Clinical Spartans sink Wolves

BLACKTOWN Spartans travelled to face South Coast Wolves and took the points with a 3-0 victory at WIN Stadium.

A double from the penalty spot by Shu Sasaki in the first half and a late Josh Tanner goal was enough as Spartans ensured the Wolves remained behind them going into the week break.
The first real chance of the game came in the sixth minute when a corner was floated to the back post but Jordan Murray could only head over the bar.
Two minutes later the home side had another great chance when the ball found Joey Lavalle but he put his header wide.
The Wolves were clearly the better side in the opening exchanges and David Stojic had a good chance to score on 12 minutes but his shot travelled past the post.
In the 14^th minute it was a top save from the goalkeeper which prevented Jordan Murray from getting the game’s opening goal.
The first real chance of the game for the visitors came in the 25^th minute when they were awarded a penalty.  The player fouled, Sasaki, stepped up to take the spot kick and placed it into the bottom right hand corner for a 1-0 lead.
It was almost a case of déjà vu when in the 31^st minute disaster struck for the Wolves. A handball in the box gifted the visitors another penalty and Sasaki stepped up and put his second penalty away in the same spot.
A long range effort from Joshua Da Silva in the 37^th minute almost gave Spartans an even bigger lead but his shot cannoned off the post before the Wolves cleared their lines.
The Wolves themselves were awarded a penalty on 40 minutes after David Stojic was brought down and Peter Simonoski stepped up to take the kick but could only put the ball wide of the post.
Neither side could trouble the scoreline in the remaining four minutes of the half as Blacktown Spartans went into the break with a 2-0 lead.
It took over ten minutes for the first real chance of the second half when a cross from the right ended with Simonoski heading a tame shot right at the goalkeeper.
In the 61^st minute one of the Wolves best players in recent weeks, Brendan Griffin, had a shot but it sprayed off the side of his boot from the 18-yard box which was followed up by a blocked shot from Stojic a minute later.
The game turned heated in the 68^th minute when Luka Dukic was sent off for pushing Simonoski into the fence after coming together on the touchline. 
The Wolves were getting forward in numbers but the final pass was letting the home side down. Another shot from distance from Brendan Griffin with 12 minutes remaining would not trouble the goalkeeper.
A late goal from the Spartans in the 89^th minute came after the home side pushed numbers forward for a goal but got caught on the counter as Tanner cooly slotted home the goal for his side’s third and the comprehensive win.
Spartans head coach, Ben De Hann, was happy to come away from a tricky away trip with the three points.
“We did what we had to. It’s tough coming down here; tough conditions and everything around it so we did what we had to do to get it done,” he said.
“We had some chances and stayed nice and tight and learnt to defend and weather the storm.”
South Coast Wolves head coach, Jacob Timpano, remained upbeat despite the loss.
“We threw everything at them and credit to Spartans. It’s a day that happens sometimes in football when a few decisions go against you and then you miss a penalty, it probably wasn’t our day,” he said.
“I was very pleased with the team’s second half, the way they kept going until the 90^th minute and in the 95^th minute scored a disallowed goal. It shows the spirit in the team and they’ll keep fighting at 3-0 down.”
The competition has a week off next weekend due to the Waratah Cup Final between Blacktown City v Sydney United 58 FC to be played at Valentine Sports Park on Sunday before Spartans face Marconi Stallions on Sunday afternoon and the Wolves go up against Parramatta FC at WIN Stadium also on Sunday.
Match Stats
South Coast Wolves 0
Blacktown Spartans 3 (Sasaki 25’, 31’, Tanner 89’)
Sunday 28^th June 2015
WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Referee: Michael Weiner
Assistant Referees: Lance Greenshields and Raymond Osborne
Fourth Official: Timothy Danaskos
South Coast Wolves: Manos, Al Saad, Madden, Griffin, Baldacchino (Welch 87’), Mackenzie,  Price (C), Stojic (Proia 73’), Simonoski,  Lavalle (Matthews 46’),Murray
Substitutes not used: Hamilton, Fielding.
Yellow Cards: Lavalle 22’, Simonoski 65’
Blacktown Spartans: Saliadarre (C), Tomohiro, Morton, Dukic, Tanner, Kondek, Sasaki, Nakamura, Crighton (Enwiya 81’), Da Silva (Quigley 69’), Mutch (Long 69’) 
Substitutions not used: Nascimben, Dileo
Yellow cards: Kondek 20’, Tanner 28’, Enwiya 90+4’
Red Card: Dukic 68’

– By Jake Bull, PS4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s 1 Reporter, at WIN Stadium, Wollongong