A full strength Wollongong United hosted what remained of the South Coast United side torn apart by injuries and a demanding fixture list in the quarter finals of the Bampton Cup today, with SCU only able to field 5 first-graders and seeing a trio of youngsters make their first-grade debuts.

The youthful exuberance of the South Coast United side saw early passages of play maintaining a high tempo, blissfully unaware of the league standings and playing some free-flowing football.

It was hard to turn down the sheer quality of the polished Wollongong United side, with the first team on full display.

South Coast United keeper Gerard Stevens began a big afternoon with the gloves, denying the dangerous Johnny Martinoski with a stretching save, after Klime Sekutkoski broke down the left wing and delivered the pass.

Martinoski continued to threaten early, with a powerful shot dipping just over the bar with his second good chance in the opening 10 minutes. Ben Brooks rose above the pack off a corner, however he was unable to guide a header on target through the masses.

Again it was Stevens on hand to deny Wollongong the opener, producing another fingertip save from Sekutkoski, who was allowed a free run at goal with his pace down the left wing.

South Coast nearly snatched an unlikely opener on 23', with Wollongong keeper Sam Nastic soundly beaten, 15 year old debutant Jamie Sarkhosh hitting the crossbar from 18 yards, however his fellow debutant, 16 year old Ivan Bratansak, could only manage to slice the rebound wide.

From there, the Lions arose from their slumber, however annoyingly for SCU, they were still locked at 0-0.

Sekutkoski struck the upright after controlling a cross in close quarters, and Tim Wylie beat two inside the box before a last-ditch tackle from Valic played it out for a corner. Billy Tsovolos went striding down the wing again, putting the cross on a tee, with Brooks' header flying just over the upright, before Martinoski blazed over from the corner of the box again.

Stevens nearly undid his great work in the first half on half an hour, clearing a backpass into Wylie. The ricochet fell to Martinoski, and with only one defender and Stevens out of position, he opted to pass to Wylie who found himself still in an offside position.

Martinoski did eventually find the net on 39' to open the days account. In typical fashion, he received the ball on the right touchline, before cutting inside, faking to shoot not once or twice, but thrice, and finding the absolute top corner with a goal worthy of being the first past Stevens for the afternoon. The keeper was left to watch as it curled and nestled in the bracing of the crossbar and upright, one of the goals where even the opposition watches with awe.

The second half was more of the same, with Wollongong hitting their straps in attack and rarely troubled down the other end. Jinya An headed wide from a shallow cross immediately off the kickoff, before exposing the shaky back three of SCU by rounding them and forcing yet another key save from Stevens at the near post.

The introduction of Matt Floro 10 minutes into the second period saw the home side continue their attacking raids, as he found himself with a blocked shot and a glancing header gone begging within 3 minutes of his entry.

Wollongong only had themselves to blame for not doubling their lead on the hour, with Brooks producing the perfect cross, only for both Martinoski and Tsovolos to contest the ball, with neither able to effect a shot on target and ending in a crumpled heap on the ground together.

It was Stevens on hand once more to deny Floro, who was able to dribble at goal from halfway, but a meek rolling shot was all he could muster as the SCU keeper rushed up. South Coast nearly equalised after Floro's chance, countering down the other end with Sarkhosh hitting the gloves of Nastic, and Lee Gilroy unable to put the rebound on target with only two defenders on the line preventing the goal.

It was again on Martinoski to grab the game, claiming an aerial switch after a blistering break by Jordan Hooke, faking to shoot and putting off Stevens, before calmly slotting into the left side netting for 2-0 on 65'.

Floro's again found a chance, controlling an inch-perfect cross from Angelo Hajitoffi and hitting the net, however was pulled back for a handball.

Hooke joined in from the right wing, cutting in and beating two defenders only for Floro to steal the ball off his laces to poke home for 3-0 on 77'. Once more, Hooke found the action, half-volleying a deep cross from the right, following a fast break, with the first time shot hitting the out-stretched knee of Stevens. Whilst many in the crowd and on the pitch were still marvelling at the quality of the save, Jake Webster retrieved the ball and produced a cross which was agonisingly too far in front of the diving frame of Floro in the box.

Martinoski attempted yet another trademark move by coming inside from the right wing, however blazed over, before Floro's mixed afternoon was capitulated moments from time - retrieving a rebounded goal kick and lobbing Stevens before being called back for an offside.

South Coast may have grabbed a last minute consolation with the last kick of the game, however a neat one-two between Tommy Skara and Jun Lee, with the latter unable to beat Nastic from a narrow angle.

In what was a fair result, the home side progressed into the semi finals, with South Coast United's patchwork team putting up a resilient performance, with valuable first team experience for many younger players. If not for the valiant defensive effort, scores could easily have been much higher.

In other Quarter Finals on Monday, Martin Castelli's early strike was enough to see Warilla Wanderers take down Picton Rangers 1-0 at Lynwood Park. At Kiama Leisure Centre, Wollongong Olympic comfortably beat Kiama Quarrieres 3-0 with Lee Kizi, Yusuke Ueda and Harrison Brown all getting the goals.

The other Quarter Final (Albion Park WE v Kemblawarra Fury) is being played on Wednesday Night at Terry Reserve - 8.00pm.

 

Monday 13th June - Macedonia Park

Referee - T. Bosevski

Assistants - J. Ruscica, J. Higgins

 

Wollongong United - Nastic, An, Kinjo, Sekutkoski (Floro 56'), Martinoski, Hooke, Hojitoffi, Tsovolos, Reilly (Webster 73'), B. Brooks, Wylie (Yuzawa 56')

Subs - Ristevski, Yuzawa, Floro, J. Brooks, Webster

South Coast United - Stevens, Gilroy, Pauline (Lucas 66'), Valic, Sarkhosh, Bratansak (Liberti 74'), Batur, Skara, Bertakis, Lee, Kiyohara

Subs - Bleakley, Lucas, Liberti

 

Report by David Atherton

Photo: Pedro Garcia (archive)