Blacktown City win in thriller
A first half flurry has helped Blacktown City FC to a 3-2 PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s win against Wollongong Wolves at WIN Stadium.
First half goals from Patrick Antelmi, Sasa Macura and Travis Major cancelled out strikes either side of half time from Ricky Zucco and Steven Hristovski as the visitors continued their good recent run of form.
It was the home side with the opening chance of the game in the 1st minute when striker Ricky Zucco had a long range shot stopped by Blacktown City goalkeeper, Nenad Vekic.
Four minutes later they had another good opportunity when Darcy Madden made his way forward but could only shoot straight at the goalkeeper.
The visitors countered instantly and a dangerous ball into the box found the head of Travis Major but he could only head over from six yards out.
In the 14th minute, Blacktown City had a neat passage of play which ended with Major getting the ball but he was adjudged to be offside.
It took until the 20th minute for the deadlock to be broken when Patrick Antelmi received the ball and chipped the onrushing Daniel Collison from just inside the box to make it 1-0.
It wouldn’t take long for the home side to respond. Three minutes later a neat cross found Ricky Zucco at the back post who made no mistake and brought the game level again.
The goals were coming thick and fast midway through the first half and Blacktown City were able to retake the lead in the 27th minute when the ball was unable to be cleared and Sasa Macura ran through to bury the ball home.
It was almost three for the travelling side in the 34th minute as Travis Major again found himself in space but Daniel Collison was up to the task and saved well from close range.
They were turning on the style at this point and a neat back heel in the 36th minute gave some space to Lewis Beumie down the right touchline but he could only put his shot over.
Briefly before half time the away team had a chance to extend their lead from a free kick but Patrick Antelmi could only put the ball wide.
Major would eventually get his goal in the 44th minute when a floating ball from the right found him unmarked as he headed home at the far post to give Blacktown City FC the 3-1 lead at the break.
It didn’t take long for the first chance of the second half as Ricky Zucco found some open pastures but his swirling shot was saved by Vekic.
The home side found their way back into the game in the 53rd minute when Steven Hristovski found the back of the net after some confusion in the box from a free kick to make it 3-2.
Wollongong were beginning to really pressure the visitors and in the 63rd minute had another good chance to equalise when a snap volleyed cross from Brendan Griffin found substitute Stefan Dimoski but his volley hit the side netting.
It looked like an equaliser in the 67th minute when Chris Price was left with an open net to bury the ball home but the linesman’s flag was up for offside.
Neither side could break the game open but in the 83rd minute the home team were awarded a free kick just outside the box that after some uneasy moments was eventually cleared.
Two minutes later Travis Major looked to have his second goal sewn up but a terrific late tackle from James Baldacchino ensured the game would remain in the balance.
With one minute on the clock Wollongong had a great chance to get the equaliser but their shot forced Vekic into a strong save. From the resulting corner, they could only watch as the ball came off the cross bar and was cleared away.
It was a case of not enough time in the end for Wollongong as the travelling team held on for the 3-2 victory.
Blacktown City head coach, Mark Crittenden, praised the spirit of the Wollongong side as his team struggled to hold onto the win.
“Our first half was super. We scored three but we probably could have scored four or five,” he said.
“I thought we had enough chances to wrap it up a little bit. We gave away a cheap goal and sort of left them in the game and then in the second half they (Wollongong) were great.”
“They were desperate. You could see they were fighting for their lives and full credit to them they just kept coming in wave after wave.”
Wollongong Wolves head coach, Jacob Timpano, couldn’t fault his side’s effort but was left rueing the current depth of his squad.
“The last three weeks we’ve played the top three teams and realistically should have got something from all three games,” he said.
“The performances have been pretty good and I can’t fault the boys effort and put everything into it and as you saw today the commitment and attitude was second to none.”
“Unfortunately the reality is we don’t have the extra bit of quality to win games of football at the moment but I think if we keep playing like that then it’s not far away.”
For Wollongong Wolves they face Sutherland Sharks FC in a crucial clash that could have relegation ramifications while Blacktown City FC return home to play Rockdale City Suns FC.
Match Stats
Wollongong Wolves: 2 (ZUCCO 23’, HRISTOVSKI 53’)
Blacktown City FC: 3 (ANTELMI 20’, MACURA 27’, MAJOR 44’)
Sunday 17th July 2016.
WIN Stadium, Wollongong.
Referee: K.Patterson
Assistant Referees: A Giev & N Wotton
Fourth Official: B Lovric
Wollongong Wolves: 12. COLLISON Daniel 2. KAWASE Kota 3. MADDEN Darcy 5. BALDACCHINO James 6. MACKENZIE Zachary 8. GRIFFIN Brendan 10. STOJIC David (23. MATTHEWS Sam 66’) 11. WILSON Brett (7. PRICE Chris 31’) 15. LAZAREVSKI Danny 17. ZUCCO Ricky (13. DIMOSKI Stefan 56’) 20. HRISTOVSKI Steven
Substitutes Not Used: 1. ARCABA Daniel 5. KAMBISIOS Ethan
Yellow Cards: MATTHEWS 71’
Red Cards: Nil
Blacktown City FC: 16. ANTELMI Patrick (9. GIBBS Joey 62’) 17. BEUMIE Lewis 19. CAIRNCROSS Zachary 10. EVANS CONNOR 11. CHOI Danny (SASAKI Riku 72’) 6. LEWIS Matthew 8. MACURA Sasa 7. MAJOR Travis 14. MALLIA Mitch 3. SPERANZA Giorgio 1. VEKIC Nenad
Substitutes Not Used: 20. NISKI Dylan 18. MAMONE Jake 12. GROZDANOVSKI Jonathan
Yellow Cards: BEUMIE 28’, MACURA 83’
Red Cards: Nil
-By Jake Bull, PS4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s 1 Reporter, at WIN Stadium, Wollongong.
