Wanderers defensive woes show again

Hamilton Wanderers defensive woes showed again as they fell to their ninth defeat of the season. Photo / Grant Stantiall

A late comeback from Hamilton Wanderers was not enough to prevent another loss in the ISPS Handa Premiership as they fell to their ninth defeat this season losing 5-3 to Eastern Suburbs in Hamilton.

In their last two games Wanderers had seen something of a resurgence with back-to-back draws against Hawkes Bay and Tasman, but against Suburbs their defensive woes struck again.

Eastern Suburbs struck the first blow to Wanderers in the opening minutes as Derek Tieku put Suburbs up 1-0.

Wanderers fought back immediately as the game became end to end with both teams searching for the next goal.

Tieku was involved again but this time in a controversial decision after elbowing Wanderers' keeper Matt Oliver in the face. Tieku had already been yellow carded earlier and a second yellow would had ejected him from the game, but the referee chose not to punish the foul.

On the stroke of half time Suburbs made it 2-0 as All Whites midfielder Moses Dyer doubled the scoreline leaving Wanderers in trouble again.

Wanderers came back in the second half after Armin Pasagic put away a penalty making the score 2-1 and giving the home side a glimmer of hope.

That hope was short lived as Suburbs restored its two-goal lead as Andre De Jong added to his season's tally.

Matthew Palmers then scored Suburbs fourth before Wanderers made a late comeback.

Liam Hayes scored one of Wanderers' goals of the season so far after scoring from outside the box before Tommy Semmy made it 4-3 with minutes to go.

The comeback was cut short as Dyer made it 5-3 scoring his second goal of the game before the final whistle.

To the neutral spectators a 5-3 scoreline would had been an entertaining game, but to fans of the home team another five goals conceded does not make good reading for the statistics.

This season Hamilton Wanderers have played 12 games, of those games they have lost nine and drawn three placing them at the bottom of the table.

In those games they have conceded 38 goals, which is 10 more than second bottom Wellington Phoenix's U20 team.

The Phoenix are currently on 12 points thanks to their win against Waitakere United which means Wanderers would need to secure 10 points and the Phoenix to not win a game to get off the bottom of the table.

Fans remain optimistic for Wanderers future in the premiership, but the present results are not encouraging.