Player's Plea To Perform

Illawarra Mercury

Saturday March 31, 2007

By PAUL ZALUNARDO

WOLLONGONG Wolves defender Danial Cummins has put his team on notice heading into tonight's NSW Premier League match with Penrith at CUA Stadium.

Cummins said anything less than a win against a side that started the season with five straight losses would be unacceptable.

"If we don't win tonight it would be a very ominous sign for us as far as making the finals goes," he said.

"In the next two games we will see what sort of team we have got.

"Tomorrow there are no excuses, if we don't beat Penrith we will probably spend the rest of the season battling for sixth, seventh or eighth."

Cummins said results, not performance, had to take centre stage in the coming weeks.

"There is a feeling among the boys that we really need the points," he said.

"I don't care how we get them as long as we do, points are far more important than playing well right now."

Cummins is part of a Wollongong defence that conceded two late goals in last weekend's 3-1 loss to Marconi.

After wasting two golden chances to score when locked at 1-1, the Wolves came unstuck in the final 20 minutes.

Wollongong coach John Turner said tonight's first goal would be extremely important.

"I am going there positive, if the boys do as well I don't think this is the night (Penrith) will get their first win," he said.

"I think you will find that if we score first we will go on from there.

"Whichever team scores first will be awfully hard to peg back."

The form of Daniel Aliffi has been one of the few positives to emerge from the opening five rounds of the Wolves' season.

Aliffi has scored four of Wollongong's five goals despite starting the season in the midfield.

Tonight's match kicks off at 7.30pm.