Tarrawanna kept their finals hopes alive with an important 3-2 victory over league-leading Wollongong Olympic at Tarrawanna Oval on Sunday afternoon. A brace from Blueys’ import Keisuke Hayashi in the opening half-hour gave Tarrawanna a strong foothold early on, but a pair of goals from Olympic striker Yusuke Ueda drew the match level with half an hour still to play. However, a goal from Tarrawanna midfielder Sam Munro four minutes from full-time secured the win for the hosts, who keep themselves in the top-five as a result of the victory.

The Blueys’ set the tone early on in the encounter, pushing bodies into the final third and in the third minute, this created a chance for the hosts. A freekick from the right-hand side of the field directed towards the back post caused trouble for the visiting defence, requiring Olympic’s Mark Every to flick the ball up to prevent a goal before Hayden Durose claimed the ball.

Tarrawanna’s early pressure soon paid dividends, however; as Keisuke Hayashi opened the scoring in the fifth minute. A hopeful ball forward was brought down well by the forward, sending him through into a face-to-face encounter with Durose. The Blueys’ forward managed to get the better of the Olympic keeper, lashing a strike into the roof of the net, despite a touch from the keeper on the way through.

Olympic responded to this four minutes later with some good build-up play, leading to Julian Munitillo picking the ball up just outside the box on the left-hand side of the park. Making room to shoot, he failed to hit the ball properly and sliced the ball well wide of the far corner.

Olympic continued their pressure and created another chance in the 22nd minute, with Julian Munitillo once again threatening down the left-hand side. Getting to the by-line, Minutillo stood a ball up to the back post where Ekoue D’Almedia was unable to make meaningful contact with the ball - flicking it away from goal and allowing the Tarrawanna defence to clear their lines.

Three minutes later, Tarrawanna moved into an attacking position, winning a freekick in a threatening position on the left-hand side. Once again, the ball was floated towards the back-post area with Sam Munro able to cut the ball back to Jake Morlando who was situated on the penalty spot. Morlando prompted a fantastic reaction save from Hayden Durose, who was able to parry the ball away.

However, six minutes later, the Olympic custodian could do nothing to prevent Tarrawanna’s Keisuke Hayashi picking up his second goal of the game. Continuing their exploitation of balls played in behind the Olympic defence, Tarrawanna’s Hayashi made an untracked run into the box receiving the ball on the half-turn, before sliding a smart finish under Durose and into the back of the net.

On a day where Olympic could’ve extended their lead at the top to nine points, they were two goals down before the first half had even ended. This reality sparked a resurgence from the visitors in the final ten minutes of the opening half. In the 35th minute, the side were awarded a freekick on the right-hand side. Fullback Ikumi Saito whipped in a dangerous shot on target, prompting Tarrawanna keeper Adam Rodriguez to punch the ball away from the danger area, but Olympic again picked up possession and continued forward. This time it was James Kerr reacting first to a blocked Yusuke Ueda shot; however, the ball was just out of Kerr’s reach and he sent the ball behind for a goal kick.

With the final kick of the half, a ball was lobbed into the Tarrawanna box from the halfway line, where Olympic’s Yusuke Ueda was able to get free of his marker and nod the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper - halving the deficit for the visitors heading into the halftime break.

Tarrawanna had been good value for their lead restricting Wollongong Olympic to very few chances and limiting the threat of Ueda who had very few chances in the opening half. Blueys’ forward Keisuke Hayashi had been a constant threat, providing an outlet in behind the Olympic defence on many occasions.

The visitors came out firing in the second half, taking the game to their opponents. In the 54th minute, Olympic had a solid chance after an Ikumi Saito corner on the right-hand side directed towards the back post was nodded back across the face of goal, falling into the path of Ueda. However, Ueda was unable to level the scores, missing the ball as he attempted to side foot it into the back of the net.

Seconds later, Olympic had a goal ruled out for offside when Mark Every found himself free in the box with the ball, sending it past Blueys keeper Adam Rodriguez. However, he was ruled to be beyond the second-last defender.

Olympic’s pressure continued and five minutes later, they created another opening. Saito whipped in an inviting ball from the left-hand side and Ueda attempted an acrobatic effort. Unfortunately for him, it failed to threaten the goal.

However, a minute later, Ueda was able to find the net. Substitute David Hartas whipped in a dangerous ball from the right-hand side which met the head of Ueda, who flicked the ball into the far corner of the net and drew the match level.

Olympic weren’t done there, however, pushing forward as they searched for a goal to send themselves in front. In the 68th minute, Joey Lavalle was played in behind the Tarrawanna defence, but his shot was subject to an impressive save from Adam Rodriguez, whose touch on the ball managed to tip the shot out for a corner.

Three minutes later, the away side nearly took the lead in what was almost a replica of Olympic’s equaliser. Another cross from David Hartas from the right-hand side again met the head of Ueda, but on this occasion the strike lacked accuracy, allowing Rodriguez to hold onto the shot.

Olympic’s strong second-half recovery put them in a position where they were unlucky not to be in the lead. However, with four minutes to go and against the run of play, Tarrawanna took the lead in the match for the second time. A freekick on the left-hand side of the park from Rick Goodchild needed to be pushed away by Hayden Durose, but his clearance only went as far as Sam Munro, who confidently dispatched a powerful strike into the roof of the net. Olympic were unable to get back into the game in the final moments, with Tarrawanna holding out for a 3-2 win.

Tarrawanna’s win cuts Olympic’s gap at the top of the table to just five points after Corrimal picked up a 3-1 win over Cringila on Sunday. However, three of Olympic’s last four games at home - including next week’s clash with bottom side Fernhill - meaning George Antoniou’s side still have their own fate in their own hands as they chase their first league title since 1994.

Meanwhile, the win means the Blueys remain in fifth position on the ladder, with the side next facing a difficult challenge against Coniston at JJ Kelly Park next Saturday. With just six points separating fourth and eighth, it’s all still to play for in the race for finals football. 

 

Sunday 21 July @ Tarrawanna Oval, Tarrawanna

Tarrawanna - 3 (Hayashi 5’, 31’, Munro 86’)

Wollongong Olympic - 2 (Ueda 45’, 59’)

 

Tarrawanna Blueys: Adam RODRIGUEZ, Mathew NAYLOR, Haydn LLOYD, Michael ROBINSON, Daniel CHAPMAN, Mitchell FERRARO, Keisuke HAYASHI, Sam MUNRO, Christian CARBO, Rick GOODCHILD, Jake MORLANDO

Substitutes: Nicolas TOMASIELLO, Caleb GRACE, Jackson DENT, Liam THOMAS, Kaydin HARRISON

 

Wollongong Olympic: Hayden DUROSE, Brendan FORDHAM, Jack KEATING, Mark EVERY, Ikumi SAITO, James KERR, Vaughan PATTERSON, Ekoue D’ALMEDIA, Joey LAVALLE, Julian MINUTILLO, Yusuke UEDA

Substitutes: Jack BALMFORTH, Jamie WAKELING, Peter PRANDALOS, David HARTAS, Christian PRETTO

 

Referee: Bobby MAZEVSKI

Assistant Referees: Ethan ZVARGULIS and Mick AGIM

 

Report by Timothy Gibson, on Twitter @Timg123_
Photo by Noel Wynn