It was a windy encounter under the lights at Corrimal for the round 11 catch up match between an in-form Corrimal Rangers and a determined Kiama turnout.

Corrimal emerged victorious thanks to four goals, all belonging to top marksman - Mark Picciolini (8’, 10’, 18’, 90’) on his birthday of all days, cancelling out the one scored by Chris Christodoulou (22’) for the Quarriers. Both teams moved the ball with ease on the well-kept, yet soft pitch with a numerous number of intricate passing plays from both sides as well as effective darting runs forward.

The game started with electricity with the first chance happening moments after Corrimal kicked off. Corrimal turned the ball over deep in their half when left back Nathan Belsito was dispossessed by an energetic James Donland who dribbled into the box near the the right hand touch line getting as close as the 6 yard box unchallenged before his poked shot collected the side netting.

The odds seemed to begin in Kiama’s favour, however the early startle sprung the top of the table side into action taking only eight minutes for M. Picciolini to net his first after a low cross from Christopher Stevanovski on the left which found the Kiama defence whose miss kick led to the ball being brought down on the chest by M. Picciolini as he volleyed home from 10 yards right in front.

Corrimial were hungry for more, as it was only two minutes later when M. Picciolini scored again, this time with the assistance from brother Luke Picciolini whose through ball had M. Picciolini who was thought to be offside by Kiama latch on early enough to touch around on rushing keeper (Dylan Mcdonald and poke home for the second of the evening.

Kiama looked to bounce back from being two goals down with an eagerness to win the ball when not in possession and fast movement off the ball forward. Just as they did, it was M. Picciolini who literally broke their backs as he was next to score in the sixteenth minute when L. Picciolini found himself in a tight 1v1 situation on the right hand sideline, rounding his man to the edge of the touchline to fire in a low cross into a very crowded penalty area only to find his brother on the half volley back across goal at his far post.

Desperate to salvage hope in the game, Kiama’s Christodoulou found the net in the 22nd minute with an exceptional display of strength, precision and determination when he leaped above three corrimal defenders to head the ball top right corner past Corrimal keeper Mitch Blowes following a free kick whipped in from 25 yards out on the right side.

The Half finished with both team’s midfields tussling for the ball, both number 8’s Dean Land and Paul Guido involved in much of what happened. The second half began much slower than that of the first with what seemed like both teams looking to get back to just playing football. the game seemed very well balanced across the park with an equal share of possession throughout the second stanza.

It was Kiama who looked most like scoring with a number of chances at goal, one belonging to Daniel Swinton who’s left foot shot was a fraction too high in the 70th minute, Land’s shot from the edge of the eighteen six minutes later to follow suit, and Land again who’s volley from the eighteen following a Donland cross’s clearance blitzing agonisingly over the bar a minute later.

Corrimal were not without chances late in the second half, one of which was sent soaring over the bar from 8 yards in front by Guido when M. Picciolini opted to pass across the face of goal instead of shooting himself.

In the 83rd minute an incredible displace of goal keeping by McDonald to block a shot point blank 8 yards out by M. Picciolini tipping it onto the cross bar saw a move repeated by Corrimal a few minutes later when Guido poked a cheeky through ball for M. Picciolini to muscle past his man and slot bottom corner from the left hand side to cap off his wonderous night in the 90th minute.

 

 

Wednesday 22nd June 2016

Memorial Park - Corrimal

 

Corrimal Rangers - 4

Kiama Quarriers - 1

 

Corrimal Rangers: Mitchell Blowes, Vasko Mitkovski, David Bescos, Nathan Belsito, Gavin O’Brien, Paul Guido, Domenic Mcgill, Mark Picciolini, Luke Picciolini, Save Treneski, Christopher Stevanovski,

Substitutions: Jacob Miller, Andrew Nanos, Kolan Hmda

 

Kiama Quarriers: Dylan Mcdonald, Daniel Gillespie, Chris Hill, Kane Rowe, Dean Land, Thomas Cunliffe, Daniel Swinton, Todd Wade, Chris Christodoulou, Mitchell Gowland,

Substitutions: Aaron Buzinki,James Spence, Col Studmau, Harry Stimson, Dean Beichart

 

Report by Sammy Jordan

Photo by Pedro Garcia (Library Archive)