A goal 13 minutes from time condemned our NPL NSW side to a 2-1 defeat against top of the table APIA Leichhardt FC at Lambert Park.
The Wanderers were valiant and put in a strong performance on a windy Saturday night, but they lacked the luck that would have earned them a deserved point.
It was a rough start for the side as they conceded early in the fourth minute courtesy of a Jack Armson strike, and just moments later keeper Lawrence Caruso and centre back Teng Kuol had to make crucial interventions to stop the lead from doubling.
The Wanderers then settled and began to have more of the ball; Zac Sapsford put the ball in the back of the net in the 12th minute, but the play was called back for an accidental high foot from Nathaneal Blair.
There would be no such issues in the 28th minute when the Wanderers kept the ball alive after a set piece, with a loose ball falling at the feet of Marcus Younis, who duly smashed the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
The Wanderers’ play up to that point merited an equaliser, and the game continued to be an end-to-end affair with both sides looking to attack regularly.
Sapsford had two good chances on the hour mark, but he pulled his first effort wide of the goal, before only managing to hit a powerful drive straight at APIA keeper Ivan Necevski.
Blair almost got on the end of a brilliant cross from the right wing, but he was just unable to get his head to the ball that would have almost certainly given the Wanderers the lead.
It would prove costly as just a minute later Jack Stewart showed poacher’s instincts to score from very close range and put the home side back in front.
Blair almost equalised with the last play of the game when he flicked on a cross, but it went agonisingly wide of the goal.
