May 27, 2024
2024 NPL MENS 1 ROUND 17. WOLLONGONG WOLVES v MARCONI STALLIONS
TOO LITTLE TOO LATE FOR WOLVES’ LOSS TO STALLIONS
A slow start by the Wolves coupled with unfortunate defensive errors that led to conceded goals, put Marconi in the box seat to win the game being two goals up in the first half. This advantage lasted until a minute before the regulation ninety had elapsed. Marconi’s Marco Jesic scored after six minutes, and he achieved his brace four minutes after the half hour. The Wolves’ Andre Takami scored a consolation goal in the eighty ninth minute to earn his team some respectability. The home team finished the game with fire in the belly, which was somewhat lacking from the outset of the match. This was just a case of too little too late.
Marconi kicked off proceedings while the Wolves began running in a southerly direction. Marconi kept possession and played the ball around players before despatching the ball forward. When the Wolves finally gained the ball, Alex Masciovecchio played a square pass to Yagoub Mustafa, who was playing the right wing/back role for the Wolves. He, in turn placed the ball down the left for Chris McStay to run onto. However, a Marconi player went down to push the ball out for a throw in just before McStay arrived.
Not long afterwards, a long pass from the back by Anton Mlinaric found Daniel Bouman on the left. He backed heeled to Dominic Costanzo who produced a shot. The Wolves custodian, Vedran Janjetovic went down to save Costanzo’s effort but unluckily and uncharacteristically could not grasped it fully. The Marconi captain Jesic followed up, slotting the loose ball into the net for his seventh goal of the season.
The Wolves looked to bounce back quickly when a McStay effort on goal did not elicit any joy after Mustafa was involved in the lead -up. The Wolves kept the ball for some minutes, and it was Sebastian Hernandez who provided spark with his forward, elusive running during his time on the pitch. In the ninth minute, he produced a shot which was narrowly over.
A good passing movement from the home team culminated in Mustafa shooting wide. Samuel Riak who was the link between the backs and forwards dispossessed Costanzo to thwart an attacking manoeuvre. Marconi’s Daniel Bouman played Hiroaki Aoyama in, but his follow-up effort flew high. Darcy Madden beat George Daniel down the right before the Marconi player could do any damage.
On twenty minutes, Hernandez bamboozled defenders with quick twists and turns as he was in an attacking mode. Later, the Marconi custodian, James Hilton, came off his line and out of his box as Hernandez harassed and very nearly gained the benefit.
However, Marconi had more of a cutting edge in attack and when Daniel passed to Costanzo he crossed. Jesic met the ball and directed his header on target. Janjetovic made a crucial save, tipping the ball over. A few minutes earlier, a Bouman shot from the right rebounded off Janjetovic’s legs.
Minutes later, Marconi achieved their second goal. It was Costanzo from the left who rode an attempted Madden tackle. The ball traversed across the face of goal near the goal area line. Banri Kanaizumi appeared to slip as he attempted to clear the ball out of harm’s way. Jesic was lurking and he had an easy shot to convert, and he did give his team a further advantage.
At times errant passing did not assist the Wolves in their quest. This nearly led to a goal when a long-range effort from halfway tried to catch Janjetovic out as he was off his line. The ball zoomed towards the goal frame, but Janjetovic managed to tip away.
Two minutes or so later, an Aoyama cross fell to Jesic, and another forceful header was tremendously saved by Janjetovic. With this, he saved two certain goals.
A cross -field Mustafa ball found Hernandez who steamed forward and shot, but alas, it drew blanks.
The Wolves’ best chance fell to captain Lachlan Scott who after a determined run unluckily whacked his effort into the cross bar continuing his run of outs except for the previous round. A striker of his calibre should never be discounted.
At half time, Marconi held the aces.
The Wolves showed a spring in their step at the beginning of the second stanza and for some time were camped in the Marconi half.
Dylan Ryan headed out a high ball to keep Marconi at a respectable distance. Hernandez steamed forward into the goal area, but he was penalised, and a free kick ensued. A following Hernandez shot was blocked by Milinaric, who was a shining light in the Marconi defence. Ryan attempted an overhead kick, which has been successful in a prior match, but this time flew over.
A Jesic cross was smothered by Janjetovic, and a Takumi Ofuka free kick travelled straight in Hilton’s arms. The introduction of Jake Trew brought some more enthusiasm to the fold. He made inroads into the box determinedly, before passing to Scott. He was marked well and nothing of any consequence came to fruition.
Costanzo, who was impressive in his endeavours, worked his way into the danger area and close to goal was blocked in tandem by Madden and Janjetovic.
With eight minutes to go, Jesic worked his way around defenders and is one on one with the Wolves’ custodian. However, he skied his effort, and his hat trick was denied. The Wolves were upping the ante. McStay went down thew left leaving a marker in arrears and placed a cross in. Trew met the ball, but his header flashed narrowly by the far post.
However, a minutes later, a Scott cross, following an Ofuka pass originated from the left. Substitute Andre Takami flew in to head home in the eighty-ninth minute for his second goal of the campaign. The Wolves were finally back in the hunt. With four minutes added on, the Wolves attempted a grandstand finish to earn a point at least. The crowd was urging the team on. Despite some opportunities Marconi’s defence was resolute to repel the Wolves and win the game.
Goalkeeper Vedran Janjetovic – ‘it’s like the cliché, too little too late. We started the engines a bit late after they scored two fortunate goals and then we are on the back foot and are chasing the game… Sometimes you start slow and give away goals, we should have been up for it way more than we were. The last couple of games we have been doing okay and haven’t had much luck, hitting the post, cleared off the line and such.’
Goal scorer, Andre Takami – ‘it is what is, it (goal) gave the boys a little bit of hope. You must be able to bounce back (after conceding), and we now have to look to the next game.’
MATCH STATISTICS
WOLLONGONG WOLVES ………1
Andre Takami 89’
MARCONI …………………………..2
Marko Jesic 6’, 34’
@ WIN Stadium, Wollongong
SUNDAY 5th MAY
3.00 p.m. kick off.
WOLLONGONG WOLVES
Coach: David Carney
- Vedran Janjetovic GK, 3. Darcy Madden, 4. Dylan Ryan, 5. Banri Kanaizumi, 6. Samuel Riak, 7. Takumi Ofuka (27. Damon Gray 75’), 8. Andre Takami 10. Yagoub Mustafa (29. Thomas Dunn 82’), 11. Sebastien Hernandez (9. Jake Trew 71’)
- Lachlan Scott (Capt.) 88. Christopher McStay.
Substitutes Not Used: 13. Oliver Yates 15. Dax Kelly
Yellow Cards: nil
Red Cards: nil
MARCONI
Coach: Peter Tsekenis
- James Hilton, 3. Cameron Windust, 4. Anton Mlinaric 6. Domenic Costanzo, 7. Franco Maya, 8. Daniel Bouman 10. Marko Jesic, 11. Hiroshima Aoyama, (2. Nathan Millgate 45’) 16. Liam Youlley 18. George Daniel, 23. Brandon Vella
Subs. not used: 17. Milislav Popovic 21. Jakov Malbasa 29. Luke Raso 36. Aleksar Gvozdenovic, 40. Patrick Williams
Yellow Cards – Franco Maya 65’, Cameron Windust 90’
Red Cards: nil
Referee: Karl Davies
Assistant Referees: Reece Edwards and Lachlan Brownscombe
Fourth Official: Hayden Michlmayr
By Malcolm Rowney
