Kilkolly ensures woeful Wanderers stay winless

Angus Kilkolly’s first-half hattrick guided Team Wellington to a comfortable 3-1 victory over Hamilton Wanderers at Porritt Stadium yesterday.

Truth be told, Kilkolly could have trebled his goal tally in Hamilton had he and his teammates been more ruthless against a Wanderers team firmly rooted to the foot of the men’s national football league table after five defeats from five games.

Wanderers haven’t registered a point since former All Whites head coach Ricki Herbert took over this season and they have just four games to avoid going through the entire calendar year without claiming a victory.

Defending champions Wellington remain level with Auckland City on the top of the ladder – trailing only by goal difference – after reaping the rewards for an extremely positive attacking style.

Wanderers battled away but were fortunate that three didn’t become four, five or six as the visitors wasted countless chances to extend their two-goal lead in the second half.

Herbert and anybody connected to Wanderers screamed for a penalty on the hour when Papua New Guinean winger Tommy Semmy went to ground inside the box.

But the referee waved away the claim and Wellington launched one of many counterattacks that could and probably should have led to a fourth goal.

Wanderers retained hope of claiming their first point of the season when Swedish forward Armin Pasagic scored on halftime after Wellington led 3-0 through Kilkolly’s treble.

The visitors were two goals in front inside 15 minutes after the Wellington striker lashed the ball home with a powerful leftfooted shot past Wanderers keeper Matt Oliver.

Joel Stevens and Kilkolly then looked to have fluffed their lines with an attack down the right but the ball deflected kindly into the latter’s path to make it 2-0.

Sekuo Diane, a first-half replacement for the injured Louis Fenton, then picked out Kilkolly with a cross from the left and his header found the net just before the break.

Wanderers had barely fired a shot but Pasagic’s deflected strike looped over Wellington keeper Scott Basalaj and the hosts had something to shout about going into the second half.

Pasagic had a few good opportunities but they were heavily outweighed by wasteful Wellington, who missed several golden chances to put the game to bed.

Oliver had a busy evening in between the sticks and kept Wanderers in the game with some superb keeping, but Wellington will be wondering how on earth they couldn’t score more than three after Kilkolly hit the bar and had shots somehow cleared off the line by scrambling Wanderers defenders.

Wanderers upped the intensity on attack but there was no further scoring.