10-man Wollongong United overrun South Coast United

South Coast United faced off against Wollongong United in what was a crucial match in the shaping up of the Fraternity Cup pools. Having lost to Kemblawarra in the first match, South Coast United were in need of a win, however Wollongong also needed the result after losing to Bulli.

The game started poorly for Wollongong, with goalkeeper Sam Nastic sent from the field after 3 minutes. A poor backpass from defence saw South Coast striker Robbie Brown pick off an easy ball and run straight at goal. Nastic advanced from his box and slid in for the ball, before Brown knocked it around and was collected off the ball by Nastic. Wollongong handed the gloves to Klime Sekutkoski who played out the rest of the match in goals, after they failed to have a back up. Sekutkoski performed admirably and saved the resulting free kick from 20 yards.

Only two minutes later, history nearly repeated itself with a South Coast backpass picked off by Wollongong's Jinya An, before his shot found the chest of onrushing keeper Jason Bleakley. From here, Wollongong took charge of proceedings, and you would be forgiven for forgetting they were a man down. South Coast had short periods of dangerous possession with intricate passing leading to a scuffed shot, and an ambitious lob from 35 yards with Brooks off his line - both from Brown.

Wollongong United's ascendency showed on the scoreboard after 21 minutes, Matt Floro rounding Bleakley only to have his shot blocked, with Jinya An on hand to bundle the ball into the bottom corner from close range. Two minutes later, An was again on hand to put the finishing touches to a slick move, played in behind the line and clear on goal, sliding across to the right before curling his shot neatly into the inside netting to the left. In the space of 20 minutes Wollongong United had lost their keeper but found themselves deservedly up 2-0.

From here, frustration began to show, with long periods of fouling and wasteful free kicks on both sides. The half ended 2-0 to Wollongong with the extra man showing for little more than acreage on the wings which was always shut down quickly.

Sekutkoski was retained in goal for Wollongong in the second half and was called into action early on, with a ranged volley from Cameron Solevski saved well before the onrushing Jun Lee could sneak it home.

From here, Wollongong United again enjoyed the majority of chances, with Daisuke Yuzawa setting up Karouna Michael for a headed chance gone wide and Moto Kinjo shooting flat and hard at Bleakley, forcing a good save away to his left.

Floro thought he had extended the lead to 3-0 on 47 minutes, after a flurry of shots ended at his feet and he curled the ball in, before being ruled offside.

The fouls were raining in throughout the last 15 minutes, and South Coast put a few chances over from out wide. Frustrations were showing, yet Wollongong continued to push hard for a third, and got it on 67 minutes, with a fast break down the right wing teeing up an open Alex Veljanovski at the top of the box to power it into the bottom right corner. Wollongong nearly found a fourth in the last minute of play with Brad Welch sliding Jackson Brooks through on goal, who tried to sneakily roll the ball under onrushing Bleakley, who got low enough to effect the save.

Periods of strong possession resulted in good chances for Wollongong United with South Coast United finding it difficult to challenge the replacement and makeshift goalkeeper. Wollongong United spent the night exploiting the trickiness of An, and the advancing midfielders often flooding the South Coast defence. The result was an accurate reflection on the match, given the amount of quality chances each team had, with Wollongong United deserving the accolades for playing to such a calibre with 10 men for most of the night.

Story by David Atherton

Photo by Pedro Garcia (archive photo)