Wollongong Olympic claimed their second Fraternity Club Bert Bampton Cup title in three seasons after downing Corrimal Rangers 2-1 at Wetherall Park on Sunday afternoon. Olympic had one hand on the cup going into the half-time break after Vaughan Patterson netted twice in three minutes to give Olympic a handy 2-0 lead at the break. Corrimal managed to pull a goal back through a Masahiko Morita penalty in the 72^nd minute but the Rangers were unable to level the scores despite a late charge from the side, Olympic managing to hold on and secure the win and the 2018 Bert Bampton Cup.

Despite entering the match with only one win in their last six matches, Corrimal were determined to make history in their debut Bampton Cup final and the side had a pair of chances from Takeru Okada in the opening five minutes of the match, but Okada was unable to open the scoring with either chance, firing into the arms of Olympic shot-stopper Hayden Durose and firing over the bar respectively.

Corrimal continued to have the best chances of the opening stages of the match, with the Rangers coming extremely close to opening the scoring in the 14^th minute when a free-kick from Masahiko Morita on the left-hand side of the field found the head of Matthew Galanti in the box. But despite Galanti managing to head his effort towards goal, the shot was deflected and pushed out of the box by Jack Keating, ensuring the scores remained level.

After a slower start compared to their opposition, Wollongong Olympic begun to push their way into contention and the side came close to taking the lead in the 21^st minute after a bursting run down the right-hand side of the field from Jack Balmforth allowed the Olympic player to pump the ball into the Rangers box and into the head of Vaughan Patterson, who was able to connect with the cross but much to the relief of Corrimal supporters, Patterson was unable to direct his effort goalward, nodding the ball out left of the goal.

But Patterson did not need to wait long to make amends, with the Olympic player handing his side the lead just three minutes later. After the side was awarded a corner, Olympic managed to push the ball into the box and find Patterson after a scramble in the box by the Corrimal defence. Patterson was able to get a foot to the loose ball and tap home an effort to hand Wollongong Olympic the first goal of the match.

However, Olympic was not done yet and the side netted their second of the afternoon shortly after in the 27^th minute, with Vaughan Patterson again at the center of the play. After a free-kick found its way to Luke Foster, the Olympic player managed to push out a great ball that found Patterson in the box, with the Olympic midfielder nodding his effort past Corrimal gloveman Daniel Arcaba and pushing Olympic to a two-goal lead.

Olympic had a strong chance to take the game by the throat in the 30^th minute when a Shun Tokuno corner found the head of Yusuke Ueda on the right-hand post, but Ueda’s header was too difficult of an angle for the Olympic striker to meet and his effort just sailed wide of the post, a narrow miss that stopped Corrimal from having a miracle to pull off in the second half.

But the Rangers still had a big ask ahead of them heading into the second half of the match, and it appeared that the side was up to that challenge in the opening minutes of the second half, with Corrimal come agonizingly close to pulling a goal back in the 49^th minute. Corrimal’s Timothy Wylie was key to the play, which saw him speed down the field with the ball and fire an effort off at Hayden Durose, with the Olympic shot-stopper making a fantastic save to tip the ball out and keep Olympic’s two goal advantage safe.

Corrimal had another chance go begging in the 61^st minute after a ball along the ground from Takeru Okada found Matthew Galanti in the box, but Galanti was unable to direct his shot either side of Olympic’s Hayden Durose, who made a simple stop to keep Corrimal running without a goal.

But the Rangers finally saw a breakthrough in the 71^st minute after substitute Carter Madden was brought down in the box, giving Masahiko Morita a chance to pull a goal back from the penalty spot. Morita - who had scored in every match of Corrimal’s run to their first Bampton Cup final – needed no hesitation, firing off a simple penalty that sent Olympic keeper Hayden Durose the wrong way and fired the Rangers right back into the match.

Seeking a third goal that would all but secure the win, Wollongong Olympic continued to fire back at Corrimal and the side came close to restoring their two goal lead in the 81^st minute after substitute Julian Minutillo was given the ball in a promising location on the right hand side of the Rangers box, Minutillo fired off a powerful shot that was only kept out by a phenomenal save by Rangers gloveman Daniel Arcaba, tipping the ball over the crossbar to keep his side fighting.

Corrimal had a golden chance to level the scores and force extra-time in the 89^th minute after substitute Klime Sekutkoski managed to link up with fellow substitute Jamie Wakeling and push a ball into the Olympic box behind the backline. The ball managed to find the foot of Calum Fleming but his shot was unable to find the back of the net despite beating a diving Hayden Durose, Fleming’s effort rocketing off the crossbar and back into play, much to the relief of the Olympic support.

Despite Morita’s penalty sparking a spirited fightback from the Rangers, Corrimal was unable to net a second goal and level the scores, Wollongong Olympic holding on to secure a 2-1 win and claim the Bert Bampton Cup for only the third time in their history.

Both sides now turn their attention to the final stages of the 2018 Illawarra Mercury Premier League season, with a Bampton Cup final rematch the next match for both sides, with Corrimal travelling to PCYC to take on Olympic next Saturday. Olympic have secured a finals spot with four matches to go, but the side will be seeking to make a late charge towards league leaders Bulli heading into September.

For the Rangers, the side needs to win every single one of their last four matches and hope that Port Kembla are unable to claim two points in their final four matches if they wish to play in September, but the Rangers will be looking to turn the record around instantly and gain revenge for their Bampton Cup final loss against Wollongong Olympic next round.

Sunday 29 July 2018 at Wetherall Park.

Corrimal Rangers FC – 1 (Morita 72’)

Wollongong Olympic – 2 (Patterson 24’, 27’)

Corrimal Rangers FC: Daniel ARCABA, Jason ZUFIC, Angelo HAJITTOFI, Calum FLEMING, Karouna MICHEAL, Joshua GERSBACH, Takeru OKADA, Kyle KIRKLAND, Timothy WYLIE, Matthew GALANTI, Masahiko MORITA

Subs: Carter MADDEN (GERSBACH 45’), Klime SEKUTKOSKI (WYLIE 78’), Peter KYRIAKOUDES, Jamie WAKELING (HAJITTOFI 82’), Blake COAD

Wollongong Olympic: Hayden DUROSE, Kojiro HORI, Jack KEATING, Jake DUCZYNSKI, Shun TOKUNO, Lukas STERGIOU, Vaughan PATTERSON, Brendan FORDHAM, Luke FOSTER, Jack BALMFORTH, Yusuke UEDA

Subs: Julian MINUTILLO (FOSTER 74’), Matthew FLORO (BALMFORTH 87’), Haydyn LLOYD, David HARTAS (STERGIOU 69’), Christian PRETTO

Referee – Peter ILCEVSKI

Assistant Referees – Nick RYAN and Caleb BLANCH

Fourth Official – Greg REID

Report by Cal Behrendt, on Twitter @CalBehrendt

Photo Courtesy of Pedro Garcia