Balgownie and Kiama shared the spoils in an entertaining District League clash. The game ebbed and flowed, with both teams battling for a crucial 3 points that had the potential to push them away from the bottom of the ladder. However, the points would be shared when Kiama clinched an equaliser via a penalty in the dying minutes of the match.

The game may have a had a slow start, courtesy of a net issue that delayed the kick-off, but it wasn't long until the game sprung into life, as Kiama's Chris Christodoulou burst into the box in the third minute, hitting a ball across that ultimately failed to find a teammate. The attack may not have been fruitful, but it was certainly a sign of the attacking nature of the match to come.

In the 14^th minute, Kiama found themselves with another opportunity to score following a series of ‘one-twos’ that saw them carve up Balgownie’s defence. Balgownie successfully cleared the ball but a nervy period for the Rangers had begun.

A minute later, a Balgownie defender found himself with the ball on the by-line, who while attempting to clear the ball, smashed it into Kiama's Kanata Yojo, who only stood a metre away from the goal. Fortunately for Balgownie, the ball rebounded across the goal rather than in it.

However, it was only another minute later that Kiama had the ball in the back of the net. Catching Balgownie off their guard, Kiama’s Shinya Yamanaka played a short corner to Christodoulou, who hit a perfect cross towards the back post, which was headed home by midfielder, Dan Gillespie.

In the 20^th minute, Kiama had a good opportunity for a second, after a high ball slipped through the hands of Balgownie’s keeper, Hugh Bahnert. However, the ball alluded all Kiama's attackers, giving Balgownie some much-needed relief, which allowed them to recompose themselves before mounting a comeback.

It was around the half an hour mark that the heavens opened, as did the defences of both sides, with four goals scored in the final 15 minutes of the half.

In the 30^th minute, Balgownie was gifted an equaliser by Kiama keeper, Callum Crapp. Crapp looked to have Abdullah Chhipah’s innocuous cross covered but stumbled giving himself no chance of catching the ball as it glided over his head.

The lucky break gave Balgownie, and Chhipah in particular, the impetus to go and score a second. In the 35^th minute, Chhipah wove his way through the box, before cutting the ball onto his left foot on the right corner of the 6- yard box. From there Chhipah could not have hit a more beautiful finish, as his curling effort buried itself in the very top corner of the goal.

However, Balgownie’s lead was short lived as Kiama drew the scores level in the 38^th minute after winning a free kick a few meters beyond the right-hand side of the 18-yard box. Standing over the ball, Christodoulou shaped to float the ball into the mixer, but instead, cunningly cut the ball back to Yamanaka waiting at the top of the box. Yamanaka hit a driven shot across the surface, that took a deflection before nestling into the bottom corner.

Following a similar pattern to the aftermath of their first goal, Balgownie had a golden opportunity to score another when Bahnert dropped another high ball. This time the ball bounced out to Kane Rowe, who missed the target after his lob over the crowd in front of the goal failed to dip under the bar.

On the stroke of half time, Rowe would be involved in a goal, alas for Balgownie, after he brought down Chhipah in the box. Mathew McCoy stood up to the spot and successfully converted via the underside of the crossbar.

The second half was always going to be difficult to emulate the thrilling opening 45 minutes. Chances were few and far between for both sides, with the best of the chances falling to Balgownie who looked to hit Kiama on the counter while remaining compact in defence.

The ploy almost came off twice, when Chhipah was put through in two similar circumstances. Having burst past the Kiama defence with his blistering pace, Chhipah was let down by his heavy touch, with Crapp cleaning up the scraps on both occasions.

After the match had meandered it's way along in the opening 38 minutes of the half, it suddenly burst back into life when Kiama substitute, Col Stubman, cracked a half-volley from the top of the box that cannoned into the far upright.

This effort rejuvenated Kiama’s search for a late equaliser which they managed to find in the 87^th minute from the spot. Yamanaka stood up and confidently smashed the ball into the back of the net bringing the scores all square once again.

Kiama looked the most likely to grab a late winner, but it wasn’t to be, with the referee putting an end to the game following Bahnert’s save that prevented Matt Hiriart’s stoppage-time effort from finding its way into the top corner of the goal.

Both teams will consider themselves unlucky to go home without 3 points but will both have to improve when they take on top opposition next week.

Kiama takes on Oak Flats next Thursday night, while Balgownie takes on the undefeated Bellambi on Saturday – a match in which they will have to produce their best performance of the season to secure a result.

23 June 2019 @ Judy Masters Oval

Balgownie – 3 (Chhipah 30’,35’, McCoy 45’)

Kiama – 3 (D. Gillespie 16’, Yamanaka 38’, 87’)

Balgownie – Hugh BAHNERT, Luke MCDONALD, Ben KEARTON, Mathew MCOY, Lachlan VENEY, Jim YOUSEF, Jackson DUMMETT, Alex MORLANDO, Zac CRAW, Sebastian DALLAS, Abdullah CHHIPA.

Substitutes – Nathan BELLINATO, Fred GEORGE, James MCCLELLAND, Deniz TAN.

Kiama – Callum CRAPP, Matt HIRIART, Mitch GOWLAND, Aaron BUZINKI, Kyle JELLIPPE, Jye MARKS, Kane ROWE, Kanata KOJO, Chris CHRISTODOULOU, Shinya YAMANAKA.

Substitutes – Tom SNOW (on for Rowe), Col STUDMAN (on for Kojo), Jay MONTGOMERY.

Referee – Jackson COCKS.

Assistants – Caleb BLANCH, Gareth JENKINS.

Report by Nic Wilson, on twitter @_nicwilson

Photo courtesy of Noel Wynn