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Wanderers ease into FFA Cup quarters

Roar Guru
30th August, 2016
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Defender Scott Neville was the unlikely goal-scoring hero as Western Sydney Wanderers won their way into the FFA Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday.

Neville scored in each half, equalling his tally from all of last season, either side of a strike from fellow defender Brendon Hamill as the Wanderers collected a 5-1 win against Edgeworth Eagles in Newcastle.

With Mitch Nichols and new Japanese signing Jumpei Kusukami operating well together in the midfield, the Wanderers dominated possession but it took until the final minutes of the opening half before they made a double breakthrough.

Former Newcastle Jets full-back Neville added a third goal soon after half-time to seemingly end the contest.

However, Daniel McBreen, who famously scored against the Wanderers in the 2013 A-League grand final, pulled a goal back giving Edgeworth momentum, only for substitute Brendan Santalab to seal the result with a double in the dying stages.

Elsewhere on Tuesday, there was little joy for former National Soccer League champions Melbourne Knights who crashed to a 3-1 loss against fellow Victorian side Green Gully.

Liam Boland, whose spectacular winner knocked out Central Coast Mariners in the last round, netted a double to complete a come-from-behind win against a home side reduced to 10 men in the second half.

A superb individual goal from midfielder Milos Ninkovic helped Sydney FC to a 2-0 extra-time win over Perth Glory.

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The visiting Sydney FC had the better of the contest which featured numerous scoring opportunities, but needed 30 extra minutes before finally subduing the Glory.

Ninkovic’s decisive intervention came eight minutes into extra time and featured a driving run from halfway before the Serbian unleashed a searing shot into the top corner.

Captain Alex Brosque completed a happy comeback following a long injury lay-off, by expertly finishing off a counter-attack to earn the Sky Blues some late insurance.

Richard Garcia hit the post late-on for the home side but there was no way back for a Glory team who had featured in the past two tournament finals.

FFA Cup specialists Bentleigh Greens also needed extra time to end the fairytale run of Devonport Strikers amid driving rain in Tasmania, with a 93rd-minute goal from Matt Thurtell proving the difference.

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