Wanderers retain top spot putting four past St George FC
Western Sydney Wanderers continued their terrific start to the season in another action-packed victory beating St George FC 4-2 in round 8 of the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition at Wanderers Football Park on Saturday.
It only took four minutes for St George to take an early unexpected lead, when skipper Troy Danaskos found space on the edge of the box. His well struck low effort took a wicked deflection off Dylan Scicluna and was enough to beat Taiga Harper into the bottom left corner.
Wanderers responded almost immediately with a freak goal from Alexander Badolato. The number 10 appeared to attempt a cross into the box from deep, but his long ball swerved goalward and into the top right corner of the net, making it 1-1.
Just after the 20-minute mark, St George regained the lead with an excellently worked goal. Nikola Skataric plucked the ball out of the sky, and after a fantastically disguised shot to wrongfoot Doni Grdic, he played through Conor Quilligan, who thundered it into the bottom right expertly.
Yet again though, the visitors’ lead was short-lived when 2Anthony Pantazopolous broke down the left flank and put in a brilliant cross into a dangerous area, which was caressed in by Zac Sapsford, putting the home side back level.
Just before half time, Western Sydney Wanderers took the lead for the first time in the game.
The attack was ignited by a clever through ball by Ryley Hollingdale, and Sapsford through on goal again got to the ball before the incoming Daniel Axford. This teed up Aydan Hammond at close range, but he unselfishly pulled the ball back to Sapsford who poked it into an empty net.
The home side made it four 10 minutes into the second half when Badolato played a terrific through ball into Nathanael Blair, who finished it instinctively first time and making it his 8th goal of the campaign in just 5 appearances.
Skataric almost produced a goal of the season contender with a quarter of an hour left to play, when he flicked it over his head in a tight space in the 18-yard box before acrobatically volleying it just wide of the post.
Hammond should have made it a Wanderers fifth soon after when he found himself one-on-one with Axford, but after continuing his run and dribbling it past the keeper, his eventual effort was heroically blocked off the line.
St George head coach Jané Talcevski reflected on his side’s defeat.
“It was an entertaining game. Both teams tried to play.
“We matched them in all departments apart from the box.
“We’re not afraid of playing against any team that we face, and I think we demonstrated that.”
Western Sydney Wanderers head coach Andrew Christiansen spoke on another pleasing victory from his team.
“I think we weren’t at our best tonight, but super pleasing to see again a response to going a goal down.
“I trust in their ability, and I’m pleased to see a maturity and ability to deal with when things aren’t going your way.
“Really happy with the start of the season. The boys are immensely talented, so I’m happy for the group and they deserve the start they’ve had.”
Match Stats
Western Sydney Wanderers FC 4 (Badolato ‘6, Sapsford ’24 ’43, Blair ’56)
St George FC 2 (Danaskos ‘4, Quilligan ’21)
Saturday 30 March 2024
Wanderers Football Park
Referee: Stephen Lucas
Assistant Referees: Alessandro Llana & Rory McFarlane
Fourth Official: Ethan Zvargulis
Western Sydney Wanderers FC: 1. Taiga Harper, 3. Anthony Pantazopolous, 4. Doni Grdic, 6. Dylan Scicluna (22. Jesse Cameron ’62), 7. Marcus Younis, 9. Nathanael Blair, 10. Alexander Badolato, 12. Alex Bonetig (2. Nathan Barrie ’46), 13. Aydan Hammond (99. Ryan Devine ‘90, 14. Zachary Sapsford (11. Adam Bugarija ’77), 25. Ryley Hollingdale.
Unused subs: 20. Lucas Sinnott, 47. Edmun Haddad
Yellow cards: Grdic ’16, Sapsford ’61, Younis ’77, Pantazopolous ‘82
Red cards: nil
St George FC: 3. Troy Danaskos, 5. Nicholas Kalogerou, 6. Patrick O’Shea, 8. Conor Quilligan (7. Jesse Spang ‘80), 9. Peter Grozos, 10. Harry Jones (23. Evangelo Souris ’74), 18. Mark Rodic, 19. Nikola Skataric, 20. Daniel Axford (GK), 27. Jayden Seeto, 30. Justin Poon (11. Anthony Morabito ’65)
Unused subs: 1. Andrew Di Blasio, 15. Mitchell Heapy, 29. John Stamos
Yellow cards: Rodic ’63, Quilligan ‘74
Red cards: nil
Player Ratings:
3: Zac Sapsford (WSW)
2: Alexander Badolato (WSW)
1: Patrick O’Shea (STG)
By Liam O’Sullivan (@liamdlosullivan)
