Wollongong Olympic hosted Tarrawanna Blueys at PCYC in Round 3 of the Fraternity Club Bert Bampton Cup on Monday afternoon. The match up featured two of the best defensive teams in the Illawarra Premier League with the game always going to be a tight one.

The first half started slowly with both team sizing up one another, both failed to keep enough possession to build up any dangerous attacks. After the opening early exchanges, the Blueys started to gain some momentum but it was Olympic who would fire the first shot through Stefan Dimoski. He struck the ball, it took a nasty bobble causing the winger to misfire.

Tarrawanna were starting to impose themselves maintaining good possesion, dictating the play. They were almost rewarded when Matthew Mazevski found himself open and struck a sweet shot from distance only to see Durose calmly diffuse the effort with a fine save.

The Blueys continued to dominate the play creating more chances then their opposition. Rick Goodchild also had a rocket of a shot which Durose also did well to save.

Tarrawanna finally got their break through on 31 minutes. A ball from the right hand edge flew across goal finding the head of an unmarked Jacob Fryday who nodded home to put the Blueys in front. The Blueys getting their just reward through some positive football.

The goal seemed to jolt Olympic but it was still Tarrawanna who held the ball and dictated the first half of football. The half finished with Tarrawanna holding the slight advantage.

Half time Olympic 0-1 Tarrawanna

With the threat of not being knocked out o the Cup as Champions, Olympic came out of the half firing in a big way. In the 47th minute, they were able to create a golden opportunity but another unfortunate bounce off the below par pitch saw Dimoski fire the ball over the target by some distance.

Golden chances were scarce in the match with Tarrawanna looking to soak up the Olympic pressure. Olympic came close again when they were unlucky not to equalise after a cross deflected off Mathew Naylor who ended up hitting the post before the ball was knocked out for a corner. A lucky escape for the visitors and almost a well deserved equaliser for the home side.

With 14 minutes left to play, Olympic would finally have a piece of luck go their way. Haydyn Lloyd floated a 40 yard free kick towards goal which somehow eluded everyone including keeper Christian Pretto and ended up flying into the top left corner.

Olympic continued to pressure Tarrawanna for the duration of the game but they were unable to capitalise on their impressive second half display effectively sending the match into extra time.

Extra time began with Olympic flexing their muscle, continuing to break down the tired Blueys defence who was now working overtime. 

Just before the first half of extra time break, Wollongong Olympic broke through and finished a very scrappy goal. Tarrawanna failed to clear a corner kick allowing Jake Duczynski to strike from close range and put Olympic in front for the first time in the match. 

Olympic looked to settle and see out the game but a tired looking Tarrawanna were fading with fatigue and failed to really apply the same intensity as they started with. They were then counter attacked after failing to deliver off a short corner. Yuseke Ueda ran through the Blueys defence before squaring it for Dimoski who had no issue finishing the ball into the roof of the net with 2 minutes remaining.

Olympic got through this assignment well and had completed a huge comeback against a Tarrawanna side that continues to impress in the League. A dominate second half display set them up to progress into the next round of the cup competition.

Full time (AET)

Olympic 3-1 Tarrawanna

Wollongong Olympic 3 ( H.Llyod 76’, J. Duczynski 104’, S. Dimoski 118’)

Tarrawanna Blueys 1 ( J.Fryday 31’)

 

Wollongong Olympic

H.Durose, H.Lloyd, S.Tokuno, B. Belsito, J.Keating, H.Brown, Y. Ueda, B. Coates, J. Duczynski, S. Dimoski, B.Fordham

Replacements

J. Wakeling, D.Prerlovski, M. Aloegniniou

 

Tarrawanna Blueys

C.Pretto, M.Naylor, S.Chapple, D.Chapman, J.Chapple, D.Stone, J.Fryday, S.Rose, M.Mazevski, R.Goodchild, K.Nagaishi.

Replacements

W. Oh, J.Fish, A.Carrigan, C.Grace, L.Clements

 

Report by Liam Emerton
Photo by Noel Wynn