July 21, 2025
2025 NSW NPL MENS 1 MATCH REPORT
ROUND 24
WOLLONGONG WOLVES v MANLY UNITED
WOLVES RETURN FAVOUR TO MANLY
Played in bitterly cold conditions at Macedonia Park, the Wollongong Wolves defeated Manly United 2-0 with this being a reversal of the earlier 0-6 pasting. Goals to Nicolas Olsen and Marcus Beattie were achieved in the second half with both teams having two opportunities that were kept out by the cross bar and a penalty shout arose for the Wolves that went unheeded. The Wolves played impressively to see off the dangerous Manly United.
The match began with the Wolves running towards the southern goal with Manly kicking off. The visitors took little time in attacking with the Wolves right defender, Ben Giason making a timely interception to keep Manly at bay. Not long after, central defender Harrison Buesnel defended with Stefan Rossello sniping. Rossello had a chance offering but the Wolves custodian, Daniel Solsky smothered his shot. Farah Koko worked his way into a scoring position five minutes in but to no avail. Giason and Koko duelled for much of the match with Giason closely on top.
The Wolves were rarely out of their own half in the early minutes with the first foray with a Lachlan Scott shot from close vicinity to the left of goal being taken by the Manly custodian, Levi Kaye. Woon Sub Sim had lifted the ball to Scott. At the other end, Koko worked in from the left to then provide a shot but at the crucial time was blocked.
The match see-sawed with quick breaks from Manly and in one incident, fifteen minutes in, Dax Kelly, who in the starting line-up to replace Banri Kanaizumi who was suspended due to the yellow card peril, got the better of Rossello. A collision in a tackle saw Woon Sub Sim and Benjamin Koop both falling to the ground with the latter being substituted. This was a blow to Manly as Koop was in scoring form after two goals in the previous game. Sub Sim went down under a tackle in the box six minutes on and appealed for a penalty but play continued.
On twenty-five minutes, a Matthew Odonoghue corner kick came in and a further one followed. The second saw Jesse Piriz flick his header over. A close-range Meek effort was taken low by Solsky.
The Wolves were seeing more of the play in an attacking sense as time went on and in the thirty-second minute, Olsen, who as usual was taking it to the opposition, eluded players in a marauding run down the right before providing a cross which Kaye took gratefully. Three minutes, the Wolves went oh so close when Flynn Madden’s effort cannoned into the cross bar and back into play. Olsen had slipped between two markers, Aaron Driscoll and Darcy Burgess and set alight down the right wing once again eluding another defender, Alen Aganovic, on the way, before this time his finding Madden.
As the half minutes elapsed Burgess pulled his shot wide, and Kaye saved from Scott after a corner kick. A second one followed, and Beattie sent the ball forward for Olsen but his final effort disappointed him.
At half time it was all things even and. much to play for.
After the fifteen-minute break, the Wolves began the second stanza in earnest with a corner kick being achieved. However, Kaye was equal to the task to take possession at the post. In scant time, Alex Masciovecchio gave himself space before shooting on target. However, Kaye thwarted the effort.
Manly were not without providing attacks and Koko’s effort traversed wide in the fifty-third minute. A couple of minutes earlier, Koko was back in defence to disarm Masciovecchio.
However, the Wolves found the lead three minutes before the hour mark. Masciovecchio had a mesmerising run from the left diagonally across the field before splitting two defenders with a pass for Olsen to run onto. Kaye came off his line and a defender fell over with the ball running free. Olsen reacted decisively, pushing the ball with the outside of his left foot into the goal for his twelfth one of the 2025 campaign.
Manly striker Lucas Meek looked to respond quickly for his team with a quick break down the right, only for an offside call to scupper his endeavour. Another corner kick followed with referee spotting a Manly indiscretion.
Kelly cleared and Masciovecchio produced an effort that Kaye took in his stride and a Jasper Chipman pass to Meek was shut down by a Beattie block. A Koko counterattack saw Buesnell seeing off the danger before Kelly intervened to clear a dangerous ball after Solsky was beaten. Manly did not go into their shell once conceding and kept up their thrust. Conversely the Wolves were in the box seat and were determined to maintain their equilibrium.
Shots from Ryan and Scott drew no joy, then Manly were ever so close when substitute Will Faubler smacked his well-intentioned shot onto the cross bar only for it to rebound back onto the field.
The score was doubled in the eighty-first minute. Ryan made an impressive foray down the left before playing the ball inward to Olsen. He in turn returned the ball with a clever pass and Ryan moved forward and cut back the ball with left foot into the penalty arc. Beattie ran forward to hit a low powerful shot into the left bottom corner of the goal. The Wolves now had a two-goal cushion.
A Burgess corner kick was pushed over by Solsky as Manly looked to react. The second one saw a free kick awarded after an infringement was noticed.
With time ticking by, substitute Harry McCarthy pulled his effort wide, and from a corner kick, a Driscoll header failed in its intent and a further Aganovic shot went to Solsky. Madden went close with a clever flick, Koko launched a shot that traversed wide, and Solsky kept Koko from scoring. A corner kick by substitute Cai Evans was punched away by Solsky.
Manly had a few opportunities during the match but try as they might could not convert. The team now have been kept scoreless on twelve occasions The Wolves now and in eight position and under coach Julio Miranda have now two wins and a draw with his tenure.
Coach Julio Miranda – ‘I think we should have put it to bed a lot earlier than what we did. We have a few chances in the first half as well. I think we looked comfortable apart from their counter attacks… (the previous 0-6 result) That was big talking point before the game today and if we had put our chances away we could have reversed that scoreline. (Clean sheet) Thats always pleasing. Obviously it is full on. We have a good group of guys that want to work and be better. ‘
Impressive right wing/back Ben Giason – ‘tough game and tough conditions here always with the field. We worked hard during the week and know that we had been playing some decent football recently and we had to carry that into this game. We had a tough night last time at Manly, but we delivered this time and got the three points…. It has been our problem a few times this season, capitalizing on some of our chances early on. We came out in the second half, and we were on top. It was better to come out and get the job done. …I have been all around the park this year, but I am settling in at right back…. It is always tricky against Manly and knew we were going to have our hands full.
MATCH STATISTICS
WOLLONGONG WOLVES F.C………2
Nicholas Olsen 57’ Marcus Beattie 81’
MANLY UNITED …………..………,,,,0
@ Macedonia Park, Berkeley
SATURDAY 19th JUNE 2025
6.00 p.m. kick off
WOLLONGONG WOLVES
Coach: Julio Miranda
13.Daniel Solsky, 2. Harrison Buesnel, 4. Dylan Ryan 15. Dax Kelly 7. Sub Woon Sim 17. Marcus Beattie 21. Nicholas Olsen, 23. Flynn Madden, 29. Ben Giason, 24. Lachlan Scott (Capt.) (77. Raphael Le’ai 87’),
- Alex Masciovecchio
Substitutes Not Used: 1. Oliver Yates GK 6. James Anagnostopoulos, 8. Sebastian Duarte, 9. Damon Gray
Yellow Cards: Harrison Buesnell 29’ Ben Giason 53’
Red Cards: nil
MANLY UNITED
Coach: James Snedden
1.Levi Kaye, 2. Aaron O’Driscoll, 3. Matthew O’Donoghue, (15. Max Martinello 74’), 4. Jesse Piriz, 8. Stefano Rossello (29. Will Faulder 74’), 9. Benjamin Koop, (10. Harry McCarthy 20’), 11. Lucas Meek, (25. Cai Evans 82’), 17. Farah Koko, 19. Alen Aganovic (Capt.), 23. Darcy Burgess, 28. Jasper Chipman (14. Maxwell Pengelly 82’),
Subs not used: 21. Anthony Carreras
Yellow Cards: Jasper Chipman 41
Red Cards: nil
Referee: Ayad Naji
Assistant Referees: Alessandro Llana and Simon Ashari
Fourth Official: Damien Delovski
By Malcolm Rowney
