Tarrawanna have taken an important three points away from Corrimal when they finished with a 3-1 victory in this round 21 Illawarra Mercury Premier League clash at Memorial Park. The Rangers got off to a flying start when Paul Guido opened the scoring in the eighth minute before the Blueys scored two inside four minutes to lead at the break. The game was then settled in the 56^th minute when Rick Goodchild scored to help them jump back into the top five with just one game to play.

Both teams had the week off last week but neither side was able to grab three points. Corrimal succumbed to a one-all draw with South Coast United whereas Tarrawanna went down to Albion Park, 4-1. The reverse fixture between the sides saw Tarrawanna come away with a 2-0 win at Tarrawanna Oval.

The game started the way of the Rangers, asserting their dominance early on. They looked likely to create something from the wings when in the seventh minute Alvin Ceccoli got on the end of a cross from Lukas Stergio. Jumping the highest, the defender’s header would only sail wide of the back post.

But despite the near miss, they grabbed the first goal of the game just one minute later. It was a cross from the wing again when Matt Galanti dribbled around his defender to deliver a ball into the area. Paul Guido was on the mark as he comfortably headed it into the back of the net, rewarding the home-side for the pressure early on.

There weren’t many chances for either side in the next 10 minutes as both defensive lines held firm. Although, Tarrawanna would go up for one of their first attacks when they were awarded a penalty when Dean Pender was deemed to foul Benjamin Learmoth in the box off a cross. Rick Goodchild made no mistake from the spot, calmly slotting it into the bottom right, equalising for the visitors.

The goal seemed to spark something in the Blueys as they held possession for the next part of the game, and where they grabbed their second in the 24^th minute. It was some nice passing in the midfield that opened up space for Learmonth to send a delicate chipped through-ball to Stephen Lloyd. The clinical striker making no mistake one-on-one with his shot across goal finding the bottom right, giving them the lead after conceding early on.

Tarrawanna continued to dominate the middle part of the game when they had another chance to pull even more ahead. It was a long clearance from the back that forced the Rangers defence into an error that saw Keisuke Hayashi pick up the ball inside Corrimal’s defensive third. The winger was able to put it back on his left foot and curled an effort goal-wards but was tipped out for a corner thanks to a diving save from Nic Loe.

The home-side regained the control of the game within the final 10 minutes of the first half. They came agonisingly close to equalising right on half-time when Guido laid it back to Tomoki Wada in the box. The midfielder sent Blueys goalkeeper, Adam Rodriguez the wrong way with the shot towards the bottom corner, but thankfully for the visitors, the ball bounced off the post and they were able to clear.

That was all the action of the first half.

Corrimal started the stronger between the two sides and continued to look dangerous in the air. Fresh off the bench at halftime, Ben Zucco tried to spark something with his looping cross from the left wing looking for Tim Whylie. Although, the ball was just a bit too high for the captain as he couldn’t angle his header downwards and the ball rose over the bar.

But with plenty of possession and attacking positioning falling their way, Corrimal would be on the end of a devastating counter-attack that saw the Blueys double their lead. The ball was lost inside the Tarrawanna defensive third before Mitchell Ferraro was able to break up field. His nice one-two with Lloyd drew in two defenders that opened up space for Goodchild on the left. Keeping his cool, he was able to go through on goal and slot it in at the near post, finishing off a well-worked play for the visitors.

Hayashi would almost put another past Loe when he ran onto a clever flick on from Lloyd just five minutes after their third goal. But the shot lacked power as it curled into the arms of Loe.

In the 71^st minute, Zucco sent a long cross towards the back post to substitute, Sam Matthews. The ball looked good to find his head but it flew over.

Inside the final 10 minutes, Corrimal had their best chance of the game since scoring. It was another cross from the left from Zucco that saw Guido chest it down in the box to the feet of Wada. His touch and shot from 10 yards looked destined for the back of the net but it was an amazing reflex stop from Rodriguez that saw his team keep their two goal lead.

The game started to slip away from the Rangers, continuing to push forward to pull a goal back, they won a corner in the 88^th minute. After it was whipped into the crowded box, it fell to the feet of Banri Kanaizumi. His first time effort was deflected away from the goal and landed for Cecoli, but it was a similar result for the home side as he sliced his shot over the bar.

Despite any last ditch efforts from Corrimal, Tarrawanna were able to hold onto the 3-1 win to put themselves in prime position to clinch the last playoff spot.

The loss for the Rangers sees them drop down to third following Albion Park’s win. They sit just one-point clear of Wollongong United in fourth and will need to beat Fernhill next week to secure a spot for a second chance in the finals.

As for Tarrawanna, they set up a fifth place playoff with Woonona at home next weekend. They pushed into the top five after the win as they push one point above the Sharks. A point would be enough for the Blueys to secure that spot.

 

Sunday 18 August at Memorial Park

Corrimal Rangers: 1 (GUIDO 8’)

Tarrawanna Blueys: 3 (GOODCHILD 21’ 56’, LLOYD 25’)

 

Line-Ups:

Corrimal Rangers: Nic LOE, Dean PENDER, Jason ZUFIC, Alvin CECOLI, Banri KANAIZUMI, Matthew GALANTI, Lukas STERGIO, Tomoki WADA, Daniel CARRENO, Paul GUIDO, Tim WHYLIE.

Subs: Ben ZUCCO (GALANTI 45’), Sam MATTHEWS (WHYLIE 61’), Peter KYRIAKOUDIS (PENDER 89’), David ZUFIC.

 

Tarrawanna Blueys: Adam RODRIGUEZ, Matthew NAYLOR, Haydyn LLOYD, Michael ROBINSON, Daniel CHAPMAN, Mitchell FERRARO, Keisuke HAYASHI, Benjamin LEARMONTH, Stephen LLOYD, Rick GOODCHILD, Nicolas TOMASIELLO.

Subs: Christian CABO (CHAPMAN 20’), Tyson BLACK (LLOYD 89’), Liam THOMAS (LEARMONTH 76’), Toby DRAIN, Lachlan O’BREE.

 

Referee: Andrew NAYLOR

Assistant Referees: Brodie MERCHANT and DAMIEN DENELLY

 

Report by Nathan Turner, on Twitter @nathanturner23_

Photo courtesy of Noel Wynn