Wollongong Wolves implode late to lose 5-4 against NWS Spirit

The side were up 4-2 in the 83^rd minute and looked all but secured of the victory, but lost their concentration in the final moments and ended up losing the fixture 5-4.

David Carney's side were looking to continue their solid form following their dominant 3-0 win against the Mariners last Sunday.

As predicted in the lead-up to the match, captain Scott returned to the starting line-up in a partnership up top with in-form striker Jake Trew.

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The Wolves were looking to improve on their ninth-placed spot on the ladder pre-game, whilst NWS Spirit were looking to jump from 11^th position.

Spirit were without a win in their last five prior to the contest against the Wolves.

It was an up-tempo start to the contest with both sides enjoying periods of attack in the opening stanza of the game.

Carney's men were behind 1-0 however in the ninth minute as Luiz Lobo finished off an opportunity provided through an Ollie Wiggin assist. NWS Spirit managed to play their way out from the back and get up the other end of the pitch, with Lobo making no mistake from around the penalty area.

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The Wolves then struggled to break down a resolute Spirit defence and chances were scarce, with the exception of a couple of blocked snapshots by Chris McStay and captain Scott.

Wollongong we level however in the 32^nd minute and it was thanks to the efforts from left-back Walter Scott, who won the ball on the half-way line, drove down into the attacking third and whipped in a lethal cross and a Spirit defender turned the ball into his own net.

McStay then turned the game on its head, scoring an absolute thunderbolt from outside the area in the 36^th minute and the score was 2-1 the way of the Wolves.

Josh Macdonald almost extended the lead before half-time but his shot fell into the arms of Spirit goalkeeper Christopher Marques.

The Wolves had to keep weary at the back however with Louis Bozanic hitting Tomas Butkovic's side-netting.

The Wolves finished the first half the stronger of the two sides and Trew was kicking himself for not making it three goals in the first 45 after a peach of a cross from left-back Scott onto the head of the former Olympic IPL striker, who couldn't convert and the score was 2-1 the visitor's way going into the break.

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The match moved into the second half both sides had moments of sustained position in the first 15 minutes.

It was the Wolves to score the next goal and it was captain Scott on his return tapping home after Macdonald's initial shot was saved by Marques and the score was 3-1 in the 61^st minute.

Butkovic had to be aware at the other end of the pitch and kept his side's two goal advantage with a smart save from Wiggin's shot.

However it didn't take long until the margin was down to just a goal for Wollongong, with NWS Spirit Richard Darko getting in behind the Wolves defence to make the score 3-2 with just under 20 minutes to play.

The game was seemingly put to bed in the 83^rd minute however with substitute Takumi Ofuka slotting the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal after a lightning counter attack from the side.

The game was not over however as Matthew Cahill made it a nail-biting finish for Carney's side, scoring to make it 4-3 in the 90^th minute.

From there, the Wolves had four minutes of stoppage time to hang onto the win, but could not do so.

Spirit equalised the contest deep in stoppage time and then Darko was the hero for the home team, chipping Butkovic to clinch the points.

It was monumental scenes at full-time and the Wolves were left to ponder where they lost the game.

Next week, the side will be away from home once again on Friday against Sydney FC.

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