The match started with play confined to the midfield, neither side able to string any telling moves together. The first chance of the game resulted in the first goal of the match. Man of the match Matt Horsley broke away from his marker John Hutchinson down the right flank and delivered the perfect cut back across the goalmouth. With the Falcons defenders flatfooted, Dino Mennillo strolled in to tap in an easy goal. 1-0 Wollongong.

With an early lead, Wollongong made it clear they were happy to sit back and not over extend themselves. With Mennillo, Reid, Chipperfield and Horley prominent, Wollongong closed down the Falcons midfield forcing them to play long searching balls that Souris, Ceccoli and Stanton had no trouble dealing with.

It took until the 24 minute for the Falcons to have their first strike on goal, with a speculative long-range effort by the hard running Mandic going just over the crossbar.

The only other chance of the half went to the Wolves when Ceccoli set up Petrovski down the left. Petrovski made position well, beat a committed Jevdjevic in the Falcons goal only to see a tame effort cleared away easily by Dean Fak.

The second half began with the Falcons trying to up the tempo of the game. Doug Marcina was noticeably more involved, as were Vargas and Robertson in the Falcons midfield.

It was the Wolves however who continued to have the best chances. A long range effort by Noel Spencer in the 60 minute tested Jevdjevic in the Falcons goal, who could only parry the ball away. A great run through the midfield by Paul Reid a minute latter set up Stuart Young for one of the best chances of the game. Young put through perfectly by Reid had his shot well saved by Jevdjevic down low.

Marcina was in everything for the Falcons, making great runs down the right from deep and causing panic in the Wolves defence. It was from one such run in the 65 minute that Marcina found himself clear on goal only to be brought down on the edge of the penalty area. A rare moment for the Falcons, the last penalty in the league being nearly three season ago, away to Perth Glory when Eddie Krncevic converted. A nervous Mobil Park crowd relieved to see Andy Vargas calmly slot the ball past Pogliacomi. 1-1.

The goal lifted the tempo of the game, the Falcons realising they had a chance to steal the points and Wollongong realising they actually had a game on their hands. Suddenly, Robertson and Vargas had control of the midfield for the Falcons and Nick Theodorakopoulos was forced to make changes to try and get the three points the Wolves assumed would come easy.

The Wolves had the best opportunities to take the three points. A great turn and shot by Horsley on the edge of the penalty area in the 33 minute just went wide of the upright. Then an unmarked Stuart Young in the 42 minute went for power rather than placement to spray probably the best chance on the night across the face of goal.

In the end a draw was a fair result in a game that both sides failed to deliver. The Wolves, renowned for their open attacking style of play, never looked like a title contender on the night and the Falcons battled hard but yet again rarely looked like scoring enough goals to win the game.

Best player on the night was the polished socceroo Matt Horsley. His speed and strength on the right flank lead to the Wolves goal and was a constant headache for the Falcons. Doug Marcina single handed effort in the second half lead to the penalty equaliser and only when he got involved did the Falcons look at all dangerous. Dino Menillo yet again showed why he is so highly rated. His hard running and ability to find space was a constant threat to the Falcons defenders.

Jevdjevic – Fak – Gotis – Durakovic – Marcina – Hutchonson – Vargas – Robertson – Bell – Mandic (Nilo 82 min) - MacNicol Subs not used: Savage, Puca

Pogliacomi. – Souris – Ceccoli – Stanton (Blake 90 min) – Horsley – Reid – Mennillo – Chipperfield – Spencer (Huxley 85 min) – Young – Petrovski (Robertson 75 min)

Yellow Cards: Gippsland Falcons - Bell 54 min

Votes: 3 Horsley (Wollongong Wolves); 2 Marcina (Gippsland Falcons); 1 Mennillo (Wollongong Wolves)