The Macedonian Derby always promises to be a fiery encounter and Sunday’s certainly delivered with Wollongong United securing a hard-fought 2-0 win. Matthew McNab proved to be the difference between the two with the nippy winger picking up a goal and assist in United’s fourth league win in a row and fifth in all competitive matches.

It was a tense opening to the fixture with both teams looming large in their respective attacks. United captain Sam Munro was setting the tempo early for his side with an array of challenges and chatter revving up the Berkeley-based side.

The first real opportunity came in the 11^th minute in the form of the away sides left fullback, Matthew Gordon, as he breezed past the Cringila defence only to blaze his shot inches over the bar.

It was the potential warning sign that Cringila needed but perhaps didn’t heed as United took the lead just two minutes later through central defender Mark Every. After a free-kick was won by United on the edge of the 18-yard box, Matthew McNab whipped in a wicked delivery to find the head of the completely unmarked Every who nodded the ball home with ease.

Cringila winger Stefan Dimoski looked quite threatening all afternoon, and he could have squared the ledger on the 17^th minute. After winning the ball high up the field, he allowed for a transition in the play. Dimoski put his shot over the bar in what was a golden chance.

Dimoski was once again in the thick of the action. In the 20^th minute, Cringila goalkeeper Alex Boullosa landed a 60 metre dropkick to Dimoski’s feet, only for him to shoot hard and low into United keeper Sam Nastic’s grateful hands.

There was a chance down the other end for United soon after this. On the 23^rd minute, McNab’s curling shot from a dead ball situation forced a top draw right handed diving save from Boullosa as the ball headed for the top left sided corner.

On the 38^th minute the chance of the half for Cringila fell to their striker Nuno Pires. Once again it was Dimoski causing all the trouble for the United defence. He managed to nip through following a breakdown in communication from the United backline. Following this, he whipped in a low and hard right footed cross that found the direct path of Pires, whose shot hit the bottom right sided post. A move that both pleased and frustrated the Lions faithful.

Once the second half began it was much more of the same from both sides. High intensity, gritty football was the main pattern. The first real chance of the second half came in the 55^th minute from United in the form of a McNab free kick once more. After Munro was bundled over by Cringila defender Steven Hristovski, McNab would have liked his chances to convert. The shot however falling comfortably into the grasp of Boullosa.

McNab was again in the firing line. On the 68^th minute some positive link up play and a cheeky chip allowed McNab through one-on-one only for his shot to bounce back off the crossbar and into the hands of Boullosa.

With not long to go in the encounter, after effective midfield play from Cringila’s captain Todd Sparks and Mitchell Arcosa, the former found himself with little pressure from the United defence from outside the penalty area. Sparks lined up the shot however it just didn’t seem to be the home sides’ day as his shot floated wide.

The nail was finally put in the coffin on the 83^rd minute mark by McNab, who was rewarded with a goal after hard work put in all afternoon. Substitute Nathan Elasi’s shot stung the hands of Boullosa, and the keeper could not palm the ball out of the danger zone, with McNab tapping home to make the score 2 nil and to all but end Cringila’s chance of a comeback.

After the match United coach Jeff Allport was pleased with the result, despite the performance not being truly perfect. “It was a really tough, grinding match and they made it hard for us.” He also mentioned his team’s solid defensive performance, a section of their game which was heavily criticised in the early parts of the season. “I think it has been mindset more than anything, structurally nothing has really changed. What we do when we do turn the ball over has significantly improved from where it was weeks ago.”

The win moves United up to outright 3^rd place, overtaking Wollongong Olympic after their draw with Corrimal Rangers. United are at home next Saturday where they will play a Port Kembla side looking to bounce back from a tough home loss to league leaders Bulli.

As for Cringila the result sees them stay in 9^th position on the ladder, 6 points behind 5^th position. In their next fixture they are away from home next Sunday against a struggling South Coast United.

Click here for post-match interview with Wollongong United coach Jeff Allport.

 

Sunday 20 May 2018 @ John Crehan Park

Cringila Lions – 0

Wollongong United – 2 (Every 13’, McNab 83’)

 

Cringila Lions – Alex BOULLOSA, Aleksandar PRENTOSKI, James RALSTON, Steven HRISTOVSKI, Anthony ROMEO, Josiah SHERWEN, Ibrahim SESAY, Todd SPARKS, Mitchell ARCOSA, Stefan DIMOSKI, Nuno PIRES

Subs – Kyle BOOTH, Tyron MACLOU, Mitchell HALL (on for DIMOSKI), Takao TERAMOTO (on for ARCOSA), Elisseo CHIODI

Coach – Zivko Jovanovski

 

 

Wollongong United – Sam NASTIC, Maty BRENNAN, Mark EVERY, Benjamin BROOKS, Matthew GORDON, Jake LEIGHTON, Kazuto KUSHIDA, Sam MUNRO, Daisuke YUZAWA, Stephen DOMENICI, Matthew MCNAB

Subs – Nathan ELASI (on for YUZAWA), Lachlan O’CONNOR (on for DOMENICI), Zac MCLAREN, Jackson BROOKS, Benjamin WUNSCH

Coach – Jeff Allport

 

Referee – Peter Ilcevski

Assistant Referees – Trae Arnold, Nathan Alterator

 

Report by Jordan Warren, on Twitter as @jwarren0817

Photo courtesy of Dana Guthrie