A first half goal-glut saw Northbridge Bulls prevail 3-2 against Wollongong Wolves at WIN Stadium on Friday night to record only their second victory in 2022.
The Wolves took the lead 14 minutes in through Peter Simonoski, however, a quickfire double midway through the half from Alhassan Toure and Stephan De Robillard put the Bulls in front.
In the final 10 minutes of the half, Banri Kanaizumi equalised for the home side, but on the stroke of halftime, Northbridge took the lead and wrapped up scoring in the match, courtesy of Lachlan Rose.
Northbridge looked to find the opening goal early on, creating several chances in the first few minutes of the match.
Within four minutes, Wollongong turned the ball over on the edge of their own box.
Northbridge’s Rose picked the ball up in space in the right channel of the box and his shot drew a save from Hayden Durose down to his right.
Two minutes later, the Bulls were awarded a free kick in a central position just outside the box with De Robillard’s effort being held on to by Durose.
De Robillard was involved again in the 12th minute, shifting the ball inside from the left and curling a shot around the outside of the right post.
Despite a shot-dense start from the visitors, it was the Wolves who found the opening goal with 14 minutes played.
Kuot Maliet’s original shot from the right side of the box was saved at the base of the near post by Nick Suman however, from the resulting corner, the Wolves took the lead.
The corner from the right scrambled its way to the back post for Simonoski who squeezed a shot into the goal from a narrow angle.
Northbridge nearly responded a couple of minutes later, when the lively De Robillard was played in behind the right channel of the Wollongong defence in plenty of space.
De Robillard passed the ball across the box, but Toure was unable to get a sufficient touch to convert.
The Bulls continued to be persistent and midway through the half, Jed Drew received the ball inside the right of the box and forced Durose into a sharp save down to his right.
Just seconds later, the side did find the equalising goal.
Another turnover from the home side resulted in Toure taking on a shot from the right outside the box that bounced over Durose and into the far corner.
In the 25th minute, the Wolves nearly went back in front as a free kick from the right eventually dropped to Scott in space in the box who walloped a right-footed shot that Suman was equal to.
Only two minutes later, the visitors went in front with their second goal in five minutes.
A breakaway down the right was cut back to the centre of the box where it fell to De Robillard who placed an effort into the bottom left corner.
Just after the half-hour mark, the Bulls had another chance with Drew bursting through the middle of the pitch taking on a shot from the edge of the box that Durose batted away.
The Wolves weathered the Bulls’ storm and another corner from the right put the side level in the match in the 37th minute.
Jennings’ delivery found Kanaizumi in the middle whose pin-point header found the right side of the net.
Wollongong’s set-pieces continued to cause problems for Northbridge this time a left-sided corner found Kanaizumi at the back post in the 43rd minute.
His header towards the right post was nearly nicked into the goal by Simonoski from a tight angle.
In the 45th minute, the Bulls retook the lead as Drew’s original effort from the middle of the box was parried by Durose into the path of Rose who tapped home.
Rose could’ve had another on the stroke of half time with a shot from a similar position, but this time Durose made the save.
After a five-goal first half, Northbridge Bulls went into halftime with a one-goal lead.
The second half adopted a slower tempo than the first with sporadic shots for either side.
Eight minutes into the second half, Bulls’ defender Jack Mcloughlin moved the ball inside from the right and had a shot that Durose was able to hold onto.
Just after the hour mark, Wollongong’s Jennings’ shot from the left outside the box fell wide of the right post.
Northbridge had a couple of chances in the next few minutes with the side pursuing a fourth goal.
In the 71st minute, Drew’s freekick from the right presented Diego Bonilla with a free header in the middle of the box, but an incredible save from Durose down to his left prevented the goal.
A minute later, Rose took on a shot from the left edge of the box that bounced past the far post.
With eight minutes to play in the match, Wollongong came very close to restoring parity once more.
Substitute Nav Darjani’s deep cross from the left met the head of Nick Littler at the back post who hit the woodwork.
In stoppage time, Bulls’ substitute James Cakovski drove into the left of the box and saw his shot deflected out for a corner.
Moments later, the full-time whistle was blown with Northbridge Bulls taking the points in a 3-2 victory.
Northbridge Bulls coach Mile Sterjovski was pleased to celebrate his birthday with a victory and felt his side played well in the match.
“I’m proud of the effort they put in. They worked hard and made it a memorable birthday so I’m very pleased,” he said.
“I was quite happy with the performance. Obviously disappointed conceding from set-pieces.
“I feel like overall we controlled the game for big parts of it and I thought we deserved the victory.”
Wollongong Wolves captain Guy Knight was reflective about the number of goals the side has been conceding recently.
“I’m very disappointed as all the boys will be,” he said.
“You can’t give three goals to a team in our half and really expect to win.
“We have good players, we’ve just got to be more switched on and more hungry I think.”
Match Stats
Wollongong Wolves 2 (Peter Simonoski 14’, Banri Kanaizumi 37’)
Northbridge Bulls 3 (Alhassan Toure 22’, Stephan De Robillard 27’, Lachlan Rose 45’)
Friday 27 May 2022
WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Referee: Christian Verdicchio
Assistant Referees: Matt Staples and Brodie Merchant
Fourth Official: Jake Rose
Wollongong Wolves: 1. Hayden Durose, 3. Darcy Madden, 4. Nikola Djordjevic, 5. Banri Kanaizumi, 9. Peter Simonoski (14. Nicholas Duarte 61’), 10. Takumu Tsujimura, 15. Nick Littler, 16. Guy Knight (19. Jake Lavalle 77’), 20. Kuot Maliet (25. Nav Darjani 77’), 22. Leroy Jennings, 24. Lachlan Scott
Substitutes Not Used: 2. Senna Stevenson, 12. Harrison Taranto, 13. Tomas Butkovic
Yellow Cards: Peter Simonoski 38’, Darcy Madden 50’, Leroy Jennings 59’, Guy Knight 68’, Nikola Djordjevic 79’, Nicholas Duarte 89’
Red Cards: Nil
Northbridge Bulls: 1. Nick Suman, 2. Jack Mcloughlin (4. Anthony Sparacino 87’), 3. Nathan Dimou, 5. Lachlan Rose, 6. Moudi Najjar, 8. Brodie Clarkson, 11. Stephan De Robillard (9. Diego Bonilla 66’), 14. Alhassan Toure (13. James Cakovski 74’), 15. Eddie Caspers (12. Marcus Sparacino 87’), 16. Oliver Jones, 17. Jed Drew
Substitutes Not Used: 19. Lachlan Sepping, 20. Levi Kaye
Yellow Cards: Jack Mcloughlin 40’, Jed Drew 62’
Red Cards: Nil
*Player Ratings have now been hidden
By National Premier Leagues NSW Reporter Timothy Gibson
