Wollongong United defeated Port Kembla one-nil in a game which lacked quality possession from either side. Port Kembla went into the game off of the back of a drumming from Bulli in which they shipped four goals, meaning they desperately needed to get a win in this game to get them back in the hunt for a top six place which was slipping away from them after some other poor early season results. Wollongong United, on the other hand, were on a great run of form in which they had won their last four games and scored a total of 11 goals. A high scoring Wollongong United win would have been expected.

After a slow start to the game, Port Kembla had their first attack in the 11th minute with a ball over the top being brought down well by Sandy Lowcock who had to shoot quickly to avoid the defenders getting a block in, but this resulted in his shot going wide. A minute later, Wollongong United responded when a free-kick was awarded for the home side which was blocked but fell to Kazuto Kushida on the top of the box who curled the ball around the post, millimetres away from opening the scoring.

With a quarter of the game played Wollongong United’s Daisuke Yuzawa wriggled through several challenges on the right-hand-side before seeing his effort blocked. Four minutes later Port Kembla came forward with Lowcock crossing a ball in from the right-hand-side for Makoto Ishihara who brought it down on his chest and shot quickly but a fantastic block meant that the ball didn’t end up in the back of the net.

With 15 minutes of the first half to play, United had the best chance of the game when Yuzawa’s cross from the right-hand-side met the head of Mathew Mcnab but the ball cannoned off of the crossbar. Four minutes later a corner from the right-hand-side found Ben Brooks who smashed his header over the crossbar.

Port Kembla came back into the game two minutes later when a spectacular cross from Ben Zucco curled all of the way to the back post for Cameron Morgan who couldn’t make contact with his diving header. Five minutes from half-time Wollongong United had their final chance of the half when Brooks got control of ball lofted forwards into the box and laid it off to Mcnab who twisted and turned to make room for the shot, but it went straight into the keeper’s hands.

So, at halftime Wollongong United despite all of their chances, had failed to penetrate the Port Kembla defence consistently and this would need to improve if they were to go on and win the game.

Within the first minute of the second half, Wollongong United had had a shot. Stephen Domenici playing a good ball into the feet of Mcnab who tried to drive a low strike into the corner but saw it blocked. Four minutes later Wollongong United had another chance to open the scoring when Maty Brennan powered past several Port Kembla defenders down the right-hand-side before delivering a cut-back to Nathan Elasi just had to tap it in but once again Port Kembla got a crucial block in.

Mcnab had another chance to score five minutes after his last as Kushida played a ball into the feet of Mcnab who flicked it over his head and after several deflections, the ball fell back to him but once again his shot from inside the six-yard box was blocked.

In the 55th minute the deadlock was finally broken when Mcnab was brought down in the box meaning a penalty was awarded. Elasi stepped up and put it straight down the middle with the keeper diving to the striker’s right. A goal that would prove to be important come the end of the game.

Ten minutes later, Brennan again showed great strength to get down the right-hand-side and got to the by-line putting a ball into the unmarked Mcnab who was waiting in the centre, but his shot was straight at the keeper. Just a minute later, Port Kembla had their first chance of the half when Joey Lavalle chipped a ball into Ishihara who laid it off for Antonio Musumeci who cleared the crossbar with his shot.

The next chance came in the 83rd minute for Wollongong United, as a corner whipped in from the right-hand-side found Brooks who had risen highest, his headed effort was incredibly saved by the outstretched arm of Bradley Jardine much to his despair. Port Kembla looked dead and buried until a poor giveaway from Kushida found Ishihara in a brilliant position to equalise for Port Kembla, but he couldn’t beat Sam Nastic who stood strong and made an important save.

The game finished with Wollongong United scrapping past Port Kembla one-nil. Not the kind of score line many would have expected considering the sides contrasting form.

This result pushes Wollongong United into 3rd place and just three points off the top. They face an Albion Park side who just lost their unbeaten run losing to Bulli, United will hope to take advantage of a wounded Albion Park side, but they will need to play better than they did against Port Kembla as they failed to really get out of first gear. Port Kembla will begin the first of their three games at home in a row which will be against a Cringila Lions side who are on a poor run of form most recently sharing the spoils with bottom side South Coast United.

 

Saturday 26th May 2018 at Macedonia Park

 

Wollongong United – 1 (Elasi 55’)

Port Kembla – 0

 

Wollongong United: Maty BRENNAN, Benjamin BROOKS, Stephen DOMENICI, Mark EVERY, Matthew GORDON, Kazuto KUSHIDA, Mathew MCNAB (MCLAREN), Sam MUNRO, Sam NASTIC, Daisuke YUZAWA, Jake LEIGHTON (ELASI)

Substitutes: Nathan ELASI, Jackson BROOKS, Zac MCLAREN, Lachlan O’CONNOR

 

Port Kembla: Bradley JARDINE, Justin CARIO, William MOBBS, Brooklan FRKOVIC, Cario STELLA, Jason PEREZ, Cameron MORGAN (MUSUMECI), Ben ZUCCO, Makoto ISHIHARA, Joey LAVELLE, Sandy LOWCOCK (KATO)

Substitutes: Naruyuki KATO, Nobuaki MOCHIZUKI, Antonio MUSUMECI, Daniel FARINA

 

Referee: Nathan WOTTON

Assistant Referees: Gareth JENKINS and Trae ARNOLD

 

Report by Timothy Gibson, on Twitter @timg123_

Photo by Dana Guthrie