![Balgownie capped off a stellar week with a 3-0 win against Community League outfit Albion Park. Pictures by Adam McLean Balgownie capped off a stellar week with a 3-0 win against Community League outfit Albion Park. Pictures by Adam McLean](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/181794477/4781f51a-b9e8-47fd-8ee1-175883ec3593.jpg/r0_0_3000_2929_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The Illawarra football scene is underway with some interesting results in the first round of the Bert Bampton Cup competition.
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District and Community League sides locked horns over the weekend in order to progress to the next round, with the potential of a meeting with a Premier League powerhouse such as defending champions Olympic, Cringila or Wollongong United down the track.
With the IPL and District League set to commence next weekend (March 1-3), it also provided teams with a final chance at impressing before the round robin competition starts.
It was a proud moment for Community League side Albion Park, led by former IPL winning coach Jeff Allport as they competed in a men's premiership competition for the first time since 1999 against Balgownie Rangers.
The District League side got the better of the contest in the end, winning 3-0. It capped off a proud week for the Rangers, after their were officially announced as a being a member of the worldwide Club of Pioneers group, which confirmed their status as Australia's oldest running club.
Picton Rangers progressed to the next round in their all-District League game against Thirroul with a 3-2 win thanks to goals from Craig Cooley, Troy Senuik and Kaelan Locke.
In the other fixtures, there were two 6-3 wins for Oak Flats and Warilla against Hill Top and Coledale respectively, whilst Shoalhaven thumped Bellambi 4-1 and Berkeley beat UOW 3-0.
Unanderra and Gerringong's match was washed out and will be played at another time.
IPL clubs are set to enter the draw in the next round.