Anthony Proia and Matthew McNab grabbed two goals apiece as Kemblawarra Fury made it back-to-back away wins and jumped up to third in the ladder ahead of Sunday’s kick-offs.

The 4-0 scoreline reflected a dominant Fury second half performance, though Woonona were still in the game at the break, having very nearly equalised in the first half – Sam Munro was the Fury hero at the back, heading off his own line to keep his side in front.

The game started with both sides clearly looking to play neat, passing football, and while the Fury had the better of the opening chances, Woonona were not to be outplayed, with Joel Beattie working hard to match his twin brother’s achievements this season at Bulli.

Shane Murray looked a danger whenever he had the ball and it was his through ball into McNab’s path which created the Fury’s first real chance, though the centre forward side-footed just over the bar this time.

Alvin Ceccoli also pushed forward from his centre back position early on. He curled a free kick just over the bar in the 10^th minute, but then set up the Fury’s opener five minutes later. The Sharks gave him too much time on the ball, leaving Ceccoli space to pick out Proia who was ten yards out from goal. The Fury’s top scorer could pick his spot and steered his header home out of Jacob Madden’s reach in the Woonona goal.

But the Sharks didn’t let the goal knock them back, and in the next twenty minutes the home side played some of its best football of the afternoon. One ten-pass move ended with the ball at Beattie’s feet, but the youngster couldn’t get enough behind his shot to trouble Mitchell Blowes in the Fury goal.

Then it was Caleb Russell and Luke McCosker playing a neat one-two which split the Fury defence, forcing Blowes to get down low to keep out McCosker’s shot. Beattie made some darting runs down the right, winning a corner in the 35^th minute, which he floated into the area himself. A Fury defender rose highest but sent his clearance goalwards instead of out to safety. Munro kept his cool, though, and headed clear from his own goal line.

At the other end, the Fury always looked a danger, but McNab was caught far too often by the offside flag as he tried repeatedly to break clear of his marker.

The Fury just about deserved the one goal advantage going in to the break.

But it was the visitors who came out all guns blazing for the second stanza, and within two minutes they had doubled their lead.

It was Murray who found a way through to McNab’s feet and this time the striker beat the offside trap, firing home from just inside the area to make it 2-0.

Again the home side tried to respond quickly, this time Scott Curran breaking with Russell, but Steve Wright managed to get back and put in a crunching tackle to prevent Russell pulling the trigger.

And that was basically game over for the Sharks. For the next 40 minutes, the Fury were in control, stifling Woonona’s passing game and dominating possession themselves.

Chances came thick and fast from then on in.

Proia forced Madden into a fingertip save onto the crossbar before the ball flew out to Fabian Iacovelli, who curled his shot just wide. Then it was Adam Biddle who floated a cross in directly onto the bar again. McNab and Murray teamed up again for a quick one-two before Murray’s shot flew across the face of the goal with nobody there for the final touch.

But it was Ceccoli who again played provider for the Fury’s third. He sent a free kick straight to the feet of McNab, who composed himself well before firing home for his second of the afternoon.

McNab came off with fifteen minutes remaining, giving Liam Unicomb an opportunity to add to his tally after scoring in midweek. But the unlucky forward pulled up with a hamstring strain on his first run at the Woonona defence, and was himself replaced after only five minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As legs tired in the Sharks’ defence, Madden became even busier in the dying moments of the game. He made the save of the match to tip a fierce Proia shot over, and he got down well to deny Munro. But when Proia and substitute Kazuto Kushida bore down on the Sharks’ box, Madden came out to challenge and mistimed his tackle. His blushes were saved by Cameron Besgrove who got back well to stop an almost certain goal.

The Fury still had more in the tank, though and in time added on, Proia raced forward onto a Lachlan O’Connor clearance and slotted the ball home for his second and the Fury’s fourth.

Speaking after the game, Sharks coach Geoff Foster said his side had lost to the better team but he was pleased with his own side’s performance in the first half.

For Fury acting coach Rob Jovanoski, his side deserved the victory overall, though the first half was fairly even. “We pressed better in the second half and knocked the ball around better. They were chasing the game which opened things up for us in the second half. “

Next up for the Fury is a midweek catch up game against Cringila on Wednesday, while Woonona return to Ocean Park next weekend when they host Port Kembla.

Woonona FC – 0

Kemblawarra Fury – 4 (Proia 15’, 90+1’, McNab 47’, 73’)

Assists: Fury: Ceccoli 2, Murray, O’Connor

Ocean Park, Saturday 29 April 2017

Referee: Peter Ilcevski
Assistant referees: Bobby Mazevski, Nathan Wallace

 

Woonona FC: Jacob Madden, Cameron Besgrove, Chris Gibson, Aiden Breslin, Luke Foster, Daniel Atkins (Valentino Merxhushi 62’), Brendan Pattman, Scott Curran, Caleb Russell (Jai Mellor 77’, Luke McCusker, Joel Beattie (subs not used: Brandon Lewis, David Kotrc, Lachlan Ahling)

Kemblawarra Fury: Mitchell Blowes, Steven Wright, David Hartas, Fabian Iacovelli, Alvin Ceccoli, Adam Biddle (Kazuto Kushida 65’), Shane Murray, Sam Munro, Lachlan O’Connor, Anthony Proia, Matthew McNab (Liam Unicomb 75’ – Cody Waller 80’) (subs not used: Kyle Senior, David Zufic)

 

 

Report by Simon Duffin

Photos by Pedro Garcia