In a game with Match of the Round Status, Wollongong Olympic (4th) and Kemblawarra Fury (2nd) went into this contest with both sides desperate for three points to maintain their respective challenges for the League Title.

It was imperative for Olympic to do the business as they sat four points behind the Fury prior to kick off and equally important for their opponents who were one point behind League Leaders, Bulli who play 24 hrs later.

Right from the opening whistle it was clearly evident the two teams were fired up for the occasion and unfortunately the quality of football was secondary especially in the opening 45 minutes where both sides employed a high intensity, in your face type of game which negated the opportunity to play the ball along the ground.

Far too often, passing movements were limited to a maximum of 4 or 5 passes before the movement broke down and possession turned over.

Maybe the compact nature of the ground had a part to play but far too often the two sides were guilty of long balls which resulted in very limited goal mouth action and play restricted to the area between the two penalty areas.

However, both sides did manage to fashion at least one goal scoring opportunity each in the first half and it was Olympic with the first real chance on 19 minutes.

Former Fury player, Chris Jackson knocked a free kick into the danger zone from outside the penalty area in centrefield. Centre Forward, Yuseka Ueda, managed to rise highest in the middle of a packed defence and his back header brought out the best in Fury Keeper, David Poiera who pulled off a great save from point blank range.

Ten minutes before half time, it was the turn of Olympic Keeper, Hayden Durose to be called into action has he made a terrific double save to deny Fury the lead.

Robbie Shields had been set up nicely by a neat flick pass from Sam Munro which saw the diminutive striker with a strike on goal from ten metres only for Durose to parry well and the ball cleared to the edge of the penalty where Matthew McNab followed up with a shot destined for the net only for Durose to jump to his feet and fingertip over the bar for a corner.

The teams went to the sheds at half time with nothing to show on the scoreboard but both Coaches would have been happy with the endeavour and committment shown by their relevant charges.

With all to play for in the second period it was important that both sides make a concerted effort to find a way through the strong defensive structure of their opponents and thankfully there was a lot more intent over the next 45 minutes to come up with a goal or two.

Just two minutes into the second half, Kemblawarra were awarded a free kick five or six metres outside the penaltv area just off centre. Alvin Ceccoli stepped up with his trusty left foot but he did not strike it as well as he would have liked with the shot being comfortably saved by Durose.

The ball went straight up the other end and a corner given to Olympic. Ueda sent in an inswinger from the right and Poeira did well to fist clear from his goal line when under a great deal of pressure.

Once again play swung to the other end and one of the better passing movements on the day ended with Munro trying an overhead kick but his connection was not what he would have wanted with the effort going tamely wide of goal.

Play was starting to go end to end with both teams starting to create some damage with defences getting stretched. On 51 minutes, influential Olympic mid-fielder, Brendan Fordham was able to play in Harrison Brown with a great defence splitting pass but Brown wasn't able to show any composure and his shot from just inside the penalty area was quite poor and never looked like troubling Poeira.

Just 60 seconds later, another long ball from deep was flicked on with his head by Ueda with the pass finding Fordham just inside the right hand edge of the Fury penalty area. You would have backed Fordham to hit the target from this position but his effort was blazed over the bar.

With goals at a premium, it was at this moment one wondered if these missed opportunities by Olympic would come back to haunt the home side as the game wore on.

Just on the hour mark, a goal did arrive and was reward for Olympic's better start to this second stanza. There was another goalmouth scramble from a Ueda corner resulting in young Fury defender, Josh Mears, handling the ball inside his own six yard box. Sam Gordan, who was having a strong game at left full back for Olympic was the man for the occasion as he blasted the ball past Poeira from the 11 metre mark.

With two thirds of the game gone, the game continued at an high octane level and whilst the game was being played in a good spirit, the tackles continued to fly in with the Referee doing his best to keep ' a lid on proceedings'.

On 67 minutes Olympic had a great chance to extend their lead when the pacy Ueda, who had led the line well all afternoon, was put into the clear with another long ball from the back. He was unable to control his shot and failed to trouble Poeira when he really should have done better.

Six minutes later, the same player was found wanting once again when a wonderful crossfield pass from Ja Kon Yu found the Striker in space once again with the same outcome.

Sixty seconds later, the Fury almost made the home side pay. A cross from the right from Shane Murray, who was working his socks off supporting the Fury attack from his mid-field role, reached Cameron Morgan  (on as a substitute) in space on the left of the penalty area, 14 metres from goal. Morgan's shot looked destined for the top right corner only for Durose to make a marvellous flying save and divert the ball away from goal.

After being on the back foot for most of the second half, Kemblawarra drew level with 15 minutes in the match left with a penalty of their own. Gordon turned hero into villian when he was adjudged to have handled the ball to provide the visitors with a lifeline. Murray stepped up to the mark and made no mistake giving the irrepressible Durose no chance between the posts.

It was now game on once again and it was probably a bit of ill discipline from Olympic that boiled over and probably cost their side a share of the spoils which on the day would probably have been a fair result.

Five minutes from time, Olympic were reduced to ten men when Harrison Brown who had been cautioned earlier for persistent infringements was cautioned a second time for a bad challenge.

With two minutes of normal time left, Olympic had one last chance at glory when Ueda once again blasted over from the edge of the penalty area which left the door open for the visitors to have the last say deep into time added on.

The Fury made inroads down the Olympic's left side and Murray found his way into that right corner where he fired in a sublime cross into the heart of the Olympic defence where it was left to the 'old stager' Ceccoli who had supported the attack in a last ditch effort to meet the ball with a thundering header which flew into the back of the net for the winner.

 

Match Stats

 

Wollongong Olympic 1 (Sam Gordon 58'pen)
Kemblawarra Fury 2 (Shane Murray 75' pen, Alvin Ceccoli 90 + 3')

 

PCYC, North Wollongong

 

Referee: Andrew Naylor

Assistant Referees: Nicholas Ryan & Tom Butkovic

 

Wollongong Olympic: Hayden Durose, Haydyn Lloyd, Jack Keating, Jake Duzynski, Sam Gordon(Kyle Hazelbroek 79'), Ja Kon Yu, Harrison Brown, Brendan Fordham, Chris Jackson (Isaac Lee 88'), Harvey Rodriguez, Yuseke Ueda.

Subs not Used: Lee Kizi, Andre Gacesa.

Yellow Cards: Harrison Brown 59', Sam Gordon 77'.

Red Cards: Harrison Brown 88'.

 

Kemblawarra Fury: David Poeira, Lachlan O'Connor, Nathan Jagelman(Kyle Kirkland 65'), Shane Murray, Brenton Rhodes, Josh Mears, Fabian Iacovelli (Cameron Morgan), Alvin Ceccoli, Matthew McNab, Robbie Shields, Sam Munro

Subs not Used: Kyle Senior, David Zufic

Yellow Cards: Josh Mears 59', Fabian Iacovelli 61', Shane Murray 88', Lachlan O'Connor 93',

 

Report by David Naylor

Photo: Pedro Garcia (Library Archive)