By Greg Blake
If there were a screenplay, this game followed the blueprint assiduously. Without the slightest of swagger, Heidelberg United Alexander meandered back into Wollongong for the first time in three decades and methodically dismantled the home-town Wolves, in a critical second round Australian Championship match-up.
Alexander’s calculated 3-0 victory – with goals from Jamal Ali, Anthony Lesiotis and newcomer Angus Taylor – swept the Warriors to the top of Group B. Wollongong bounced out of the blocks. For the briefest period the Wolves were liking themselves, enjoying the day and looking likely. A boisterous crowd. Sunshine, shorts and cold tinnies. Even a jumping castle.
The Alexander cast is largely interchangeable, but the script familiar. With all the cunning of Bugs Bunny, Jamal Ali appeared where he had no place being and Whispering Death’s goal by stealth just seventeen minutes in will dull even the most wildly enthusiastic of defensive presses. The momentum swung irrevocably.
A deflating realisation. Much like the jockey on a rank outsider getting a clean escape from a plumb Melbourne Cup barrier draw. Leading the field down the Flemington straight for the first time and getting lost in the hypnotic roar of 100,000 fans is all well and good. Then you remember there’s still a mile-and-a-half to run and around 12,000 tonnes of thoroughbred stayers breathing down your neck.
Wollongong weren’t bad. Far from it. But Ali’s scrambled effort from close range created scoreboard separation and doubt. Unwelcome interlopers up against a Heidelberg team which has lost only four of the 75 games in which they’ve taken a lead under Johnny Anastasiadis in all competitions.
Fletcher Fulton – who played another impeccable game – and Bul Juach were both off target with headers which might have stitched the game up before the break. Wollongong roared out of the blocks and attacked the second half with gusto.
And with that arrives another Lesiotis ‘hold my beer’ moment. Just three minutes into the second half and Asahi Yokokawa launched one of his half-dozen threatening corners for the afternoon, the in-swinger only haphazardly cleared to outside a bustling penalty area. Despite an awkward bounce in his direction, Lesiotis leapt springbok-like to get over the ball and control a right-foot drive which manoeuvred through a peak hour sea of legs and into the net for 2-0.
The dictionary describes superlative as ‘of the highest kind, quality, order or degree; surpassing all others; supreme’. Lesiotis was superlative – again – on Saturday. He wasn’t the only standout, but his game always seems to stand out.
A Yaren Sozer stop and Fulton clearance was the closest Wollongong got before Alexander’s newest face lured across Bass Straight – Angus Taylor – after looking likely a couple of times after coming off the bench – finally loped inside and found enough angle to spear his right-footer home for 3-0 with six minutes left on the clock.
The upsides were everywhere. Marcus Humbert looks like he belongs after just his second game in the yellow and black. Ryan Lethlean was again outstanding. So strong in the physical contests, yet his distribution is near impeccable. Ali was back to his cheeky yet authoritative near best. Jay McGowan had a terrific outing and probably his best as a starter for the Warriors.
The Warriors are back at home for round three, hosting South Hobart at Catalina Street next Sunday. And whilst the apple islanders got bashed about at Marconi on Saturday, if Tassie can produce a Fletcher Fulton, who knows.
Four wins in this comp and you can’t miss the quarters. Two down, two to go. Warrior Nation, it’s where we live!
