Wanderers book NPL NSW Men’s spot in 2024 with last minute winner

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On the back off Marcus Younis’ injury time winner, the Western Sydney Wanderers have ensured National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s football for 2024 after taking down Mt Druitt Town Rangers 2-1 at Wanderers Football Park on Sunday afternoon.

The stakes were as high as they had been all season long for these two side who had struggled to stay out of the relegation zone for the majority of the year.

A win would seal safety for Western Sydney whilst a loss could’ve have possibly seen them drop down to the final relegation spot if other results didn’t go their way.

The hosts started off the thrilling battle on the front foot and were eventually rewarded when Zac Sapsford opened the scoring from the penalty spot.

After plenty of chances in front of goal, Mt Druitt clawed its way back into the game courtesy of a world-class free kick from Jackson Bandiera.

Western Sydney sealed three points in a dramatic fashion when Marcu Younis broke away from the halfway line and surge towards goal before neatly burying his chance.

Playing to potentially avoid the relegation play-off spot, Mt Druitt started off the game with intent in its attacking play.

The first two chances of the game fell the way of the visitors with both Anthony Frangie and Shunta Nakamura seeing their efforts narrowly miss the target.

Western Sydney answered back with a goal-scoring chance of its own after Aidan Simmons picked out Marcus Younis who expertly cut in on the left and got a curling effort off which went wide of the target.

Younis’ first chance of the game sparked a period of attacking dominance for the hosts, forcing Dylan Niski firmly into the action where the Mt Druitt keeper made a handful of stellar saves.

This stint in the game was highlighted with an extraordinary double save from close range by Niski but was eventually undone after a penalty was given away on the third attempt from the hosts.

Stepping up to the spot was the in-form Sapsford who powered his shot past Niski and into the bottom corner, giving the hosts a well-deserved lead.

Moments after getting on the board it was Younis who again began to cause problems on the left with his signature cut in followed by a curling effort.

Pulling off the move twice, Younis was agonisingly denied by Niski on both occasions as the Mt Druitt keeper looked determined to keep the game within reaching distance for his side.

The close call sparked Mt Druitt into a late first half surge in attack, coming close to levelling the score on two occasions.

It was Kotaro Katsuta who saw his shot go inches past the front stick before Olayinka Sunmola’s curling effort smacked back against the crossbar.

Although both sides had periods of dominance throughout the first half, it was Sapsford’s strike from the spot that separated the teams at the break.

The second half started in the same matter as the first with both sides throwing caution to the wind in search of what would be a pivotal goal.

Solomon-John Monahan-Valika came closest with his low-driven header that forced a wall of Western Sydney defenders to clear the ball off the line, before eventually clearing it and setting up a counterattack.

With the ball falling perfectly to Nathaniel Blair, the hosts had plenty of numbers in the box when the striker picked out Younis who tried his luck from a tight angle but didn’t prevail.

As the clock began to tick down, Mt Druitt aggressively pursued an equaliser that would ensure another chance at survival.

Anthony Frangie was denied what would’ve been a goal of the season contender when his curling effort that looked destined for the top corner was somehow pushed away by Jack Gibson.

In a back-and-forth middle section of the half, it was the hosts who still held the advantage on the scoreboard and with the ball going forward.

With 20 minutes remaining and Mt Druitt’s season on the line, Bandiera stepped up for a long-range free-kick and produced one of the most memorable goals of the season.

Bandiera’s equaliser looked to have all but sealed the result as the rest of the match played out, until the final minutes of regulation where the hosts went in for the kill.

Both Younis and Nicolas Milanovic saw their close-range efforts agonisingly pushed away in the final moments of the game as Niski continued his impressive game between the sticks.

It wasn’t until late into injury time when Younis sent himself through on goal, where he buried his chance and sealed safety for his side in 2023.

The heart-breaking finish for Mt Druitt means they will finish in 15th place in 2023, ensuring they will be apart of the relegation play-off with either Bonnyrigg White Eagles or St George FC.

With his side’s fate sealed for the season, Mt Druitt coach Stuart Montgomery admitted the performance was a reflection of their whilst confirming squad rotation will be on the cards next week.

“That probably was an indication of our season where we should’ve scored goals but didn’t, the opposition get a couple chances, go the other way and score,” he said.

“I can’t question the effort and the attitude it was certainly there but now it probably makes the picture clearer for us, we know the game against Wolves, we can use that as a recovery opportunity.”

After pulling off an incredible late-season comeback, Wanderers coach Andrew Christensen stated his pride in his side’s effort not only today but throughout the season.

“I’m very happy, obviously that was our goal in the backend of the year, to have achieved it was a nice moment, I’m very proud of the boys’ character and the desire they showed through some adversity,” he said.

“They showed some quality and ultimately showed a lot of promise and development over this year which bodes well for next year, they’re a very talented group and they’ve come a long way this year.”

Match Stats

Western Sydney Wanderers FC 2 (Sapsford 14’, Younis 90+3’)

Mt Druitt Town Rangers FC 1 (Bandiera 70’

Sunday 20th August 2023

Wanderers Football Park, Rooty Hill

Referee: Brodie Merchant

Assistant Referees: Patrick Teleki and Lance Grenshields

Fourth Official: Hadi Al-Nakeeb

Western Sydney Wanderers FC: 1. Jack Gibson, 2. Anthony Pantazopoulos, 4. Alex Bonetig (3. Joshua Hogg 45’), 7. Jarrod Carluccio, 9. Nathaniel Blair (12. Nicolas Milanovic 74’), 10. Alexander Badolato (21. Adam Bugarija 81’), 11. Zac Sapsford, 13. Marcus Younis, 14. George Antonis (24. Teng Kuol 45’), 25. Ryley Hollingdale, 31. Aidan Simmons (28. Nathan Barrie 74’)

Unused subs: 30. William Lucas

Yellow cards: Sunmola 64’, Macerola 89’

Red cards: nil

Mt Druitt Town Rangers FC: 1. Dylan Niski, 2. Solomon-John Monahan-Valika, 3. Nikola Djordjevic, 9. Shunta Nakamura, 10. Kotaro Katsuta, 11. Jackson Bandiera, 14. Anthony Frangie, 17. Cooper Coskerie, 22. Rhett Desilva, 23. Daniel Dias (6. Jared Macerola 82’), 27. Olayinka Sunmola (12. Will Harvey 74’)

Substitutes not used: 20. Omid Ramezani, 5. Jacob Esposito, 8. Henry Davies, 18. Abdelelah Faisal

Yellow cards: Pantazopoulos 90+2’, Carluccio 90+5’

Red cards: nil

Player Ratings:

3: Marcus Younis (WSW)

2: Anthony Pantazopoulos (WSW)

1:  Dylan Niski (MTD)

By NPL NSW Men’s Reporter Dominic Criniti @DominicCriniti