South Coast Wolves continue fine early season form with gritty Spartans victory
A period of end-to-end football followed with acres of space in the midfield allowing both team to play through each other and create a number of half chances during the early stages.
The best of these coming from Blacktown right midfielder Simon Zahra. After being left alone on the far post he received the ball and let off a powerful shot which slammed against the right hand post. Zahra?s compatriot Chris Gomez had his own chance with a long shot from outside the box that narrowly missed.
The best chances for the Wolves came from a run down the right from Cameron Littler who crossed to the back post for Peter Simonovski who?s shot was blocked by a desperate defence.
Sean Mitchell looked most threatening for Blacktown playing in the hole behind the strikers. His combination of pace, strength and trickery was keeping the South Coast defence on edge.
Blacktown Spartans began to dominate the game with energetic runs from Greg Kondek resulting in a number of close calls for South Coast. He dribbled past his marker and drilled a swerving shot over the keepers fingertips.
Up the other end a rare South Coast attack down the right wing saw a cross fall to Mark Picciolini who could not head the ball past the Blacktown goalkeeper.
The Wolves continued to be pushed onto the back foot and restricted to counter attaching opportunities as Blacktown looked more likely to get the opener. As the half-time whistle blew both teams were unable to open the scoring.
The second-half was only minutes in when the home side opened the scoring through a low shot from Cameron Littler off the end of a great run and cross by Jack Keating.
The game continued in its free-flowing fashion and Blacktown Spartans pushed back with a few chances that they were unlucky not to finish. They were made to pay for their missed chances soon after though, as Peter Simonovski made it 2-0 for South Coast. A corner that was played short was stroked past the goalkeeper at the near post.
Blacktown continued to look dangerous but were being held at by a Wolves side that looked much more confident with a two-goal lead. Samuel Jacob and Chris Nathaniel began to edge the midfield battle with strong challenges and endless running.
Blacktown finally converted one of their chances through a Louis Bozanic header on the 68? minute and the game was back on as a contest. South Coast Wolves were shocked into submission as they began pumping aimless long balls and giving away cheap possession which encouraged Blacktown to attack.
Blacktown went very close with a few chances, the best being when Louis Bozanic was put through one-on-one with the South Coast goalkeeper Daniel Collison who saved the day for the Wolves with a great save.
In the dying moments a great free-kick from Greg Kondek was brilliantly saved by Collision bringing a large round of applause from the crowd. In the end South Coast held on for another hard fought win and Blacktown were left ruing a missed opportunity for the three-points.
South Coast Wolves stand in manager Richard Lloyd was pleased with the win:
?A good result in the end, we played really well to get two nil in front,? Lloyd said.
?We were feeling the pressure in the later stages as Blacktown threw everything at us, but our keeper won the game for us in the end.?
Blacktown Spartans manager Ben De Haan was clearly frustrated to have had so many chances and not get anything from the game:
?Someone marked it down as 17 chances for us and we could have had six goals tonight, but in the end we got nothing out of it, it?s frustrating for the boys.
?It?s the best we?ve played this season,? he ended.
Match Stats:
South Coast Wolves 2 (Cameron Littler 48? Peter Simonovski 54?)
Blacktown Spartans 1 (Louis Bozanic 68?)
Saturday April 28th, 2012
John Crehan Park, Wollongong
Referee: Chris Young
Assistant Referees: Chris Mehl and Sam Grasso
Fourth Official: James Meechan
South Coast Wolves: 1.Daniel Collison; 2.Jack Keating, 4.Michael Robinson, 5.Samuel Jacob, 6.Nick Littler, 7.Cameron Littler, 8.Chris Nathaniel, 9.Mark Picciolini (14.Fabian Iacovelli 90?+1?) 10.Sasho Petrovski 13.Peter Simonovski (11.John Martinoski, 75?), 15.Lee Gilroy (12.Sean Robertson 45?).
Substitutes Not Used: 20.Hayden Durose, 13, 3.Joseph Savor
Yellow Cards: Samuel Jacab 70?, Nick Littler 78?, Michael Robinson 80?, John Martinovski 90?+2?)
Red Cards: Nil
Blacktown Spartans 1.Carlos Saliadarre; 3.Nathan Millgate, 4.Daniel Wells, 5.Luke Boyd, 6.Greg Kondek, 7.Simon Zahra (33.Lord Darkoh 85?), 9.Chris Bedzo (11 Steven Veleski, 67?), 10.Chris Gomez, 15.Louis Bozanic (13.Jacob Ott 90?), 17.Peter Hubbard, 20.Sean Mitchell.
Substitutes Not Used 36. Tomislav Herceg, 40. Jesse Shewan
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
PLAYER RATINGS:
3 ? Sean Mitchell (BS)
2 ? Cameron Littler (SCW)
1 ? Daniel Collison (SCW)
-By Josh Watt
