Western Sydney Wanderers have made it a hat-trick of victories after a comfortable 4-1 win over Hills United.
A brace from Ali Auglah, his second in as many weeks, plus goals to Alessandro Lopane and Reuben Awaritefe sealed all three points.
In what was at times a heated encounter at Lily’s Football Centre, the Red & Black showed composure on the ball and took their chances against a physical home side.
Coming off their 5-0 demolition of Mounties, Western Sydney didn’t take long to continue their hot form, finding the back of the net after 17 minutes through Auglah.
The striker had looked ominous early on and was found unmarked by an Isaac Hovar cross inside the six-yard box before firing past the Hills goalkeeper with trademark venom.
Eight minutes later and the second arrived via a defensive mishap. The home side’s defenders let a through ball past them and into the grateful path of a lurking Lopane who rounded the keeper and walked it into the net.
At 2-0 the game was there for the taking but a Hills counterattack was finished off via a leaping Duncan Stewart.
Western Sydney’s two-goal margin was restored before the break however and it was the two goalscorers combining as Auglah found himself on the end of a Lopane effort and headed home.
The scoring dried up after the interval but the game’s combative element only intensified as both sides battled hard for every inch.
Oliver Kalac put his body on the line to save a certain goal, copping a boot to the face for his troubles.
The win was finally confirmed through substitute Reuben Awaritefe, the big striker capitalising on an error and cooly slotting it past the goalkeeper for his first goal of the season.
With 12 goals in the last three games, Patrick Zwaanswijk’s side will now return home to face Bonnyrigg White Eagles next Sunday.
Western Sydney Wanderers 4 (Auglah 17’, 38’, Lopane 25’, Awaritefe 83’)
Hills United FC 1 (Stewart 30’)
Western Sydney Wanderers: 18. Oliver KALAC (GK), 4. Mohamed AL TAAY, 12. Nectarios TRIANTIS, 3. Phillip CANCAR, 7. Jarrod CARLUCCIO, 22. Dean PELEKANOS (13. Joel BERTOLISSIO 86’), 11. Lochlan CONSTABLE (29. Alexander BADOLATO 75’), 23. Kosta GROZOS (17. George ANTONIS 86’), 21. Isaac HOVAR, 14. Alessandro LOPANE, 9. Ali AUGLAH (10. Reuben AWARITEFE 75’)
Unused Substitutes: 36. Jack GIBSON (GK), 15. Alexander BONETIG
