St George City no match for red-hot Wolves

Wollongong Wolves earned a 3-0 win over St George City on Wednesday evening at Macedonia Park, finishing off the previously abandoned Friday match-up. 

Nicholas Olsen opened the scoring just before the half-hour mark and added another goal soon after halftime.

Damon Gray came off the bench for Wollongong to round out an exciting victory for the team.

The first 31 minutes of this match were played at WIN Stadium over the weekend before the match was postponed due to a persistent lightning storm.

However, three minutes before the players sought shelter, the hosts snatched a lead through new signing Olsen.

Olsen’s neat flick found Raphael Le’ai racing down the right wing, where the latter picked out the former on the edge of the box, steering left-footed, low past Jack Kenny.

With the storm fast approaching, City’s Marc McNulty latched onto a bobbling ball in the left of the area, rolling a shot past the right post.

Referee Craig Fisher halted proceedings moments later, leaving the final hour to be played Wednesday evening at Macedonia Park.

Moments after the restart, Dakota Askew sent a side-footed volley over the top in some promising early moments for the visitors.

The Wolves battled for some control over the next few minutes and fashioned an opportunity down the left through Sebastian Hernandez, whose long-range effort bounced to Kenny.

Wollongong continued on with their patient play, shifting the ball from side to side, probing for more chances yet they remained just one goal up heading into halftime.

Less than three minutes into the second half, the home side doubled their advantage courtesy of Olsen’s second goal.

Scott took a free-kick near halfway quickly, finding Olsen close to the box, who blasted another left-footed shot, this time high into the right of the goal.

Key to the Wolves’ winning position was James Anagnostopoulos, with the midfielder winning the ball back regularly for the side.

St George responded well after conceding a second time, swinging in several dangerous deliveries as Wollongong worked hard to scramble the ball away.

Kenny denied Hernandez for a second time just after the hour mark, batting away a sharp effort from the winger at his right post.

In the 66th minute, Olsen was centimetres away from a hat-trick, sending a dipping close-range volley narrowly over the bar.

City almost pulled a goal back 10 minutes later when Fumoto Kamada lined up a curling strike that Oliver Yates acrobatically tipped over.

That save was Yates’ latest highlight in an appearance filled with crucial interventions in the home side’s goal.

Both wings remained outlets for St George but each time the ball came into the box, it failed to find a scoring target.

The side finished the game strongly and put Wollongong under pressure, although it was in vain as the home side added a third goal in stoppage time.

Hernandez used his speed down the right and drilled in a cross towards Damon Gray for whom the ball bounced fortunately, allowing the forward to lash in the final gloss.

Match Stats

Wollongong Wolves FC 3 (Nicholas Olsen 28’ 48’, Damon Gray 90+1’)

St George City FA 0

Wednesday 19th February 2025

Macedonia Park, Berkeley

Referee: Craig Fisher

Assistant Referees: Cameron Wright and Matthew Harris

Fourth Official: Damien Delovski

Wollongong Wolves FC: 1. Oliver Yates, 2. Harrison Buesnel, 4. Dylan Ryan, 5. Banri Kanaizumi, 6. James Anagnostopoulos, 11. Sebastian Hernandez, 17. Marcus Beattie, 21. Nicholas Olsen (9. Damon Gray 90’), 24. Lachlan Scott, 29. Ben Giason (7. Woon Sub Sim 67’), 77. Raphael Le’ai (25. Alex Masciovecchio 78’)

Substitutes Not Used: 8. Sebastian Duarte, 13. Daniel Solsky, 15. Dax Kelly

Yellow Cards: Nil

Red Cards: Nil

St George City FA: 1. Jack Kenny, 3. Caio De Godoy (5. Goncalo Agrelos 52’), 4. Solomon-Johnn Monahan Vaiika, 7. Nathan Roberts (19. Jesse Photi 46’), 8. Dominic Cox, 9. Marc McNulty, 11. Fumoto Kamada, 15. Nathan Grimaldi, 23. Dakota Askew, 25. Brodie Clarkson, 33. Louis Khoury (10. Paolo Mitry 61’)

Substitutes Not Used: 2. Matthew Wahby, 13. Cameron Kemp, 17. Noah Ovens

Yellow Cards: Caio De Godoy 1’, Jack Kenny 90’

Red Cards: Nil

Player Ratings:

3 – Nicholas Olsen (WW)

2 – Oliver Yates (WW)

1 – Dakota Askew (SGC)

Report by Tim Gibson