Waratah Cup Round 4: Wolves progress with dramatic win over Bankstown
Mark Picciolini and Chris Nathaniel put Wolves in the driver?s seat with goals in the opening half hour before a brace to Shannon Burgin forced the match into extra-time.
With momentum slipping away from Wolves, former Bankstown City recruit Tayfun Buyokkopru restored the home side?s lead on his return to the South Coast with a late free-kick to secure Wolves? passage to the next round.
Playing in conventionally cold South Coast conditions, both sides appeared content to knock the ball around in the opening stages in an attempt to warm up.
Mark Picciolini grabbed the early lead for Wolves with an impressive and unexpected strike on 9? minutes, swerving the ball beyond Zlatko Joseski?s reach from 25-yards to open the scoring.
Cam Littler attempted to grab a long range goal himself soon after, but was all too enthusiastic with his effort as he watched it carry over the crossbar.
Bankstown, getting forward mainly on the counterattack, let a half chance slip when Shannon Burgin teed up Nathan Ristevski in the box. Distracted by the presence of teammate Daniel Slaveski, Ristevski took a poor first touch, leaving him off balance as he placed his shot wide.
Slaveski looked to make up for his positional error soon after as he intercepted a ball out of defence; darting forward and curling a well struck effort toward goal, which was well held by 18-year old debutant keeper Hayden Durose.
Wolves doubled their advantage just before the half hour mark as Dave Abel controlled Stephen Paric?s corner and teed up Chris Nathaniel on the edge of the box. The young winger finished in clinical fashion, rocketing a sweet first-time shot through a maze of players and into the back of the net.
Joseski was called into action minutes later, getting down quickly to block Paric?s low free from the edge of the box to keep his side in the match.
Durose was not to be outdone by his opposite number, making an impressive double save to deny Shannon Burgin after Alex Mansueto?s missed his attempted interception, allowing the Bankstown striker to slip through on goal.
Bankstown began to find their rhythm as they attempted to fight their way back into the match, however Durose stood firm between the sticks, denying Suad Ameti?s long rang effort to keep Bankstown scoreless going into the break.
Wolves should have extended their lead early in the second period as Peter Simonovski placed his shot over before Picciolini rose unmarked to head Zac Freeburn?s cross over the bar.
Burgin drew yet another fine save out of Durose on the hour mark, forcing the Wolves custodian into a diving save to tip the ball away from the top corner with a dangerous 30-yard strike.
Substitute Samet Kaynak got himself into the action shortly after replacing Simonovski, employing a few smart step overs to deceive Steven Krteski and launching a sharp drive at Joseski, who block the shot at the expense of a corner.
Bankstown pushed forward in an attempt to salvage the game as Durose continued his solid display in goal, making sharp saves to deny substitutes Micevski and Cetinay before tipping Ameti?s long range free kick over the bar.
With Bankstown knocking on the door they managed to pull one goal back on 78? minutes as the Wolves poor defending at the corner allowed Burgin to blast the ball home to keep Bankstown?s hopes alive.
Wolves attempted to shut up shop to carry their lead to the final whistle, but were denied deep in injury time as Burgin connected with Ameti?s late free kick, stabbing the ball past Durose to equalise and force the match into extra-time.
With tired legs and frozen toes both sides pushed forward throughout extra time in hope of finding a winner.
Cetinay forced a fine save from Durose before Lenox Tweneboa made an important last man challenge to deny Kaynak on the break.
Substitute Tayfun Buyokkopru, on his return to Wolves after initially signing for Bankstown this season, saw his curled free-kick smartly saved by Joseski.
Burgin then came within inches of earning a hattrick when he intercepted Durose?s clearance, catching the goalkeeper off his line with a powerful shot that only just cleared the cross bar.
Micevski also went painfully close for Bankstown shortly after, striking the post with his shot as both sides switched ends with scores still level.
As the final minutes ticked by and the prospect of the dreaded penalty shootout loomed, Buyokkopru came back to haunt his former club as his 116? minute free kick deceived Joseski, bouncing just short of the Bankstown shot stopper before eluding his outstretched arms and finding its way into the back of the net to send the brave and cold Wolves supporters into raptures.
Wolves, having learnt the hard way from their earlier defensive concentration lapse, held the ball and their lead for the final few minutes to secure victory and progress to the fifth round.
After his solid performance in goal, Wolves? debutant goalkeeper Hayden Durose was very happy with his sides and his personal performance:
?The boys fought well,? said Durose.
?I had to do my job as well as they did and in the end we?ve come away with a great win.
?I?m very happy with the way I played.?
With the threat of penalties looming, Durose admitted he was relieved his team secured the late winner to progress to the next round, in which he hopes to play his part once again:
?When it went in it was such a relief,? said Durose.
?With five minutes left, that goal going in took a lot of pressure off.
?I hope to start in the next round, I?m definitely looking forward to it,? Durose added.
After coming within inches of securing the reverse result, a noticeably disappointed Shannon Burgin thought his side could very well have won the match in an even contest:
?I thought we dominated for a fair bit,? said Burgin.
?It could have gone either way.
?I?m happy with the boys; everyone stuck it and did their best.
?All the best to them (Wolves), they?ve come away with the win,? Burgin concluded.
Match Stats
South Coast Wolves 3 (Mark Picciolini 9?, Chris Nathaniel 28?, Tayfun Buyokkopru 116?)
Bankstown City Lions 2 (Shannon Burgin 78?, 90?+2?)
Wednesday 8th June, 2011
John Crehan Park, Cringila
Referee: Alex Glasgow
Assistant Referees: Matt Cropper, Adam Naylor
Crowd: 100 Approx.
South Coast Wolves: 20.Hayden Durose; 12.Jack Keating, 3.Dave Abel, 16.Zac Freeburn, 2.Alex Mansueto, 13.Stephen Paric (10.Tayfun Buyokkopru 46?), 18.Jake Duczynski, 14.Cam Littler (8.Andres Gomez 87?), 9.Mark Picciolini, 11.Chris Nathaniel (17.John Martinovski 61?), 15.Peter Simonovski (19.Samet Kaynak 61?)
Substitutes Not Used: 1.Sam Nastic
Yellow Cards: Andres Gomez 92?
Red Cards: Nil
Bankstown City Lions: 1.Zlatko Joseski; 5.David Gardiner, 6.Daniel Slaveski (2.O Cetinay 55?), 8.Peter Peralta (26.P Zaikovski 60?), 9.Shannon Burgin, 14.Nathan Ristevski (29.A Ivanovski 60?), 18.Lenox Tweneboa, 19.Steven Krsteski, 23.Cameron Jones (10.M.Micevski 55?), 25.D Zeleny, 30.Suad Ameti
Substitutes Not Used: Nil
Yellow Cards: P. Zaikovski 116?
Red Cards: Nil
-By Michael Shoolman
