Albion Park White Eagles nabbed a vital three points with a 2-0 win over Wollongong United in a Round 13 Illawarra Mercury Premier League clash at Macedonia Park on Saturday afternoon. The visitors opened the scoring in the 22^nd minute thanks to a Cameron Morgan free-kick before substitute Yuki Uno secured the result in the 77^th minute with a stunning strike from distance, sending Albion Park into 2^nd place for the evening.

Albion Park entered the match hoping to extend their bragging rights over a Wollongong United side they downed 2-1 back in Round 2 and the visitors had the opening chance of the game two minutes in, with Cameron Morgan sneaking a ball through to Valentino Merxhushi down the left-hand side of the Wollongong United box. Merxhushi did well to direct a chipped effort goalward from a tight angle, but Wollongong United gloveman Sam Nastic was easily able to pluck the ball out of the air and keep the scores level.

Both sides had chances early on to take the lead, with the hosts just missing out on striking the opening goal in the 20^th minute, with a Shane Murray free-kick from in front of goal the best chance for Wollongong United in the opening exchanges. Murray’s free-kick managed to beat the wall and sneak under a diving Brad Jardine, but the Albion Park shot-stopper did just enough to redirect the ball out past the right-hand post.

However it was the visitors who opened the scoring two minutes later, with the side awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box allowing Cameron Morgan – who had a fantastic return against Port Kembla last round – to break the deadlock, with his curling effort beating Sam Nastic and burying itself into the right hand side of the net to send Albion Park in front.

With the hosts going a goal down, Wollongong United attempted to control possession and create chances but the next major chance fell to the visitors, with Morgan almost doubling Albion Park’s advantage in the 30^th minute with another free-kick, but this time Nastic was able to get himself to the shot, producing a top-drawer save to push the ball away and deny Morgan his second of the afternoon, sending the sides into the half-time break on level terms.

As both sides came out for the second period of play, Albion Park appeared to be searching for another goal to make them comfortable leaders and the side almost found what they were searching for in the 46^th minute, with a quick ball from Chris Nathaniel finding Joel Beattie down the left-hand flank, allowing Beattie to whip into the box a ball aimed at Cameron Morgan, but Wollongong Untied keeper Sam Nastic was able to reach the ball and snatch the cross out of the air before an unmarked Morgan could reach the chance.

Chasing the game, Wollongong United began to press forward in search of an equalizer and this tactic almost provided dividends in the 64^th minute after a cutting run in the box from Zac McLaren allowed the midfielder to slide a ball back to Matthew McNab. However, McNab was unable to level the scores with his attempt, slicing the shot across the face of goal and out past the right-hand post.

The hosts saw a golden chance go begging three minutes later when some confusion between the Albion Park central defenders Shannon Fielding and Kyle Senior saw the ball pop loose in the White Eagles box. Wollongong United’s Naoki Ogawa was able to quickly pounce on the ball and fire an effort at goal, only to be denied by a great reaction save from Albion Park custodian Brad Jardine.

With Wollongong United trying hard to level the scores, Albion Park were restricted to the occasional ball on the counter and in the 77^th minute, the visitors were able to double their lead thanks to one of these balls, with a ball reaching the feet of substitute Yuki Uno, who was able to quickly get the ball under control before producing a stunning strike from range that flew into the top right corner of the net, just out of the reach of Sam Nastic and sending the White Eagles two goals in front.

Uno’s strike sparked the game into life as Wollongong United stepped up their attempts to pull a goal back and the side came agonizingly close to pulling a goal back four minutes later after a quick ball from Hikaru Kawasakiya found Matthew McNab down the left-hand side of the field. McNab managed to fire off a good shot that forced a save from Brad Jardine, but Jardine’s save caused the ball to fall into the path of substitute Nathan Jagelman in front of goal. Jagelman managed to react quickly to tap the ball past Jardine, but some fantastic scrambling from the Albion Park backline managed to keep the ball out of the net, with a sliding clearance off the goal-line keeping the White Eagles two goals in front.

The hosts had another chance go begging in the 82^nd minute after a McNab corner failed to be properly dealt with by the Albion Park defence, with the scramble causing the ball to bounce to substitute Ben Brooks. Brooks managed to get his head to the effort but was unable to trouble the scorers, nodding the ball over the crossbar.

Wollongong United continued to push but struggled to find that final touch, with the side seeing another chance go wasted two minutes later after a Kane Wright cross from the left flank found the head of Billy Tsovolos in the box, but Tsovolos was unable to direct his headed effort past Jardine – instead sending the ball into the grateful arms of the keeper.

Albion Park had one final chance to see the game off in the 90^th minute after a great passing play between Cameron Morgan and new signing Cody Waller down the left-hand side of the park resulted in Morgan receiving the ball unmarked and in front of goal, but Morgan was unable to pick up his second of the afternoon, sending the ball powering over the crossbar and ensuring that Albion Park White Eagles left Macedonia Park with a 2-0 win.

The win means the White Eagles temporarily rise to second place on the ladder – with the side holding onto the spot if Corrimal Rangers fail to grab a result against Port Kembla on Sunday. Paul Carter’s side will be now attempting to close the gap between themselves and league leaders Wollongong Olympic when they host George Antoniou’s squad next Saturday at Terry Reserve, with a win sending the side within one point of Olympic.

Meanwhile, Wollongong United remain in sixth place as a result of the defeat, with the side two points adrift of fifth-placed Tarrawanna. The side will be hoping to return to the top five and end their three-match winless streak when they host Coniston in their rescheduled Round 12 fixture at Macedonia Park on Tuesday evening.

Saturday 15 June 2019 at Macedonia Park, Berkeley

Wollongong United – 0

Albion Park White Eagles – 2 (Morgan 22’, Uno 77’)

Wollongong United: Sam NASTIC, Hikaru KAWASAKIYA, Jake LEIGHTON, Zac MCLAREN, Matthew MCNAB, Shane MURRAY, James O’ROURKE, Billy TSOVOLOS, Kane WRIGHT, Naoki OGAWA, Maty BRENNAN

Subs: Ben BROOKS (MCLAREN 77’), Jordan SEETO (BRENNAN 60’), Nathan JAGELMAN (OGAWA 71’), Nick HIGH, Blake COAD

Albion Park White Eagles: Brad JARDINE, Valentino MERXHUSHI, Shannon FIELDING, Kyle SENIOR, Chris NATHANIEL, Blake MCGINN, Robert DELBANCO, Oliver CARRASCO, Naomichi ARAKI, Cameron MORGAN, Joel BEATTIE

Subs: Yuki UNO (CARRASCO 71’), Eiki FUKUSHIGE, (MORGAN 90’), Cody WALLER (MERXHUSHI 55’), Chris GOMEZ, Jacob HUFTON

Referee – Blake HERBERT

Assistant Referees – Mick AGIM and Ethan LEHN

Report by Cal Behrendt, on Twitter @CalBehrendt

Photos courtesy of Kiah Hufton