Warilla looked to turn around the surprise defeat against Berkeley last week and to prove to the rest of their group that they are still a force within this competition. While University looked to build upon their well deserved 2-0 win against Kiama in the opening round of the Fraternity Cup. It promised to be a very well contested match between to strong sides looking to prove their worth.

Warilla fired early, playing quick passes into space and knocking the ball around with a lot of intent. Two minutes in, their immediate attacking display would pay off. University's keeper Josh Dean found himself in no mans land running after a loose ball outside of his area. Warrila's captain, Bojan Caric, got to the ball first and easily touched it around the keeper unselfishly leaving it for his teammate, Kaine Good, who took it closer to the goal mouth before placing it around two defenders into the empty net.

Shocked by the quick goal, University ran forward in their first display of attacking football and they should have had the exact same reward as Warilla. A great ball from midfield left University's number 9, Evan Fitzsimmons, with only the keeper to beat. But in the one on one situation he struck the shot to the left hand side of the goal mouth almost finding the post on its way past.

University's Liam Daley almost equalised in the 14^th minute, when a deep cross found his head, the ball then lofted towards the goal but the number 3 was denied by the crossbar. This gave University more confidence freeing their game up and moments later their number 10 Luke Vandenbergh would miss an open goal after a low driven shot skewed into his path. He was ruled offside by the officials which would have denied him nether the less.

A quick counter attack allowed Warilla's Martin Castelli to play a magical through ball which swerved into the path of Good. Picking it up just over the halfway line, the number 5 used pace and outstanding ball skills to turn two of the University's defenders inside out before slotting the ball past the keeper to bring up Warilla's and Good's second goal of the match.

A great 20 minutes of football was soured by the injury to Warilla's Daniel Ferraro. Who suddenly fell to the ground with nobody else around him. In which was a great display of sportsmanship from both sides, the number 10 was stretchered off to claps of sympathy.

With a chance of a hat trick, the Wanderers number 5 looked to push forward once more, creating space on the left hand side of University's penalty area, however instead of attempting a shot from very close range, Good drew the keeper in and played a very unselfish ball to an unmarked Stewart Robertson who comfortably slotted it home into an empty net. Warilla looked to have the game polished off by the 30^th minute.

With neither team able to control the remaining 5 minutes of the half. The half time score finished 3-0 with The Wanderers leading.

Two crucial saves by University's keeper gave his side a very slight glimmer of hope for a comeback in the second half as Warilla looked to embarrass University by increasing their lead.

Luck had not been on University's side in the first half but in the 14^th minute of the second, after a few defections, bounces and failed clearances by the Warilla defence, the ball somehow found the feet of Evan Fitzsimmons who buried the ball with enough power that not even a touch from Warilla's number 1 could stop it.

A few half chances, including a long shot from substitute Luke McCann looked to provide a confidence boost for University who were certainly running out of time to stage any form of comeback.

A quite second half in which Warilla comfortably defended their lead, provided no other goals or big chances for either side.

The game finished 3-1 and put Warilla back on the right track while setting University crashing down after their previous victory.

Sunday 26^th of February

King Mickey Park

Warilla- 3 (Good 2',15' Robertson 30')

University- 1 ( Fitzsimmons 49')

Warilla- V.Rizvani, J.Nolan, J.Young, M.Marinell, K.Good, L.Everingham, A.Montalbano, N.Pegler, B. Craic, D.Ferraro, M. Castelli.

Subs- A.Inskip, J.Pickles, S.Robertson.

University- J.Dean, M.Harrod, L.Daley, A.Gigliotti, N. Djukic, D.Hamilton, T.Brown, C.Hood, E.Fitzsimmons, L.Vandenbergh, S.Mawbey.

Subs- A. Purvis, A.Coetzer, A. Turton-Peet, T.Shannon, L.Mccann.

Report by Liam Emerton
Photo by Pickles