Wolves and Bankstown share spoils at WIN Stadium

The Wolves had taken the lead in the first-half when Tynan Diaz slotted home from the penalty spot after Brody Crane had dramatically saved Zlatko Joseski?s penalty a quarter of an hour earlier.
Andres Gomez?s dismissal saw Bankstown gain control in the closing stages, and Robert Mileski accordingly snatched a late leveller in a truly entertaining encounter.
The home-side escaped an early scare when a goalmouth scramble ended up in the able hands of Brody Crane, who had a tremendous game in between the sticks.
At the other end of the pitch Bankstown were let off the hook on several occasions when Gomez, Diaz, and Tayfun Buyokkopru failed to hit the target.
Bankstown earned a penalty after 13? minutes when Hassan Salameh was brought down in the box by Nick McInerney. Goalkeeper Zlatko Joseski stepped up to take the penalty only to see his placed shot clinically saved by Crane, diving low to his right. The rebound was fired over from Salameh.
The Wolves then went within inches of adding to Joseski?s blushes immediately after when Buyokkopru collected their quick goal kick and lobbed the backtracking goalkeeper from within his own half. The spectacular lob landed on roof of the empty goal, earning the applause of the home supporters.
The penalty miss appeared to spur Bankstown on, however Crane was equal to everything they threw at him, saving from Steve Liavas and Richard Luksic.
The patient approach from the Wolves paid off when they were awarded a penalty on 28? minutes. Buyokkopru?s free-kick found Sean van Rooyen unmarked at the far post. The New Zealand-born midfielder?s centre struck the upraised arm of Ali Haydar, earning the home-side the penalty, and the defender a yellow card.
Tynan Diaz, playing as makeshift striker in the absence of Mark Picciolini, held his nerve to slot the penalty into bottom right corner and open the scoring.
South Coast Wolves should have extended their advantage just before half-time when Gomez teed up Jason Trifiro in the box; however the playmaker?s finish was weak and easily gathered by Joseski.
Buyokkopru again went within inches of scoring on 48? minutes when his free-kick struck the goalpost. Lisandro Berbis rocketed the rebound wide.
Crane did exceptionally well to maintain the Wolves? lead 10? minutes later when he rushed off his line and spread his frame to block Liavas? shot from a tight angle.
The Wolves narrowly missed a couple of chances to grab a second goal when Gomez and Diaz both went close with Joseski well beaten on both occasions.
The momentum of the match radically shifted a quarter of an hour from full time when Gomez saw his second yellow card of the match for an ill-timed challenge on Joseski after receiving his original caution for kicking the ball away late in the first half.
Bankstown used their man advantage to press forward and found an equaliser on 84? minutes when Maralite skinned Chris Nathaniel in the box and crossed low for Mileski, who hit a Wolves defender with his original shot before firing home the rebound.
Crane kept the Wolves in the match when he tipped over Chris Godoy Bascur?s rasping drive and then held Salameh?s effort before Berbis cleared the final shot of the match off the line to hold onto their share of the points.
Wolves? coach Trevor Morgan was obviously disappointed after going down to ten men prior to conceding a late leveller, but did concede that the draw was a just result:
?The send off didn?t help, it was crucial,? said Morgan.
?Certainly it was a winnable game again, that?s the frustrating thing.
?But I don?t think we were the dominant side for 90? minutes so a draw is fair,? added Morgan.
Bankstown City defender Ali Haydar believed his side were unlucky not to win the match with their numerical advantage:
?The boys were playing well but our chances weren?t being finished,? said Haydar.
?The red card happened to come in the middle of the second half, the boys stuck together and the goal was waiting to come.
?We were unlucky not to get the win ? we would have liked the three points but we?ll take the point,? Haydar concluded.
In the Grade-20 fixture, Bankstown City Lions overcame South Coast Wolves 3-0.
Match Stats
South Coast Wolves 1 (Tynan Diaz 28? pen)
Bankstown City Lions 1 (Robert Mileski 84?)
Sunday, June 13, 2010
WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Referee: Adam Weir
Assistant Referees: Steven Nguyen and Stephen Ellsmore
Fourth Official: Paul Herbert
Crowd: 200 Approx.
South Coast Wolves: 1.Brody Crane; 2.Alex Mansueto, 4. Nick Littler, 5.Nick McInerney, 17.Tynan Diaz, 6.Lisandro Berbis, 8.Tayfun Buyukkopru (7.Andrew Keep 70?), 10.Jason Trifiro (11.Andrew Paine  70?), 13.Sean van Rooyen, 14.Andres Gomez, 15.Chris Nathaniel
Substitutes Not Used: 12.Jack Keating, 12.Jared Fish, 40.Tom Hamilton
Yellow Cards: Lisandro Berbis 19?, Andres Gomez 44?, Nick McInerney 58?
Red Cards: Andres Gomez 75?
Bankstown City Lions: 1.Zlatko Joseski; 2.Scott Thomas, 3.Shannon Burgin, 5.Richard Luksic, 7.Steve Liavas (99.Chris Godoy Bascur 81?), 10.Robert Mileski, 12.Bill Tsanidis, 18.William Angel (16.Damien Brosque 70?), 20.Hassan Salameh, 23.Tallen Martin (82.U Maralite 81?), 80.Ali Haydar
Substitutes Not Used: 26.Ibrahim Haydar, 17.Laurence Thomas
Yellow Cards: Robert Mileski 4?, William Angel 27?, Ali Haydar 28?
Red Cards: Nil
-By Michael Shoolman