Albion Park White Eagles were ruthless in their 4-0 smashing of fellow powerhouses Wollongong Olympic on Saturday afternoon at Terry Reserve.
Tory Musumeci got Albion Park off to a great start within five minutes – giving them the lead heading into halftime. The second half started slowly, but the White Eagles put Olympic to the sword after Stefan Dimoski scored his first in the 69th minute. Substitute Liam Wille came off the bench to find the before Stefan Dimoski added his second in stoppage time.
Albion Park proved threatening from set pieces early on and took the lead from one in the fourth minute. Brendan Griffin whipped in a free-kick towards the middle, which Musumeci nodded past Olympic goalkeeper Justin Pasfield.
The White Eagles almost scored again from a free-kick three minutes later when Griffin’s cross met Dimoski’s head, but the ball bounced wide of the left post.
The first half saw plenty of hefty challenges fly in from the teams as they battled for some control over the ball.
The visitors created their first real chance of the match 18 minutes in when White Eagles goalkeeper Hayden Durose caught Rick Goodchild’s header.
On the half-hour mark, they threatened once more when Jarvis Paterson motored down the left and crossed it in for Izaak Clarke, who slid just wide with his shot.
The first half ended with few chances falling either way, but the hosts held a slender lead.
The second period got off to a more of a timid start.
Just after the hour mark, Musumeci’s deflected free-kick for Albion Park almost spun into the goal but for a top save from Ben McGuinnes – who had replaced Pasfield at halftime – to tip it over.
Another of Albion Park’s sporadic chances from set pieces provided a goal 69 minutes in. A set piece from the left found James O’Rourke at the far post. The defender headed back into the middle for Dimoski, who managed to nod the ball over McGuinnes.
The floodgates seemed to open for the hosts in the match’s latter stages as they scored twice more.
In the 87th minute, the ball was switched out to Wille on the right, who drove further into the box before rifling a fierce effort off the crossbar and in.
In the dying embers, the lively Dimoski took advantage of the tired Olympic defence and grabbed another goal. Hamish Lamberton played a clever ball to pick out Dimoski, and the winger squeezed a shot past McGuinnes and into the right of the goal.
The result pushes Albion Park ahead of Olympic on points for now – although the latter have a game in hand.
Coniston’s defeat against Cringila this week makes Albion Park’s three points all the more important. With one less game played, they are now only two behind league leaders Cono.
The Whites Eagles play that game in hand on Tuesday night against Port Kembla, while Olympic are also in action on Tuesday night, travelling to Helensburgh.
Report by Tim Gibson
Photos courtesy of Kiah Hufton
