Wolves coach Jacob Timpano praised his side’s fight to the death attitude after a late surge helped Wollongong salvage a point in a 1-1 draw with Manly United at WIN Stadium on Sunday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Yuzo Tashiro’s equaliser in the final minute of normal time cancelled out Sasa Macura’s second half strike to ensure both sides went home with a share of the spoils.
It ended the Wolves’ three-game losing streak in the league. “It was a tight contest,” Timpano said.
“Again we didn’t have a lot of luck go our way. We had the disallowed goal in the first half, a potential penalty and one cleared off the line but the character in the squad stood up.
“Being 1-0 down and staring a four defeats on the trot to get the equaliser [was pleasing] and we probably should have gone on to win it. It shows these boys aren’t going to die wondering and are going to work to the very end.”
Wollongong were first to hit the back of the net in the 26th minute when James Baldacchino bundled it home from close range only to be deemed offside.
Scoreless at the break, Manly emerged from the sheds with added vigour and should have went in front in the 54th minute.
United star Brendan Cholakian pounced first on Justin Pasfield’s save, but put his effort over the crossbar.
He forced Pasfield into a superb acrobatic stop four minutes later.
Manly’s reward for their pressure came when Macura made the breakthrough after firing from just outside the 18-yard box. Wollongong’s best spell in the match came in the final 15 minutes.
Japanese midfielder Takuya Nozawa had his free kick cleared off the line before Chris Price had a left foot drive well saved by the outstretched Shaun Catlin.
Tashiro leveled the scores when he rose highest to head home in the 90th minute.
Wollongong would have to be satisfied with a point despite a late header from Price sailing just past the post. Timpano was pleased with how his squad backed up after a mid-week FFA Cup loss to Spirit FC.
“It took us a bit of time to get going but there were a fair few fresh boys that didn’t play [in the FFA Cup loss] on Wednesday night,” he said.
“Pricey was back and I thought he was excellent and Michael Stojanovski was back in the side.
“For me the highlight was the character the boys showed.”
Meanwhile, the South Coast Flame were beaten 4-1 by Central Coast United on Saturday.