The NRMA Insurance Western Sydney Wanderers have qualified for the Westfield FFA Cup Quarter Finals for the second consecutive season.
Facing the Northern NSW premiers, doubles to Scott Neville and Brendon Santalab and a lone strike from Brendan Hamill saw the Red & Black run out 5-1 winners over Edgeworth Eagles.
It was a physical opening to the match with Edgeworth looking to show the Wanderers that it was going to be a tough encounter.
One of the Wanderers’ new signings, Japanese winger Jumpei, got into the action early on debut with some impressive runs and almost created a chance early.
Chances also fell early to Brendan Hamill and Dimas before Neville scored the opener: heading in a Dimas corner.
It looked to have been a well-deserved one goal lead heading into half time but just before the whistle Hamill doubled the lead when he hit home Mitch Nichols’ cross.
Neville got his second of the night three minutes into the second half after a beautiful combination that involved a number of Wanderers in the build-up and while Daniel McBreen grabbed one back for Edgeworth, Wanderers were dominant.
That dominance was rewarded further as Brendan Santalab came off the bench to score a late double: the first a brilliant header before following it up with a composed finish off a Steve Lustica cross.
Next up for the Wanderers in the Westfield FFA Cup is Melbourne City in the Quarter Finals. Time, date and venue will be confirmed in the coming days.
Edgeworth Eagles 1 (Daniel McBreen 59’)
Western Sydney Wanderers 5 (Scott Neville 35’ 48’ Brendan Hamill 45’+1 Brendon Santalab 84’ 90’)
Western Sydney Wanderers: Andrew Redmayne (GK), Scott Neville, Jonathan Aspropotamitis, Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Brendan Hamill, Kearyn Baccus, Dimas (Bruno), Mitch Nichols, Jumpei (Shannon Cole), Steve Lustica, Lachlan Scott (Brendon Santalab)
Unused subs: Jerrad Tyson (GK), Aritz Borda
