Oh yes: Japanese star Shinji Ono celebrates a Wanderers goal at Campbelltown. Picture: Simon Bennett
THE pride of the A-League, Western Sydney Wanderers well and truly threw down the gauntlet to other codes in the battle to win people's hearts and minds on Saturday at Campbelltown Sports Stadium.
A crowd of more than 10,500 created an electric atmosphere for the Community Round clash between Wanderers and Newcastle Jets.
Wanderers' 2-1 victory gave them the honour of being the first A-League team to win five consecutive games this season. This Saturday they travel to Melbourne to take on third placed Victory at 7.45pm.
Wanderers opened the scoring through Youssouf Hersi in first-half injury time.
The Red and Black Bloc Wanderers fans' enthusiasm literally spilled over when a section of supporters crashed through and collapsed fencing following celebrations after a goal.
Mark Bridge doubled the lead in the 84th minute before Ruben Zadkovich scored an injury time consolation goal for Newcastle.
The spectacle was a first for many local sport fans and one of those was Ingleburn man John Colvin.
Colvin's most recent soccer experience reached a pinnacle when he was in a corporate box watching Glasgow Celtic as part of a 60,000 crowd, while holidaying in Scotland earlier this month.
Hitting the highs, mingling with former Celtic, also Champions' League-winners during the overseas game, Colvin described Saturday's atmosphere as also being a memorable moment and a "positive experience" during his first A-League encounter.
"It was a warm night with, a colourful vocal support that was well behaved," he said.
"I was delighted and surprised at the Red and Black Bloc's enthusiasm and support which was very parochial but without any malice towards the other team or their fans."