Cool hand Luke masterminds Wollongong Wolves' rare double

Luke Wilkshire, one of Illawarra football's favourite sons, was a proud man after he led Wollongong Wolves to their first National Premier Leagues title in his debut season as a senior head coach.

Wolves captain Justin Pasfield and coach Luke Wilkshire. Source: Supplied

The former Socceroos fullback completed a remarkable double when Wollongong defeated Lions FC of Queensland 4-3 after extra time at Albert Butler Oval to add the national championship to the NSW title they won in August.

It was the Wolves' most important victory in almost two decades.

On June 11 of 2000 Wollongong won their first National Soccer League championship when Scott Chipperfield and Co beat Perth Glory on penalties after coming back from three goals down in normal time in front of 43,242 fans at Subiaco Oval.

That epic contest is still regarded as one of Australian club football's greatest ever matches. If not the greatest.

Wilkshire, who played two seasons for Wollongong in the mid-1990s, missed the Wolves' finest hour because he had left Australia for English football in 1997 and was playing for Middlesbrough at the time.

He now has done the next best thing for the area that provided him with a platform from which to forge a successful professional career by masterminding the Wolves' NPL championship triumph which also secures them an automatic spot in the last 32 of the next FFA Cup.

"We have put Wollongong on the map and the boys deserved it because they worked hard for it all year," Wilkshire, 38, said later.

"I worked hard too, taking each game at a time and never thinking too far ahead. Yet from the very beginning I believed in the quality and hunger within the group. I cannot praise my boys enough.

"Winning the NPL gives us a great feeling because being champions means a lot to us."

The match took place at a small ground near Port Kembla because the surface of WIN Stadium in Wollongong is being relaid.

The match ebbed and flowed for 120 minutes and provided a subtle reminder that there is more to Australian club football than the A-League.

Two top teams from NSW and Queensland gave the fans a football feast to savour. It was fast, furious and physical but played in true sporting spirit. There was not one malicious tackle all afternoon.

The Lions took an early lead with a header from Shaun Carlos but the Wolves came out firing in the second half and turned things around with a Thomas James penalty and a goal from Takeru Okada.

With time running out the indomitable Lions took the match into extra time with a header from substitute Marek Madle but they were forced to play the extra 30 minutes with 10 men after Mitch Here was sent off in the last minute of normal time for two bookable offences.

Substitute striker Bul Juach and James scored a goal each for the Wolves before a late converted penalty from Joe Duckworth made the score more respectable for the visitors.

All in all it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and it's a shame that such an entertaining contest was watched by a rather disappointing crowd of 1361.

No doubt clubs like Wollongong feel they ought to be in the elite division of Australian football and from a purely technical and tactical point of view they most probably would give a good account of themselves with a few quality additions in key areas and a fully professional preparation.

However the million-dollar question remains: even if they prove to be competitive on the field how would clubs like Wollongong survive in the top flight if they are unable to draw a crowd of even 2000 for a grand final when entry tickets cost a meagre $15?

But that's a story for another day.

NPL CHAMPIONS

2013: Sydney United 58

2014: Metrostars

2015: Blacktown City

2016: Sydney United 58

2017: Heidelberg United

2018: Campbelltown City

2019: Wollongong Wolves

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