The top positions in the WGC Cranes District League remained unchanged after Fernhill Foxes and Warilla Wanderers played out a 1-1 draw at Ray Robinson Oval on Saturday. Marc Sergi's penalty for the Foxes cancelled out Adam White's opener for the Wanderers, leaving Fernhill in third spot and Warilla second with five games apiece remaining.

Warilla were missing a few First Grade regulars for this Round 16 catch-up which had been rescheduled for a weekend when no District League matches had originally been listed.

The visitors started strongly, though, with Bojan Caric and White pairing up well in opening exchanges as they looked for a way through a solid Fernhill defence.

Caric looked a danger as soon as he got near the ball, using his strength to see off his markers and his vision to set up chances for others up front. One such chance fell to Chad Keating, as he picked up a Caric ball inside the area and fired a shot across the face of the goal just wide of the upright.

Moments later, Warilla came even closer to breaking the deadlock. Captain Paul Gaffney picked out Caric again down the left and the Wanderers front man sent in a cross for White whose header clipped the cross bar before going over for a goal kick.

At the other end, the Foxes were not without chances of their own. Andrew Keep sent in some menacing crosses from the right, with first Bradley Hunter taking the ball with two hands as Sergi rushed in looking to open the score, and then Ben Moerman who met another Keep cross and was about to pull the trigger when Nicholas del Turco got back in time to clear off his toes.

Fernhill custodian Akira Tatsubayashi was the busier of the two keepers in the first half, though. Just before the half hour mark, he was at full stretch to tip over a long range effort from Javier Ovando to keep the tie goalless.

As the first half drew to a close, Warilla again had chances to break the deadlock. Caric shrugged off two defenders and drove in a shot towards the target from close range, this time Dale White getting back to block. And then Martin Castelli, whose mistimed header with his back to goal turned into a spectacular scissors kick effort, bringing out another save from Tatsubayashi as the whistle blew for half time.

The visitors continued to press as the second half got underway and Caric was still in the thick of the action. Within a minute of the restart he sent a header just over the crossbar, before prodding a right foot shot just wide of the upright and then setting up del Turco for a long range effort.

Ten minutes into the second stanza, it was the Foxes who almost took the lead. Sergi’s shot from the edge of the area ricocheted off the back of Ryan Hunter and then looped into the six yard box. Keeper Bradley Hunter didn’t take the ball cleanly, making for a scramble of limbs as Moerman tried to pounce, but the gloveman won out in the end to keep the tie goalless.

In the 65^th minute, the Wanderers finally broke through. It was defender Adam Martin who sent the ball through from half way into the path of White, and with the flag staying down, the Wanderers forward kept his cool, flicking the ball into the net off the upright from the edge of the area.

The Foxes responded well, though, with Matt Richardson forcing a save out of Hunter who took his shot at the second attempt. And it wasn’t long before the home side equalised. Ryan Hunter was unlucky to handle the ball just inside the box. The referee pointed to the spot and Sergi stepped up coolly to put the ball past the Wanderers keeper.

The goal lifted the Foxes, who looked the more likely winners as the game wore on. Chris Hobbs had chances and was not afraid to have a go from his usual left flank or from the right if the flow of play took him that way. But he just couldn’t get his efforts on target.

And Warilla almost nicked a winner at the death, as Caric again started a move that saw Castelli whip the ball in for White. The Wanderers striker just needed a tap in from close range but Tatsubayashi was too quick and got his body in the way to keep the scores level at the end.

Warilla coach Barney King was frustrated after the match: “We worked our socks off for that goal and I thought we were the better team overall. We’re playing well but we’re not taking our chances and that keeps the other team in the game and means we are always vulnerable to things like that penalty. Still, we stay second and we have a three point cushion.”

For Foxes coach Dan McGoldrick, a draw was probably a fair result. “Our keeper played well for us and kept us in it at the end, and Dale (White) had a great game at the back. We were lethargic early on and even at the start of the second half, but once we’d scored, our tails were up and we had a few more chances.”

If the two sides hold onto second and third they will meet again in the Finals in just a few weeks’ time. But first there’s the regular season run-in. Next weekend Warilla Wanderers have a double header, with the visit of Kiama Quarriers on Saturday, followed by a trip to Balgownie on Sunday. The Foxes, meanwhile travel to Helensburgh for their Round 19 tie next Saturday.

Fernhill FC – 1 (Sergi pen 73’)

Warilla Wanderers FC – 1 (White 65’)

Saturday 28 May 2016

Ray Robinson Field

Referee: Bobby Mazevski

Assistant Referees: Jarryd Higgins, Brad Moreira

Fernhill FC: Akira Tatsubayashi, Sean Poulton, Scott Muilwyk, Matt Richardson, Anthony Oliver, Dale White, Andrew Keep, Marc Sergi, Ben Moerman (Julian Cesta-Incani 75’), Kazuma Nagaishi (Keiran Morris 83’), Chris Hobbs (sub not used Mick Stephenson)

Warilla Wanderers: Bradley Hunter, Nicholas del Turco, Adam Martin, Ryan Hunter, Jason Goldsmith, Adam White, Paul Gaffney, Chad Keating (Stewart Robertson 57’), Bojan Caric, Javier Ovando, Martin Castelli (subs not used: Adrian Montalbano, Toni Anastoski, Jacob Pickles)

 

Report by Simon Duffin

Photo courtesy of Don Pickles