Blacktown City strike past Wolves
Blacktown City FC were at their ruthless best to defeat Wollongong Wolves 3-1 in a physical PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s fixture at WIN Stadium.
The reigning champions are only the second side to win away at Wollongong this season and climbed into top spot on the ladder as goals from Joey Gibbs, Mitchell Mallia and new recruit and former Hills Brumbies striker Peter Cejka helped the visitors clinch victory.
The hosts were left to rue a slow start for their defeat and a goal from Peter Simonoski proved little consolation when all was said and done.
Blacktown City were relentless in the early stages of the clash best early on but it was the home side who had the first true chance on goal.
Simonoski launched a powerful effort from outside the eighteen yard box only to be denied by a spectacular save from Blacktown shot stopper Tristan Prendergast.
However, Wollongong paid the price for some clumsy defending when James Markovic took out Gibbs in the box.
Gibbs stepped up to convert the resulting penalty and give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
City found themselves with plenty of room in the midfield. It was space the home side were made to regret when Mallia launched a missile from 35 yards out which left Pasfield helpless and put Blacktown in front by two goals.
Unsatisfied with the two goal lead Blacktown continued to press the Wolves defence. They nearly put the game beyond doubt a couple of minutes later when Matthew Lewis pounced on a cleared corner only to see his shot hit the base of the right hand post.
The Wolves were looking toothless, until Simonoski created something out of nothing. The midfielder took the ball, cut inside onto his right and curled it beautifully into the top right-hand corner of the net.
The second half started in tight fashion, with both teams looking not to concede and half chances aplenty.
Mallia had the pick of them when he blasted his effort high over the bar, a habit which would haunt the visitors for the first 20 plus minutes of the half.
That was until a long-range effort from Grant Lynch made sure Pasfield was awake between the posts.
The locals began to get frustrated and a Patrick Antelmi long range free kick went straight into the arms of a waiting Prendergast.
The visiting team cemented the result when a wonderful display of passing created a a goal for substitute Cejka who calmly slotted a shot on the turn into the net.
Wolves Coach Jacob Timpano rued his teams luck.
“We started outstandingly, to be 2-0 down against the run of play as well as losing 2 players,” he said.
“As I said we lost to a spectacular goal, a penalty. We matched it with them.”
Blacktown City Coach Mark Crittenden was delighted with the tough away win.
“It’s a tough place to come, they’ve won 5 of their last six here,” he said.
“We organised ourselves, made an adjustment at half time and won comfortably.”
Match Stats
Wollongong Wolves: 1 (Simonoski)
Blacktown City FC: 3 (Gibbs, Mallia, Cejka)
Sunday, June 18 2017
WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Referee: K. Ams
Assistant Referees: K. Robinson & D. Horstead
Fourth Official: N. Farmer
Wollongong Wolves: 1. Justin Pasfield, 3. Darcy Madden (4. Hayden Morton 41’), 6. Nick Montgomery, 7. Christopher Price, 9. Peter Simonoski (11. Hrisitjan Tanoski 82’), 14. Josh Macdonald, 15. Michael Robinson, 16. Patrick Antelmi, 17. James Markovic, 23. Steve Hayes, 30. Yuzo Tashiro (18. Nicholas Bernal 29’).
Substitutes Not Used: 8. Brendan Griffin, 12. Luke Kairies.
Yellow Cards: Antelmi, Hayes, Montgomery.
Red Cards:
Blacktown City FC: 1. Tristan Prendergast, 3. Giorgio Speranza, 4. Roberto Speranza, 5. Grant Lynch, 6. Matthew Lewis, 8. Daniel Araujo (21. Bo Hyun Chun 41’), 9. Joey Gibbs, 10. Connor Evans, 12. James Andrew (17. Lewis Beumie 45), 14. Mitchell Mallia (23. Peter Cejka 77’), 19. Zach Cairncross.
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Tomislav Romic, 16. Mark Bodic.
Yellow Cards: G. Speranza, Cairncross
Red Cards:
-By Justin Smith, PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s Reporter
