Durose’s heroics help Olympic regain Cup

Durose pulled off a superb reaction stop in the final minute of normal time to help Olympic hold off a fast-finishing Rangers outfit in blustery conditions. 

A first half double from Vaughan Patterson had put Olympic in the box seat to claim the first major trophy on offer this season. Corrimal got a goal back from the penalty spot through Masahiko Morita midway through the second half to set up a testing final 20 minutes, but Olympic withstood the Rangers assault to lift the silverware.

Olympic coach George Antoniou was in awe of his keeper’s heroics at full time. 

“It was fantastic. One of the best saves I have seen in a long time,” Antoniou said.

“Hats off to him because he trains extremely hard and it is all credit to that training that he does week in, week out.”

Corrimal coach Jason Davkovski shared Antoniou’s view of Durose’s stop and labelled it ‘the save of the season’.

Olympic had been put under immense pressure from the outset, but quickly turned the tide with two goals in three minutes midway through the first half.

Patterson scrambled in his first from close range in the 24^rd minute before heading home at the back post shortly after.

Morita got Corrimal back in the contest after Carter Madden had been clumsily brought down in the box.

With the game on the line, Durose came up with the match’s defining moment at the death. He pulled off a miraculous stop to deny Calum Fleming and help Olympic regain the title they won in 2016. 

“We made it hard difficult at times for ourselves but at the end of the day it is about winning a trophy and we did that,” Antoniou said.

“I am happy for the boys and the club. Obviously it is an important year for the club so to do that on [our 40th] anniversary year is special. We knew they would come at us in the second half being 2-0 up at half time.

“I thought we dealt with it well other than the penalty. The boys showed a lot of character, which is pleasing to see because it can’t always be pretty.”

Davkovski conceded his troops were beaten by a better side on the afternoon. 

“I watched them against Port Kembla and they scored their second half the exact same way. They are a quality team,” he said.

“For my boys, there is a bunch of 19 and 20 year old’s there so I am proud of them.

“To Wollongong Olympic, good on them. They were the better team today and took their chances, it is as simple as that.”

Olympic – who remain in the hunt for the Illawarra Premier League title – and Corrimal will meet again when the regular season resumes next weekend. 

Meanwhile, Port Kembla were too strong for Cringila Lions in the Youth Cup final as they secured come from behind 2-1 win.