Illawarra Premier League Season 2023

FIXTURES AND RESULT

ROUND 13

Cringila Lions play Wollongong Olympic. Both sides are seeking to consolidate their top five position and are vying for 2nd Place and hoping for an Albion Park White Eagles slip up.

Cringila Lions are immediately on the attack from kickoff.

Zucco clears the ball under pressure. The Lions gain possession after a dangerous Olympic attack.

Harry Callahan attacks the ball in the Lions penalty area.

Olympic defend the cross from right midfield.

There is tight struggle for possession of the football.

Ekoue D’almeida pushes forward and distributes the ball into the attacking zone.

Zucco uses the left flank to lauch a Lions attack.

Peter Simonoski’s shot is snuffled by Olympic Cristofer Fuentes.

Jonah Kalmanidis switches the point of attack.

Zucco breaks through the Olympic defence.

Nikola Ristevski makes a great save. 0-0.

Ekoue D’almeida closely marks Rick Goodchild.

Lions take to the field for the second half.

Olympic make tactical adjustments after the send-off.

Down to ten, Olympic look to break the deadlock.

Captain Simonoski makes a crucial defensive header.

Anthony Krsteski on a left-wing raid crosses the ball into the penalty area.

Reo Hirose puts it away for the Lions in the 96′. Lions 1 Olympic 0.

FT: Cringila Lions 1 Wollongong Olympic 0

round 12

Bulli FC 1901 are at home to Port Kembla FC. Port are knocking on the door for a finals series spot and will leapfrog Bulli 1901 if they win. Bulli 1901 will be keen to keep up their excellent recent form and put pressure on the leaders. A beautiful sunny autumn day albeit with a chilling south-westerly. Ideal conditions for what promise to be an exciting close encounter.

Bulli 1901 are compact in defence as launch an early Port attack.

Daniel Carella plucks the ball out of the air.

Shotaro shoots with Kyle Jackson scrambling to get to the ball.

Braeden Kludass saves the Shotaro strike with his feet.

Bulli 1901 defence holds firm and gets the away from the danger zone.

Shotaro on the ball and is acting as the target man for the Port attack.

Slide tackle halting Bulli 1901 progress forward.

Port appeal for a penalty when the ball is shot at close range hitting Julian Clarino.

The referee waves away the penalty appeal.

Shotaro searches for space in the Bulli 1901 penalty area.

Braeden Kludass smoothers Shotaro’s shot.

Port defence reduces the space available to Ben McDonald.

Alexander Rooke races onto the ball and crosses.

Mathew Nikolovski saves. The score remains 0-0.

Jordan Nikolovski is on the ball deep into Bulli territory.

Jordan Nikolovski gets the cross in under pressure.

Foul. A direct free kick is awarded to Port.

Oliver Carrasco fires the ball towards goal.

The keeper can only watch the ball fly into the net.

The half continues in the same furious manner. Halftime: 0-1.

Mitchell Di Pietro surges forward up the right flank.

Shotaro Iwamoto goes up the right wing followed by Lewis Grimshaw in hot pursuit.

Shotaro shoots from the edge of the box.

Bulli 1901 get one back late in the half.

Sam Davies in the 87′ pegs it back to 1-3.

Port move up the ladder and above Bulli 1901.

ROUND 11

Albion Park White Eagles v Wollongong United

Runaway leaders Albion Park White Eagles are at home, and they take on Wollongong United who need the points to keep in the premiership race.

Taiga Kitajima and Seiji Kawakami challenge for the ball.

An early corner is awarded to the White Eagles.

Rene Vescio wins the ball in midfield for United.

Hayden Durose commands the air in the White Eagles’ penalty area.

Christopher Nathaniel brings the ball up the right wing.

Joshua Macdonald shoots from just inside the penalty area.

Gaol! White Eagles 1 Wollongong United 0 (32′).

White Eagles celebrate their early lead.

Brendan Mitrovski clears the ball to safety.

White Eagles use the right flank to launch attacking raids.

Joshua Macdonald strikes the Taiga Kitajima cross.

White Eagles celebrate the Macdonald brace.

White Eagles keep up the attacking intensity as the half nears its conclusion.

United come out all guns blazing seeking to get back into the match.

Danny Lazarevski pushes forward to add additional thrust to the United attack.

Danny Lazarevski loops a header over the goalkeeper.

United pull one back. White Eagles 2 Wollongong United 1 (51′).

United up the attacking momentum to look for a way back to peg back the White Eagles’ lead.

A tenacious White Eagles defence holds firm.

Dion Shaw is red-carded. United are down to 10 men.

Bulli FC 1901 v Cringila Lions

Bulli FC 1901 and Cringila Lions meet and will be seeking to consolidate their positions in the top five and keep within striking distance of White Eagles who top the table. A wintery southerly is blowing down the ground.

A heavily strapped Ben Zucco starts the game in a forward role.

Michael Mendes’ side-foot volley from the Zucco cross rattles the upright.

Stefan Dimoski crosses to an advancing Anthony Krsteski.

Bulli 1901 scramble the ball away to safety.

Ben McDonald shoots for goal in a Bulli 1901 counter.

Lewis Grimshaw sets up a Bulli 1901 attack.

Halftime: Bulli FC 1901 0 Cringila Lions 0.

Bulli 1901 aim the high ball at McDonald as they go after an equalizer.

Ryan Akhurst’s last ditch tackle keeps the score at 0-1.

Stefan Dimoski uses the left flank to launch an attack.

Braeden Kludass punches clear. Score remains 0-1.

Yuki Hashimoto with a laser like header.

Final score: Bulli FC 1901 1 Cringila Lions 1.

ROUND 10

Traditional rivals Wollongong United and Wollongong Olympic meet with both clubs needing a win to stay in touch with the leaders White Eagles.

Yuto Sugiura breaks through the United defence and shoots for the lefthand top corner.

United on the counter through Joshua Correia.

Cristofer Fuentes makes a lightning reflex dive.

Rick Goodchild is looking for a way through the United defence.

Shielding the ball in a contest for possession.

Olympic attack spearheaded by Yuto Sugiura.

Deflection from the wall is cleared to safety.

Looking to use depth to launch an Olympic attack.

Disguised pass sets off an Olympic wing attack.

Penalty hits the bar and bounces back into play. The score remains 0-0.

Fuentes saves the penalty with a strong left hand.

David Hartas looks on from the fence after his 45′ send-off.

Fuentes gathers the ball in under pressure.

United keeper punches Olympic shot to safety.

Seiji Kawakami use the spaces in the middle of the park.

United thrust into Olympic penalty area.

United celebrate Mitsuo Yamada goal. United 1 Olympic 0 (72′).

Round 9 Port Kembla FC v Coniston FC

If Port win they will be in the Top 5, while Coniston have a new coach and are looking to get back into the Premiership mix.

Port enter the field and the game is about to start.

An early attacking flurry by Port from the kick-off.

Tomislav Arcaba with safe hands looks to quickly start a counterattack.

Quickfire Cono counter. Matthew Floro strikes on goal.

Shotaro Iwamoto takes a long-range strike on goal.

Arcaba tips the cannonball strike over the bar.

Sebastian Tomasiello defends using a slide tackle.

Kayano drives towards the Coniston goal.

Kayano goes outside to round the defender.

Kayano cuts the ball back along the ground through the defensive lines.

The deflected strike flies to safety over the crossbar.

Jason Zufic is wide on the right flank to spread the Port defence.

Norval hits the ball through the Port defence.

Floro strikes from the edge of the penalty box.

ROUND 9: Tarrawanna Blueys v Wollongong Olympic.

The weather is cool and sunny. The Blueys need points to create a buffer to the relegation spot. Olympic need to keep pace in the race for the premiership.

Round 9 : Tarawanna Blueys v Wollongong Olympic

Olympic close down Daniel Chapman in a high paced start.

Mitchell Brooker uses the outside of his foot to start a Blueys attack from the deep.

Nick Littler starts an Olympic attack down the left-wing.

Guy Knight uses the left in an Olympic build-up.

Harrison Jones sees red for a rash sliding studs up challenge.

Rodriguez saves. The ball deflects off the upright.

Yuto Sugiura cuts back the ball from the goal line.

Littler’s strike nestles in the right-hand corner.

Jonathon Michalopoulos evades the challenge.

ROUND 8: weekend Lead up to anzac day

Soccer posts can be seen in the background during the ‘Peace Procession at Ball’s Paddock, 1919’. (Picture comes from ‘Greetings from Woonona and Bulli’ by Mick Roberts)

Soccer has a long and distinguished history in the Illawarra with some of the oldest clubs in the world. The Illawarra has had a blast of autumn Antarctic air, bringing a cool wet chill. Fields are likely to be heavy for the weekend’s games.

Bulli FC 1901 v Tarrawanna Blueys

Bulli FC are at home to nextdoor rivals Tarrawanna Blueys. Both need points to consolidate their positions mid-table.

Ben McDonald’s knock-down header off a corner narrowly misses Kyle Jackson at the near post.

Riku Kano turns the Bulli 1901 penalty zone.

Kano pivot wrong footing the Bulli defence.

Kano’s shot is blocked by Yuki Hashimoto.

Adam Rodriguez clears the ball under pressure from Kyle Jackson at the near post.

Gaol! Bulli FC 1901 1 Tarrawanna Blueys 0 (90′).

Ben McDonald power header into the top right hand corner. Bulli 1901 2 Blueys 0 (51′).

Lewis Grimshaw crosses to Ben McDonald sprinting to the far post.

Adam Rodriguez makes an excellent save during a downpour.

Grimshaw drives the ball across the keeper.

Matias Toro Suazo take a direct from 20m.

The Matias Toro Suazo direct rocket swerves and dips into the top left hand corner.

Bulli FC 1901 4 Tarrawanna Blueys 1 (77′).

Jarvis Paterson fires at goal from inside the box and straight in front.

Final score: Bulli FC 1901 6 Tarrawanna Blueys 1

HELENSBURG THISTLE 1895 V CRINGILA LIONS

A perfect autumn day. This should be another interesting match-up, the Thistles have been a team difficult to beat and they remain undefeated. The Lions need a win to jump up into the premiership mixer.