Tigers snatch valuable victory at WIN Stadium
After a goalless opening half was marred by injuries to Alex Mansueto and Marton Vass as the pair clashed heads halfway through the opening period, Mark Byrnes was well positioned to head home Nick Rizzo?s short corner in the second-half.
The defender?s goal proved to be the winner of the cagey encounter; pushing Tigers 4-points clear of the Wolves on the league table, and keeping them in the hunt for a top-five finish.
With Greg Valic joining Dave Abel on the sidelines with a groin injury, Wolves were forced to shift Nick McInerney to the centre of defence and provide young starlet Chris Nathaniel with a rare start in McInerney?s usual role of left-back.
The match itself began slowly, with the first sign of attacking intent produced by the Tigers? Nick Rizzo as he wriggled through the Wolves defence to fire wide from 20-yards after 11? minutes.
The inexperience of Chris Nathaniel saw him concede possession to Anthony Hartshorn, who put Stephen Kayes clear on the right wing. The resulting shot was tipped away by Brody Crane.
The home-side responded to their early defensive frailty with narrow misses from Mark Picciolini either side of a disallowed goal from Andrew Paine, who headed home from an offside position after an inch-perfect cross from Andres Gomez.
The match was halted midway through the half as Mansueto and Vass clashed heads while contesting a crossed free-kick from Nick Rizzo. The pair was eventually stretchered off and replaced by Andrew Keep and Matt Fsadni respectively.
Nick Rizzo, who proved a constant threat to the Wolves? defence throughout the 90? minutes, saw his header tipped over by Crane late in the half before putting Hirofuni Moriyasu through on goal minutes later.
The crafty attacker rounded Crane before placing his finish inches wide in what was the last action of the goalless first-half.
The Tigers did not have to wait long to break the deadlock in the second period as Nick Rizzo?s clever short corner found the head of Mark Byrnes in the six-yard-box after 57? minutes.
The defender towered over his marker to head powerfully toward goal. Crane managed to get one hand to the shot; however his efforts merely deflected Brynes? effort into the roof of the goal netting.
Wolves coach Trevor Morgan responded immediately by injecting Ken Chun and Adrian Karakolevski into his attack while the visitors began to sit back and attack on the counter.
Crane was still busy in the Wolves goal despite the tactical shift, making reflex saves to deny Byrnes and Bishara Stephan.
Tigers? custodian Matthew Nash had less to deal with, although was well-positioned to parry Jason Trifiro?s powerful shot to safety.
The Wolves shifted Keep from centre back to striker while in search of an equaliser, but were denied on several occasions in the closing stages by their opponent?s organised defending coupled with their own poor finishing.
Trevor Morgan was obviously disappointed by the result, especially after their late push for a goal went without reward:
?We must have dominated the majority of the second-half, and no one wants to pull the trigger,? said Morgan.
?We?ve let ourselves down by failing to take opportunities while they?re there and poor decision making ? not through lack of structure.?
Mansueto and Vass were taken to hospital for observation after their horrific head clash, and are both fortunately reported to have avoided serious injury.
?The reports we have from hospital is that he (Mansueto) is now sitting up and talking,? said Morgan.
?We?ll wait to hear further reports, hopefully he?s ok.?
He?s been trying very hard and been doing a very good job this season for a young kid,? Morgan concluded.
Match Stats
South Coast Wolves 0
A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt Tigers 1 (Mark Byrnes 57?)
Sunday, May 9th, 2010
WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Referee: Peter Vrtkovski
Assistant Referees: Brett Woodford and Mike Robertson
Fourth Official: Brendan Johansen
Crowd: 300 Approx.
South Coast Wolves: 1.Brody Crane; 17.Tynan Diaz, 2.Alex Mansueto (7.Andrew Keep 29?), 5.Nick McInerney, 15.Chris Nathaniel, 6.Lisandro Berbis (c), 8.Tayfun Buyukkopru (18.Adrian Karakolevski 57?), 9.Mark Picciolini, 10.Jason Trifiro, 11.Andrew Paine (19.Ken Chun 57?), 14.Andres Gomez.
Substitutes Not Used: 4.Nick Littler, 40.Nikodin Matic.
Yellow Cards: Andrew Paine 42?, Tynan Diaz 72?, Andrew Keep 85?.
Red Cards: Nil.
A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt Tigers: 1.Matthew Nash, 2.Mark Byrnes, 3.John Kelso, 5.Michael West, 6.Marton Vass (17.Matt Fsadni 28?), 7.Stephen Kayes, 8.Anthony Hartshorn (18.Bishara Stephan 46?, 20.Liam McConaghy 87?), 10.Franco Parisi (c), 11.Nick Rizzo, 16.Hirofuni Moriyasu, 19.Danial Cummins.
Substitutes Not Used: 13.David D?Apuzzo, 40.Terry Delbroi.
Yellow Cards: Nil.
Red Cards: Nil.
Player Ratings:
3 ? Nick Rizzo (ALT)
2 ? Jason Trifiro (SCW)
1 ? Mark Byrnes (ALT)
-By Michael Shoolman
