Wollongong United have taken one step closer to the Illawarra Mercury Premier League Grand Final with a 3-0 win over Albion Park White Eagles in the Minor Semi-Final on Sunday afternoon at Tarrawanna Oval. United found themselves in the lead after 11 minutes when Ben Brooks opening the scoring before a second half brace from Matthew McNab secured the victory for Jeff Allport’s side, who now must take on Wollongong Olympic for a spot in the decider against Bulli.

Despite finishing third with 44 points to their name, it was Albion Park who entered the Minor Semi-Final off the back of a loss, with the side going down 3-1 to Wollongong Olympic the week prior in the Qualifying Final. Meanwhile, their opponents in Wollongong United – who finished 4^th in the regular season with 41 points to their name - came into the match off the back of a 4-1 win over Port Kembla in the Elimination Final and looking to further extend their run in September.

And it was United who dominated the early exchanges of the match, with the side coming close to taking the lead in the 8^th minute through a Matthew McNab free-kick which skimmed across the face of goal, but fans were not made to wait much longer for the opening goal of the match, with Wollongong taking the lead three minutes later through Ben Brooks.

Brooks’ goal arose as the result of a United corner, which was originally pushed out by the Albion Park defence, only for the ball to find its way back into the possession of the Wollongong United midfield on the right-hand side of the field. United were quick with their cross-field play, finding Brooks on the edge of the Eagles box, who fired off a powerful effort goalward. Despite an attempt at a block by Albion Park’s Shayne Ardle, Brooks managed to beat the defender and Eagles shot-stopper Chris Fuentes Ramirez to give his side the lead.

With the Eagles needing a quick goal to push themselves back into the match, the side almost levelled scores three minutes later through Chris Gomez, who capitalized on a mistake in the Wollongong United defence to claim the ball on the edge of the box. However, Gomez’s shot left much to be desired and the effort slid to the right of the Wollongong United goal and out of play.

Albion Park had another chance to level the match in the 42^nd minute thanks to a great passage of play between Kane Wright and Kody Maude down the right-hand side of the field. Wright and Maude linked up before Wright attempted to slide the ball across the box to an incoming Chris Gomez, but Wright’s pass was shut down by Ben Brooks, keeping the side trailing by a goal heading into the half-time break.

With the score sitting at 1-0, Wollongong United came out in the second half hoping to double their advantage, and the side came within inches of netting their second in the 51^st minute after a Matthew McNab free-kick on the left-hand side of the field swung in and found the head of Ben Brooks on the right post, whose headed effort was denied by an outstanding reflex save from Albion Park gloveman Chris Fuentes Ramirez, who managed to get a hand to Brooks’ effort and tip the shot out over the crossbar.

However, United managed to convert their next major chance four minutes later to double their advantage. United’s attack started thanks to a quick ball from Daisuke Yuzawa, who whipped the ball from the right-hand side of the field to Nathan Elasi in the middle of the park. Elasi then released Matthew McNab down the left-hand side of the field with a great through ball. McNab then fired off an effort goalward that was denied by a great save from the rushing Chris Fuentes Ramirez, only for his save to fall directly back into the path of a following-up McNab. McNab then simply pushed the ball past a sprawling Fuentes Ramirez and into an open net to send United two goals ahead.

United almost broke through for their third goal of the day within seconds of Albion Park retaking the kickoff after a cross from Yuzawa forced Albion Park’s Blake McGinn to clear the shot, but his clearance flew into his own crossbar, rocketing away from goal and keeping Albion Park’s head above rising water.

However, McNab added to his tally for the afternoon five minutes later, with the Wollongong United forward netting again off a quick break out of defence. After a ball was played down the left-hand side of the field towards an open McNab, the United player was able to get his head to the bouncing ball before a rushing Chris Fuentes Ramirez could reach the ball. McNab’s header then flew over the head of the incoming Albion Park keeper to find the back of the net and give Wollongong United their third goal of the afternoon.

After the third goal, Albion Park began to push forward more to seek a way back into the match and the side came close to picking one out in the 74^th minute after a deep free-kick from substitute Ferres Aoun on the right-hand side of the field forced the hand of Wollongong United shot-stopper Sam Nastic. Nastic was called into action, running out and plucking the ball from mid-air before a waiting and open Kody Maude could get his head to the effort and direct it goalward, leaving Albion Park exiting the finals without troubling the scorers in the Minor Semi-Final, Wollongong United claiming a 3-0 victory.

United’s victory sees them into the Preliminary final for the first time since their 2015 championship and with the side also claiming a victory over the White Eagles in the Minor Semi-Final during that run, it could potentially be a case of good omens for the side from Macedonia Park in their 2018 campaign. However, standing between Wollongong United and a spot in the big dance is Wollongong Olympic, who went down 3-2 to Bulli in the Major Semi-Final at Elizabeth Park on Sunday afternoon. With United’s last league win over Olympic coming in Round 1 of the 2015 season, the pressure is on for United to overturn their recent history against their opponents.

For Albion Park however, the season ends on a disappointing note, bowing out in the Minor Semi-Final. However, the side can look at some positives from the campaign, with Albion Park claiming their second 3^rd place finish in three seasons and with coach Paul Carter slated to remain with the side for the 2019 season, the Eagles can look to next year with hopes of another solid campaign.

Sunday 9 September 2018 at Tarrawanna Oval.

Albion Park White Eagles – 0

Wollongong United – 3 (Brooks 11’, McNab 55’, 60’)

Albion Park White Eagles: Chris FUENTES RAMIREZ, Kane WRIGHT, Shayne ARDLE, Shannon FIELDING, Chris NATHANIEL, Nathan RALPH, Robert DELBANCO, Blake MCGINN, Kody MAUDE, Hikaru KAWASAKIYA, Chris GOMEZ

Subs: Daniel REA, Ferres AOUN (RALPH 67’), Shaun MCRAE (ARDLE 56’), Luke DEBROT (WRIGHT 61’), Jacob HUFTON

Wollongong United: Sam NASTIC, Maty BRENNAN, Ben BROOKS, Nathan ELASI, Dominic HUDAP, Kazuto KUSHIDA, Matthew MCNAB, Hayden MORTON, Sam MUNRO, Daisuke YUZAWA, Jake LEIGHTON

Subs: Jackson BROOKS (HUDAP 60’), Kenta AZECHI, Zac MCLAREN (MORTON 87’), Cody WALLER (MCNAB 65’), Ben WUNSCH

Referee – Nick RYAN

Assistant Referees – Damien DENNELLY and Ethan ZVARGULIS

Fourth Official – Bobby MAZEVSKI

Report by Cal Behrendt, on Twitter @CalBehrendt

Photo courtesy of Kiah Hufton