WOLVES PUT FOUR PAST THE WANDERERS

2025 NSDW NPL MENS 1 ROUND  6

WOLLONGONG WOLVES v WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS

WOLVES PUT FOUR PAST THE WANDERERS

An early Alex Masciovecchio goal in the first minute set the tone for the Wolves in this match with the opposition being Western Sydney Wanderers This was the second successive match that Masciovecchio had scored early. (in the fourth minute versus Rockdale Ilinden). Raphael Le’ai achieved a brace for his debut goals for the club while Nicholas Olsen. as he has done in previous rounds, attained the fourth goal.. The closet the Wanderers came to getting on the scoresheet was when they rattled the cross bar in the first half. Alas three goals were scored in the first half, with the proceedings played in heat wave conditions, thus necessitating drinks break every fifteen minutes. Olsen’s achievement came in the second stanza.

The Wolves ran towards the southern end and the Wanderers kicked off pushing the ball down the left side. However, before too long, the ball was slotted forward by Olsen with Masciovecchio gaining it and being through on goal. Being one on one with the custodian, Tristan Vidakovic, Masciovecchio, composed and confident, tucked the ball into the left corner of the goal from his perspective as the ‘keeper left his line.

Not a minute went by, and Yates pulled off a save as the Wanderers looked to retaliate. A subsequent corner from the right side by Meliwethu Nkomo failed to bring up the desired outcome. However, a second corner, this a short one, went to Nicholas Badolato. He lifted the ball and the Wolves custodian Oliver Yates, punched out.

In the sixth minute the Wolves attained their first corner kick taken by Sim Woon Sub. It culminated in Le’ai passing to Olsen and in a twinkling, his dynamic shot took a deflection for a corner kick.

Not too long later, a Western Sydney corner by Nkomo was cleared, headed out powerfully by Dylan Ryan.

Harrison Buesnell showed his defensive mettle keeping Julian Cop in close quarters before gaining the ball and clearing the danger posed. On ten minutes, Buesnell blocked Cop’s shot and a follow-up came in being grasped by Yates. Woon Sub teed the ball to Olsen to have a crack and his ensuing left footed snapshot unfortunately flew over the bar. The first drinks break was then taken.

When played resumed, Nkomo cleared as the Wolves attacked. At the other end, Woon Sub shielded the ball and Awan Lual added pressure before Yates collected the ball. Kane Bacchus dispatched the ball out to Lucas Knezic and before too long, the ball rattled the cross bar. Abdul Rahman was through on goal but could not pull the trigger properly with Yates taking his shot in a comfortable manner. The Wolves’ Ben Giason won the race to the ball to get it back to Yates before any harm done.

On twenty-four minutes, the second goal was scored.  Scott placed a diagonal pinpoint pass to Le’ai after dispossessing the ball of a Wanderers player, and Le’ai showed a clean pair of heals to outsprint the defence and place his shot beyond the custodian.

A second drinks break happened on thirty-one minutes.

Yates repelled an effort from goal scorer of last week, Alaat Abdul-Rahman before Kane Bacchus halted Olsen’ s marauding run. A Badolato corner kick is headed away by Ryan.

With ten minutes to go before the half time break, an Olsen free kick went to Woon Sub. His powerful first timed shot zoomed wide. Olsen flicked ball into the air and James Anagnostopoulos shot but could not muster enough power to trouble the custodian.

Le’ai spreadeagled the defence again by charging forward beating the custodian again to bring up his well accomplished brace. The Wolves were comfortable at half time with this three-goal advantage.

WSW attacked straight away after the half time break, but Buesnell defended well against Jesse Cameron to thwart the foray. An Olsen corner kick was sent in and Buesnell got a header on target, but Vidakovic went low to take. Knezic attempted to deceive Yates with a sly shot, but the custodian was equal to the task.

Olsen produced a shot set up by Masciovecchio, which the custodian saved. Another shot came in from Le’ ai with Vidakovic parrying before Olsen followed through to stretch and deliver his fifth goal of the campaign with his low shot.

The Wolves had taken their opportunities with aplomb and reaped the benefits.

Cop hit the top of the netting from a corner kick before another drinks break.

Even though being in arrears, the Wanderers kept attacking, searching for a way back into the match and putting the Wolves defence, for the later part of the half, under duress. However, the Wolves held firm. Several corner kicks rained in to keep up the Wanderers momentum up, but nary a goal could they conjure.

Scott hit a scorcher of s shot but no joy was forthcoming. Akon blazed over, and Abdul-Rahman pulled the ball wide of the target. A Scott low header narrowly traversed wide.

Despite these and other efforts during the latter part of the second half, the score line remained at 4-0 to the home side with the three points earned and a clean sheet to boot.

Coach Warren Grieve – ‘you could do all the planning you want but the heat was always going to be a factor, and we knew that, and it was nice be at home.   The referee managed it well with the drinks breaks. It helped but sometimes it can work against you. it allowed us to re-focus; we were able to dictate the play and get into key areas. And it allowed us to settle into the game, Last week we created a lot of chances but despite this we could not get the second goal. It was really encouraging this week.  Our game plan was to get the first goal and with our second killed off the game and they lost a bit of confidence. We could have scored five or six.  They are a young talented side.  We now have a catalyst, a platform now for us move forward. The NPL is fantastic platform for young players to develop we have young locals in our side and this shows that is there is an opportunity.’

First minute scorer Alex Masciovecchio – ‘we start off well, but we have not finished as good. it was good to get an early goal today and it set the tempo for the rest of the game…  They are not an easy team,.. Today we were the better team…  The first half was the hotter, but we got the job done’

 

MATCH STATISTICS

WOLLONGONG WOLVES F.C……… …………………..4     

Alex Masciovecchio 1’, Raphael Le’ai 24’, 45+1 Nicholas Olsen 56’

 

WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS…………..………,,..0

@ MACEDONIA PARK, BERKELEY  

SUNDAY 16^th MARCH

3.00 p.m. kick off

 

WOLLONGONG WOLVES

Coach: Warren Grieve

1. Oliver Yates GK 2. Harrison Buesnel 4. Dylan Ryan (15. Dax Kelly 72’) 5. Banri Kanaizumi, 6. James Anagnostopoulos (27. Damon Gray 7. Sim Woon Sub (11. Liam Ball 90+2’), 21. Nicholas Olsen, 24. Lachlan Scott (Capt.) (8. Lucas Trajcevski, 90+2’) 25. Alex Masciovecchio (17. Marcus Beattie 67’), 29. Ben Giason, 77. Raphael Le’ai (10. Damon Gray 90+2’).

Substitutes Not Used: 13. RGK Daniel Solsky,

Yellow Cards: nil

Red Cards: nil

 

WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS

 

Coach: Richard Cardozo

1. Tristan Vidakovic, 5. Lachlan Tilt, 8. Nicholas Badolato 9. Alaat Abdul-Rahman, 10. Lucas Knezic, (16. Johnny Pavlovic 67’), 8. Awan Lual (7. Dallo Sandy 46’), 22. Jesse Cameron, 26. Anthony Barbic (36. Akol Akon 67’), 27. Julian Cop, 34. Meliwethu Nkomo, (13. Thomas Cutuk 83’) 39. Kade Baccus (32. Saxon Hillyer 67’)

Substitutes Not Used: 20. Lucas Sinnott

Yellow Cards: Nicholas Badolato 57’ Jesse Cameron 77’

Red Cards: nil

Referee: Kelly Jones

Assistant Referees: Matt Staples, Lachlan Brownscombe.

Fourth Official: Harriet Gee

 

By Malcolm Rowney