Resurgent Wolves steal win over dominant Tigers
Wolves coach Trevor Morgan joked that the result was ?influenced by divine intervention? as his side turned the match on its head in the dying minutes to draw level with the Tigers on the NSW Premier League table.
Wandi Jajaw grabbed an early lead for Tigers, who controlled the first hour of the match. Wolves found their feet late in the second-half, grabbing an equaliser via the in-form Mark Picciolini before Sasho Petrovski stole the win in added time, belting home a late indirect free-kick from 6-yards.
Wolves showed attacking intentions in the opening 10? minutes, with Stjepan Paric?s early through ball just out of Peter Simonovski?s reach as he looked to play the young attacker through on goal.
Tigers opened the scoring on the break on 11? minutes, stealing Chris Nathaniel?s flat pass on the edge of their goal box and launching a swift counterattack that saw Jajaw round Brody Crane and tuck the ball into the back of the net.
Wolves appeared unsettled by the goal, allowing Tigers to control the flow of the match and create further opportunities in from of goal, with Nicola Rizzo firing over from the edge of the box before Christopher James curled a free-kick wide from a similar position.
A smart through ball from James put Rizzo through on goal soon after, however Crane was quick off his line to intercept the pass and clear any danger to the Wolves goal.
Sasho Petrovski, making his return to the starting line up after his three match suspension, looked to find an equaliser from the free-kick but drilled his shot over the crossbar from 20-yards on the half hour mark.
Mark Picciolini did well to create space for himself in the Tigers box soon after, controlling Nathaniel?s dangerous cross and forcing Jose Bello Amigo into a fine save with his goal bound volley.
Picciolini went close again on the stroke of half-time, connecting with a Petrovski header to volley over from ten-yards as Tigers held their narrow advantage at the break.
Tempers flared shortly into the second period as Samat Kaynak?s crude tackle sparked an all-in scuffle that saw Kaynak and Adam D?Apuzzo booked.
Alex Mansueto, who put in a fine performance in the heart of Wolves? defence, saw yellow himself soon after as he smartly blocked Jajaw on the edge of the box as the Tiger?s striker attempted to skip past the young stopper.
Rizzo?s ensuing free-kick drew a fine save from Crane, who acrobatically dove to his left to block the curled strike.
Tigers pushed forward in search of a match-sealing goal as Jajaw twice drew vital saves from Crane either side of Dave Abel?s crucial block on Rizzo?s driven effort.
As the match rolled into the final quarter of an hour Wolves began to find their feet in their opponent?s half with Paric and substitute Tayfun Buyokkopru pulling strings in midfield.
The latter picked out Petrovski on the edge of the box; the experienced striker flicked the ball on to Picciolini, who drew a fine save from Bello Amigo with a powerful shot.
Wolves did not wait long to find their equaliser as Picciolini dove to meet Buyokkopru?s ensuing corner with his head, knocking the ball home to restore parity to the scoreline.
David D?Apuzzo went close to restoring Tigers lead almost immediately, receiving a smart pass from Jajaw in the 18-yard box only to fire wide of goal.
Petrovski went even closer at the other end as he rose to connect with Buyokkopru?s free kick with a powerful header that flashed inches wide of the near post.
Marton Vass almost grabbed a winner for Tigers in the dying minutes as he headed past Crane from substitute Franco Parisi?s corner only to be denied by Mansueto who was well positioned to hack the ball clear.
As the match rolled into added time Bello Amigo was unfortunate to concede a late indirect free-kick, six-yards from goal as he picked up Michael West?s adjudged back pass.
With all eleven opponents lined up on the goal line, Petrovski found an unlikely way through as he smashed Buyokkopru?s flick off against the underside of the crossbar and into the goal to put his side into the lead and sent the home fans into raptures.
Wolves stood firm in added time, with Mark Byrnes? wayward volley the only threat on the home side?s goal as they held on for a miraculous victory.
South Coast Wolves coach Trevor Morgan his side showed great courage to complete their come from behind victory, also conceding that luck was on their side as they won the indirect free kick final minutes of the match:
?I think it was a very tough call,? said Morgan.
?Often we feel like we go away from a game where we feel that one of those calls has gone against us, and today it?s fallen our way.
?There?s tremendous spirit in the boys at the moment, they?re trying awfully hard and have had to battle for a long time without some senior players.
?Maybe from here we can start to get a bit of a roll on.
?Our intention is to upset as many people as we can on the way home.?
Morgan, clearly delighted to come away with three points, made special mention of Sasho Petrovski as he nailed him the winning goal in added time:
?I actually said to the guys on the bench, I said I would chip this here,? said Morgan.
?What he did was tell Tayfun (Buyokkopru) just to knick it a bit, and he?s just booted it into the roof of the net.
?I think he?s toe poked it ? maybe he?s put his laces in ? but I think he?s toe poked it.
?If you try drive that the balls going to come off something, but if you hit it up onto the underside of the crossbar you can?t do any better.
?He?s worth his 4 million a week isn?t he?? Morgan jokingly added.
A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers winger Christopher James was obviously disappointed with the final result after his side dominated the majority of this evening?s match:
?I think we played quite a good game,? said James.
?I think we were the better team, and we were a bit unlucky in terms of the last goal for the winner.
?Sometimes when you?re team?s struggling a little bit you get those decisions going against you.
?We?re working hard and putting in the effort, just not getting the results.
?It?s only a matter of time for that to change for us.?
With his side running low on luck, James called on his team to turn things round as they look to restore some momentum to their season:
?We need to win games now,? said James.
?We know what we have to do, it?s just making sure we work hard in training during the week and then try to make sure we get the results at the weekend.
?We can?t afford to lose many games now,? James concluded.
The afternoon?s early fixture saw South Coast Wolves prevail 4-3 over A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt Tigers in an entertaining Grade-20 Division clash.
Match Stats
South Coast Wolves 2 (Mark Picciolini 76?, Sasho Petrovski 90+1?)
A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers 1 (Wandi Jajaw 11?)
Sunday June 26th, 2011
John Crehan Park, Cringila
Referee: Kris Griffiths-Jones
Assistant Referees: Alec Smith and Nathan Wotton
Fourth Official: Nathan Roberts
South Coast Wolves: 1.Brody Crane (C); 2.Alex Mansueto, 3.Dave Abel, 7.Samet Kaynak, (15.Tayfun Buyokkopru 68?) 9.Mark Picciolini, 10.Sasho Petrovski, 11.Chris Nathaniel, 6.Jake Duczynski (8.Andres Gomez 46?), 13.Stephen Paric, 18.Peter Simonovski (14.Cam Littler 68?), 22.Zac Freeburn
Substitutes Not Used: 12.Connor Burke, 20.Sam Nastic
Yellow Cards: Samet Kaynak 48?, Alex Mansueto 51?, Tayfun Buyokkpru 90?+2?
Red Cards: Nil
A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt Tigers: 1.Jose Bello Amigo; 2.Mark Byrnes, 4.Cole Tinkler, 5.Michael West (c), 6.Marton Vass, 7.Stephan Kayes (10.Franco Parisi 86?), 11.Nicola Rizzo, 13.David D?Apuzzo, 15.Adam D?Apuzzo, 17.Wandi Jajaw (9.Robert Younis 90?+2?), 23.Christopher James
Substitutes Not Used: 40.Stefan Giglio, 14.Sam Messam, 3.John Kelso
Yellow Cards: Adam D?Apuzzo 48?, Michael West 84?
Red Cards: Nil
-By Michael Shoolman
