They’ve been one of the entertainers of the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition and NWS Spirit FC once again lived up to that name as they salvaged a point coming from two goals down to record a 2-2 draw against the Sutherland Sharks at Christie Park on Saturday.
Super-substitute Matthew Cahill made the difference for the hosts scoring both goals after Louis Khoury and Hamish Lamberton gave Sutherland a two-goal lead earlier.
Sutherland looked to start the more positive of the two sides, but it was Spirit who had the first chance of note, nine minutes in. Kyle Shaw unable to get his header past a teammate from a corner before Jared Lum failed to put his header on target from the second phase.
Indeed against a structured Sutherland defence, the set piece was looking the most likely route to goal early on. Ollie Wiggin almost capitalizing in the 17th minute. His first-time effort went straight at Marko Bulic who fended it away.
Sutherland’s defence was holding though and they began to create opportunities on the break. The first of which falling in the 19th minute, Alex Brown slipping a lovely ball through to Jonty Busch who was denied by Jacob Madden coming off his line.
Fumoto Kamada down the left was the main threat for Sutherland, linking with Alex Brown on the overlap before taking it towards goal and drawing a save from Madden.
Spirit composing themselves once again created the next chance 36 minutes in. Kyle Shaw headed a ball across the goal line before a follow up effort from Ollie Wiggin went tantalizingly wide of the target.
But it was Sutherland who found the back of the net first. A lapse in concentration from the hosts gave the Sharks the chance to break fast. Kamada led the attack before Alex Brown teed up Louis Khoury to finish and give the Sharks a 1-0 lead.
The best chance for the home side in the early stages of the second half came in the 48th minute. Simon Nicholas found Musashi Kokubo at the back post, his header saved by Marko Bulic in goal.
However, Spirit would struggle to create chances against a Sutherland side whose goal gave them that extra boost in intensity.
With Sutherland having a few chances on the break. Alex Brown on 66 minutes from an angle saved by Jacob Madden. Before a break forward with ten minutes left led the visitors to their second.
Hamish Lamberton picked the ball up on halfway before taking it towards goal and was brought down by a crude challenge from keeper Madden. Lamberton stepped up to decisively finish the penalty into the left side of the net to make it 2-0 and Damir Prodanovic’s men were cruising, or that’s what they thought.
Life was brought back into the contest late in the 89th minute via Matthew Cahill who was on the spot to finish at the top of the six-yard box after a Richie Darko shot fell to his feet.
The comeback was then complete in true Spirit fashion two minutes into injury time. A long ball forward was headed down by Musashi Kokubo into the path of Matthew Cahill again. Cahill finishing into the back of the net to equalize and it was all she wrote in a frenetic finish.
Post match David Perkovic credited his sides spirit after yet another late comeback.
“We’ve shown this season that we will never give up and today was no different so credit to the boys tonight.
“We were fantastic with the ball in the first half but there’s room to grow without the ball and they took advantage.
Perkovic praised Cahill who proved to be the hero at Christie Park.
“We were tossing and turning how we were going to play Matt off the bench and he was fantastic taking his two chances.”
Match Stats
NWS Spirit FC 2 (Matthew Cahill 89’ 92’)
Sutherland Sharks FC 2 (Louis Khoury 45’, Hamish Lamberton 83’)
Saturday 10 June, 2023
Christie Park, Macquarie Park
Referee: Sebastian Andrews
Assistant Referees: Brodie Merchant & Jackson Mackie
Fourth Official: Jackson Mackie
NWS Spirit FC: 12. Jacob Madden, 2. Blake Ilitch, 3. Musashi Kokubo, 4. Kota Odakura, 5. Jordan Gomez (21. Luiz Lobo 67’), 7. Richard Darko, 9. Mitchell Davidson, 11. Ollie Wiggin (17. Matthew Cahill 79’), 13. Simon Nicholas (22. Abuzar Awaz 87’), 16. Kyle Shaw, 20. Jared Lum.
Substitutes Not Used: 31. Joel Wade, 18. Federico Gagliano, 26. Maisam Awaz
Yellow Cards: Shaw 61’
Red Cards: Nil
Sutherland Sharks FC: 1. Marko Bulic, 2. Takahide Umebachi, 4. Mitch Stamatellis, 6. Brodie Clarkson, 8. Alexander Brown, 11. Fumoto Kamada, 14. Chris Lindsay (25. Oliver Randazzo 89’), 15. Nathan Grimaldi, 21. Luke Sauer (3. Jordan Roberts 46’), 33. Louis Khoury, 91. Jonty Busch (9. Hamish Lamberton 58’)
Substitutes Not Used: 29. Samuel Smith (GK), 5. Jesse Photi, 26. Jacob Garner.
Yellow Cards: Lindsay ‘, Bulic 89’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3 – Matthew Cahill (NWS)
2 – Fumoto Kamada (Sutherland)
1 – Musashi Kokubo (NWS)
By Justin Smith (@smiththejustin).
