Slick Ilinden prove too good for Wolves
Rockdale Ilinden maintained their promising start to the 2023 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition and made it four successive wins, downing Wollongong Wolves 3-1 at WIN Stadium on Friday night.
The away side were ruthless in the first half going into the sheds with a three-goal advantage.
Jaden Casella bagging a birthday-brace before Alec Urosevski scored to make it a dream opening 45 minutes for Rockdale.
Mirza Muratovic pulled a goal back for Wollongong just after the hour mark, but it wasn’t enough to get them back into the game.
Rockdale got off to the perfect start finding the opening goal within 13 minutes.
Urosevski’s original shot from inside the box was spilled by Wollongong keeper Nenad Vekic into the path of Casella who made no mistake tapping home into the vacant net.
Brendan Cholakian nearly added a second eight minutes later, his effort from the edge of the box held onto by Vekic.
The visitors carried on their pressure doubling the advantage in the 31st minute.
Casella latching into a ball over the top into right channel and side-footing a smart finish past Vekic.
It went from bad to worse to Wollongong, conceding a third goal moments later in a nightmare first half for the side.
From the kick-off, a giveaway on the edge of the Wolves’ box presented Urosevski with the opportunity to curl a finish into the left side of the goal – it was the ‘Baker’s’ eighth goal of the NPL NSW Men’s campaign as the prolific marksman continued his red-hot form in 2023.
Christopher McStay looked to give Wolves fans something to cheer about heading into halftime lashing a strike from close range over the crossbar
The halftime whistle blew with Rockdale in complete control following a devastating first half an hour of the match.
Wollongong came out for the second half intent on snatching an early goal.
Nine minutes in, Muratovic picked the ball up in space in the right of the box and firing goalward, seeing the ball batted away by Rockdale goalkeeper David Bradasevic.
The side continued to probe pursuing the goal that would give them a little hope in the game.
In the 64th minute, fullback Senna Stevenson whipped a left-sided cross into the danger area that was perilously diverted over the bar by Rockdale’s Lachlan Griffiths.
However, from the resulting corner, the hosts found the goal they craved.
A delivery from the right bounced around in the box before Muratovic managed to nod the ball into the goal from point-blank range.
Muratovic remained a threat for Wollongong being one of the brightest sparks for the team in attacking areas.
The Wolves came close again with eight minutes to play as Takumi Ofuka’s cutback from the left by-line found Alex Masciovecchio whose effort from close in was saved.
The away side had a chance to finish the game off seconds after that latest chance for the Wolves – Urosevski bearing down on goal but clipping his shot over the bar.
It didn’t matter in the end with Rockdale holding on to take the points at WIN Stadium with a 3-1 win.
Rockdale Ilinden coach Paul Dee was delighted with the three points extending his team’s winning run to four games since that 6-0 drubbing against APIA Leichhardt.
“The first half I was really pleased with, we probably need to do a better job of controlling play overall in the second half,” he said.
“It’s all credit the players, they come out with an attitude, and they weren’t happy with what happened in that instance [the defeat to APIA] and their attitudes have been really good.
“It’s no secret. It’s hard work, discipline and application and they’re doing really well.”
Match Stats
Wollongong Wolves FC 1 (Mirza Muratovic 64’)
Rockdale Ilinden FC 3 (Jaden Casella 13’ 31’, Alec Urosevski 32’)
Friday 10 March 2023
WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Referee: Sebastian Andrews
Assistant Referees: Matt Staples and Arinath Gobinath
Fourth Official: Harriet Gee
Wollongong Wolves FC: 1. Nenad Vekic (GK), 5. Banri Kanaizumi (C), 3. Harrison Buensel, 88. Christopher McStay, 99. Joshua Macdonald (11. Nav Darjani 74’), 8. Samuel Riak, 7. Marcus Beattie, 10. Mirza Muratovic, 6. Senna Stevenson, 9. Takumi Ofuka, 23. Walter Scott (25. Alex Masciovecchio 20’)
Substitutes Not Used: 13. Tomas Butkovic (GK), 15. Ethan Beavan, 29. Ben Giason, 16. Sami Benten
Yellow Cards: Banri Kanaizumi 90’
Red Card: Nil
Rockdale Ilinden FC: 1. David Bradasevic (GK), 3. Lachlan Griffiths, 4. Nikola Ujdur, 7. Alec Urosevski (C), 8. Isaac Danzo, 9. Bai Antoniou (17. Loic Puyo 60’), 10. Brendan Cholakian, 13. Mathieu Cordier, 14. Brayden Sorge (5. William Mutch 73’), 21. Lochlan Constable (6. Nicola Kuleski 73’), 23. Jaden Casella (15. Jamie Percevski 87’)
Substitutes Not Used: 16. Mohamed Ahmed, 20. Ricardo Rizzo (GK)
Yellow Cards: Brayden Sorge 27’, Lochlan Constable 57’, Jaden Casella 76’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3 – Jaden Casella (RI)
2 – Alec Urosevski (RI)
1 – Alex Masciovecchio (WW)
Report by Timothy Gibson, on Twitter @Timg123_