The whirlwind 2022 Blackmore-Bolden season continues with one of the tightest competitions ever seen that sees no team safe in the standings.
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If you were a betting man, you'd want to stand well clear of this tournament as the matches continue to pump unpredictable results as the landscape of the league continues to shake up each week.
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One this is for certain though, with only four rounds left in the regular season, it really is do or die time for every team hoping to secure top four positioning.
Culburra Cougars v Huskisson Seagulls
The reinvigorated Culburra Cougars and fierce Huskisson Seagulls combined for a supremely entertaining match that resulted in a deadlock at 2-2.
The Cougars were dealt some unfortunate blows with Mitch Blundell and Kasey Kulcsar both unable to suit up for the team, but they persevered to evenly lock horns with Huski.
Both sides played a strong first half with Huski gaining overall more possession, however Burra made use of every opportunity they got. The Seagulls were first to strike through Tim White who hammered the ball home to put the side up 1-0.
Burra had two goals disallowed as a result of off-sides but found the net right before halftime thanks to Jack Fay.
Coming out of the half it was yet again some more chippy action between the two sides that eventually boiled over into a penalty goal which Doug Gray promptly nailed as he continued his run of strong play. It looked like Burra had secured the win with five minutes to play before a penalty was awarded to Huski.
Skipper Gary Niemeier stepped up and nailed it to tie up the game, which would see the teams walk off in a draw.
With this result Huskisson remain in second place while Culburra sits tied for fifth.
Illaroo Kangaroos v Milton-Ulladulla Panthers
The Illaroo Kangaroos walked away smiling after securing a big win over the Milton-Ulladulla Panthers on Saturday, 1-0.
Sam Leedham, Angus Hoskin and Lachlan Thevenin returned to bolster Illaroo's backline, allowing the team to try out a new attacking style with the defense set.
The Roos came fast out of the gates which seemed to stun the Panthers slightly. Alex Cheyne won a penalty early but it was unfortunately fired into the crossbar and headed over.
At the half hour mark both sides began to find their rhythm as it became a back and forth affair with chances either side.
It was at the 70 minute mark that an unfortunate deflection for the Panthers saw defender Rhys Wilson wrong foot the keeper from an Evan Leedham cross which put Ilaroo on the board.
That one goal was enough for Illaroo to see the game out and claim all three points. In a momentous shift, Illaroo are now just one point behind Milton in the race for the top four.
The Panthers have now lost six of their last seven games as they narrowly hold on to their positioning.
St Georges Basin Dragons v Shoalhaven United Bears
The Dragons secured an incredibly important victory against a tough United squad in a game that went down to the wire.
This was an essential win for both sides if they wanted to keep their top four aspirations alive.
It started out again as a pretty rugged affair before another unfortunate own goal from the weekend, put United up 1-0 thanks to unlucky bounce that careened off Basin's Fraser MacQueen.
Jake Moffat can't go long without a goal though and quickly tied up things for his side at 1-1.
It would then continue to be a gutsy back and forth affair that saw opportunities on each side that couldn't be capitalised on.
Enter Blake McGinn who put in one of the clutchest goals of the season as he found the net with just two minutes remaining in the contest, with the goal being just his second of the season.
Basin walked away winners 2-1, with the implications of the match being even more important for the side.
With this win the Dragons jump into third place, if the game had remained a draw they would be in sixth. It puts the club in prime position for the next game which is away against Huskisson.
Shoalhaven Heads-Berry Sharks v Manyana Wanderers
The young Heads squad continue to streak as their latest victims Manyana put up a hell of a fight to try and slow down the current league giant.
While the Sharks got off to a quick start through Conor Edenden who he put his side on the board just five minutes in, it would actually be an incredibly tight affair down until the final 25 minutes of the match.
It all went downhill for Manyana when Paddy Buchan was sent off the field because soon after everything went wrong.
Edenden had his double just seven minutes, before two own goals in a four minute span saw the Wanderers down 4-0 and well out of the realm of securing a comeback win.
With this victory the Sharks remain in top positioning at 8-2 on the season and six points ahead of Huskisson, which really helps to separate them from the rest of the pack who all continue to battle for positioning.
The sixth place Bomaderry Tigers had the bye this week.
Current Standings - 30/7/22
- Shoalhaven Heads-Berry Sharks - 8 wins, 2 losses, 2 draws
- Huskisson Seagulls - 6 wins, 2 losses, 5 draws
- St Georges Basin Dragons - 5 wins, 4 losses, 4 draws
- Milton-Ulladulla Panthers - 5 wins, 6 losses, 1 draw
- Illaroo Kangaroos - 4 wins, 5 losses, 3 draws
- Bomaderry Tigers - 4 wins, 5 losses, 3 draws
- Culburra Cougars - 4 wins, 3 losses, 5 draws
- Shoalhaven United Bears - 4 wins, 7 losses, 1 draw
- Manyana Wanderers - 2 wins, 8 losses, 2 draws