on the counter-attack, so that’s how it ended up 3-0, but it wasn’t really a 3-0 game.

“But fair play to Coniston, they moved us around a bit and changed their formation which disrupted us a little bit, but [if] we [had] our shooting boots on today, we would have won the game. But we didn’t, goals win you games, not opportunities or possession, but goals.”

Saturday 22 September 2018 at WIN Stadium.

Coniston FC – 3 (Kohinoki 27’, M. Picciolini 82’, Stevanovski 91’)

Warilla Wanderers FC – 0

Coniston FC: Ben MCGINNES, Takayuki KAYANO, Ryan VANDENBERG, Christian PLAKIAS, Hiroaki KOHINOKI, Franc PIERRO, Dinko TERZIC, Mark PICCIOLINI, Luke PICCIOLINI, Bradley MOREIRA, Matthew CUDA

Subs: Valon RIZVANI, Bowen SIMPSON, Connor O’NEILL, Lachlan MARTIN (PLAKIAS 58’), Christopher STEVANOVSKI (L. PICCIOLINI 79’)

Warilla Wanderers FC: Adam ARNOTT, Nathan PEGLER, Drew SHAW, Mark MARINELLI, Jason GOLDSMITH, Martin CASTELLI, Jeremy LOPEZ, Jordan NOLAN, Adam WHITE, Javier OVANDO, Jesse FRENCH

Subs: Rhys MARSH, Aden WADE (NOLAN 45’), Ben ELLUL (SHAW 76’), Brenton GERIBO, Blake PUSELL

Referee – Greg REID

Assistant Referees – Jay WALPOLE and Jackson COCKS

Fourth Official – Andrew NAYLOR

Report by Cal Behrendt, on Twitter @CalBehrendt

Photo courtesy of Pedro Garcia