Two late goals from the White Eagles’ top marksman Shohei Okuno earned a point for Albion Park in the final match of the regular Illawarra Mercury Premier League season. Wollongong United had gone two up courtesy of goals from Dylan Chaplin and Jin Ya An and were looking good for completing a league double over the White Eagles before Okuno came off the bench and turned the game around.

The result has no bearing on final rankings in the IPL ladder, with the White Eagles set for Finals action in the coming weeks from their third spot in the final league table, while United’s season ends here with last season’s Grand Final winners finishing in eighth thanks to their nine point deduction for rules infringement earlier in the season.

There was an unfamiliar look to both line ups at kick off, as the two coaches made a number of changes from their usual first choice starting eleven. For the White Eagles this was a chance to rest some tired legs ahead of what they hope will be a long Finals series in September, while for United it was a second chance to give new faces a shot at first grade football.

Chaplin had already impressed in last week’s tie against Kemblawarra Fury and it was his vision that set up Tim Wylie for United’s first chance in the tenth minute, Dylan Wray getting back this time to clear for the home side.

At the other end, the White Eagles’ two Japanese recruits, Kotaro Higashi and Riku Iwauchi showed no sign of missing their compatriot Okuno in the early stages. They linked up well to give Higashi Albion Park’s first real effort on goal, forcing Sam Nastic to get down low at the near post to keep the scores level.

In the 23^rd minute, the Japanese pair teamed up well with Brian Montanari inside the box, though Iwauchi could have done better with his effort from ten yards out.

There was an even flow to the game through most of the first half, but a lack of urgency from either side in a match with nothing to play for at the end of the day.

The game needed a goal and it was United that broke the deadlock just before the break. Chaplin pounced on a poor touch out of defence, he surged forward 20 yards and fired home from a tight angle inside the box.

The White Eagles responded quickly and could have equalised on the stroke of half time. Iwauchi laid the ball off to Robert Delbanco who sent a right foot shot towards the top corner only to see Nastic launch himself skywards to tip the ball away for a corner while Montanari waited for any mishap.

1-0  to United at the break.

The second half opened with United pressing forward, putting the pressure on the Albion Park defence. Yellow cards for Wray and Peter Prandalos in the early stages of the second period will not have been what White Eagles coach Jeff Allport wanted to see as he attempts to keep a full squad ahead of the Finals.

And the United pressure paid off just past the hour mark when Jin Ya An doubled their lead. Again it was new boy Chaplin who sent a through ball from half way into An’s path. The United winger made time and space to compose himself before sending a left foot shot in at the near post beyond Bryce Daenell’s reach in the White Eagles goal.

The second goal was the cue for a change in the Albion Park line up, with playmaker Okuno brought on with 25 minutes remaining. He may not have been involved with the home side’s next two chances, but his presence clearly has an energising impact on his teammates.

Twice in less than two minutes, Nastic kept the White Eagles at bay, first blocking a Montanari shot from close range, and then keeping out Iwauchi, who had been put through in front of goal by a pinpoint pass from Djordje Uzelac out of midfield.

It didn’t take long for Okuno to make his mark, though. With fifteen minutes to play, he collected the ball on the edge of the area, moved swiftly across to get a sight on goal and unleashed a superb left foot shot that swerved out of Nastic’s reach, thundering against the angle before catapulting into the back of the net for the goal of the game.

Suddenly the game had switched and it was all Albion Park. Even Ryan Suttle drove forward from the backline to force a desperate stop from Daisuke Yuzawa in front of goal. And the crowd was treated to clever touches like the long range back heel from Higashi that almost found the target before Nastic got up to tip the ball over.

The pressure on the United defence told when Montanari was brought down just inside the box and the referee had no option but to point to the spot. Okuno stepped up to drill home the spot kick, though he was forced to do so twice after an infringement as he took the penalty the first time.

And still the White Eagles poured forward, looking to win the tie. Okuno could have gone for his hat-trick, but twice in the dying minutes he cleverly set up others in a better position to go for the winner.

First he laid the ball off to Montanari, whose curling cross headed towards Iwauchi and Higashi at the far post. Both had a go but somehow Nastic kept the ball out. And then Okuno linked up with Uzelac to find Prandalos prowling by the far post and yet again Nastic kept his side in it.

Final score 2-2.

Speaking after the match, White Eagles coach Jeff Allport said he was proud of his players for sticking to the game plan, even with an unfamiliar starting line up: “We have given a few of the fringe squad players a couple of games now and they’ve performed well so I have a few selection headaches when everyone is back next week. Obviously the game today changed when Sho (Okuno) came on and his goal was brilliant, but I have a happy squad in there and we’re going to give it our best shot in the Finals.”

Albion Park White Eagles – 2 (Okuno 75’, 83’ pen)

Wollongong United – 2 (Chaplin 42’, Jin Ya An 62’)

Sunday 28 August 2016

Terry Reserve

Referee: Andrew Naylor

Assistant referees: Gareth Jenkins, Alex Rodgers

Albion Park White Eagles: Bryce Daenell, Ryan Suttle, Dejan Djukic, Chris Nathaniel, Peter Prandalos, Djordje Uzelac, Dylan Wray (Shohei Okuno 65’), Robert Delbanco, Brian Montanari, Riku Iwauchi, Kotaro Higashi (subs not used: Hayden Waples, Ross Prandalos, Declan Hull, Lachlan Ahling)

 

Wollongong United: Sam Nastic, Daisuke Yuzawa, Jackson Brooks, Billy Tsovolos, Angelo Hajittofi, Moto Kinjo, Karouna Michael (Steve Dimitrievski 87’), Dylan Chaplin, Johnny Martinoski (Klime Sekutkoski 64’), Tim Wylie, Jin Ya An (subs not used: Nathan Scicchitano, Zac Mazevski, Dylan Roe)

Report by Simon Duffin

Photo courtesy of Kiah Hufton