A hat-trick from Nathaneal Blair has helped lead our NPL NSW side to a 4-1 victory over NWS Spirit on Saturday night.
Despite the game being tied up at 1-1 with just seven minutes to go, the Wanderers scored three goals in 11 minutes to sink Spirit, who finished the game with 10 men.
The Wanderers started the game strongly, with Blair blazing a shot over the bar in the fifth minute, before Aydan Hammond and Anthony Pantazopoulos had great chances, but were denied by the crossbar and a goal-line clearance respectively.
They wouldn’t be denied in the 21st minute when Blair was fouled in the box by Spirit defender Grant Cornwell; Blair stepped up and converted the spot kick to put the Wanderers in front.
Hammond had another great chance soon after, with his effort well saved by Christopher Marques, before Spirit levelled the game just before the break through Luiz Lobo.
The second half was a tighter affair as fouls from both sides meant the game struggled to get into a rhythm.
The game exploded back into life in the 83rd minute, when Alex Badolato’s strong shot was initially parried by Marques, but Adam Bugarija was on the spot to smash the rebound home and give the Wanderers the lead.
Spirit then had Ante Bakmaz sent off for two yellow cards in three minutes soon after, and their resistance fell apart, as Marques and Cornwell collided whilst trying to clear a Ryley Hollingdale long ball; Blair was able to latch onto the loose ball and clinically converted the chance into an almost empty goal.
Blair then scored his third for the night with almost the final kick of the game, when he got on the end of another long ball and finished coolly through the legs of Marques to put an exclamation mark on what was a strong performance and victory for the Wanderers.
Western Sydney now sit fourth on the NPL NSW table, but have a game in hand on the three teams above them; they have a clash in the Sydney Derby on Friday.
