NSW NATIONAL PREMIER LEAGUE
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Ten-man South Coast couldn't withstand APIA Leichhardt in atrocious conditions on Saturday as they fell 3-0 at Lambert Park.
The Wolves had to play without a man for the best part of an hour in driving rain after Sam Matthews was dismissed for a tackle from behind.
Despite his departure, they were in the contest for the majority of the match before conceding twice in the final 15 minutes.
Brett Studman had opened the scoring in the 24th minute and the result was sealed by Blake Powell's second-half double.
It brought to an end the Wolves' three-match unbeaten run in the league, but didn't dent the confidence of coach Nahuel Arrarte.
"Even with 10 men we played well. You couldn't tell," he said.
"We kept our structure and had a few chances. Even at half-time 1-0 down we were in it. The boys were working hard and then the last two goals.
"We started pushing men forward to try and get a result and we just got caught. I don't like losing but I was proud of the commitment and effort."
The way in which the opening goal was conceded disappointed Arrate.
Franco Parisi swung in a free kick which Studman tapped in at the back post.
Matthews was handed his marching orders just over 10 minutes later but it didn't restrict the Wolves upfront.
David Stojic hit the crossbar just before half time when he could have found the equalising goal.
It remained 1-0 at the break and was anyone's game early in the second stanza.
Eventually Powell doubled the Tigers' lead on 78 minutes with a tap in before he made it 11 goals from eight matches this season with a tidy finish to seal the result.
"I said to the boys after the game, if we continue to apply ourselves the we do week in, week out, We will win more than we lose," Arrarte said. "We have had a bit of rough patch from a training perspective but our last few results have been quite positive.
"It is a bit of a speed hump for our season but we will go back to the drawing board."
Arrarte got the chance to hand Jack Lombo his first taste of top flight football in the loss.
"It was good to see ... he has just turned 18 and that is the type of thing we will keep pushing for," Arrarte said.
"We worked really hard, especially in those conditions.
"Our club will continue to promote and develop the youngsters."
With several teams still to make up washed out fixtures, the Wolves' position of ninth on the ladder could change.
They meet tenth-placed Rockdale City Suns in a crucial fixture at WIN Stadium next Sunday.