Adelaide City continued their Cup march as a second half blitz downed Croydon 3-1 in their Coca-Cola Federation Cup Semi-Final at Adelaide Shores Football Centre on Wednesday. 

All three City goals arrived in a 10 minute spell just after half-time, with Joel Allwright netting two in a matter of minutes. Nicholas Bucco added another, before Rocky Visconte grabbed a consolation. 

Bucco admitted City started slowly, but responded exceptionally after half-time. 

“I thought we played really well, apart from a slow first 20 minutes where they had a lot of the ball,” Bucco said.

“At the break Damian [Mori] told us to build on what we did in the opening 45 minutes. We went out there and did just that. We put Croydon to the sword after the break.

“The Cup is extremely important to the club. We want to back up last year’s triumph and get Adelaide City back on the national stage. There’s a great reward to winning.”

Injured Croydon captain Michael Papacharalambous says the team can learn from this defeat.

“We can take a lot from this game. Not only will it help in future knockout games, but we saw the level we need to be at against the top teams,” Papacharalambous noted.

“It was a pretty even game until half-time, but then City came out well in the second.

“We wanted to keep the same level as in the first half, but their intensity went up and they got those three goals in quick succession.”

After a scoreless first half City gained the ascendency in a dominant 10-minute spell. Five minutes after the restart Allwright’s cross took a deflection and went past goalkeeper Dan Christison.

Less than 60 seconds later City’s No 7 doubled the advantage. Allwright picked the ball up outside the penalty area and cracked an unstoppable shot from distance.

By the hour mark it was three, with Bucco on the end of a cutback to neatly slot home from the edge of the penalty area.

Visconte pulled a goal back, going past a player before his deflected shot looped over Luke Ostbye in the black and whites goal.

Croydon finished with 10 men as Allan Welsh was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Adelaide City will take on the winner of Western Strikers and West Adelaide in the Final at Coopers Stadium on May 31.