Western Sydney Wanderers have claimed their first win of the NPL 2 season with a dominant 3-1 victory over Northern Tigers.
Sunday’s match at a soaking Wanderers Football Park defied the conditions with Western Sydney adopting a short and quick passing style.
They didn’t have to wait long for it to pay dividends either with Dean Pelekanos finding the back of the net in the eighth minute.
The midfielder showed great composure as he controlled the ball in the box before firing home to notch up the Red and Black’s first goal of the season.
The home side continued to create chances and they struck again with 26 minutes played through a piece of individual brilliance by Kosta Grozos.
Leading the counterattack, Grozos found the support run from Thomas Aquilina before moving into position in the centre of the box for the return ball. A neat touch was followed by a calm finish into the bottom corner of the net to make it 2-0.
Despite being down on the scoreboard the Tigers were showing plenty of threat themselves and they pulled one back through Nick Drummond shortly after half-time.
Patrick Zwaanswijk’s side would face a stern test in the last 30 minutes but after keeping a clean sheet last week and the addition of Tass Mourdoukoutas the defence held firm in the face of repeated attacks.
The result was left in no doubt in the 77th minute however thanks to an Isaac Hovar worldie. The substitute led defenders on a merry chase before finding the net with a wonderful curling effort.
A much-needed win for the Red and Black who now climb to fourth on the ladder. They return to Wanderers Football Park next week when they take on Mounties Wanderers FC in Round 4.
Western Sydney Wanderers 3 (Pelekanos 8’, K. Grozos 27’, I. Hovar 77’)
Northern Tigers 1 (N. Drummond 47’)
Western Sydney Wanderers: 1. Noah JAMES (GK), 4. Mohamed AL TAAY, 12. Nectarios TRIANTIS, 6. Tass MOURDOUKOUTAS, 3. Phillip CANCAR, 2. Thomas. AQUILINA, 7. Jarrod CARLUCCIO, 22. Dean PELEKANOS, 11. Lachlan CONSTABLE (14. Alessandro LOPANE 56’), 23. Kosta GROZOS, 9. Ali AUGLAH (21. Isaac HOVAR 72’)
Unused Substitutes: 18. Oliver KALAC (GK), 29. Alex BADOLATO, 24. Peter GROZOS, 19. Bilal CHAHINE
