Port Kembla 2 (Jordan Nikolovski 8’, 41’) Bulli 2 (Luke van Zyl 55’, Guy Knight 88’)
Bulli came from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw with Port Kembla at Wetherall Park on Saturday afternoon.
Both sides came into this game off the back of defeats with the hosts going down 2-0 to Wollongong United and the visitors with a shock 2-1 defeat to the at the time winless Bellambi.
It was a flying start for the home side with the side’s top scorer Jordan Nikolovski netting the opener just eight minutes in.
With four minutes to play in the first half, Nikolovski added his second of the match to double Port’s advantage heading into the break.
Bulli substitute Luke van Zyl halved the deficit 10 minutes into the second half before issues were compounded for Port Kembla when in the 70th minute, Peter Richardson was sent off.
With a couple of minutes to play in the match, the visitors found the equaliser through Guy Knight.
In stoppage time, Bulli’s Aaron Baker also got his marching orders.
Despite giving up a two-goal advantage, the point gained sees Port Kembla move level on points with eighth-placed Corrimal.
The Zebras will hope for better fortunes travelling to face a winless Cringila side at Crehan Park next Friday night.
For Bulli, this was the second successive match the side have failed to win which sees them remain two points away from the top five.
The second grade fixture was called off, however, youth grade went ahead with Port Kembla remaining a point off the top after earning a 4-3 victory.
Albion Park White Eagles 3 (Cameron Morgan 24’, 53’, 65’) Corrimal Rangers (Sandy Lowcock 10’)
Cameron Morgan earned his second hat-trick in three matches in Albion Park’s 3-1 come-from-behind victory against Corrimal Rangers at Terry Reserve on Saturday afternoon.
The home side suffered their first defeat of the campaign last week going down 1-0 against Woonona, while Corrimal won 4-1 against Cringila.
The Rangers opened the scoring 10 minutes in through Sandy Lowcock.
Morgan equalised for the hosts midway through the first period before adding his second just after the break.
He would secure his third just after the hour mark to earn the White Eagles all three points.
Albion Park responded to their first defeat of the season in the best way possible earning a victory which sends Alvin Ceccoli’s side back into second place.
The side will now face their toughest test so far, going up against the top of the table and unbeaten Wollongong Olympic at the PCYC.
Corrimal will look to pick themselves when they host to Bellambi next weekend.
In the lower grades, youth grade finished 1-1 while Albion Park picked up a 5-0 win in second grade.
In an entertaining evening at JJ Kelly Park, Wollongong United gave up a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Coniston on Saturday night.
Coniston came into the match after snapping a two-game losing streak with a 1-0 win against Tarrawanna while United last time around earned a professional 2-0 victory over Port Kembla.
Last season’s grand final champions got off to the best possible start, going 2-0 up before the half-hour mark.
Klime Sekutkoski netted just five minutes in before Dinko Terzic scored for the third week running when doubled the lead 27 minutes in.
Seven minutes later, Coniston pulled a goal back through central defender Takayuki Kayano.
Deep into first-half added time, Ekoue D’Almeida levelled the scores with a goal on debut for Coniston.
This proved the last goal of the game following a goalless second period.
This was Coniston’s first draw of the season and a positive point considering both their defeats this season had come to sides in the top three.
Coniston will go into the match at Balls Paddock against a stuttering Bulli outfit with great confidence on Saturday.
Wollongong United will hope to get back to winning ways when they face last-placed South Coast United at home.
In the lower grades, Wollongong United ended Coniston’s perfect record in youth grade getting up 3-1 while in second grade, United earned a 7-1 win against Coniston.
South Coast United 0 Tarrawanna Blueys 3 (Greg Valic OWN GOAL 53’, Jacob Gjorsevski 54’ 84’)
Tarrawanna moved to within three points of the top five with a 3-0 victory over a pointless South Coast United.
Tarrawanna inconsistent start to the campaign continued last weekend with a 1-0 defeat to Coniston while South Coast United continued their struggles with a 2-0 loss to Wollongong Olympic.
An own goal 53 minutes in from player-coach Greg Valic and substitute Jacob Gjorsevski’s first goal of the match a minute later sent the visitors into a two-goal advantage.
Gjorsevski scored his second of the game with six minutes to play earning Tarrawanna the three points.
The Blueys are now unbeaten in four of their last five matches and will host Woonona Sharks on Saturday afternoon.
South Coast United remain at the foot of the table and will have another tough weekend travelling to face Wollongong United on Saturday.
It was a clean sweep for Tarrawanna with the Youth Grade side winning 3-0, while Second Grade won 5-0.
Bellambi v Cringila and Woonona v Wollongong Olympic were both washed out.
Review by Timothy Gibson, on Twitter @timg123_
Photo by Kiah Hufton
